iKBC F87 RGB – Tenkeyless – Keyboard Review
In Practice
I really like a keyboard that just works. You plug it in and boom everything is there for you. Additional features are nice and I can appreciate the need for software especially if it adds to the overall feature package but it is one of the things I like about some keyboard manufacturers that place everything on board.
The iKBC F87 follows this and has everything that you need behind function keys on the keyboard itself.
The first time I plugged it in, the F87 lit up a very nice purplish colour, which I admit I quite liked. If not to your liking however this can be changed and as above, this is all done through combinations with the Fn + F Row keys.
Fn + F1/2/3 allow you to set the levels of RGB and rather nicely show the colour level of each when you press the Fn key itself. Fn + F4/5/9/10/12 allow you to choose some of the preset modes.
I won’t go too much in the many different lighting modes but I have recorded a video showcasing them which is below.
Know that there are 9 different lighting modes, with 8 levels of brightness available on manual modes. These may increase with firmware revisions like other manufacturers.
You will notice in the video that some of the colour changes are quite janky. This is especially noticeable at lower speeds which I have captured towards the end of the video.
One of the features is a countdown mode and to be honest I am not sure who this is aimed at, it seems a really weird thing to have as a feature in the keyboard.
You also have the ability to swap certain keys around, including the Caps Lock and the Left Control as well as the Windows Key and the Alt Key. You can also lock the Windows key for good measure.
A test I suppose I should run on every keyboard I review (but often forget to) is Aqua’S KeyTest which allows you to check if a keyboard does indeed have the NKRO (N-Key Roll Over) that it is advertised with and in this case the iKBC F87 does not disappoint.
A new test to me is one that tests for key chatter on the keyboard. Key chatter is when a single key press gets read more than once and happens when a switch bounces.
Again, the F87 passes this test without issues.
The F87 uses double shot PBT keycaps which have a nice rough finish and are also nice and thick. It makes for a rather nice typing feel and It also gives the F87 a premium feel over other manufacturer’s that utilise ABS key caps, double shot or otherwise.
You also get original Cherry MX Brown switches which are always lovely to type on.
