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Tech Reviews

Why the K745 Pro is Your Next Budget-Friendly Mechanical Keyboard

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Disclaimer

Redragon sent me the Antonium K745 Pro mechanical keyboard to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. I will be using my Amazon Affiliate link where possible. It really helps me out if you click it before you buy anything.

Table of contents

What’s in the box?

  • K745 Pro Mechanical Keyboard
  • Wireless Receiver
  • USB-C to USB-A Cable
  • Stickers
  • 4 Extra Switches
  • User Manual
  • Key/Switch Puller

Features

The K745 Pro is a the affordable fullsized keyboard that is loaded with the features gamers need. This good looking keyboard comes in two beautiful color shemes: Purple and Blue. I got my keyboard in purple because it is my favorite color. I got the wireless keyboard, but you can also opt for the wired version if you want to prioritize performance.

Design

The K745 Pro comes with 108 keys, and an additional four useful macros for additional utility. Each key lights up with programmable southfacing RGB leds. The specialized gasket design gives the keyboard enough sound dampening to allow a healthy amount of typing ASMR. The K745 is built with quality, with enough features to make it a strong contender for your next setup.

Comfort

While other cheap keyboards skimp on quality for affordability, Redragon innovates the space with affordability that won’t destroy your hands. The custom Mint Mambo switches boast the perfect blend of performance and comfort, while the keyboards natural typing angle is perfect for most users. Those who prefer a steeper angle like I do will appreciate the two additional height adjustments. This is an ergonomic keyboard with the performance to back it up.

Utility

Users will appreciate the high speed wireless connections with the peace of mind that the 4000 mAh battery gives them. The included high quality USB-C cable is ready to support players with an even faster connection. Each of the keys can be easily rebound or programed with useful macros to upgrade your productivity. While the keyboard is incredibly easy to remap, the K745 comes with four useful macro keys out of the box.

Included macros:

  • Mute
  • Launch Calculator
  • Minimize/Maximize all Windows
  • Lock Computer

Keyboard sound

Review

If you are looking for an affordable full-sized keyboard for gaming, it doesn’t get much better than the Redragon K745 Pro. This is easily one of the best affordable keyboards I’ve gotten to try. This keyboard is comfortable, with enough quality and performance to make it worth the money.

Quality

I was impressed by the look of the keyboard out of the box. At this price point, you always run the risk of pulling a cheap, toy looking keyboard, but the K745 has solid construction. It is light, so it makes it nice to move around, but I wouldn’t call it portable. The legs swivel nicely and the typing sound is very good. My only complaint is that the lettering already looks faded. It looks like it will rub off after a bit of use, although none of it did during my testing.

Design

I love the purple scheme of the keyboard. Purple is my favorite color, so I am very happy with my choice. I am a little disappointed by the lettering. The letters looks faded and it feels like they will rub off with a bit of use. None of it did during my testing, but I am not a fan. The font is also a bit hard to read. This might be a personal issue, but the font is not good for my dyslexia. It isn’t unusable, but I’d probably swap them out for different keycaps if it became my main keyboard.

Comfort

I was very surprised by how comfortable the K745 is. The keys have enough spacing for my big hands, and the switches are soft enough to avoid any fatigue. I’ve tried other keyboards at this price point that have destroyed my hands, but I had no issues with the K745. I had a few intense gaming sessions and not only did the K745 meet my expectations, they didn’t tire me out. The default typing angle is solid, but I like that it supports my preferred angle. I like my keyboards a little high. As an added bonus, the keyboard has a fantastic typing sound without being disruptive. I could use this next to my sleeping wife and baby without issue.

Performance

I did not do any reprogramming, but it is very easy to do with the official software. Everything connected easily and quickly, and I had no issues after initial setup. All the keys were responsive without any noticeable latency. The battery was very good and I got a good 8 hours of continuous work with the RGB on. My favorite aspect of this keyboard is the included macros. I usually forget about a keyboard’s gimmicks shortly after opening, but I had a lot of use for the included macros. They were very handy for my workflow, but they can be reprogrammed to maximize utility.

Conclusion

The Redragon K745 Pro is a fantastic affordable keyboard for the gamer that needs to perform at their next important team fight, but needs to be conscious of their budget. I am very satisfied with how good this keyboard is, especially at $60. I recomend it to anyone looking for a full sized keyboard.

You can pick up your Redragon K745 from the official Redragon store, or through Amazon using my Affiliate link.

Tech Reviews

Epomaker X Aula F108 Review: Affordable Mechanical Keyboard

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Disclaimer

Mechlands sent me the EPOMAKER X AULA F108 to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. Make sure you also check out my latest reviews for the Blade 101 and M75 keyboards.

What’s in the box?

  • F108 Mechanical Keyboard
  • Key/Switch Puller
  • 4 Replacement Switches
  • 1 USB-C to USB-A Cable
  • 1 2.4 G Dongle

Features

The Epomaker x Aula F108 is a light weight stylish full-sized mechanical keyboard who wants a bit of style, a lot of performance, but doesn’t want to break the bank. The keyboard comes in three colors: White/Blue, Side Printed Gray, and White/Blue. I got mine in the Side-Printed Grey, but all options are extremely viable.

Black/Blue
Side-Printed Grey
White/Blue

This full sized keyboard features 108 anti-ghosting keys that delivery the accuracy you need it. The typing angle promotes comfort in your workflow while the promised low latency connections provide the performance. With an impressive 1000hz polling rate, the F108 promises to keep pace at the competative level. The 4000 mAH battery boasts up 200 hours of uninterrupted gaming, making it perfect for the folks who need to minimize that wire clutter. The Epomaker F108 is a beautiful keyboard with the performance to back it.

Sound Test

Review

The keyboard feels cheap out of the box. It is a very light weight keyboard with a worrying amount of flex. Visually however, the keyboard has enough elegance to make up for the feel. I love the gradient scheme, but the keys are swapable when needed. I like how soft the RGB looks and love how the text is on the front of the key rather than the usual top. It gives the keyboard a very unique modern aesthetic.

I was very impressed with how comfortable the typing experience is on the F108. The flex isn’t notable while typing, and the keys seems to have just enough weight to them to provide satisfying tactile feedback without any of the fatigue. Both the typing angle and the size of the keyboard were perfect for my frame. The F108 never triggered my repetitive stress injury which makes this keyboard an instant buy for me. To sweeten the deal, the F108 has such a satisfying typing sound, but it is a little loud if that matters.

Most importantly, the F108 has the performance I need for my workflow. There was no noticeable latency, and I was able to switch between devices quickly. I think I only charged the keyboard once during my keyboard and I was using it on average about 10 hours strait a day with the backlight on. Your millage will vary depending on your backlight setting, but I am impressed non-the less.

My only complaint is the amount of flex this keyboard has. I would not travel with the F108 because it will probably snap in half. I was scared to bend it too much with my testing because it felt like it was going to break. If you need a full sized keyboard and don’t need to take it out of the house, this is a solid budget option that loops cool and has the performance to take on most work flows.

You can pick up the the Epomaker x Aula F108 on the official Mechlands site.

Tech Reviews

Tech Review: Logitech G335 Gaming Headset

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If you like what I do and want to show your support, please consider buying me a coffee

I want to start by saying that this isn’t a sponsored review. Unfortunately, I bought this headset with my own money. I will add affiliate links to the headset if you choose to buy it, but that won’t affect my opinion of the product.

The Logitech G355 Headset isn’t worth the $70 they are asking for. I got it on sale for $30 and feel a little better about my purchase, but you are getting what you pay for. Out of the box, this headset looks and feels cheap. The plastic feels so fragile that I thought it was going to break when I put them on. Thankfully they didn’t, but I don’t see them outliving my gaming career.

Images are from Amazon Product Page

The headset comes with a 3.5 mm headphone jack, but it includes a mic splitter for those of you playing on PC. It says it is compatible with all consoles and PC, but I only tested it for PC. Your mileage may vary, but I doubt it. The only cool feature this comes with is a nifty little wheel for volume control that is built into the headset. The G335 comes in black, mint, and white.

The only positive feature of this headset is how comfortable they are, but this is sure to be short-lived. The pads cupped my ears nicely, and the padding was thick and firm. They are a bit stiff out of the box, but they start to conform to your shape relatively quickly. The style of the ear pads prevented any noise from bleeding in or out, which is nice if you share a room. They aren’t sound canceling, but they will do the job for a time. I don’t have faith in the padding keeping its integrity for long. While the headset did get more comfortable over time, how quickly it did so has me worried. The G355 isn’t made with quality materials, and in a year or so, I fear they will become deflated and ugly.

If you are looking for a headset to talk with your friends, look elsewhere. While they may be better than other headsets in the $30 range, the mic is terrible. The mic does a terrible job of filtering any background noise. Whoever is on the receiving end of your voice chats will hear everything. The placement of the mic is too high, and trying to set gates to help filter the sound is useless. I found the best way to use this mic was through the use of a DAC/AMP, but I had to almost yell for the mic to pick up my voice. I used the Soundblaster X3 for my testing, but if you are going to buy a DAC for this headset, you are better off buying a better headset. I’ve included my audio test bellow:

https://churapereviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/mictest.mp3

The sound on this headset is alright. Music sounds very flat, even with equalizers or a DAC. It does have a decent amount of bass, but I fear it was only added to trick people into thinking it is a better headset. The boosted bass just makes everything sound flattered.

These will do if you need a cheap headset and don’t care about the sound or the mic, but only get these for $30. The colors are nice, but the cheap build will mean that these will be in the trash in a couple of years. For those of you interested, you can find this headset in all its colors on Amazon.

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Tech Reviews

Tech Review: Kenisis Freestyle Edge RGB Keyboard

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I’ve done a lot of research to find an ergonomic setup that fits my lifestyle. I do a lot of typing and gaming on my computer, and I needed a keyboard that could transition from both seamlessly. I was using a cheap mechanical keyboard before that left my hands useless. I love mechanical keyboards and wanted to find an ergonomic version that also had a backlight. The Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB keyboard was my answer, but it might not be yours.

Before I continue with this review, I would like to take a moment to mention that I am not a doctor. This review is based on my experience. Please consult your doctor for any medical concerns. I will also be using affiliate links for the product. If you decide to purchase the product, I get a small commission, but these will be my honest thoughts on the keyboard.

The Kinesis Freestyle Edge is a split keyboard. The split design allows for more natural hand placement, ideally relieving unnecessary strain from your hands and wrists. I have wide shoulders, and the split design allows for a more ideal placement that better fits my frame.

As far as mechanical keyboards go, the Edge is on the quieter side. I did opt for the quieter brown switches because I wanted softer key presses, but you can get one with the louder and more tactile blue switches if that fits your style better. The brown switches aren’t completely quiet, and you do get some sound, but it isn’t as loud as some of the cheaper mechanical keyboards out there.

This keyboard comes with nine programable macro keys that can be easily adjusted on the keyboard or through the official software. You can save two different profiles, which is nice if you share a computer with someone else or if you need nine extra macro keys. I don’t have much use for the macros except for media keys at the moment, but setting them up was very simple. The RGB profile can also be adjusted easily through the software. Any changes you make to this keyboard whether it be macros, profiles, or RGB is saved to the keyboard directly. If you switch to a different computer, all your profiles and macros transfer with the keyboard. It’s nice to not have to have another account to access your preferences or lose them if your computer wipes.

I love this keyboard and have been daily driving it for nearly three years without any issues. My only complaint with this keyboard is that it doesn’t come with the lift kit. Kineses offers a separate kit which isn’t necessary, but I do recommend it getting one. I used the keyboard without the kit for about a week before giving in and buying one. There was nothing wrong with the flat setup of the keyboard, but I use my computer too much and needed the additional ergonomics. The lift kit offers a more natural position for your hands, and I honestly can’t go back to using anything else.

The keycaps are nice. They are very soft to the touch, but you can customize your keyboard with third-party caps if they fit MX switches. Be mindful of the measurements. You might have trouble finding spacebars that fit this board. If you have a mac, Kinesis offers a separate kit to change your command keys. Unfortunately, the kit is an additional $28, and you have to install it yourself. The installation is very easy, even if you have no prior experience.

The Freestyle Edge is an adequate keyboard for gaming. The keys are responsive and easy to press, but the function keys are a bit out of reach for me. I often had to stretch to hit these keys, and my performance suffered. Games where I needed to press these keys more often would also tire my hands out more quickly. This is possibly a personal problem for my short stubby fingers, but it is something to keep in mind. Games that don’t require the function keys are fine. I could play for a lot longer before feeling any discomfort. I still recommend taking regular breaks and doing stretches keyboard this won’t fix the issues completely. For people who play and work a healthy amount, the Freestyle Edge is a fantastic solution.

So is it worth it? Honestly, this keyboard is a bit pricey for what you get. I bought it because I liked the style and the RGB and didn’t mind the tax for both options. But if you are on a budget and only need the ergonomics, there are better options. The Kenisis Freestyle Edge has made a huge difference in my setup, and I do not regret my purchase. I understand that this keyboard isn’t for everyone, but for those interested, you can buy it on Amazon.