What just happened? Keyboard manufacturer Machenike needed just 14 minutes to meet its Kickstarter funding goal for its latest product. The Machenike KT84 is a compact mechanical keyboard that is stuffed to the gills with features. Its 84-key layout is roughly 25 percent smaller than a standard keyboard, and it will will ship with Gateron North Pole 2.0 switches (in your choice of white or yellow switches) as well as transparent, hot-swappable keycaps.
Standout features include a 490 dot pixel screen that stretches across the top of the board and a 1.47-inch TFT LCD positioned in the top right corner. The pixel matrix can be programmed to show static images as well as animated effects, while the LCD screen is ideal for displaying hardware information, weather forecasts, or the date / time.
A clickable volume knob is situated on the top left edge of the board (rotate clockwise to decrease volume, counterclockwise to increase volume, push down to mute). On the opposite side next to the LCD screen is a customizable toggle switch that can quickly close all windows and return you back to the desktop.
The KT84 can connect wirelessly via 2.4 GHz or Bluetooth, or in wired mode using USB Type-C, and is compatible with most major operating systems including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
Light lovers will no doubt appreciate the 20 modes of RGB backlighting. Battery life in wireless mode is rated at 110 hours with the backlight off; that falls to just 22 hours with RGB running.
The Machenike KT84 is off to a strong start on Kickstarter. As of this writing and with 25 days to go, just over 200 backers have already collectively pledged more than $48,000 – well beyond the campaign’s initial $10,000 goal. A minimum pledge of $199 will get your name on the list for the first batch of units, which are offered in transparent white or black colorways.
Machenike expects to ship out the first wave to backers starting in September 2024.
