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Vissles LP85 ultra-thin 75% optical keyboard review rating
advantage
- Ultra-thin design is perfect for travel
- Compared with ordinary little chicken keyboard, pleasant typing experience
The Vissles LP85 optical mechanical keyboard is a 75% ultra-thin keyboard with both Windows and Mac layouts.
The slim chick design with Mac layout makes it an ideal replacement for Apple’s Magic Keyboard, and in my case, it’s a great keyboard for travel.
This keyboard is a Kickstart project, but it has passed the financing target, and the estimated delivery time is February 2022, and it can be shipped anywhere in the world.
The shipping cost to the UK is US$15 and the total cost is approximately £85, but does not include any value-added tax or customs fees.
Specification
- Brand: Vissles
- Model: Vissles LP85
- Mode: Bluetooth/wired mode
- Layout: Mac/Windows
- Color: black, white
- Number of keys: 85 keys
- Backlight: RGB dynamic backlight
- Bluetooth: 5.0
- Bluetooth name: Vissles LP85
- Port: Type-C
- Battery: 2000mAh
- Switch type: thin optical switch
- Driving force: 50±10gf
- Pre-stroke: 1.2±0.30mm
- Total stroke: 2.5±0.30mm
- Tilt angle: 2°
- Weight: 0.547KG
- Size: 12.1″×4.6″×0.6″ (307.6×118.1×15.1mm) (including foot pads and keycaps)
- Board height: 0.31″-0.34″
Design and build
The thinnest part of the housing is only 7.9 mm (0.31 inch), and the thickest end is 12 mm. It is equipped with a durable anodized aluminum chassis.
The RGB LED under each keycap provides a backlit appearance. You can choose from a pre-programmed design with 19 dynamics and 8 monochrome backlight modes with just a few keystrokes. However, there is no supporting application to customize RGB lighting to your liking.
Vissles is sold in a Windows or Mac layout. There are not many other brands that provide Mac layouts for mechanical keyboards.
The keyboard weighs more than half a kilogram, so considering how small it is, it has some weight. Since I mainly use it when traveling, you might say that it is a bit heavy; the competitive option is less than 500 grams. However, I like its sturdiness and it feels like a premium keyboard rather than cheap plastic.
is using
I mainly use this keyboard on my laptop.I really hate typing on laptop keyboards because they are too narrow and the overall size of this keyboard is very travel-friendly
You can use it in wired mode or Bluetooth, I prefer a wired connection because the wire from the keyboard to the laptop is not too inconvenient.
You need to flip the switch on the back to open the keyboard, whether it is wired or Bluetooth. When using in Bluetooth mode, you need to press and hold the FN+P key for five seconds to enter the pairing mode. Then you can select Vissles LP85 in the Bluetooth settings. You can also pair it with two other devices. You need to press FN+W or FN+E first, and then press FN+P for 5 seconds, it will enter the pairing mode of the corresponding device.
I can’t find any battery life specifications, but it has a 2000mAh battery, which is 450mAh larger than the Keychron K3, and they claim to provide 34 hours of performance. I used Bluetooth for a few hours at a time, and the battery has never had any problems. Knowing that I have to recharge every few days is another reason why I insist on using a wired connection.
Typing on the keyboard is very different from most mechanical keyboards I have used. The opto-mechanical keys designed with a chicklet make this feel similar to a laptop, but with a greater travel distance and greater activation force. You can hear a pleasant clicking sound, but it is different from the clicking sound of many Cherry MX switches.
Official data comes from 50g driving force, 0.2ms fast response and 1.2mm pre-stroke.
I am indifferent to RGB, but the lighting is not too bright, it gives an attractive appearance, but not too bright and bright.
Price, availability and alternative options
Prices start at US$99, and delivery is in late January.
The shipping cost to the UK is US$15 and the total cost is approximately £85, but does not include any value-added tax or customs fees
Keychron K3 Ultra-slim may be the best choice. The cost of the white backlight option is $74, and the cost of RGB is $84. It is not that thin, 22 mm at its thickest point, down to 17 mm, but it is lighter.
The suggested retail price of the Apple Magic Keyboard is £90, but it is usually around £75. I hope the typing experience of the Vissles LP85 is more enjoyable.
There are many ultra-thin Bluetooth keyboards, all of which use traditional chicken keys without optical switches. Most of them are much cheaper, but the overall quality will not be so good.
overall
I like Vissles LP85 very much. This is the best solution for the travel keyboard I have used so far, and it has a fairer and more enjoyable typing experience than any laptop I have.
The optical-mechanical keys in the chick design make this feeling very different from ordinary mechanical keyboards. However, if you are an Apple Magic Keyboard, I think it will feel better.
I’m not sure if I will use it as my main desktop keyboard, it’s a bit flat based on my preference, and I do find it feels a bit cramped compared to a normal keyboard. Generally speaking, I also prefer a full-size keyboard as my working keyboard.
