The SK61 Mechanical Keyboard is a firmly built 60-key device. The latest Gateron optical switches use infrared beams to detect each keystroke precisely within 0.2 milliseconds. The LED lighting effects, rhythm control, hot-swappable keys for easy customization, and the rubber feet make the keyboard a perfect choice for gaming and all other tasks requiring speedy action. Besides, this budget-friendly keyboard comes with a 32-bit MCU, 8M flash, and a stylish type C USB cable. The SK61 keyboard is compatible with Windows, Android, Mac, and other operating systems.

To begin with, the name SK61 denotes that the keyboard has only 61 keys. It comes as a pro for the gamers as the compact design gives them a larger area to hover the mouse. The same is applicable for business and industrial environments that rely significantly on computers for the job. On the other hand, if you are fond of the number pad, this keyboard is not for you. Not to mention, this is a common trait of all 60% keyboard. If you are new to using a compact 60% keyboard, you need not panic. The users can activate the secondary functions in a very similar way to laptops. All you need to do is press the function key and another designated key. You can enjoy the functioning of the SK61 keyboard by using the cheat sheet provided with the keyboard.             

Built and Design

The SK61 mechanical keyboard has a compact 60% built and weighs around 585 g. The brilliant design is accompanied by a combination of matte and gloss finish. Overall, the design is basic yet gives the user a premium feel.

Keycaps          

The SK61 Mechanical Keyboard keys are made of PBT, the best-suited material for keycaps. It gives them a pleasant feel and sound. If you are looking forward to an aggressive keyboard font, as in gaming keyboards, the alphabets of the SK61 Mechanical Keyboard may disappoint you a little. The sublime and durable keyboard legends are thermally-set into the plastic, so they stay all along. Also, the MAC users get three additional keycaps: Command, Option, and Control. The keycaps are dustproof and have IP68 waterproofing. The cherry-styled stabilizers are a bit too loud while functioning. The keycaps come in four variants:

1. Brown: If you are looking forward to quiet and tactile switches, they are excellent. They are the most preferred keycaps by developers.

2. Blue: These are the clicky switches and are a favorite of all old-school writers.

3. Red: They are best suited for gamers as they offer minimal resistance. The lack of tactile feedback makes it a no-no for writers.

4. Black: It is optimal for fast-paced gaming and has even lesser resistance than the Red ones.

Lighting

The SK61 Mechanical keyboard is available in 3 colorways with RGB. The colors are white and light grey, dark and light grey, lastly, pink and white. Each of them has a different accent color for the Escape key. The lighting effect in the SK61 keyboard is a credit to the surface-mounted LEDs. But if you want things out of the ordinary, like an RGB animation of single key lighting, you can reach out to the software. The software helps you to program the keyboard as per need. The program is a bit of an English and Chinese hybrid; thus, you will have to spend some time before getting the knack of it. Due to the microphone etched under the spacebar, the keyboard responds well to music and other sounds. Do note that the letters and characters do not get illuminated by the RGB animation. A few favorite user effects are Spectrum cycling, white, wave, reactive row, reactive single key, reactive spectrum, and many more. And when not in the mood, you can always turn off the RGB effects.

NKRO

The N-Key Roll Over Feature enables the keyboard to register all the simultaneously pressed keys in a graded manner. It means 100% anti-ghosting and no more skipping any pressed keys.

Hot-swappable

This feature means zero soldering to make the keyboard sound and feel the way you want. You also get a metal switch puller to maneuver the switches while replacing them. But if you are still wondering why you would require a hot-swap mechanical keyboard, then there are a few things you should know. Hot-swappable keys mean the response time for your actions just gets halved. If you want the response time to be lowered for some specific keys only, as with gamers, you can always mix and match. Another advantage of these switches is that if you ever end up damaging the keys, you can replace the required key instead of investing in a new keyboard.

The only drawback of this feature-packed SK61 keyboard is that it is wired. Had it been cordless, it could have easily been declared as one of the best standing keyboards in the market. The tactile feedback of the keyboard also happens to be weak. That takes the typing and gaming experience a gear down. 

So, if you don’t need a wireless keyboard, then the decent switches and powerful software make SK61 an appreciable choice. The sturdy built, ergonomic keyboard design, 100 million keystrokes lifespan, and the secondary media functions make SK61 Mechanical Keyboard a must-buy!