Crowdfunding review – The economic barriers to entry into the world of mechanical keyboards may be high, but they don’t have to be.Azio’s Izo series — Consists of a wireless keyboard, numeric keyboard and wireless mouse — affordable, feature-rich and stylish.
what is it?
AZIO IZO is a set of stylish input devices, including wired/wireless dual connection mechanical keyboard, wired/wireless numeric keyboard and Bluetooth/RF mouse, all of which are available in a variety of colors. Currently 100% supported by Kickstarter, the IZO series will receive funding on July 8, 2021, and begin shipping to supporters in September 2021.
What’s in the box?
I received the complete AZIO IZO Collection for review, which includes a mechanical keyboard, a mechanical numeric keyboard, and a wireless mouse. The contents are as follows:
IZO mechanical keyboard
- IZO keyboard
- 6′ USB Type-C data cable
- Additional white space bar and ESC key to replace the installed gold key
- Keycap puller
- User’s Guide
IZO mechanical numeric keyboard
- IZO numeric keyboard
- 6′ USB Type-C data cable
- User’s Guide
IZO wireless mouse
- IZO mouse
- USB Type-C data cable
- User’s Guide
Hardware specifications
Also, since I received the complete IZO series, the hardware specifications of each item are listed below.
IZO keyboard
- Gateron Blue mechanical switch (very loud)
- High-contrast non-fading PBT double-key keycap
- Round borderless key
- 21 backlight modes
- White backlight color (the hue will change according to the color setting, that is, the blue iris has an indigo backlight, while the white flower setting will display a more amber backlight)
- Matte lacquer and reflective gold finish
- Dual control knobs for media, volume and backlight adjustment
- Compatible with Mac or PC
- Bluetooth and USB interface
- Connect and switch between up to 3 Bluetooth devices
- USB Type-C charging/input
- 5,000mAh battery
- 320 mm x 150 mm x 42 mm (12.6 x 5.9 x 1.7 inches)
- 1.8 lbs / 793 g
- 6 key flip
IZO numeric keyboard
- Bluetooth and USB backlit mechanical numeric keyboard
- Can be used as a standalone calculator
- Backlit LCD digital display
- Gateron Blue Mechanical Switch
- Matching matte colors complement the keyboard
- High-contrast non-fading PBT double-key keycap
- Reflective golden backspace key (no replacement white key)
- 1,000mAh battery
- 92mm x 150mm x 42mm
- 0.49 lb/ 221 g
IZO wireless mouse
- Bluetooth and 2.4GHz radio frequency interface
- Includes the RF adapter stored on the bottom of the mouse
- 3 buttons (click the scroll wheel down)
- Translucent frost design
- With gold and matte colors, it complements the keyboard and numeric keypad
- USB Type-C charging
- PixArt PAW 3212 optical sensor
- DPI is set to 1000, 1600 or 2400 dpi
- 104 mm x 64 mm x 39 mm
- 0.19 lb / 88 g
Design and features
After receiving the complete IZO series, starting with the keyboard, it makes sense to break the comments into separate parts.
This IZO keyboard It is a combination of wired USB-C and Bluetooth mechanical keyboard. There is a switch on the top of the keyboard to turn on the power and switch between wired and wireless connections. It can be paired with up to 3 devices and quickly switch between them by pressing the button.
I admire the style they want…there are no sharp corners anywhere on the keyboard. The top and sides of the key itself are uniquely rounded. To me, they are reminiscent of typewriters, and they will soon be very comfortable. I quickly fell in love with the responsiveness of the Gateron Blue switch.There is something Just right Regarding the identification of the key stroke and driving point.
It is very different from the keyboard with the built-in MacBook Pro, and its key travel is about 2 mm.It took a few days to get used to pressing the key so far, but every time I hit the key it feels so Discuss. Tactile and auditory feedback is not certain to me, but after a while it seems to disappear into the background.
I’m sure if I have a colleague, they might disagree, this is definitely something to consider before diving into the world of mechanical keyboards. They do make quieter (and still tactile) type switches, but the switches on the IZO are not removable. I tried to pry loose one, it seems to be embedded deeply.
AZIO has done a lot of deliberation when trying to make it independent of the operating system. There is a quick switch between PC/Mac, which essentially swaps the CMD/Opt key. An icon or text is printed on each key to explain what it does when you press and hold the function (FN) key, such as switching between paired Bluetooth devices, adjusting brightness and volume, or media control.
A simple design feature of IZO is the “double-key keycap”. When the backlight is turned off, it essentially produces the illusion of solid color printing on the keys. It is very suitable for areas with sufficient light and allows light to pass through cleanly when the backlight is turned on. on. This is a great effect, but if there are almost any light sources near you, you almost have to turn off the backlight to read the keys, unless they are turned to high brightness.
There may be only one style choice for the entire IZO series, which is to include shiny golden decorations. Fortunately, they do include keyboard replacement keys and ESC keys, at least for the keyboard. I don’t like the texture of the shiny golden space bar…it is so different from other keys, it feels smoother than the white space bar and sticks to my fingers more.
I really like the rest of the IZO keyboard design, even though I am stuck by the huge golden knob on the top corner of the keyboard.It captures the ceiling light of my restaurant based on how I move my body, which is a shame, because otherwise I really like That knob. Turn it to act as a volume knob, and press it in the mute/unmute state. I like that. Hold down the FN key and turn the knob to change the brightness of the keyboard backlight. Pressing the knob while holding down the FN key will cycle through the backlight settings, most of which are super distracting novelties, such as light spots emanating from each key or light streaks layered across the entire keyboard. But I think this may be half the fun of owning a mechanical keyboard today.
The strange thing is that holding down OPT and turning the knob will start the operating system sound settings. do not know why.
It’s worth mentioning that the keyboard weighs close to 2 pounds, so it won’t move when typing. This is wonderful.
When using the keyboard for long typing (as I am writing this review now), one thing I noticed is that a wrist pad may be needed because the keys are high enough to put pressure on your wrist.
For those who need or like to use a numeric keypad (it has been slowly dying out of Apple-land for the past 20 years) IZO Collection includes a wired/wireless combination Numeric keyboardThe numeric keypad has many of the same attributes as the keyboard, such as the clickable Gateron blue switch, backlight, and gold decoration.
My wife is a bank teller. She uses the numeric keypad almost all day, and she is definitely a master at mathematical operations. It works perfectly with the keyboard. plus. Get this… There is a backlit LCD display on the top of the numeric keypad, which can be used as Standalone calculator! I will put this thing on my desk just for those sweet, sweet click calculations.
What makes the IZO series more perfect is their Bluetooth/RF combination mouse. This is probably the least popular in the series. I used it for about 5 minutes, just to see if I can adapt to this size, but I just couldn’t. I’m used to larger Logitech mice with impeccable ergonomics, so handling AZIO’s small mice is very rough.
I really like that it combines wireless capabilities and can be paired via Bluetooth or the built-in RF USB dongle. There is a button at the bottom that can adjust the DPI between three speeds, mainly the speed of the mouse cursor. The mouse is also in line with the aesthetic of the IZO series, with matching colors, golden accents (uh…) and translucent white plastic. It’s okay in a pinch, but it’s too small and it’s uncomfortable to hold it in your hand.
what do I like
- Like the responsiveness and travel of the keys (even the click sound)
- Thick keyboard + numeric keyboard feels almost fixed in place
- Bluetooth is very useful to quickly switch between 3 devices
- The independent calculator mode on the numeric keypad is actually super fun
- All-round design, unique and comfortable, long time typing
- In sharp contrast with the button backlight
- The media knob is actually very useful for fast volume/mute
Areas for improvement
- Touch typing has a nice learning curve
- Most backlight options are gimmicks at best
- The mouse is a bit small, it may be suitable for travel, but it is not very comfortable
- Although I like them, Gateron-Blue switches are loud and may disturb colleagues or anyone within their considerable range
- The switch is not interchangeable with other types
- The buttons are quite high, you may need a wrist pad
- Golden accents are a style that may discourage some people
- Very small, but I want the keyboard to remember the PC/Mac settings when it’s turned on
Final thoughts
My overall impression of the IZO series is positive. So far, the keyboard is the crown jewel of the series, an interesting, comfortable, feature-rich and low-priced product that enters the world of mechanical keyboards. It takes advantage of one of the best types of typing switches that I think are the best, provided that you don’t disturb anyone (including yourself) with clickable keys. The option of using the numeric keyboard and mouse to complete the collection is a good choice, but I have to advise against using the mouse.
price: The IZO keyboard is available on Kickstarter for US$80, while the numeric keyboard is available for standalone or additional price of US$40. The IZO mouse is provided as an accessory at a price of $30.
Where to buy: At the time of writing, AZIO IZO series Yes Only available on Kickstarter, And will receive full support and funding on July 8, 2021, and will be shipped to supporters in September 2021.
The series has Baroque rose (dark wine red), blue iris (steel blue) and white flowers (white with golden hue). Each set has the same glossy and reflective golden space bar/ESC/knob color.
source: The sample of this product is made by action.
