Latest news with #Rainy75
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Wobkey Zen65 Premium Feature Keyboard With A More Affordable Price Tag
Wobkey has announced its latest custom keyboard with a compact 65% layout. The Zen65 and launched on Kickstarter on June 3. The keyboard comes in two versions with a choice of stabilizers and it won't take up too much of your precious desk space. Despite its compact size, the Zen65 is probably one of the heaviest and most solid keyboards I've ever come across. Despite its heft, it has a soft and gentle typing action thanks to its factory-lubed hot-swappable switches. The Zen65 is the third keyboard from the Wobkey brand and its launch follows on from the Rainy75 and the Crush80 models. Made from high-quality materials, the new keyboard has wired, 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connectivity. Up to three Bluetooth hosts can be paired and switching between any connection is simple. A quick assembly ball-catch mechanism on the case makes it easy for modifiers to disassemble the keyboard for customization. And considering its starting price of $89, the Zen65 offers a lot of features for the money. The top case of the Zen65 has chamfered internal edges for a touch of refinement not often seen in many keyboards. An internal brass weight enhances the overall feel and improves the acoustics. For keyboard tweakers, there are four different mounting options enabling users to fine-tune their typing experience. The brass plate on the Zen65 Ultra's bottom case acts as a stabilizing weight as well as a useful cover for the keyboard's battery chamber. The brass plate is cut out to produce a larger gap between the printed circuit board and the bottom housing that sits beneath the mechanical switches. Wobkey says the Zen65's design produces a 'more refined typing sound.' Most mechanical keyboards use a flat ribbon cable to connect the PCB to the bottom case. However, the Zen65 has a unique magnetic pogo pin connector that makes it easy to assemble and disassemble the keyboard without the need for tools or screws. It's a thoughtful design that reduces the risk of damaging the PCB when modding or maintaining the keyboard. The top case of the Zen65 has thinner bezels on the sides and slightly thicker bezels on the front and back. Chamfered internal edges on the top case are anodized, an unusual and classy touch even on a premium keyboard. A range of multiple mounting options means the Zen65 can be modded to produce a unique sound profile. The gasket mount has a more open and soft typing sound while the top mount produces a tighter and more clacky sound with the modifier keys being emphasized a little more. Because the Zen65 has an option for a PCB-mounted design, it's possible to put together a plateless configuration of the keyboard, although Wobkey doesn't recommend that if using hot-swappable switches. The Zen65 is fitted with pre-lubed switches and dye sublimation PBT keycaps. Wobkey offers two switch options: the Lite version has HMX Violet switches while the Ultra model has Kailh Box switches. The stock switches and stabilizers used on the keyboard create a premium feel with minimal stem wobble. Offering compatibility with QMK firmware, the Zen65 keyboard can be fully customized and programmed using VIA software or the VIA web portal. Individual keys can be remapped or set up with special macros and system shortcuts to suit the way you like to work. The Wobkey Zen65 custom mechanical keyboard is on Kickstarter now with prices starting at $89 for the Zen65 Lite model and $129 for the Sen65 Ultra version.
WIRED
23-04-2025
- WIRED
WobKey's Rainy 75 Mechanical Keyboard Punches Above Its Weight
The Rainy 75 is a common sight on the r/MechanicalKeyboards subreddit, a community that nerds out about the thock of a keyboard and, naturally, fun keycaps. It seems like every week or so, someone posts about their new purchase from WobKey, and every time, the consensus revolves around how good of a budget option it is. That's because, for under $150, the Rainy 75 has every feature you could want in a mechanical keyboard today. There are a few strange design choices, but I finally got my hands on one, and I'm impressed by this keyboard. The Rainy 75 is available in three flavors: Lite, Standard, and Pro. The Lite retails for $129 and includes HMX Violet linear switches, a polypropylene plate, and a 3,500-mAh battery. The Pro—the model I tested—includes Kailh Cocoa linear switches, an FR4 plate, RGB lighting, and two batteries totaling 7,000 mAh for $159. The Standard is in between and costs $139. Poppy, Crisp, and Smooth Photograph: Henri Robbins Typing on the Rainy 75 feels and sounds fantastic. It has that poppy, crisp typing sound you see in videos online, and typing feels every bit as energetic and enjoyable. I assume the 'Rainy 75' name comes from the typing sound, since its softer and rounded sound profile sounds like rain falling. The linear 'Cocoa' switches are manufactured by Kailh for the Rainy 75. These switches have a relatively light operating force of 45 grams, which is comparable to a Cherry MX Red, and use a polyoxymethylene stem (POM) and Nylon housing, which helps to create a marbly typing sound and a smooth typing feel. The switches are responsive, popping back up quickly after being pressed, and have hardly any scratch, even when pressed down slowly. The stems of these switches have little wobble from side to side or front to back, making keypresses feel sturdy. The stabilizers on this keyboard come pre-lubed and, despite being plate-mounted instead of printed-circuit-board–mounted, they feel fantastic. While I could talk about how smooth and quiet they are, it's easier to say that I didn't even notice they were there when typing. These stabilizers are tuned perfectly and don't require any work out of the box. That said, I imagine that, like most plate-mounted stabilizers, they will require a reapplication of lube after a while. Photograph: Henri Robbins The gasket-mount system holding the keyboard together is really impressive. It feels bouncy and soft without seeming too muted or mushy. The dampening from the gaskets is consistent across all of the keys, only becoming somewhat stiffer around the edges. Finicky Functionality This keyboard has some quirks that, while not huge, can be annoying. Sometimes, when pressing Alt+Tab on this keyboard, or any other key combinations involving the Tab key, I have to press the combination twice for it to work. I've resolved these oddities by turning the keyboard off and on. Typically, one of my favorite features on a mechanical keyboard is support for QMK and VIA. QMK, short for Quantum Mechanical Keyboard, is an open source firmware that allows for almost limitless customization of a keyboard's layout. VIA is a system for customizing specific QMK-compatible keyboards using an in-browser interface. These allow for simple and efficient customization of mechanical keyboards, meaning a QMK-enabled keyboard will have long-term support without reliance on proprietary software that may stop being updated after a few years.
