System76 launch review: Linux-friendly keyboard with USB hub

Launch is the first System76 mechanical keyboard, but it might be the last keyboard you need. With hot-swappable mechanical switches, legends that won’t fade, a solid build, and a pair of detachable cables, this keyless board can evolve with you.

It’s also open source—from the case to the PCB to the firmware—which allows for more in-depth customization. There are even some extra keycaps for when you need a new look. And in true System76 style, the board favors Linux users.

However, the Launch is priced at $285, and many will not like how hard it is to hit the keys. Clicky mechanical switches are so tactile that they tire some fingers.

Linux first

Mechanical keyboards for Windows and even Macs are easier to find than those that support Linux. There are some affordable ones like the Keychron Q2, Das Keyboard 5QS and even budget options like the Royal Kludge RK920. The Linux-enabled Launch is more similar to the Q2 in that it offers a high-quality user experience with unique touches rarely found among off-the-shelf mechanical keyboards.

Launch is the first System76 product to support Linux, Windows, and macOS. Its layout has also been designed to work well with keyboard shortcuts on Pop!_OS, System76’s homemade Linux distribution, a company spokesperson told Ars Technica. You can use the Pop!_OS keyboard navigation feature to surf the web, launch applications, and arrange tiled windows and spaces without using a mouse.

System76 is known for creating open source hardware, software, and firmware, so it’s no surprise that Launch’s chassis and PCB design files are open to modification.

The board uses the open source QMK firmware, and you can update Launch via the Pop!_OS firmware settings or the Linux vendor’s firmware service.

Four USB ports for the price of one

Few USB ports, or does your desktop make it difficult to access them? Launch can fix that. Yes, a USB-A port is required to connect the keyboard to your system, but once connected, the keyboard adds two USB-C ports (3.2 Gen 2 up to 10Gbps) and two USB-A ports (3.2 Gen 2 up to 10Gbps). Gbps). up to 10 Gbps). The ports are on the top edge of the Launch next to the detachable cable.

The keyboard acts as a true USB hub, not just a USB pass-through port. Keyboards that use pass-through typically use a cable that ends in two connectors, which requires two USB ports on your PC. These keyboards usually have an additional USB-A port or two and possibly a headphone jack. The addition of four USB ports to the cropped keyboard is my favorite part of the Launch, especially with how many laptops cut ports in favor of a slim design.

My work PC doesn’t have USB-A ports, so I prefer monitor ports. However, my monitor’s only USB-C port is used to power my laptop, and reaching for the large display is more awkward than attaching something to the Launch keyboard.

Unique layout and appearance

One of the first things you’ll notice about Launch is the split space bar. Instead of one long space with one mechanical switch at the bottom, the key is divided into two separate parts, each with its own mechanical switch and a pair of stabilizers.

Out of the box, both keys act as a space bar, but they can be reprogrammed. The simplest options are Backspace, Fn, and Shift, since there are additional keycaps on the keyboard with these inscriptions. However, I had a hard time adjusting to having the second input available in the white space area. I use both sides of the space when typing, depending on which key I pressed last. I thought it would be nice if Backspace was within easy reach, but I just couldn’t get used to it.

Launch is keyless (with navigation and arrow keys) and comes with extra large Esc and Fn keycaps if you want to replace the Delete or Backspace key.

The keyboard skips dedicated media keys in favor of a compact size, but you access features by pressing Fn and various keys in the navigation column. There’s more in the Fn layer, like RGB control and a print screen, but I had to download the app to learn about those features; there are no secondary legends on the caps to help you remember. There are also truncated Backspace and Enter keys, but the latter did not interrupt my typing process.