This Mechanical Keyboard Brings Your Modern C64 Dreams to Life

In my years of reviewing, I’ve come across a host of mechanical keyboards, each with their own charm and quirks. However, I’ve often found that there’s something about their layout that doesn’t quite suit my personal taste. Since the bulk of these new arrivals are designed with a U.S. audience in mind—understandable given the market size—they come equipped with a U.S. layout.

Now, to a lot of folks, this probably doesn’t sound like a big deal—and I’d half agree. But there are little eccentricities with the U.S. layout that just aren’t my cup of tea. So, after the review period ends, I frequently find myself reverting back to a model with a U.K. layout.

Enter 8BitDo with impeccable timing, finally providing its retro-style mechanical keyboards in various localized versions, including a perfect U.K. layout for us folks across the pond. This means I’m reunited with my beloved large Enter key, all the keys are exactly where my fingers anticipate them, and thankfully, there’s a £ key too. It’s like the keyboard gods themselves have worked their magic.

As a result, I can now fully immerse myself in using one as my daily driver, a status it achieved mere seconds after I started typing on it. It’s not flawless, and it might not be for everyone, but for those it’s aimed at, it’s a triumph. I’d need a pretty compelling reason to switch to anything else.

Aesthetically, the design is nothing short of stunning, offering a nostalgic nod with layouts tailored to different regional users. With years of typing under my belt, my fingers tend to have a mind of their own. This means that using a U.S. layout occasionally messes with my typing flow. The symbols don’t align as expected, the Enter key is annoyingly small (seriously, not a fan), and my error rate increases.

The introduction of the U.K. layout in the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard solves these issues perfectly. Nothing about the keyboard’s core components has changed, but the layout makes me enjoy it so much more than if I had grudgingly accepted the U.S. version.

The charm isn’t just skin deep. My version, inspired by the Commodore 64, bathes in retro brown. Its compact size is spot on, especially considering it lacks a number pad—something I understand not everyone is thrilled about. There are cool features too: a volume control dial, switches for toggling between Bluetooth and wireless connection, and three additional buttons which, admittedly, I don’t use regularly.

Besides aesthetics, the retro vibe translates to its functionality. There’s no height adjustment, staying fixed in place, but the curved key alignment ensures a comfortable typing experience. Keys rise gently from the Spacebar, providing ergonomic support. I haven’t encountered Kailh White switches before, but I’m impressed by their performance.

Old-school keyboards knew their stuff. The sound profile of these keys screams retro—not an exact match to their predecessors, but close enough, with a satisfying thump from the Spacebar and Backspace. You don’t need to apply much pressure, yet it’s incredibly gratifying to type on.

Weight-wise, it feels solid, although there’s a slight hollowness, and the plastic material might not appeal to everyone. It’s not cheap-feeling by any means, but if you’re accustomed to top-tier keyboards, it may not measure up. However, given its price, there’s little room for complaints.

The accessory package it comes with adds an interesting twist. Like the U.S. version, it packs some unique extras, including a small joystick (not my kind of thing) and two large red buttons, complete with customizable stickers.

Those buttons, termed “Super Buttons,” intrigue me. They’re potentially fantastic for accessibility, plugging into a rear port and programmable via the companion app to execute chosen keyboard functions.

The provided software lets you bind simple actions to these buttons or create custom macros for more complex commands. Plus, thanks to a hot-swappable PCB, you can switch out the Doubleshot ABS keycaps, though personally, I haven’t attempted to remove them—nor do I plan to.

This isn’t a keyboard you buy just to customize with different keycaps. If you’re getting one, the classic brown is probably the draw.

Interestingly, the Xbox version available stateside shares many similarities with this model, albeit with some differences: distinct switches, RGB backlighting, and cosmetics officialized by Xbox. Absent from the C64-inspired design, the backlights could deter some users, but I enjoy the straightforward aesthetics.

Also featuring Super Buttons, the Xbox variation replaces the joystick with an Xbox button, which is useful for popping open the Game Bar in Windows 11. Whatever version you choose—from this to the NES-themed design or one paying homage to IBM’s classic keyboard—you’re in for something remarkable. For those who can’t stand Tenkeyless keyboards, 8BitDo even sells separate number pads to augment your setup later on.

Altogether, it’s a fantastic lineup, now bolstered by a wider range of localized layouts, finally fulfilling a long-standing wish of mine. It’s lived up to all my expectations, and I couldn’t be happier.