OnePlus unveils its first mechanical keyboard: Mac layout, customizable switches

OnePlus is finally ready to introduce its first mechanical keyboard. No, we didn’t need another company to start making mechanical keyboards. But if you’re looking for a new Bluetooth keyboard that works especially well with Macs, has a compact layout, and a rotary knob that looks stylish and functional, OnePlus has another choice for you in April.

Announced today, OnePlus is entering the oddly-named Feature Keyboard 81 Pro mechanical keyboard race. “81”refers to the number of keys, while “Pro”is supposedly meant to make working and power users think the keyboard is fine; but the name doesn’t quite fly off the tongue. The outlier here is the “Featureting”bit, which refers to the OnePlus Feature “co-creation”platform that creates products based on user feedback. Community users are said to have contributed to the design of the 81 Pro, including its signature switches. OnePlus today says in a press release that the company will release “many”more Featured products.

Another huge influence on the 81 Pro was keyboard maker Keychron, who is said to have helped develop the product. This includes its layout, which matches that of the Q1 Pro, which Keychron is currently crowdfunding. According to a press release from OnePlus, the keyboard should work not only with macOS, but also with Windows, Linux, and Android. The keyboard product page also claims iOS support. Like some Keychron wireless keyboards like the Keychron K14, there is a switch on the side of the keyboard to switch from Mac to Windows. Given the lack of USB-A ports among Macs, the Bluetooth 5.1 keyboard is charged via a USB-C to USB-C cable (there’s also a USB-C to USB-A adapter).

OnePlus will offer its first keyboard with mallow marble keycaps. According to OnePlus, the keycaps “rebound gently with every press for maximum comfort, improved hand feel and optimal durability.”OnePlus said the 81 Pro will be the first keyboard to use this unspecified “thermoplastic”material, which it says looks like charging cables and wristbands. However, until we try these keycaps ourselves, we will not be convinced of the supposed advantages of the material over that used in conventional keycaps.

Interestingly, Marble-mallow keycaps will only appear on the keyboard if you buy it with linear switches. OnePlus said the switches, called Summer Breeze, were designed with community feedback in mind. Those who opt for tactile (Winter Bonfire) switches will get standard PBT plastic keycaps. It is said that all keycaps are made double so that the legends do not wear off.

OnePlus hasn’t shared details about the specs of its new switches (we asked OnePlus and will update this story if we get a response). But if you don’t like them, it’s easy to remove them since the keyboard is hot swappable.

The Bluetooth keyboard provides up to 100 hours of battery life at minimum RGB backlight brightness. One downside compared to some of the best wireless mechanical keyboards is that the 81 Pro only has one Bluetooth profile. Other wireless keyboards can connect to multiple systems and allow you to quickly switch between connected devices using a switch or key combination.

Lately, we’ve seen a small surge in the number of pre-built mechanical keyboards that pay attention to sound. The hallmarks of a conventional mechanical keyboard built with minimal effort are rattling stabilizers, metallic clatter, and other distracting sounds. OnePlus will start off on a good footing in trying to minimize these issues with, like on some Keychron keyboards, a double-shim mount that compresses a 10-shim polycarbonate plate. There is also sound-absorbing foam on the bottom of the case and between the board and the board. While it would be much more interesting to see OnePlus invent its own mechanical keyboard instead of borrowing so heavily from Keychron, Keychron proved to us when we tested the Keychron Q2 that it knows how to reduce annoying noises.

For those who have not used the VIA application before, programming the open source QMK keyboard firmware may seem tedious and slow at first. But it should allow the same amount of customization, including for the handle, as other high-end ready-made builds.

OnePlus will begin accepting pre-orders for the 81 Pro in April. However, we’re not going to make a purchase just yet, given that we still don’t know the price of the keyboard or the competition for the Marble-mallow keycaps or the new switches. However, with its aluminum chassis, key layout, and Bluetooth connectivity, the 81 Pro is very similar to the Keychron Q1 Pro, which Keychron expects to sell for $199.