8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard (Open Box)
$64.28
$99.99
36% off
Reference Price
Condition: New; Open Box
Color: Fami Edition
Top positive review
18 people found this helpful
Great first attempt at a mechanical keyboard by 8bitdo
By Sweet Tea Bags on Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2023
8bitdo is known for their wireless controllers and it seems like they've decided to expand into mechanical keyboards. This is a great first attempt by them! I have a couple mechanical keyboards so I'm not an expert by any means, but I'll try to make it make sense for newbies. I have a Redragon K556 Pro that I used to type on before I got this and 8bitdo's has blown that out of the water. Battery life: The battery life is fantastic. I can't get my redragon to last more than a couple days even with turning off the keyboard at the end of the day. I haven't had to charge the battery yet for 8bitdo's and I started using it around early November 2023. Can't remember if it was bluetooth or 2.4 so I'll update when I check next time I'm in the office. The switches: I swapped out the switches in my Redragon for speed silvers which I do love, but I also love the switches on the 8bitdo keyboard. If you're a newbie to mechanical keyboards, the switches they use on 8bitdo's are the Kailh White switches which aren't super noisy, but aren't linear either. They're tactile. They're louder than speed silvers but still type nicely and aren't as loud as cherry blue switches. The clickiness volume sounds like a normal keyboard so your coworkers won't be super unhappy with you unless you're an angry typer like I am, lol. They sold me on the Kailh switches so if I ever decide to switch, that's what I'm using. The keycaps: I swapped out my keycaps on my Redragon which have a KCA profile. I wasn't super happy with them because I kept mistyping. I'm more of a Cherry girl. If I had to guess which keycap profile these were, these look a lot like DSA or XDA which are probably more my speed. They remind me of the XVX XDA profile keycaps actually (also sold on amazon), which are about same height as a normal keyboard's keycaps. That was smart because that makes this as close to a normal keyboard with the benefits of a mechanical keyboard. It's great for those who are thinking about swapping to a mechanical keyboard but also don't want to sink $$$ into one or wasting money trying to find the right keycap profiles for their typing style. The big red buttons: These are just so fun to use! It took me a second to figure out how to program them, but the instructions included were very helpful so I figured it out. They also weren't on fragile paper and I have it hiding under the buttons. It came with stickers too. I programmed my two to be Ctrl+C & Ctrl+V because they are my most used buttons and they work great when I remember to use them. My coworkers love to come over and mess with me by clicking them. These are wired, but the wire is long enough and unobtrusive. Was this worth it?: Absolutely 100% worth it. Mechanical keyboards get so costly. The fact that they made this keyboard $99.99 is extremely accessible when you consider that mechanical keyboards can cost hundreds. I hope to see a full sized version someday. No lie, I also wish they sold the keycaps because I absolutely love the retro aesthetic of this keyboard. It feels good and looks good so I would recommend this.
Top critical review
1 people found this helpful
Good with some asterisks
By simon on Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2024
For me, this is a 7/10 keyboard, but I can't give it 3.5 stars here... Reviewing this is a bit challenging because value is generally an important metric to scoring. However, mechanical keyboard pricing is all over the place, this is far from the most expensive keyboard, but also far from the cheapest. I think that if someone is dropping $100 dollars for a themed keyboard, it's fair to expect some level of polish in the execution. Which brings me to my pettiest negative as well as the one that bothers me the most. --- The petty stuff If you check the first picture, you might notice there's something off about the LED labels, particularly SCRLK. If you can't see it, the print in the key cap might give it away - it appears that the LED label wasn't fully printed, missing a few rows of ink, perhaps. I'd also say the "design" for this labels need some help as well, it's basically impossible to read them at a normal distance due to the combination of tiny font and the low contras. In practice this isn't much of an issue as you can just memorize which is which, but I find it slightly annoying nonetheless. --- The important I would say the most important aspect of a keyboard is how it feels, and I'd say that, for the most part*, this feels great, but when it comes to feeling's cousin - sound - I'm not so positive. I don't consider myself to be particularly sensitive to sound, and I've never gone out of my way to buy a silent variant of any product, but in this case I'd say the keyboard is a bit too loud, I definitely don't recommend it if you plant to use it close to someone else, unless I want to piss them off. * The exception for this being the big red buttons that come as an accessory. I'm no expert, but I think the switches used for them just aren't strong enough to handle the button's weight properly and pressing them isn't satisfying, unlike the main keyboard. --- Connectivity While I couldn't really test the battery life as I almost always use it wired. That doesn't mean I haven't used bluetooth. BT was one of the reasons I got this keyboard as I sometimes "need" it for the deck, as not having to worry about disconnecting and reconnecting cables seemed like a nice quality of life for me, and for that purpose it works perfectly fine. I move the switch and 1-2 seconds later I'm typing on the deck without incident. -- Annoyances First one is on me for not noticing that this keyboard lacks a context menu button, I don't think I had ever seen one before this one, but in here it is replaced for one of those "macro" A/B buttons. The other one I don't know if it's the keyboard or my computer as I recently started fresh, but even when scrlk is turned on, it doesn't work in programs it used to like spreadsheet and notepad++. The fact that it is non-functional in both windows and linux makes me think it is a keyboard issue, but I can't be sure of it until I get another keyboard to double-check.
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Great first attempt at a mechanical keyboard by 8bitdo
By Sweet Tea Bags - Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2023
Verified Amazon Purchase
8bitdo is known for their wireless controllers and it seems like they've decided to expand into mechanical keyboards. This is a great first attempt by them! I have a couple mechanical keyboards so I'm not an expert by any means, but I'll try to make it make sense for newbies. I have a Redragon K556 Pro that I used to type on before I got this and 8bitdo's has blown that out of the water. Battery life: The battery life is fantastic. I can't get my redragon to last more than a couple days even with turning off the keyboard at the end of the day. I haven't had to charge the battery yet for 8bitdo's and I started using it around early November 2023. Can't remember if it was bluetooth or 2.4 so I'll update when I check next time I'm in the office. The switches: I swapped out the switches in my Redragon for speed silvers which I do love, but I also love the switches on the 8bitdo keyboard. If you're a newbie to mechanical keyboards, the switches they use on 8bitdo's are the Kailh White switches which aren't super noisy, but aren't linear either. They're tactile. They're louder than speed silvers but still type nicely and aren't as loud as cherry blue switches. The clickiness volume sounds like a normal keyboard so your coworkers won't be super unhappy with you unless you're an angry typer like I am, lol. They sold me on the Kailh switches so if I ever decide to switch, that's what I'm using. The keycaps: I swapped out my keycaps on my Redragon which have a KCA profile. I wasn't super happy with them because I kept mistyping. I'm more of a Cherry girl. If I had to guess which keycap profile these were, these look a lot like DSA or XDA which are probably more my speed. They remind me of the XVX XDA profile keycaps actually (also sold on amazon), which are about same height as a normal keyboard's keycaps. That was smart because that makes this as close to a normal keyboard with the benefits of a mechanical keyboard. It's great for those who are thinking about swapping to a mechanical keyboard but also don't want to sink $$$ into one or wasting money trying to find the right keycap profiles for their typing style. The big red buttons: These are just so fun to use! It took me a second to figure out how to program them, but the instructions included were very helpful so I figured it out. They also weren't on fragile paper and I have it hiding under the buttons. It came with stickers too. I programmed my two to be Ctrl+C & Ctrl+V because they are my most used buttons and they work great when I remember to use them. My coworkers love to come over and mess with me by clicking them. These are wired, but the wire is long enough and unobtrusive. Was this worth it?: Absolutely 100% worth it. Mechanical keyboards get so costly. The fact that they made this keyboard $99.99 is extremely accessible when you consider that mechanical keyboards can cost hundreds. I hope to see a full sized version someday. No lie, I also wish they sold the keycaps because I absolutely love the retro aesthetic of this keyboard. It feels good and looks good so I would recommend this.
8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Review: Style Meets Substance
By Barrett Thompson - Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2025
Verified Amazon Purchase
The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is a stunning blend of vintage design and modern functionality. Its nostalgic color scheme, reminiscent of classic gaming consoles, immediately catches the eye. The matte finish and sleek keycaps add a premium touch, while the solid aluminum base ensures durability. Typing on this keyboard is an absolute pleasure. The tactile feedback from the mechanical switches offers a satisfying, clicky feel with every keystroke. The ergonomically designed keycaps make long typing sessions comfortable, and the overall build quality is top-notch. If you’re looking for a keyboard that looks gorgeous, feels fantastic, and delivers on both style and performance, the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is a must-have. It’s perfect for anyone who wants a little bit of nostalgia with their tech.
This keyboard is mucho good
By Steven - Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2023
Verified Amazon Purchase
I have used a few mechanical keyboards over the years, but there is something about the way these switches feel, it legitimately feels good typing on this thing, I've mostly used cherry and romer g switches, usually tactile with a few clicky, these clicky switches are a big surprise, not as loud as others not as sharp of a click, just very satisfying. Actually very recently I got to try out some linear switches and I really liked them, and was worried I wouldn't like this keyboard, I was even looking into buying replacement linear switches, which you can do with this keyboard if you want, but it's just such a delight out of the box. So the keys feel good, that's probably the most important part, I don't believe 8bitdo's software is out yet, so programming the keys is still done directly on the keyboard, I would like to see legit software soon though, The volume knob works but won't earn any awards, it can freely spin in either direction lowering or raising the volume, so it can look like it's pointing towards low volume when you turn it up, it's a small issue. The input knob is awesome, I often switch between my pc and my steam deck and I love how easy it is. the 2.4 feels great and I've had no issues on bluetooth. It looks good, it just does, I've actually always liked the idea of having a retro style keyboard, this ticks all the boxes for me while still being a fully featured keyboard at a great price. It's all plastic but it feels nice, I thought the strip at the top that says 8bitdo and has the lines like an nes would just be a sticker but it's a printed on piece of plastic, much nicer. The power button is gorgeous. This thing is awesome I love it, now I'm rambling because it just feels nice to type, so I'll end it here, if you think this looks good then you should buy it.
Fantastic quality for the price.
By Dude Guy - Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2024
Verified Amazon Purchase
Really enjoying this keyboard even after only a short couple hours of owning it. It feels incredibly well built, the keys feel great and are responsive, and it has a host of features and connectivity options that really make getting this keyboard a no-brainer especially if you plan to use it between multiple devices. The super buttons are fun and are easy to program, I'd imagine that they'd be incredibly useful for programs like OBS, which is why I was drawn to this keyboard specifically. Overall, genuinely impressed and it will be well used in my day to day. If you're considering looking for a nice simple keyboard with some additional features, this is an excellent option!
Hands down my favorite modern keyboard.
By R. - Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2024
Verified Amazon Purchase
Every single aspect of this keyboard is perfect. I'm more of a fan of vintage Alps type boards, but I like tenkeyless boards because I never use the numpad and I prefer to have as much desk space as possible. This has a roomy yet very solid case like older keyboards, with amazing SA style keycaps that are fortunately double-shot ABS and not PBT. They weren't able to make double-shot PBT caps in the old days, and honestly? I love how silky these caps feel, and they bring out the deep sound of the case even more. Despite being hot-swappable, I find that the box whites match this board really nicely and also just sound really good. All the switches in mine are very consistent out of box and the additional joystick/buttons are neat to mess around with (even the B and A buttons have hot swappable switches! Mine came with Gateron green.) If you're a fan of older keyboards but want something newer and perfectly serviceable, this is it. There's nothing else out there that will even come close. Also give their controllers a try if you're in the market for one, they're really good too.
Hits right in the feels, misses the SA alignment
By Gluey - Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2024
Verified Amazon Purchase
This keyboard is legitimately amazing for what it is. The box whites are the perfect sound for a retro keyboard, and great under the fingers. The knobs and attachments are fantastic as well. I've had several different keyboards with different keycaps, including the Durgod fusion, trying to get that retro vibe with modern capability. And the c64 version is the closest I've ever come without going and modding an actual vintage keyboard. I want to caution people though, it does use an "SA" profile that you can find in china and on secondary websites. But it is *not* the Signature Plastics SA profile. So don't expect them to be compatible. I have some "SA" profiles I've bought on amazon and ebay, and they align with what is on the keyboard. That being said, those "SA" profiles that are on the keyboard are the same general shape. They are simply shorter and the spherical top is more intense, with clearer edges, more akin to the MT3 profile. I've just switched mine out to be even more 'retro' by some SP SA caps. I've retained the function keys, arrows, and side modifiers as sold as the height difference doesn't really change the experience when using. (the pictures attached show what I'm talking about) I have no complaints about them. I really do like the "SA" they have on it and the keyboard in general. I simply wanted to go more C64 styling. ReWASD recognizes the keyboard as a logitech, and I haven't yet worked on it in linux beyond simple tasks. It does seem fairly happy in the Windows environment (10 and 11) with no special software, and is working well with a KVM and docks when in the wired configuration. And since I've never had an 8bitDo keyboard before I haven't fully used all of its special functions. I did test out the joy stick and A/B buttons, the instructions were easy to follow and they worked well. The fact they connect magnetically to keep them aligned if you want was an amusing discovery, and well thought out. This only encourages me to go get the 8bitDo arcade style pad, but all in good time. Unless something else glaring comes up, or I find a functionality I wish it had, I'll likely be happy with this for quite a while. 8bitDo has long made the items in the market that I wish existed and it brings me great joy to see that they achieved that little niche again.
Incredible keyboard experience for the price point... AND BIG RED BUTTONS
By w00t - Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2023
Verified Amazon Purchase
8bitDo continues to produce mid price quality with this new keyboard. I have had an 8bitDo PC controller for several months now and it has served me well, so i want to support their next effort, and the price was right. Tired of cheapy keyboards dying quick with no hope of repair, cleaning or maintenance, I wanted a mechanical hot swappable keyboard without breaking my bank. This absolutely delivers on all levels. What I love: 1. The keys are a joy to use. They are indeed adequately spaced, it's a full "spaced" keyboard. This is not a mini 'sized' keyboard like something you'd get on a laptop. It's just missing dedicated data number keys. I'm perfectly OK with that, I'm not a data entry person. I really like the alignment of the function keys on the right. Love the open space below it to the arrow keys. Why? The delete button is clearly on the bottom left of the grouping and my pinky targets it every time. Too many boards and laptops don't make the delete button that instant to find. 2. Instant BLUETOOTH connection. That's one less USB dongle on the computer to deal with. It's great that it comes with USB wired/wireless options for versatility, but the BT function opens things up even further. Nice I now have a keyboard that syncs with my android tablet too. 3. It's really well crafted and feels more expensive than the investment. A decent weight to the keyboard without being a brick. The board is solid and doesn't 'twist' like a cheapy. 4. BIGGY BUTTONS. They are separately programmable from the A/B buttons on the keyboard. All in the spirit of NES. I am not a keyboard gamer, so I can't critique it on that level. If you want a gaming board, check other reviews. But if you're in the market for a typing experience with mechanical keyboard, a bit of retro nostalgia, BIG RED BUTTONS, and ultimately great value, this is spot on.
Perfect for the retro feel.
By Casperer - Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2025
Verified Amazon Purchase
This is not your average keyboard for your average modern day keyboard enthusiast. It comes with clicky white switches to provide a more retro feel. If this is not your style and you prefer the modern style of keyboards beware. Although the switches are hot swappable. I personally like the click, so it is no problem for me. Regarding the build of the keyboard, it has a suitable heft to keep it in place, the key caps have a good feel and are of nice quality. It has a very beautiful retro design with the knobs and buttons at the top. The colors are quite true to the pictures. Regarding the functions, the battery is very good. I have had this keyboard for over a year and with moderate use it has only needed to be charged twice so far. The Bluetooth function works very well as well as the 2.4g dongle. The dongle is quite big I must say. The volume knob is not fully smooth and instead adjusts between several points with inaudible clicks. In system it adjusts the volume by 5 points at a time, I personally would prefer if there were more granularity to the volume adjustments. As for the programmable macro buttons, they are a cute gimmick, but I do not use them so I cannot really comment. This keyboard is worth it even without the gimmick. All factors considered, I rate this a full five stars. It does it's job beautifully and with style. As long as you know what style of keyboard you're getting into, you'll probably love it.
So cool..
By Sam - Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2025
Verified Amazon Purchase
Man this is a cool keyboard.. The dealbreaker for me was the missing numpad (I need it for work) but if you don't use that or don't want the numpad and you're going for a retro aesthetic or want something classic then there is no better 'modern' working plug-n-play interpretation of the model M in my opinion. **yes I know 8bitdo sells the separate numpad and yes I did purchase it and use along side it. They stick together but in my opinion it just didn't feel right together and I kept having to move it away and then turn it on and move it back when I needed it.. it just wasn't working out. *if you're sensitive to a 'clicky' keyboard however I cannot recommend because it is a bit loud and as you can imagine the keys do have a fair bit of travel being that tall so while you can game with it it's not optimal for that. But if you have an office setup and want that old-school look and feel I couldn't recommend it more. It's so cool and absolutely every looks and feels really quality. I really miss mine, it was the coolest keyboard I tell ya.. If I ever have the money to buy a spare numpadless keyboard this IS the keyboard I'm coming back to.
Fashion and function, together at last
By April Horne - Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2025
Verified Amazon Purchase
I knew for a long time that this would be my next keyboard when my previous one finally broke, and it didn't disappoint. Just from looking at it, you can probably tell this isn't something for "serious typers", and it isn't going to have some space-age lightspeed hyperclick chroma ultratactile switches in the keys. It's just a simple, solidly made mechanical keyboard that feels nice to type on, and it just happens to have two comically large buttons attached that you can bind to whatever key combination you want. There are a lot of aesthetic options to choose from at this point, like the default NES-inspired look or a Commodore 64 edition that comes with one of the extra joystick attachments. I went with the Famicom look, because on top of being more subtle than the NES design I think it's really neat how the keys have the Japanese key layout printed below the normal letters. So far I've been happy with everything I've bought from 8bitdo, and they did a great job with this one too.
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