Akko makes amazing switches that are budget friendly and fit in Outemu hot swap sockets. I have tried the rose reds(linear) and ocean blues(tactile) and can highly recommend both.
Redragon has been one of this brands I bought when I first got into PC building for my m&kb and have upgraded since then but watching them become one of the few actual budget friendly GOOD brands out there has been fun.
I actually have had the k556, the full keyboard version of the k552, for about 4-5 years now. It's been amazing. Had one issue when one of the switches went bad, but it came with replacements which was perfect to drop in.
Same board. Did find the ping to be s bit annoying after seeing videos about mechanical keyboards. It's a good board to try modding. Will say I wished I knew and bought Akko switches earlier. They are a cost effective upgrade to the stock switches. Also no ping stock. Heh.
Same. It's a solid board for a good price. It looks to be discontinued now (can't find it on Redragon's site), but still in stock at many retailers (only $40 at Micro Center right now). I'm not ashamed to admit that I got the K556 in part because of the mostly favorable review LTT gave it in a "keyboards under $75" roundup a couple years ago.
I bought the kumara 4 years ago (or more) I was sooo surprised of how good the keyboard was for the price, I've been using it since and it still works perfectly fine, i will always recommend that keyboard if someone is on a budget
I bought the surara 4 years ago and it's steel alive and if you consider that its switches are hot swappable ... I think the surara it's the perfect keyboard
@Zeus There should be a better way to advertise your channel. Spamming the comments isn't the best way. A lot of people will find it annoying and it doesn't add conversations about the topic of the video. Some people don't really know who you are or if you own the Content that is uploaded to your channel
I have bought the Kumara about 3-5 months ago. My experience with it is amazing! It was definitely an step up from my laptop's keyboard. My reason for buying the Kumara is that I wanted a better typing experience, and it is available in my home country without the need for importing it from the US or from China. The keyboard also supports OpenRGB, so it will work without needing the Redragon app, and you can use OpenRGB on Windows and in Linux distros. Would definitely recommend it for someone that wants a better keyboard than what a laptop offers.
My first mech was a Turtle Beach TKL, £35, proper UK layout, Cherry switches, I think it was Costar OEM and I’m pretty sure Turtle Beach sold every single one at a loss in a failed attempt to break into the gaming keyboard space. Was a great board though.
I brought the K552 over 3 years ago. It seems to hold up pretty well and is still working flawlessly despite near daily moba gaming. I like how I can customise each individual key colour to have colours matching certain letters for particular games.
I've had around 4 switches having problems in the almost 3 years of abuse as I work and play games on it all day. Those were the keys I was mostly using: CTRL, W, Enter, V. By the way, I was scared to remove the big keys as they usually have springs but turns out the spring mechanisms are hidden bellow the plastic and you can remove the keys without fear of breaking it. The keyboard has 3 replacements in the box that mitigated my problem and a pack of switches replacements was easy to buy in Amazon. Was it worth it? Yes, it was. For the price I was expecting cheap and not durable switches that I would be replacing but they turned to be better than I expected and the keyboard's base structure is solid and strong. I expect this to last me many more years.
My keyboard lasted about that long then suddenly started to have random fluxuations in functionality. I also abused the heck out of it, so I have no problems with it dying on me, especially with it's price point. I honestly would have gotten the same model as a replacement had some better models from Corsair not been discounted for the holidays.
My redragon k552 red switches has done wonders for me! I absolutely love it, metal frame, and a overall sturdy build. I’d definitely recommend it as a starting option
I have the 582 (the full size version of the 552) with browns and it’s great. There’s a bit of ping but for well under a hundred bucks it’s a great keyboard.
I've used the keyboard since February 27, 2021, and I've never modified it or anything just right out of the box I have had 0 issues with it since then. Definitely the one I will buy if it every DOES fail.
I knew it was this keyboard when I saw the price in the thumbnail. I've been using this keyboard for about 4 weeks and it's honestly pretty cool to have as a first mechanical keyboard. Not only is it the best budget accessory I've currently purchased (seeing as though it's currently the most popular keyboard of all time and approved by Switch and Click), I don't really have any plans to buy an upgrade for the foreseeable future.
you can honestly mod it alot if youd rather change some aspect of it and have some fun. If you have some soldering experience, you can make it a usb c detachable keyboard or add foam to help the accustics. i even changed the keycaps and they helped with the sound too. if you like it as is tho. save your money
Its so funny, I didnt know it was THAT popular but when i saw the title, for some reason in my heart I knew and had to check and see. I was disappointed when they showed the first keyboard and they when they showed the k552 i jumped out of my seat! Anyways I dont use it, I got it for my 7 year old kids PC, but I was at microcenter getting something else and they had it on sale for like $28 or something like that and it looked damn good considering that so I nabbed it! At the price point it feels incredibly solid.
@@daniel_poore I don't know much about mechanical keyboards as this is my first one. I do, however, think it's pretty great for many of the reasons listed throughout the community of keyboard whizzes.
@@XGamin1 I totally agree! I didn't mean to insult by saying my 7 year old uses it, he's just starting to get into gaming and the keyboard I started him on was total gutter trash... I almost kept it for myself... I bought my personal keyboard before I was more informed on the topic so I have a Razer huntsman that's like a $200+. Keyboard but now I know the switches in it aren't really that good for the price range. I like it but it was a novice choice. Lol. The k552, besides the weird ass drivers / software they have for it on red dragon website that seems like spyware is absolutely worth the money. I didn't even know how upgradable it was until I watched this video and I still thought I got my monies worth. Buttons are super clicky, the 60% frame looks great... Wish it didn't have all the red dragon logos but that's a small gripe all considered. Infact that keyboard has inspired me to start researching building my own keyboard. Now that my kid has one I want. 60%'er but I really want to see the fuss about building my own too - seems cool.
Bought a G915 on your guys' recommendation. Super overpriced, but I love that thing. Helped with my carpal tunnel and by far the best keyboard I ever used. Carry one with me to school every day just because of how much I love it.
me too, i like the low profile not making my wrists arch upwards, and it being wireless come in handy occasionally if i need to clear the table or plug it into another pc on the fly
@@iooooooo1 Yeah, I can see why it might be annoying. Personally, I sorta like that "wobble" / "jiggle" as a fidget thing when thinking about what to type.
I’ve had my k552 for almost 5 years now and it’s still as great as day one. So great I haven’t felt the need to upgrade to a higher end keyboard despite having the funds now
Congrats, I just got a K551 Mitra (full sized kumara) two weeks ago and I love it. I had no idea the k552 been in production for that long. Does you switches are soldered? I believe they made them hot swappable like 1-2 years ago.
I have a K552 I found at goodwill for $3( I know, used keyboards, absolutely disgusting). after a full tear down, and cleaning, I replaced the keys with a cheap set from amazon(Hate the default key fonts), and now its awesome!
If you want to try other switches, Akko have thinner switch pins and they are one of the most affordable switches to experiment with different typing weights, feels, and sounds.
I got one of those keyboards back in 2019 for one of my kids computers, at the time thought I was getting something that would not last but it is still working fine today.
Same here, it's a nice budget kb. Mine has started to key in multiple letters but it's probably because it's filled with dirt, and it's over 2 years old.
I have the k552 aswell! My friend reccomended it to me because he has it and its really good for the price. I'm planning to get his exact same pc aswell lmao im just copying him
I've had a similar one from them for 3 years. It worked great for me, and when I upgraded to a custom, I gave it to my mom, who uses it pretty much all day every day, and it's still clicking along for her too.
I've had the k552 kumara for almost a year now, and it's been working absolutely perfectly, not a single issue, no unintended keystrokes, or switches failing on me, maybe it's my ability to keep it free from a flood of chip dust but it's done me well and I'll keep using it as long as I possibly can, I don't plan on upgrading until this is absolutely just dead
The only real issue I can think of for the K552 is a non detachable cable but that’s par the course for a lot of good mechanical keyboards within that cheap $35 range, plus it’s only an issue once the cable actually stops working properly, if it does.
quite happy with mine as well. swapped the switches for lubed akko blues and did some stab & foam mods - keyboard sounds surprisingly good for the price and I managed to not fuck anything up lmao
Not sure if they even make the model anymore, but I have had a red dragon keyboard for three years with no real complaints. Its a full size with only red backlighting. Its survived being thrown in a suitcase 4 times now along with other misuse and I’ve had no problems
I've had my K552 Kumara for about 4 years now. I can't recommend this keyboard enough for those who want to come in on a super low budget, as I did a long while ago. I've done just a bit to mine by putting on some HyperX white pudding keycaps on it, but nothing else. But when I say that this keyboard lasts, it lasts. I've taken it to school, dropkicked my backpack off a flight of stairs with the keyboard in it, raged and games, and done so much more. The only notable damage is a *slightly* cracked frame on the back. This is like the AKM of keyboards, cheap but will work without fail. I made a similar comment on Switch and Click's video and got a bunch of comments about how this keyboard also will survive getting drink spills on it (as long as you just unplug it, and flip it upside down on an air vent for like 3 hours). So if you're looking to go in on the lowest of low budgets, this is the right keyboard for you. And yes, to this day I still use this keyboard because I've had no reason to upgrade and replace.
@Xtulio yes, very literally. That, surprisingly isn't the reason the frame is cracked. The frame is cracked because I sat against my backpack on the bumpy ass schoolbus ride home lol.
The red dragon mouse was my first gaming mouse like 8 years ago. Its still going strong on a friends pc. I was personally a huge fan of the design and feel
I still have one, I used it as my main mouse for quite a while. I liked it at the time, but wouldn't want to go back. One of my main complaints is that the material texture makes it a bit hard to clean. The holes on the side especially can get a bit gunky after a lot of use. My current mouse that just has smooth plastic is much better in that regard.
@CutoutClips yeah id agree with that one, i switched to a Hyperion Fury for a few years and then downgraded to a corsair harpoon. Quite a similar shape to the Red Dragon but is again smooth plastic
Same here, I've been running mine for a similar amount of time. Eventually the right click switch started wearing out so I just bought some new switches and replaced them. I'm honestly rather fond of it by this point.
I've used mine extensively since 2017, both for work and for gaming. Some parts can get gunky, but it's nothing an old toothbrush can't clean up. Other than that, it's been perfect.
I have the 60% version of the tkl one. I lubed the switches and stabs, put foam in the case, and painters taped the pcb. It's been a great board and sounds/ feels great
Definitely get the Red Dragon mechanical models, you can upgrade the buttons to what you want, and you can purchase whatever caps you want (I like the gel caps). They do have an aluminum model that is sturdy. Even with the extra purchases, it's a fraction of the cost of a high end gaming keyboard. I even tried their M913 gaming mouse. It has removable weights for weight customization and buttons are crisp. Be sure to remove the plastic covering the sliders or you'll think it's dragging (been there, done that). Unless you're a pro gamer, this is a great budget option with some customization. I play almost every day and I've been impressed. And no, I'm not affiliated with them (as you can tell by my proper English... lol)
8:35 As someone with said keyboard just an fyi, it is very good for $30 I got mine over a year ago and to this day it works perfectly. Would 100% recommend for low budget gamers
The Outemu socket problem isn't as bad as it seems given that companies like Akko make compatible switches which are excellent quality and amazing value for money. Have those fitted in mine. Lol, can't believe I'm coming to thjs video now. This keyboard was my gateway into custom mechanical keyboards. I got a k552 kamura as a freebie (sort of) from a friend 2 years ago. We used to carpool and he got me into mechanical keyboards. He'd already started and upgraded beyond his kamura, which he kindly let me keep. That was my gateway into mecganical keyboards, and boy what an intro. I went to town on modding that thing: - detatchable USB-C cable mod (using an adafruit daughter board) - poron pcb dampening stickers under each keyswitch. - EVA "cosplay" foam between the PCB and top metal plate. - Noico automotive noise dampening foam + butyl rubber sheet under the PCB - "tape mod" beneath the pcb with 2 layers of tape - "Hollee mod" for the plate mounted stabilisers. And lubricating with Krytox 205 G0 lube - adding tape to cushion the plate mount stabiliser's mounting points - adding tape and a layer of lube to cushion the area where the stabiliser bottoms out onto the PCB - new switches: akko lavender purple tacticle (1st gen), lubed with trybosis 3203 lube + poron keyswitch films sandwiched between the switch top and bottom shells. - coral sea keycaps - gummy silicon rubber o-rings placed between each of the metal plate's screw holes to add a little bit of dampening - and erasing the Redragon logo using some isopropyl alcohol and a pencil eraser. It was a 3 month project with plenty of trial and error to find the right keyswitches and fine tuning the various pieces like stabilisers, but its worth it. My Kamura has been "Endgame" complete for 2 years and is my daily use keyboard for home/work from home use. I had to do a LOT of DIY effort to get my keyboard to that stage, but what amazes me is that in 2 short years, the hobby has since moved rapidly to the point where many of my "premium custom mods" that I had to painstakingly apply are often fitted from factory... undercutting the cost of materials and labor of applying the same mods to a keyboard yourself. I "built" an Epomaker Cidoo ABM098 wireless keyboard for workplace office use. It was 85% finished tbh. There were far fewer mods involved and even these felt more like finished touches for the most part: - upgrade all the stabilisers for some lubed and Hollee modded Durock V2s, - fit some lubed and filmed silent tactile Akko switches, - apply some stickers on the plate mounting holes for the keyswitches switches - and swapped the keycaps for some AliExpress Kaiju keycaps Thing is whisper quiet now at a communal shared office space. The evolving custom keyboard scene is quite something and the Kamura was a nice introduction 2 years ago.
The Havit low profile with blue switches is probably my single favorite keyboard and I've owned no less than 6-8 keyboards just in the last couple years. I spend 10-12 hours a day using it for work and it is honestly amazing.
Same I also have the Havit and I love it. Just feels comfortable to work and play. I use it about 8-10 hours a day and the mouse it came with its decent.
I do have a Havit 100% as well. I have it for almost 2 yrs. The only issue I’m having right now is that 2 keys is out of sync of its rgb. But doesn’t really affect the performance.
I absolutely love the low profile blue havit. I bought it for work a little over 2 years ago. After I started working from home I ended up getting a full sized ducky one 2 with browns and it defintely is a tier above the havit. I do kind of wish I went with reds or silvers though as I started realizing I liked the feel a little bit better over browns. Anyways I still don’t regret a single penny I spent on the havit, the low profile blue switches are such a unique typing experience and if it’s what u like there’s not many other options to get a similar experience. Speaking of it reminds me I gotta get the havit back from my friend I lent it out to lol
If anyone can't find somewhere to buy the Havit, take a look at the "Sharkoon PureWriter". It seems to be the same keyboard with a different brand sticker on it. I am happy with it.
The K552 was the one I've been recommending for a while now, so I'm glad to see it get some love here. In general, there are "sweet spots" in budgets for peripherals and components where you won't want to cheap out and try to go below that. The $35 K552 and $35 Logitech G502 mouse are the perfect combo. If you think about it, the keyboard and mouse are literally the pieces you interact with the most--so you want them to be as good as possible. Make them last a few years!
Yup, I bought exactly this combo on my own a couple years ago. Super happy with it still going strong, the only thing I wish is that I think I would have liked the full sized keyboard (with num-pad) instead.
I used the K552 and a G305 for around a year and they served me very well, but I do agree that human interface is not something to cheap out on so I built my own custom board and upgraded to the razer orochi V2, couldn't be happier with my investments
@@sublic3101 been using the same combo for 3yrs now. I can't justify spending more money on these as I am happy with it and I only game on my pc anyways
I have the Havit keyboard and I love it. Just feels comfortable to work and play with. I use it about 8-10 hours a day and had it for over 7 months. The mouse it came with is decent too.
my kumara k552 is a strong boy, ive hit it multiple times full force and still works like it should. I had it for about 2 years now and i see no problems with it
I've got the K552, it's so good for the price. Had it for at least a few years and still works great. I have a small desk and no Num pad really helps to give me more mouse space.
@@unknownadmi5996 tbf I do get the issue Linus mentioned when I press "T" once it sometimes presses twice. Mine's probably 4+ years old though and maybe I could clean it, it could be something stuck.
When I first got into gaming with my own setup the S101 was really the only one on the market that I saw that had positive reviews and was worthwhile. So that's the one I got. Since then, I haven't really had any problems with it as it functioned as well for games as it did for school work, so I had no real need to change out of my keyboard. Maybe I'll swap it out for the K552, but seeing as how the S101 lasted me nearly 5 years with no known problems, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
i bought it earlier today. it hasn't arrived yet and im waiting to see how well it performs. im a huge nerd for mechanical keyboards but i spent my money on it anyways(its my first gaming keyboard and mouse).
I have the same combo! Seriously great. My only complaint is the weak typeface on the keys. But the look, feel, and build quality is better than much more expensive combos.
Okay so I know I'm a weirdo for this, but I really like those scissor stabilized membrane keys that most laptops come with. The short actuation distance, distinct tactility, and low noise are 100% my vibe. Any ideas on where to find a standalone keyboard that uses that tech, or includes the strong-points I mentioned?
I love them too! The most similar I could find was the Logitech K380 wireless. I bought it so my girlfriend's tablet and she loved it. The keys are pretty much a round version of the average laptop key, soft and easy to press, but the keyboard overall is a bit too tiny for my mid-sized hands (it has a lot of keys and a beautiful design but they're neatly crammed together). My gf has small hands and finds it pretty much perfect though.
I have an older version of the rk61 that I've been using for about 4 years or more now. The Bluetooth connection is reliable, you can connect it via USB and when the battery life stars to bother me too much it only requires 4 screws to disassemble to replace it. I highly recommend it for anyone in that price bracket.
Yesss rk is so good, I've gotten three different sized ver. because the hotswap, triple mode connection, full rgb and software, is amazing and it's the only keyboard I know on the market with all of these features.
@@iamprateek3220 all newer versions are hot swappable. I got one a year ago it has a hot swap pcb. also if you don't care about Bluetooth I'd recommend just getting the wired one for much cheaper. it has a detachable type c cable too. got mine for like $30 since it was the wired one
I've had a k552 for a bit over year now and it has been great for me, I did experience some chatter in the past from keys, however I managed to fix it by spraying a (very very) tiny amount of lube onto the switch, after this a few minutes of use stopped the chatter issues. If you try this, do be careful with the lube, especially if you got blue style switches, as lubed blues are not a good experience.
I have the reddragon Vishnu wireless keyboard and so far it's good except that it lags sometimes but that was only on Ubuntu. It also makes a sound whenever it's turned on. After I reinstalled it there's not a single issue now except the sound.
Let me guess, if you open the g305 mouse you can see an indent in the plastic casing where it hit's the left dip-switch? I call it planned obsolescence, as I've had more then 3 Logitech mouses with that exact same issue over the past 6 years. I'm now trying out Razer, hope it lasts a bit longer...
I’ve had the K552 for about 4 years now. It’s never let me down, and is super solid. The only small issue I’ve had is my a key failing to register every so often, but that’s only in one game, and barely happens. I would highly recommend it, even over much more expensive boards.
I've had the K551, the non-RGB predecessor to the K552, for 7 years as my daily driver and it's worked very well for the $40 it cost in 2015. There was a period of about a month where it double-registered the spacebar, but that went away 2 years ago and hasn't resurfaced. Considering the price difference between it and a proper Cherry MX keyboard was what let me grab an SSD, it is absolutely worth it.
I have the K552 and I love it, it's gotten me interested in mechanical keyboards. I do think I might get something a little higher tier for my next one, but this is a great entry-level option for getting someone into mechanical keyboards.
I actually bought this pack around two years ago. Gave my friend the mouse after using it for awhile, realizing it was **** over my, what I had at the time, the Glorious Model O. The keyboard is actually very good. Around two weeks before I switched to mechanical, I spilled soda on it, and it still functioned! The keys though... they wore away, W A S and D, along with LShift, Escape, and E all gone... *in a week* Under the keycaps (they SUCK to take off and put back in) after the two years was.. it was all hair. It SUCKS for cleaning too Overall rating: 7.5/10
I've been using a centrophorus for several years. It's a perfectly viable option and I've never run into issues with sensitivity or anything. I'm a competitive TF2 player, and, in my experience, it does just as well as a logitech mouse would.
have you used any other mice? it may not seem apparent when mice by nature are only incrementally better than each other but a premium mouse is leagues ahead of something like the centrophorus
I used one for two years. Broke about a year in, the left click started failing to be consistent. It was also one of the most uncomfortable mice I've ever used, although that will obviously depend on your hands. Sensitivity was largely fine, I don't remember having any issues with spinout. The clicks are a bit strange. I would recommend getting something more ergonomic personally.
@@sublic3101 used a £120 Logitech for a while, but always found myself going back to the redragon. It just gets the job done, and has a nice smooth feel to the movement on a mouse pad.
Glad Redragon gets more recognition lately, i been using my white kumara k552 for two years, its so durable and the rgb it's gorgeous on the white version :D
@Bruhman_1 no need for a lot of desk space. That's the exact reason I bought this keyboard, for the lack of desk space. But there are even smaller keyboards than this one.
Hey bro I wanna your suggestion.should I buy red dragon kumara costing me 2180 rupee or Vara k551 costing me 2550 .or is there any new keyboard in market
@@Gobs_gaming Bro I purchased redragon KUMARA k552 in this sale with red switches and fixed lights (Not per key RGB) for 2184 it's damn good as u have a lot of options to modify it by watching RUclips tutorials, and also it's pinging noise can be fixed using foam under the PCB and under Keycaps and with red switch by default it is a cherry on top keyboard.
Sometimes if you just wait for the right moment, you can snag something amazing for cheap. The keyboard I use at work is a Rosewill with a basic full layout but it has Cherry MX Blue RGB switches. I bought it on a pre-Black Friday deal a few years ago on Amazon for $50. It has been fantastic, especially for that price.
I don't know which Rosewill you have but I've been using one for a while now. It's the K51 and uses membrane switches that feel and sound more like mechanical switches but are DEFINITELY not mechanical. Not the highest quality but it lasts as I've been using it for 3-4 years now. EDIT: I forgot to mention it's around $35 on Newegg since Rosewill is under Newegg.
I've had multiple RD mech keyboards. They are great but I'm REALLY in love with their mouse with the buttons on the side. I'll keep buying those until they dissapear
I have the havit combo myself and can vouch that it is fairly decent. I've used for the past 2 years but will admit I've never used premium mechanical keyboard other than the old school IBM model F's. The keys never stick for me, the rgb is decent, and no shaky stuttering from the mouse. Hope this can help somebody if they're on a budget
I’ve been using that havic keyboard and mouse for quite a few months now (maybe since last winter) and it works great. The mouse is nice and big (personal preference) and the keys feel nice and is for a decent price for what you get, although I will say the wrist rest is... less than comfortable for me (also accidentally broke a price taking it off) since it’s just plastic, the rbg is very nice and the keys haven’t worn down any noticeable amount so far. The font is somewhat nice, and for the price of around 50$ (Canadian dollars at the time) its pretty good. So for a budget entry level mechanical keyboard (mouse is bonus) I would recommend it 9/10
I had that keyboard and mouse combo as well. The mouse broke after a couple of months, but the keyboard lasted a good 2 years before the enter key finally died. It was a pretty good keyboard while it lasted though.
I love the k552. It's my first mechanical and it types so amazingly. I went w/ browns and have no complaints. I'm pretty that most of the 'ghost' typing is those used to a lower profile. Once i raised my arm rests up a bit, I noticed an immediate improvement. Also, highly recommend a deskpad to minimize sliding without the feet. Overall, very happy with my purchase!
I am looking to buy the same with brown or blue switches can you tell me if it's good for programming or typing stuff ? And is the keyboard build quality good ?
@@Avninder99 Ya, I code daily on it. My only gripe is that the keycaps are really tall, so you may need to raise the arm rests of your chair for more comfort.
@@liteniteTheOne Can the keyboard last year or two. I read some reviews regarding it and i have few doubts about the quality of switches. Also would you recommend blue switches or red for coding. Thanks for the help.
@@Avninder99 not sure. I bought it like a day before my initial comment, so it hasn't been even 6 months yet. I haven't noticed issues, but will update if I do I also can't make that recommdation as this is my first mechanical keyboard and I went with Browns. I like them, but I'm not sure how red/blue compare.
I've been daily driving the K552 for ~2 years... It's solid, and I've had zero issues or complaints to be honest (Outside of normal $35 price range issues anyways) It's a steal at $35 in my opinion.. Probably the best cost/benefit keyboard on the entire market
I bought the "Non-RGB RGB" version of the 10key less a few years back and after a few months with it I replaced the keycaps and modded it to add a microusb port to the back to make the cable detachable. Prolly will be doing the same mod again to switch it to USB-C. It feels pretty damn good and the round typewriter style keycaps I used make it look pretty slick.
I've had my Kumara RGB White for exactly two years now and it looks, feels, and works much better than what Linus called "mid-tier" (and suggested the Kumara was below that quality range). It's robust and heavy, the materials are top-quality and it comes with spare switches. It has been designed to minimize the chances of ruining it if you spill liquid on it. In 2 years I only replaced one switch and I'm merciless while typing. I don't know about the blue switches, since I use the red ones, but I'm delighted with what I have. If you have to choose, I'd sincerely suggest getting the white version: regardless of the color itself, you'll see how much better that RGB backlight looks on white. Edit: Yes, Linus, that font on your Kumara is hideous, but mine is totally different. I have a Spanish layout version, but who knows, maybe the English ones actually do come with a classier font too. I almost forgot: please do realize that RGB and Rainbow LED are not the same. RGB should be fully customizable; the YoChic keyboard Linus showed only has the rainbow led option. Everyone know rainbows suck, get the proper RGB version of anything you buy with RGB... well, unless you are crazy about rainbows, ha.
i went from a K552 for about 2-3 years to my new RK84 (i need those navigation keys, RK61 is too small). both are amazing for what they offer at the price.
I bought the membrane one in 2019 and at the time it was 20 dollars: I didn’t exactly know better as I was like 9 but it was until last year that I realized it was membrane. Even then I kept it for a while and ended up buying a razer black widow. I still have the mouse, and I actually loved it. I even hook it up every now and then for my Xbox and it brings me back to simple times (you know before covid and stuff)
I have a Tecware Phantom 87 key mechanical right now & I love it. I've had it for close to 2 years and have had no problems with it al all. It's currently going for $46 on Amazon, although for some reason they currently have the 104 key board going for $5 less! I went for the smaller format due to a lack of space on my current desk. They are both wired, rgb, & offer 3 different types of keys ( blue, brown or red).
I bought my first mechanical keyboard 2 weeks ago, which is tecware phantom just like yours, but i choose the 104 cuz i need those numpads. With the red switches, I could say this is my best buy ever, it's solid, smooth, silent, and the RGB is fantastic. I downloaded the software also.
I have the "low profile" version of yours called the Phantom L. It can be snagged on eBay for 30 bucks or on Amazon for $35. Definitely love the 40% thinner keycaps, brown Otemu switches, and removable USB-C cable! 🤙
I got an EVGA Z15 for $45 back in December. It's my first gaming keyboard and, quite possibly, my first mechanical one, so I'll preface this by saying that my POV will likely not match yours: Likes: - hot-swappable switches (came with linear Kailhs, I tried out a Gateron sample pack and decided to keep the clickiest clicky boi under my space key) - RGB - feels solid - volume scroll wheel Dislikes: - MASSIVE. I have giant hands, and even I find it a stretch to get a good WAD-Space-Shift pose going. - In fact, the keys are so far away from where I'm expecting them to be, I've ended up relying on a ton of remapping that then trips me up when I use those settings on my other computer with its good ole reliable 30-year-old OEM keyboard (RIP, Gateway). - JFC you gamers *like* these switches? I honestly think I've just been ruined by a lifetime with membranes, as the whole board feels extremely, extremely twitchy--with even the heaviest of tactile switches, my "resting" a finger on a key gets picked up as a click. For productivity I'd almost rather use a butterfly (I did say _almost_).
The runner up was being sold for $15 for the longest. It's my favorite budget keyboard I've ever used in 30+ years of computing. Only downside? Don't spill things in it and use a blow dryer. Melts keys and no 10key. 😅
@Linus Tech Tips I got the TKL version of the "YoChic" keyboard you mention in the video. Actually, the brand I bought in 2017 was "VicTsing", but I've seen different other brand names for the exact same keyboard. All these brands seem to just resell these white label keyboards. According to the box of my keyboard the actual manufacturer is a chinese company called EasternTimes Technology. All keyboards from EasternTimes Tech share the striking "T" logo on the keyboard. The TKL version of the keyboard I have has Outemu Blue switches. The keyboard itself is sturdy and heavy, keycaps are good as well. RGB works great and overall the keyboard has a pretty good build quality for the price. I've been using it at work for typing texts and programming since 2017 and it's still working like a charm. For that price I can totally recommend it.
I have multiple Redragon keyboards and mice. I absolutely love them and he quality feels way too good for the price. My only complaint is the software, which is frustrating at the best of times.
8:10 I actually have that brand of keyboard, it's the similar one that comes with the detachable wrist rest and almost has 10k ratings, but its 4.5 stars and looks and feels nice. I think it's also the same mouse but don't quote me on that. It's 6 more dollars but I love it!
I've got the same one. I actually did an unboxing of it. It's fairly nice. The blues feel a little loose, but I needed a keyboard and it was cheap. I liked it, but still eventually saved up for a K70. The mouse that comes with that bundle though, feels pretty bad. It's huge and I couldn't get comfortable on it. I use a claw grip, so maybe someone who does a palm grip would like it, but it wasn't for me. The keyboard is still in use though, on my secondary pc.
I had it but I replaced it with an RK G68 with gateron red switches. The havit with its blue switches was very loud and stabilizers weren't very good, but it's alright for the price.
Got that mouse when I first started playing games when I was 9. It lasted me 6 years without fail. I’m a rager, too. Thrown it and slammed it a few times and haven’t noticed any difference. Only wear I’ve noticed is fraying on the braided cable as well as difficult to clean out gunk. Absolutely love the mouse.
i have had this keyboard for around 4 years now and aside from the occasional double type that i get and the ultra rare issue where the keyboard just stops working (fixable by just unplugging and plugging it back in) it is a great keyboard for the price and when i finally do plan on upgrading, it will defintly be my back up board in the case of a freak accident where i spill something on my new one.
I've modded my k552 with akko ocean blue switches, case foam, lubing the stabilizers, and adding new keycaps; and I can say this is such a great keyboard. I've never had any issues with it.
imagine if you saved the money you spend on the mods and bought a nice entry level custom board. you could use any switch you like then. would have probably been in the same price range had a better build quality
@@masterninjahh or if it breaks they can still buy that entry level board and use the same keycap and switches and foam. its pointless to spend a ton of money of a keyboard you are going to want to mod anyway
@@masterninjahh honestly bad take. This type of do-up is sub $100 and can be done incremently when you're on a tight budget. In the end, the case is going to be the worst part of it (which you can upgrade) if you really want. I've spent easily 2k on keyboard stuff and I totally recommend doing it this way as you progressingly want to improve the keyboard experience.
@@gouf_respecter4881 @masterninjahh I got this keyboard from a friend for free last year, and I liked it. I was sick of the blue switches, so I bought the ocean blues for $10. I also got new keycaps for $18 a while later and added foam in. With everything my total was about $32, do you can never judge a book by it’s cover
The s101 combo pack was perfect for my 9yo's first computer while she learns to take care of her electronics. She's an occasional pc gamer and she loved the RGB. Its about the only bling in her hand me down system of an old FX-8350 and rx-460 she assembled herself. I think you're missing the fun easy to grab combo this provides.
@@MultiSneakerLover no need to be rude buddy its a 9yo calm down we dont care if you play "pc gamer" games on your school laptop. let the kid have fun on whatever he plays!
I used the Kumara for a secondary work Mechanical Keyboard while I waited for my System76 Launch to ship. It worked surprisingly well for a sub-$50 mechanical keyboard. I wouldn't choose it over my Launch, but it did the job
Have had my Kumara for over a year. Started on Mac and now I use it on my pc. The switches are great if not a little loud but they’re supposed to be that way. It’s easy to clean and I’ve swapped out the key caps without problem. Great keyboard.
I've the full sized version of the K552, the K589, for over a year and it's been great. Came with 4 extra switches and 2 different pullers but havent had a need to use any. Would definitely recommend for light gaming on a budget. I also had the same mouse featured here but I bought it as a standalone years. It also had a different model name. Sadly it died last month due to the housing for the left button breaking.
Got a K552 about 3 years ago now, within the first year the S and D keys started failing. failing to register sometimes. I contacted their support, and they promptly sent a second one, brand new, no questions asked. Now I have been using that second one since and I've yet to experience any failure with it. The original one I keep around whenever I need to set up a quick keyboard for a second pc, and it works just fine except those two problematic switches acting up sometimes. Overall extremely pleased with the product and the company's support team, especially for such a low price.
I used the Centrophorous (however it's spelled) for a while before upgrading to a better mouse and I liked it for a while. But Redragon's software is hot garbage. I had a different one of their mouses before, and I "upgraded" to a different one after that, and they all require a different program for each individual mouse. Unless they've changed that, at least Razer Synapse, Corsair iCue, Asus Armoury Crate, etc only need one program for each brand all their mouses, keyboards, headsets, and whatever other peripherals they offer.
The havit kb&m combo was actually pretty nice, it was my first gaming keyboard set and it was really good for a budget set. Although, after a little over a year the W key started failing. Now, I've had my logitech g910 orion spectrum + g502 hero for a little over a year and a half, I think?
@@geofftottenperthcoys9944 yea I had thought about swapping keys but at that point I had already bought my g502 mouse so I figured screw it, might as well get a kb in the same logitech ecosystem
I have that Havit combo. The keyboard is no joke, my favorite keyboard I've ever used. I'm comparing to my experience with the K70 from Corsair, and the K1 from Keychron. I love those boards, but I genuinely prefer typing on my little Havit, and use it as my daily driver for working from home. I haven't used it for gaming, so I can't really comment on how well it works for that.
I bought the S101-3 combo in April 2021, and with heavy use, they are still going strong in December 2023. This is the first keyboard I've had to survive my abuse this long, with no signs of quitting. Same for the mouse.
I bought my K552 in early 2017 and absolutely happy with it! Still going for abusing it since then. I had way more problems with my Corsair Strafe Keyboard and my Razer BW (change them both in less then a year and a half) then finally bought the K552 (was supposed to be just for a couples of weeks and still on it 🤷♂️) simple but effective (ya the switches are clicky and menny other thing are simplistic but I don't mind)
👆👆Omg All thanks to 👆👆 Got me an Gpu with graphics card on low price and it was deliver to my address without any issues meet him 👆👆now he sell on low price 💯🇺🇸👆
i have abused the k552 so much and it works flawlessly (mainly getting angry and smashing my fist down on the keyboard, surprisingly it hurts me more than it hurts the keyboard)
I've had a K552 since 2018 as something I take around when I'm going to be typing on my laptop extensibly or for plugging into a Raspberry Pi when needed and it works great for that. The blue switches are unfortunately really noisy (I've a 2013 Razer Black Widow with cherry blues and the K552 is much louder). I hadn't realised the switches were swappable though so I may look into that.
Massive vouch. Best keyboard I have ever bought. The only downside are the Outemu hotswap sockets, which only work good with Outemu switches. But case foam and even plate foam in a mechanical keyboard for 40 bucks??? That's just awesome. Plus it has some of the best RGB I have ever seen.
@@ethhics those cheap gskill pudding caps look pretty good on it too. I took mine apart, sanded the backplate down and painted it matte white with the white caps.
Never have I thought I see a day where Linus talking about budget friendly keyboard on this channel. I think people who knows how to desolder and solder should just get any board that is cheap and function perfectly if they don't want to spend too much money that is. I modded my keyboard by replacing new switches and lubing them and let me tell you it is definitely worth it.
I recommend people get old ones from second hand stores. Newer keyboard aren't built to last or get maintenance (unless you want to bother sending it to a pro or learning a technical skills that require you buying equipment to put to use)
I can personally vouch for the Havit (mechanical) keyboard (and mouse), I use it and it is great!!! In fact, I previously used their membrane keyboard and enjoyed it so I went with the mechanical one for upgrading.
I've actually been using Redragon products for almost 10 years and haven't had a problem with them. I daily the Redragon Yama Keyboard and it's not bad at all
I bought a Red Dragon K551 non rgb for my office a few years ago. It has outlasted both my personal steelseries apex boards. Yes I was stupid and replaced the failed board with the same brand. I will not be buying from them again. I do not use my personal PC every day. I do use my $30 red dragon daily all day at work. There is no reason this $30 board should outlast two $150 boards. Steel series support (Russ) told me to go eff myself when I requested support or repair options. So yes that $30 red dragon with blue switches has taken a daily beating since 2018 and never skipped a beat. I'm thoroughly impressed it can outlast $300+ worth of steelseries trash that doesn't even get used daily.
I’ve had that same keyboard for years. I do love it and it still works great for me. However the USB cable has a weird issue and only good connection at the right angle I have always plan to repair this but has never become such a problem that it disconnects while I’m gaming. Other than that the switches feel OK to me much better than a membrane keyboard. However the escape key sometimes doesn’t register. I plan on switching it and a USB cable at the same time sometime in the future when it becomes more of a bother.
I had one of the RedDragon ones for 4 years, worked pretty great until one of the switch sockets died (even though it was hot-swappable, wouldnt work again) - Was a great deal at the time though. I'm glad I moved on to an AKKO though, really enjoy this one.
I've been using my redragon k551 (with numpad) for several years now. it is a good, sturdy keyboard, good heavy weight, the rubber feet are doing their job on my one, nice clicky tactile switches (loud for most people), color is not coming off or anything, leds are still shining bright. I really have nothing bad to say about this keyboard, except that it probably wouldn't win a best-design award, but hey: it has a metal base plate. can only recommend. regarding the plastic casing, the plastic (in case of the k551 at least) is ABS, which "provides favorable mechanical properties such as impact resistance, toughness, and rigidity" (wikipedia). so the board has absolutely 0.0 flex.
Funny enough I actually love the mouse! I am on my second one of those but the version where it also has some limited rgb too. It's the perfect size for my tiny hands and the side buttons are well placed for said tiny hands. They work well for me although my first one did die after 4 or so years. I tried to switch to their Griffon mouse recently for Moar Buttons but it's bigger so it isn't comfortable for me and the driver for that one to control the rgb doesn't actually work on windows 11 (the centrophalous's software does though lmao). Also giving their Horus keyboard a try although I am still in the adjustment period. Just glad I could find a "gamer" keyboard that was also low profile and compact in size since my brain and muscles are used to 13" laptop keyboards.
the kumara was the first mechanical keyboard i ever bought and when i upgraded after a couple years of use i gave it to a friend who is still using it today. great keyboard!
I made my Redragon K552 sound so good that I used it too much...and then it broke. sadge
oh, the keyboard girl
painge
@@nzoe ya the keyboard lady
Let's not forget the QMK port making this keyboard actually somewhat decent
Featured on Linus Tech Tips, Congratz!
Akko makes amazing switches that are budget friendly and fit in Outemu hot swap sockets. I have tried the rose reds(linear) and ocean blues(tactile) and can highly recommend both.
They also make high quality PBT keycaps with nice colorways and packaging better than $200 GMK keysets. Excellent recommendations.
let's not forget that there are actually some decent outemu switches too like dustproof crystal, red panda, etc.
Akko's Matcha Greens are definitely something you shouldn't sleep on as well!
I'm using matcha greens in my kbd67 and they're great.
I have the kumara ryt now and I am contemplating on switching to akko cs rose Reds
it type good
It do
It does, you don't.
@@brendanr1525 it don’t, you does
@@brendanr1525 it do
Nuff said
Redragon has been one of this brands I bought when I first got into PC building for my m&kb and have upgraded since then but watching them become one of the few actual budget friendly GOOD brands out there has been fun.
I actually have had the k556, the full keyboard version of the k552, for about 4-5 years now. It's been amazing. Had one issue when one of the switches went bad, but it came with replacements which was perfect to drop in.
Same board. Did find the ping to be s bit annoying after seeing videos about mechanical keyboards. It's a good board to try modding. Will say I wished I knew and bought Akko switches earlier. They are a cost effective upgrade to the stock switches. Also no ping stock. Heh.
Same board, what switches did you get?
isnt the fullsize version of the k552 the k551? i have it and the design of the k551 seems more close to the k552
Same. It's a solid board for a good price. It looks to be discontinued now (can't find it on Redragon's site), but still in stock at many retailers (only $40 at Micro Center right now).
I'm not ashamed to admit that I got the K556 in part because of the mostly favorable review LTT gave it in a "keyboards under $75" roundup a couple years ago.
@@CodeXCDM what Akko switches did you get?
I bought the kumara 4 years ago (or more)
I was sooo surprised of how good the keyboard was for the price, I've been using it since and it still works perfectly fine, i will always recommend that keyboard if someone is on a budget
same
Same here
LTT are we not doing that bot script thing anymore??
I bought the surara 4 years ago and it's steel alive and if you consider that its switches are hot swappable ... I think the surara it's the perfect keyboard
@Zeus There should be a better way to advertise your channel. Spamming the comments isn't the best way.
A lot of people will find it annoying and it doesn't add conversations about the topic of the video. Some people don't really know who you are or if you own the Content that is uploaded to your channel
I have bought the Kumara about 3-5 months ago. My experience with it is amazing! It was definitely an step up from my laptop's keyboard. My reason for buying the Kumara is that I wanted a better typing experience, and it is available in my home country without the need for importing it from the US or from China. The keyboard also supports OpenRGB, so it will work without needing the Redragon app, and you can use OpenRGB on Windows and in Linux distros. Would definitely recommend it for someone that wants a better keyboard than what a laptop offers.
how is it after 2 years?
I got it because I needed a Bluetooth keyboard with Page Up/Down keys for rotoscoping and it works perfectly 😌
My first mech was a Turtle Beach TKL, £35, proper UK layout, Cherry switches, I think it was Costar OEM and I’m pretty sure Turtle Beach sold every single one at a loss in a failed attempt to break into the gaming keyboard space. Was a great board though.
Impact 500? With mx blues? I also bought that as my first keeb. Honestly a great product for the price
i saw you comment on a dankpods vid
The brand overall was awful though
I brought the K552 over 3 years ago. It seems to hold up pretty well and is still working flawlessly despite near daily moba gaming. I like how I can customise each individual key colour to have colours matching certain letters for particular games.
I bought one on offer up someone spilt coke on it cleaned up nice still works good 5$ haha
PAID ACTOR
I've had around 4 switches having problems in the almost 3 years of abuse as I work and play games on it all day. Those were the keys I was mostly using: CTRL, W, Enter, V. By the way, I was scared to remove the big keys as they usually have springs but turns out the spring mechanisms are hidden bellow the plastic and you can remove the keys without fear of breaking it.
The keyboard has 3 replacements in the box that mitigated my problem and a pack of switches replacements was easy to buy in Amazon.
Was it worth it? Yes, it was. For the price I was expecting cheap and not durable switches that I would be replacing but they turned to be better than I expected and the keyboard's base structure is solid and strong. I expect this to last me many more years.
My keyboard lasted about that long then suddenly started to have random fluxuations in functionality. I also abused the heck out of it, so I have no problems with it dying on me, especially with it's price point. I honestly would have gotten the same model as a replacement had some better models from Corsair not been discounted for the holidays.
fr I've had a red dragon for about 3-4 years now and it works perfectly despite daily use for school work and fps games
LTT reviewing something from Redragon that usually sells budget friendly peripherals is something that surprised me in a good way.
My redragon k552 red switches has done wonders for me! I absolutely love it, metal frame, and a overall sturdy build. I’d definitely recommend it as a starting option
I have the same, it's pretty good, but trying to sync the rgb with music
I agree the k552 is such a great starter keyboard. Cheap, reliable, and gives the rgb mechanical keyboard experience
I have the 582 (the full size version of the 552) with browns and it’s great. There’s a bit of ping but for well under a hundred bucks it’s a great keyboard.
I've used the keyboard since February 27, 2021, and I've never modified it or anything just right out of the box I have had 0 issues with it since then. Definitely the one I will buy if it every DOES fail.
@@flameduel well, that's a relief. the review that said it died after 1 month of use made me think twice lol
I knew it was this keyboard when I saw the price in the thumbnail. I've been using this keyboard for about 4 weeks and it's honestly pretty cool to have as a first mechanical keyboard. Not only is it the best budget accessory I've currently purchased (seeing as though it's currently the most popular keyboard of all time and approved by Switch and Click), I don't really have any plans to buy an upgrade for the foreseeable future.
you can honestly mod it alot if youd rather change some aspect of it and have some fun. If you have some soldering experience, you can make it a usb c detachable keyboard or add foam to help the accustics. i even changed the keycaps and they helped with the sound too. if you like it as is tho. save your money
@@andresacosta5318 Thanks for the advice.
Its so funny, I didnt know it was THAT popular but when i saw the title, for some reason in my heart I knew and had to check and see. I was disappointed when they showed the first keyboard and they when they showed the k552 i jumped out of my seat! Anyways I dont use it, I got it for my 7 year old kids PC, but I was at microcenter getting something else and they had it on sale for like $28 or something like that and it looked damn good considering that so I nabbed it! At the price point it feels incredibly solid.
@@daniel_poore I don't know much about mechanical keyboards as this is my first one. I do, however, think it's pretty great for many of the reasons listed throughout the community of keyboard whizzes.
@@XGamin1 I totally agree! I didn't mean to insult by saying my 7 year old uses it, he's just starting to get into gaming and the keyboard I started him on was total gutter trash... I almost kept it for myself... I bought my personal keyboard before I was more informed on the topic so I have a Razer huntsman that's like a $200+. Keyboard but now I know the switches in it aren't really that good for the price range. I like it but it was a novice choice. Lol. The k552, besides the weird ass drivers / software they have for it on red dragon website that seems like spyware is absolutely worth the money. I didn't even know how upgradable it was until I watched this video and I still thought I got my monies worth. Buttons are super clicky, the 60% frame looks great... Wish it didn't have all the red dragon logos but that's a small gripe all considered. Infact that keyboard has inspired me to start researching building my own keyboard. Now that my kid has one I want. 60%'er but I really want to see the fuss about building my own too - seems cool.
Bought a G915 on your guys' recommendation. Super overpriced, but I love that thing. Helped with my carpal tunnel and by far the best keyboard I ever used. Carry one with me to school every day just because of how much I love it.
me too, i like the low profile not making my wrists arch upwards, and it being wireless come in handy occasionally if i need to clear the table or plug it into another pc on the fly
Such a weak specimen
There's a lot to like about it, but I hated the way the keys felt wobbly under my hands - everything else was great, YMMV.
@@jesus2621 Huh?
@@iooooooo1 Yeah, I can see why it might be annoying. Personally, I sorta like that "wobble" / "jiggle" as a fidget thing when thinking about what to type.
I’ve had my k552 for almost 5 years now and it’s still as great as day one. So great I haven’t felt the need to upgrade to a higher end keyboard despite having the funds now
Congrats, I just got a K551 Mitra (full sized kumara) two weeks ago and I love it.
I had no idea the k552 been in production for that long.
Does you switches are soldered? I believe they made them hot swappable like 1-2 years ago.
Same here 🤷♂️ bought it for a couples of weeks still on it to this day and gave it is fair share of abuse
I bought the k552 without the backlight in Jun 2018 for $19 and it's still chugging along. Absolutely absurd value.
I have a K552 I found at goodwill for $3( I know, used keyboards, absolutely disgusting). after a full tear down, and cleaning, I replaced the keys with a cheap set from amazon(Hate the default key fonts), and now its awesome!
So how much total cost did you incur?
@@LiegeMaximo maybe $25 after the key cap replacements. Like I said, $3 for the keyboard, and im pretty sure these keycaps are just like a $20 set
@@HughJaeness damn thats great
If you want to try other switches, Akko have thinner switch pins and they are one of the most affordable switches to experiment with different typing weights, feels, and sounds.
I got one of those keyboards back in 2019 for one of my kids computers, at the time thought I was getting something that would not last but it is still working fine today.
I’ve had the K552 for a few months now and it’s definitely a step up from other budget keyboards. Well worth the $35.
I've got the same one, I love it, very sturdy and great feeling switches
Same here, it's a nice budget kb. Mine has started to key in multiple letters but it's probably because it's filled with dirt, and it's over 2 years old.
I have the k552 aswell! My friend reccomended it to me because he has it and its really good for the price.
I'm planning to get his exact same pc aswell lmao im just copying him
the k552 switches(otemu) stop working wwith like 6 months or so. the durabilty for long term is terrible, would not reccomend
I've had a similar one from them for 3 years. It worked great for me, and when I upgraded to a custom, I gave it to my mom, who uses it pretty much all day every day, and it's still clicking along for her too.
haha yes keyboards
linus let me make you a sandal shaped keyboard
do it.
With socks as the case filler
With RGB
Yes! LTT custom keyboard? 👀
Go on then.
Putting socks on your hands to type would be hella funny,
and it would make for a great thumbnail... Just sayin'...
I've had the k552 kumara for almost a year now, and it's been working absolutely perfectly, not a single issue, no unintended keystrokes, or switches failing on me, maybe it's my ability to keep it free from a flood of chip dust but it's done me well and I'll keep using it as long as I possibly can, I don't plan on upgrading until this is absolutely just dead
same here, i have the full rgb version and i dont have any problems with it and ive had it for about 1.5 years. and its fantastic
The only real issue I can think of for the K552 is a non detachable cable but that’s par the course for a lot of good mechanical keyboards within that cheap $35 range, plus it’s only an issue once the cable actually stops working properly, if it does.
I use to have it aswell then it broke so I got the rk61 it is really good I recommend
quite happy with mine as well. swapped the switches for lubed akko blues and did some stab & foam mods - keyboard sounds surprisingly good for the price and I managed to not fuck anything up lmao
Had it for 4 years no issues
Not sure if they even make the model anymore, but I have had a red dragon keyboard for three years with no real complaints. Its a full size with only red backlighting. Its survived being thrown in a suitcase 4 times now along with other misuse and I’ve had no problems
I've had my K552 Kumara for about 4 years now. I can't recommend this keyboard enough for those who want to come in on a super low budget, as I did a long while ago. I've done just a bit to mine by putting on some HyperX white pudding keycaps on it, but nothing else. But when I say that this keyboard lasts, it lasts. I've taken it to school, dropkicked my backpack off a flight of stairs with the keyboard in it, raged and games, and done so much more. The only notable damage is a *slightly* cracked frame on the back. This is like the AKM of keyboards, cheap but will work without fail. I made a similar comment on Switch and Click's video and got a bunch of comments about how this keyboard also will survive getting drink spills on it (as long as you just unplug it, and flip it upside down on an air vent for like 3 hours). So if you're looking to go in on the lowest of low budgets, this is the right keyboard for you. And yes, to this day I still use this keyboard because I've had no reason to upgrade and replace.
*dropkicked my backpack off a flight of stairs with the keyboard in it*
I just bought one and i'm pretty happy with it
@Xtulio yes, very literally. That, surprisingly isn't the reason the frame is cracked. The frame is cracked because I sat against my backpack on the bumpy ass schoolbus ride home lol.
@@di_mp idk lol, my toes would break with the dropkick before the keyboard did lmao
@@matiasvillarreal6207 great choice! :D
The red dragon mouse was my first gaming mouse like 8 years ago. Its still going strong on a friends pc. I was personally a huge fan of the design and feel
I still have one, I used it as my main mouse for quite a while. I liked it at the time, but wouldn't want to go back. One of my main complaints is that the material texture makes it a bit hard to clean. The holes on the side especially can get a bit gunky after a lot of use. My current mouse that just has smooth plastic is much better in that regard.
@CutoutClips yeah id agree with that one, i switched to a Hyperion Fury for a few years and then downgraded to a corsair harpoon. Quite a similar shape to the Red Dragon but is again smooth plastic
i have one now,saw it at a friend and had to buy it.In 15$ price point there is none like that...
Same here, I've been running mine for a similar amount of time. Eventually the right click switch started wearing out so I just bought some new switches and replaced them. I'm honestly rather fond of it by this point.
I've used mine extensively since 2017, both for work and for gaming. Some parts can get gunky, but it's nothing an old toothbrush can't clean up. Other than that, it's been perfect.
I have the 60% version of the tkl one. I lubed the switches and stabs, put foam in the case, and painters taped the pcb. It's been a great board and sounds/ feels great
Sounds like a lot of effort for a seriously budget board.
@@nemtudom5074modding keyboards is fun for some (me), also I'd bet it feels miles better than most 100+ gaming keyboard
@@nemtudom5074 It may well be, but modding keyboards is the cheapest and easiest way to get into keyboards as a hobby
@@thpacemanthpiff I doubt that.
Although, it depends on who you think is in the hobby.
@@nemtudom5074 i mean it is the cheapest way to get into it. You can swap switches for pretty cheap, and mod the keyboard itself to sound pretty good
Definitely get the Red Dragon mechanical models, you can upgrade the buttons to what you want, and you can purchase whatever caps you want (I like the gel caps). They do have an aluminum model that is sturdy. Even with the extra purchases, it's a fraction of the cost of a high end gaming keyboard. I even tried their M913 gaming mouse. It has removable weights for weight customization and buttons are crisp. Be sure to remove the plastic covering the sliders or you'll think it's dragging (been there, done that). Unless you're a pro gamer, this is a great budget option with some customization. I play almost every day and I've been impressed. And no, I'm not affiliated with them (as you can tell by my proper English... lol)
8:35
As someone with said keyboard just an fyi, it is very good for $30 I got mine over a year ago and to this day it works perfectly. Would 100% recommend for low budget gamers
I’ve had my Redragon K552 for about 3 years now, still absolutely love it. Blue switch RGB model, but the green LED is dead on the U key now, sadly.
Same here, also have it for 3 years.
Bought this Redragon Harpe and the 20 buttons Redragon Perdition mouse a year ago and i'm pretty happy with it. It's cheap and works nicely.
Reviews of lower priced tech are really great. I would love to see more like this.
For real... A lot of the tech they review I cannot afford
The Outemu socket problem isn't as bad as it seems given that companies like Akko make compatible switches which are excellent quality and amazing value for money. Have those fitted in mine.
Lol, can't believe I'm coming to thjs video now. This keyboard was my gateway into custom mechanical keyboards.
I got a k552 kamura as a freebie (sort of) from a friend 2 years ago. We used to carpool and he got me into mechanical keyboards. He'd already started and upgraded beyond his kamura, which he kindly let me keep.
That was my gateway into mecganical keyboards, and boy what an intro. I went to town on modding that thing:
- detatchable USB-C cable mod (using an adafruit daughter board)
- poron pcb dampening stickers under each keyswitch.
- EVA "cosplay" foam between the PCB and top metal plate.
- Noico automotive noise dampening foam + butyl rubber sheet under the PCB
- "tape mod" beneath the pcb with 2 layers of tape
- "Hollee mod" for the plate mounted stabilisers. And lubricating with Krytox 205 G0 lube
- adding tape to cushion the plate mount stabiliser's mounting points
- adding tape and a layer of lube to cushion the area where the stabiliser bottoms out onto the PCB
- new switches:
akko lavender purple tacticle (1st gen), lubed with trybosis 3203 lube + poron keyswitch films sandwiched between the switch top and bottom shells.
- coral sea keycaps
- gummy silicon rubber o-rings placed between each of the metal plate's screw holes to add a little bit of dampening
- and erasing the Redragon logo using some isopropyl alcohol and a pencil eraser.
It was a 3 month project with plenty of trial and error to find the right keyswitches and fine tuning the various pieces like stabilisers, but its worth it.
My Kamura has been "Endgame" complete for 2 years and is my daily use keyboard for home/work from home use.
I had to do a LOT of DIY effort to get my keyboard to that stage, but what amazes me is that in 2 short years, the hobby has since moved rapidly to the point where many of my "premium custom mods" that I had to painstakingly apply are often fitted from factory... undercutting the cost of materials and labor of applying the same mods to a keyboard yourself. I "built" an Epomaker Cidoo ABM098 wireless keyboard for workplace office use. It was 85% finished tbh. There were far fewer mods involved and even these felt more like finished touches for the most part:
- upgrade all the stabilisers for some lubed and Hollee modded Durock V2s,
- fit some lubed and filmed silent tactile Akko switches,
- apply some stickers on the plate mounting holes for the keyswitches switches
- and swapped the keycaps for some AliExpress Kaiju keycaps
Thing is whisper quiet now at a communal shared office space.
The evolving custom keyboard scene is quite something and the Kamura was a nice introduction 2 years ago.
The Havit low profile with blue switches is probably my single favorite keyboard and I've owned no less than 6-8 keyboards just in the last couple years. I spend 10-12 hours a day using it for work and it is honestly amazing.
Same I also have the Havit and I love it. Just feels comfortable to work and play. I use it about 8-10 hours a day and the mouse it came with its decent.
I bought a full size for home and gaming and i bought a 65% for work with oetemu browns, works like a charm...
I do have a Havit 100% as well. I have it for almost 2 yrs. The only issue I’m having right now is that 2 keys is out of sync of its rgb. But doesn’t really affect the performance.
I absolutely love the low profile blue havit. I bought it for work a little over 2 years ago.
After I started working from home I ended up getting a full sized ducky one 2 with browns and it defintely is a tier above the havit. I do kind of wish I went with reds or silvers though as I started realizing I liked the feel a little bit better over browns.
Anyways I still don’t regret a single penny I spent on the havit, the low profile blue switches are such a unique typing experience and if it’s what u like there’s not many other options to get a similar experience.
Speaking of it reminds me I gotta get the havit back from my friend I lent it out to lol
If anyone can't find somewhere to buy the Havit, take a look at the "Sharkoon PureWriter". It seems to be the same keyboard with a different brand sticker on it. I am happy with it.
The K552 was the one I've been recommending for a while now, so I'm glad to see it get some love here. In general, there are "sweet spots" in budgets for peripherals and components where you won't want to cheap out and try to go below that. The $35 K552 and $35 Logitech G502 mouse are the perfect combo. If you think about it, the keyboard and mouse are literally the pieces you interact with the most--so you want them to be as good as possible. Make them last a few years!
Yup, I bought exactly this combo on my own a couple years ago. Super happy with it still going strong, the only thing I wish is that I think I would have liked the full sized keyboard (with num-pad) instead.
I used the K552 and a G305 for around a year and they served me very well, but I do agree that human interface is not something to cheap out on so I built my own custom board and upgraded to the razer orochi V2, couldn't be happier with my investments
@@sublic3101 been using the same combo for 3yrs now. I can't justify spending more money on these as I am happy with it and I only game on my pc anyways
kentucky owns you
I Have the same and it's the perfect combo !
I have the Havit keyboard and I love it. Just feels comfortable to work and play with. I use it about 8-10 hours a day and had it for over 7 months. The mouse it came with is decent too.
interesting
I love mine too, nothing wrong with it at all. I dont FPS game, but it works great for everything else i do use it for
Same I got it when I got my pc still going strong from hard use after about 1 year
@@JUANLSX956 Same here. Don't care for the mouse though.
@@seancox8989 yea I could say the same thing currently looking for a new mouse
my kumara k552 is a strong boy, ive hit it multiple times full force and still works like it should. I had it for about 2 years now and i see no problems with it
I've got the K552, it's so good for the price. Had it for at least a few years and still works great. I have a small desk and no Num pad really helps to give me more mouse space.
I know at least 3 people who owns a Kumara. it is so cheap, even in Brazil!
@@unknownadmi5996 tbf I do get the issue Linus mentioned when I press "T" once it sometimes presses twice. Mine's probably 4+ years old though and maybe I could clean it, it could be something stuck.
When I first got into gaming with my own setup the S101 was really the only one on the market that I saw that had positive reviews and was worthwhile. So that's the one I got. Since then, I haven't really had any problems with it as it functioned as well for games as it did for school work, so I had no real need to change out of my keyboard. Maybe I'll swap it out for the K552, but seeing as how the S101 lasted me nearly 5 years with no known problems, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
i bought it earlier today. it hasn't arrived yet and im waiting to see how well it performs. im a huge nerd for mechanical keyboards but i spent my money on it anyways(its my first gaming keyboard and mouse).
@@mjbumala85I don’t think you can call yourself a huge nerd for mechanical keyboards if this is your first keyboard
The havit combo is honestly amazing for its price I have used it for about 2 years now and I have no regrets
Same, wife got it for me for Christmas about 2yrs ago. Has been nothing but reliable, although the software gives me some weird vibes.
You will when you feel a high quality keyboard (not trying to be a jerk just a joke)
I have the same combo! Seriously great. My only complaint is the weak typeface on the keys. But the look, feel, and build quality is better than much more expensive combos.
same, man. I honestly really like the Jixian Blues, they just feel nice
I've had the Red version for 2 years... no issues, still feels brand new after daily use.
Same here. You just need to take care of your things.
Okay so I know I'm a weirdo for this, but I really like those scissor stabilized membrane keys that most laptops come with. The short actuation distance, distinct tactility, and low noise are 100% my vibe. Any ideas on where to find a standalone keyboard that uses that tech, or includes the strong-points I mentioned?
I love them too!
The most similar I could find was the Logitech K380 wireless.
I bought it so my girlfriend's tablet and she loved it. The keys are pretty much a round version of the average laptop key, soft and easy to press, but the keyboard overall is a bit too tiny for my mid-sized hands (it has a lot of keys and a beautiful design but they're neatly crammed together). My gf has small hands and finds it pretty much perfect though.
I have an older version of the rk61 that I've been using for about 4 years or more now. The Bluetooth connection is reliable, you can connect it via USB and when the battery life stars to bother me too much it only requires 4 screws to disassemble to replace it. I highly recommend it for anyone in that price bracket.
Yesss rk is so good, I've gotten three different sized ver. because the hotswap, triple mode connection, full rgb and software, is amazing and it's the only keyboard I know on the market with all of these features.
@@rachelking2371 Where did you get the hot swappable version ?
I can only find the soldered one.
@@iamprateek3220 pretty sure its the newer version ones
@@iamprateek3220 all newer versions are hot swappable. I got one a year ago it has a hot swap pcb. also if you don't care about Bluetooth I'd recommend just getting the wired one for much cheaper. it has a detachable type c cable too. got mine for like $30 since it was the wired one
@@gotworc ig the newer versions aren't available in my country yet.
Do you know any good wired 60 percents with hot swappable capability ?
I've had a k552 for a bit over year now and it has been great for me, I did experience some chatter in the past from keys, however I managed to fix it by spraying a (very very) tiny amount of lube onto the switch, after this a few minutes of use stopped the chatter issues.
If you try this, do be careful with the lube, especially if you got blue style switches, as lubed blues are not a good experience.
I have the reddragon Vishnu wireless keyboard and so far it's good except that it lags sometimes but that was only on Ubuntu. It also makes a sound whenever it's turned on. After I reinstalled it there's not a single issue now except the sound.
10:07 Linus couldnt be more right. I rocked this exact setup for 2 years it was really good but eventually the g305 lmb broke and I upgraded
Let me guess, if you open the g305 mouse you can see an indent in the plastic casing where it hit's the left dip-switch?
I call it planned obsolescence, as I've had more then 3 Logitech mouses with that exact same issue over the past 6 years.
I'm now trying out Razer, hope it lasts a bit longer...
I’ve had the K552 for about 4 years now. It’s never let me down, and is super solid. The only small issue I’ve had is my a key failing to register every so often, but that’s only in one game, and barely happens.
I would highly recommend it, even over much more expensive boards.
You could almost say it...
never gave you up, never let you down
@@kalisha9109 how do I upvote a comment more than once?
In my opinion the k552 it's the essential keyboard and you don't need thing beside it except if you want some fancy experience
I've had the K551, the non-RGB predecessor to the K552, for 7 years as my daily driver and it's worked very well for the $40 it cost in 2015. There was a period of about a month where it double-registered the spacebar, but that went away 2 years ago and hasn't resurfaced. Considering the price difference between it and a proper Cherry MX keyboard was what let me grab an SSD, it is absolutely worth it.
K551's had an upgrade since then and has RGB now.
I have the K552 and I love it, it's gotten me interested in mechanical keyboards. I do think I might get something a little higher tier for my next one, but this is a great entry-level option for getting someone into mechanical keyboards.
It's still working ?
@@bosiorne2292I bought my red dragon in 2020. Replaced some switches overtime and it’s still running, but I’m about to upgrade it
I actually bought this pack around two years ago. Gave my friend the mouse after using it for awhile, realizing it was **** over my, what I had at the time, the Glorious Model O.
The keyboard is actually very good. Around two weeks before I switched to mechanical, I spilled soda on it, and it still functioned!
The keys though... they wore away, W A S and D, along with LShift, Escape, and E all gone... *in a week*
Under the keycaps (they SUCK to take off and put back in) after the two years was.. it was all hair. It SUCKS for cleaning too
Overall rating: 7.5/10
I've been using a centrophorus for several years. It's a perfectly viable option and I've never run into issues with sensitivity or anything. I'm a competitive TF2 player, and, in my experience, it does just as well as a logitech mouse would.
"competetive tf2" man i wish i was in a world in which that existed, well it does just on a small scale
have you used any other mice? it may not seem apparent when mice by nature are only incrementally better than each other but a premium mouse is leagues ahead of something like the centrophorus
I used one for two years. Broke about a year in, the left click started failing to be consistent. It was also one of the most uncomfortable mice I've ever used, although that will obviously depend on your hands. Sensitivity was largely fine, I don't remember having any issues with spinout. The clicks are a bit strange. I would recommend getting something more ergonomic personally.
Centrophorus is an amazing mouse for the price
@@sublic3101 used a £120 Logitech for a while, but always found myself going back to the redragon. It just gets the job done, and has a nice smooth feel to the movement on a mouse pad.
Glad Redragon gets more recognition lately, i been using my white kumara k552 for two years, its so durable and the rgb it's gorgeous on the white version :D
Bought Mine in 2018, Im still using it in 2024 with zero issues. Thats nearly 6 years of daily usage.
Do you require a lot of desk? Space because I don’t really have a lot of that.
@Bruhman_1 no need for a lot of desk space. That's the exact reason I bought this keyboard, for the lack of desk space. But there are even smaller keyboards than this one.
I have the full keyboard version of the kumara (vara) for 5 years already. Love it!
Hey bro I wanna your suggestion.should I buy red dragon kumara costing me 2180 rupee or Vara k551 costing me 2550 .or is there any new keyboard in market
@@Gobs_gaming The kumara/vara are old already, try searching for newer versions but definetely redragon is a good budget:performance brand.
@@repunte93what are the other option in this price range can you suggest
@@Gobs_gaming Bro I purchased redragon KUMARA k552 in this sale with red switches and fixed lights (Not per key RGB) for 2184 it's damn good as u have a lot of options to modify it by watching RUclips tutorials, and also it's pinging noise can be fixed using foam under the PCB and under Keycaps and with red switch by default it is a cherry on top keyboard.
@@Gobs_gaming I ended up on redragon kumara as i couldn't find a hot swappable keyboard in
Sometimes if you just wait for the right moment, you can snag something amazing for cheap. The keyboard I use at work is a Rosewill with a basic full layout but it has Cherry MX Blue RGB switches. I bought it on a pre-Black Friday deal a few years ago on Amazon for $50. It has been fantastic, especially for that price.
I don't know which Rosewill you have but I've been using one for a while now. It's the K51 and uses membrane switches that feel and sound more like mechanical switches but are DEFINITELY not mechanical. Not the highest quality but it lasts as I've been using it for 3-4 years now.
EDIT: I forgot to mention it's around $35 on Newegg since Rosewill is under Newegg.
I have the 552 for 5 years, never failed me, not a single key broke, the browns are perfect to me too.
I've had multiple RD mech keyboards. They are great but I'm REALLY in love with their mouse with the buttons on the side. I'll keep buying those until they dissapear
I have the havit combo myself and can vouch that it is fairly decent. I've used for the past 2 years but will admit I've never used premium mechanical keyboard other than the old school IBM model F's. The keys never stick for me, the rgb is decent, and no shaky stuttering from the mouse. Hope this can help somebody if they're on a budget
+1, I have also had the havit combo for about a year and a half now. Dang good quality build
Same; got the custom keycaps too to really let the RGB pop better too
I’ve been using that havic keyboard and mouse for quite a few months now (maybe since last winter) and it works great. The mouse is nice and big (personal preference) and the keys feel nice and is for a decent price for what you get, although I will say the wrist rest is... less than comfortable for me (also accidentally broke a price taking it off) since it’s just plastic, the rbg is very nice and the keys haven’t worn down any noticeable amount so far. The font is somewhat nice, and for the price of around 50$ (Canadian dollars at the time) its pretty good. So for a budget entry level mechanical keyboard (mouse is bonus) I would recommend it 9/10
I had that keyboard and mouse combo as well. The mouse broke after a couple of months, but the keyboard lasted a good 2 years before the enter key finally died. It was a pretty good keyboard while it lasted though.
I love the k552. It's my first mechanical and it types so amazingly. I went w/ browns and have no complaints. I'm pretty that most of the 'ghost' typing is those used to a lower profile. Once i raised my arm rests up a bit, I noticed an immediate improvement. Also, highly recommend a deskpad to minimize sliding without the feet. Overall, very happy with my purchase!
Note: typed on my phone and I'm too lazy for that caps btn lol
I am looking to buy the same with brown or blue switches can you tell me if it's good for programming or typing stuff ? And is the keyboard build quality good ?
@@Avninder99 Ya, I code daily on it. My only gripe is that the keycaps are really tall, so you may need to raise the arm rests of your chair for more comfort.
@@liteniteTheOne Can the keyboard last year or two. I read some reviews regarding it and i have few doubts about the quality of switches. Also would you recommend blue switches or red for coding. Thanks for the help.
@@Avninder99 not sure. I bought it like a day before my initial comment, so it hasn't been even 6 months yet. I haven't noticed issues, but will update if I do
I also can't make that recommdation as this is my first mechanical keyboard and I went with Browns. I like them, but I'm not sure how red/blue compare.
I've been daily driving the K552 for ~2 years... It's solid, and I've had zero issues or complaints to be honest (Outside of normal $35 price range issues anyways)
It's a steal at $35 in my opinion.. Probably the best cost/benefit keyboard on the entire market
i've had the havit combo for a couple months now - really comfortable to type on and the mouse is great. only downside is they're both quite loud
I bought the "Non-RGB RGB" version of the 10key less a few years back and after a few months with it I replaced the keycaps and modded it to add a microusb port to the back to make the cable detachable. Prolly will be doing the same mod again to switch it to USB-C. It feels pretty damn good and the round typewriter style keycaps I used make it look pretty slick.
Now that’s awesome
Is the non-rgb version hot-swappable?
@@ex.nihil0 when I was modding it, it appeared that everything was soldered into place
@@jericotyler alright thank you for the info!
I've had my Kumara RGB White for exactly two years now and it looks, feels, and works much better than what Linus called "mid-tier" (and suggested the Kumara was below that quality range).
It's robust and heavy, the materials are top-quality and it comes with spare switches. It has been designed to minimize the chances of ruining it if you spill liquid on it. In 2 years I only replaced one switch and I'm merciless while typing. I don't know about the blue switches, since I use the red ones, but I'm delighted with what I have. If you have to choose, I'd sincerely suggest getting the white version: regardless of the color itself, you'll see how much better that RGB backlight looks on white. Edit: Yes, Linus, that font on your Kumara is hideous, but mine is totally different. I have a Spanish layout version, but who knows, maybe the English ones actually do come with a classier font too. I almost forgot: please do realize that RGB and Rainbow LED are not the same. RGB should be fully customizable; the YoChic keyboard Linus showed only has the rainbow led option. Everyone know rainbows suck, get the proper RGB version of anything you buy with RGB... well, unless you are crazy about rainbows, ha.
i went from a K552 for about 2-3 years to my new RK84 (i need those navigation keys, RK61 is too small). both are amazing for what they offer at the price.
I can vouch for the RK84! Liked it enough that I ended up modding it and using it regularly
I bought the membrane one in 2019 and at the time it was 20 dollars: I didn’t exactly know better as I was like 9 but it was until last year that I realized it was membrane. Even then I kept it for a while and ended up buying a razer black widow. I still have the mouse, and I actually loved it. I even hook it up every now and then for my Xbox and it brings me back to simple times (you know before covid and stuff)
Kids sure grow up fast. I'm glad you're enjoying your purchase.
@@mireaaa it was amazing. didn’t even have a gaming pc, just played Minecraft and stuff lol
Membrane keyboards are fine and actually superior for gaming and typing when designed correctly. Mechanical keyboards are a waste and overrated.
@@bryceglasspoole1605 yea I kinda forced myself to get a mechanical keyboard
I have a Tecware Phantom 87 key mechanical right now & I love it. I've had it for close to 2 years and have had no problems with it al all. It's currently going for $46 on Amazon, although for some reason they currently have the 104 key board going for $5 less! I went for the smaller format due to a lack of space on my current desk. They are both wired, rgb, & offer 3 different types of keys ( blue, brown or red).
I bought my first mechanical keyboard 2 weeks ago, which is tecware phantom just like yours, but i choose the 104 cuz i need those numpads. With the red switches, I could say this is my best buy ever, it's solid, smooth, silent, and the RGB is fantastic. I downloaded the software also.
I have the "low profile" version of yours called the Phantom L. It can be snagged on eBay for 30 bucks or on Amazon for $35.
Definitely love the 40% thinner keycaps, brown Otemu switches, and removable USB-C cable! 🤙
Been using a Kumara for years, it's such a great keyboard and love the blue switches. Looking to get some keycaps to make the RGB really pop.
The Redragon mechanical is amazing. Mine is $35, 6 years old, and delightfully clicky.
I have the red switche version and it's amazing
I got an EVGA Z15 for $45 back in December. It's my first gaming keyboard and, quite possibly, my first mechanical one, so I'll preface this by saying that my POV will likely not match yours:
Likes:
- hot-swappable switches (came with linear Kailhs, I tried out a Gateron sample pack and decided to keep the clickiest clicky boi under my space key)
- RGB
- feels solid
- volume scroll wheel
Dislikes:
- MASSIVE. I have giant hands, and even I find it a stretch to get a good WAD-Space-Shift pose going.
- In fact, the keys are so far away from where I'm expecting them to be, I've ended up relying on a ton of remapping that then trips me up when I use those settings on my other computer with its good ole reliable 30-year-old OEM keyboard (RIP, Gateway).
- JFC you gamers *like* these switches? I honestly think I've just been ruined by a lifetime with membranes, as the whole board feels extremely, extremely twitchy--with even the heaviest of tactile switches, my "resting" a finger on a key gets picked up as a click. For productivity I'd almost rather use a butterfly (I did say _almost_).
The runner up was being sold for $15 for the longest. It's my favorite budget keyboard I've ever used in 30+ years of computing. Only downside? Don't spill things in it and use a blow dryer. Melts keys and no 10key. 😅
Lol
You bought the same exact keyboard in the 90s?
Really? $15? If it was ever at that price point than that's a steal for a fully mechanical keyboard
@@arniekuma u clearly misunderstood their comment
@@gavinthecrafter Still using it. 🤣
@Linus Tech Tips I got the TKL version of the "YoChic" keyboard you mention in the video. Actually, the brand I bought in 2017 was "VicTsing", but I've seen different other brand names for the exact same keyboard. All these brands seem to just resell these white label keyboards. According to the box of my keyboard the actual manufacturer is a chinese company called EasternTimes Technology. All keyboards from EasternTimes Tech share the striking "T" logo on the keyboard.
The TKL version of the keyboard I have has Outemu Blue switches. The keyboard itself is sturdy and heavy, keycaps are good as well. RGB works great and overall the keyboard has a pretty good build quality for the price. I've been using it at work for typing texts and programming since 2017 and it's still working like a charm. For that price I can totally recommend it.
I have multiple Redragon keyboards and mice. I absolutely love them and he quality feels way too good for the price. My only complaint is the software, which is frustrating at the best of times.
8:10 I actually have that brand of keyboard, it's the similar one that comes with the detachable wrist rest and almost has 10k ratings, but its 4.5 stars and looks and feels nice. I think it's also the same mouse but don't quote me on that. It's 6 more dollars but I love it!
i've got the same one as you lol
Same lol
I've got the same one. I actually did an unboxing of it. It's fairly nice. The blues feel a little loose, but I needed a keyboard and it was cheap. I liked it, but still eventually saved up for a K70. The mouse that comes with that bundle though, feels pretty bad. It's huge and I couldn't get comfortable on it. I use a claw grip, so maybe someone who does a palm grip would like it, but it wasn't for me.
The keyboard is still in use though, on my secondary pc.
I had it but I replaced it with an RK G68 with gateron red switches. The havit with its blue switches was very loud and stabilizers weren't very good, but it's alright for the price.
Got that mouse when I first started playing games when I was 9. It lasted me 6 years without fail. I’m a rager, too. Thrown it and slammed it a few times and haven’t noticed any difference. Only wear I’ve noticed is fraying on the braided cable as well as difficult to clean out gunk.
Absolutely love the mouse.
i have had this keyboard for around 4 years now and aside from the occasional double type that i get and the ultra rare issue where the keyboard just stops working (fixable by just unplugging and plugging it back in) it is a great keyboard for the price and when i finally do plan on upgrading, it will defintly be my back up board in the case of a freak accident where i spill something on my new one.
I've modded my k552 with akko ocean blue switches, case foam, lubing the stabilizers, and adding new keycaps; and I can say this is such a great keyboard. I've never had any issues with it.
imagine if you saved the money you spend on the mods and bought a nice entry level custom board. you could use any switch you like then. would have probably been in the same price range had a better build quality
@@masterninjahh or if it breaks they can still buy that entry level board and use the same keycap and switches and foam. its pointless to spend a ton of money of a keyboard you are going to want to mod anyway
@@masterninjahh you don't know the time line of their upgrades/saving, could have been done over months or years big brain
@@masterninjahh honestly bad take. This type of do-up is sub $100 and can be done incremently when you're on a tight budget. In the end, the case is going to be the worst part of it (which you can upgrade) if you really want. I've spent easily 2k on keyboard stuff and I totally recommend doing it this way as you progressingly want to improve the keyboard experience.
@@gouf_respecter4881 @masterninjahh I got this keyboard from a friend for free last year, and I liked it. I was sick of the blue switches, so I bought the ocean blues for $10. I also got new keycaps for $18 a while later and added foam in. With everything my total was about $32, do you can never judge a book by it’s cover
The s101 combo pack was perfect for my 9yo's first computer while she learns to take care of her electronics. She's an occasional pc gamer and she loved the RGB. Its about the only bling in her hand me down system of an old FX-8350 and rx-460 she assembled herself. I think you're missing the fun easy to grab combo this provides.
Who knew playing among us on pc made you a pc gamer
@@MultiSneakerLover no need to be rude buddy its a 9yo calm down we dont care if you play "pc gamer" games on your school laptop. let the kid have fun on whatever he plays!
I have the redragon K512 which yes ik its membrane but i actually love the feel of it, ive been using this for over a year and it is going strong!
Same here. All you need to do is take care of it
I used the Kumara for a secondary work Mechanical Keyboard while I waited for my System76 Launch to ship. It worked surprisingly well for a sub-$50 mechanical keyboard. I wouldn't choose it over my Launch, but it did the job
Have had my Kumara for over a year. Started on Mac and now I use it on my pc. The switches are great if not a little loud but they’re supposed to be that way. It’s easy to clean and I’ve swapped out the key caps without problem. Great keyboard.
I've the full sized version of the K552, the K589, for over a year and it's been great. Came with 4 extra switches and 2 different pullers but havent had a need to use any. Would definitely recommend for light gaming on a budget.
I also had the same mouse featured here but I bought it as a standalone years. It also had a different model name. Sadly it died last month due to the housing for the left button breaking.
I have a Havitt that I use for my work computer - 6 months in and it's holding up well, very worth the 40 bucks I paid for it.
Got a K552 about 3 years ago now, within the first year the S and D keys started failing. failing to register sometimes.
I contacted their support, and they promptly sent a second one, brand new, no questions asked.
Now I have been using that second one since and I've yet to experience any failure with it. The original one I keep around whenever I need to set up a quick keyboard for a second pc, and it works just fine except those two problematic switches acting up sometimes.
Overall extremely pleased with the product and the company's support team, especially for such a low price.
I used the Centrophorous (however it's spelled) for a while before upgrading to a better mouse and I liked it for a while. But Redragon's software is hot garbage. I had a different one of their mouses before, and I "upgraded" to a different one after that, and they all require a different program for each individual mouse. Unless they've changed that, at least Razer Synapse, Corsair iCue, Asus Armoury Crate, etc only need one program for each brand all their mouses, keyboards, headsets, and whatever other peripherals they offer.
The havit kb&m combo was actually pretty nice, it was my first gaming keyboard set and it was really good for a budget set. Although, after a little over a year the W key started failing. Now, I've had my logitech g910 orion spectrum + g502 hero for a little over a year and a half, I think?
Exactly the same as my problem, just going to swap the W key with Pause/Break as I don't use it.
@@geofftottenperthcoys9944 yea I had thought about swapping keys but at that point I had already bought my g502 mouse so I figured screw it, might as well get a kb in the same logitech ecosystem
I have that Havit combo. The keyboard is no joke, my favorite keyboard I've ever used. I'm comparing to my experience with the K70 from Corsair, and the K1 from Keychron. I love those boards, but I genuinely prefer typing on my little Havit, and use it as my daily driver for working from home. I haven't used it for gaming, so I can't really comment on how well it works for that.
I bought the S101-3 combo in April 2021, and with heavy use, they are still going strong in December 2023. This is the first keyboard I've had to survive my abuse this long, with no signs of quitting. Same for the mouse.
I bought my K552 in early 2017 and absolutely happy with it! Still going for abusing it since then. I had way more problems with my Corsair Strafe Keyboard and my Razer BW (change them both in less then a year and a half) then finally bought the K552 (was supposed to be just for a couples of weeks and still on it 🤷♂️) simple but effective (ya the switches are clicky and menny other thing are simplistic but I don't mind)
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i have abused the k552 so much and it works flawlessly (mainly getting angry and smashing my fist down on the keyboard, surprisingly it hurts me more than it hurts the keyboard)
I've had a K552 since 2018 as something I take around when I'm going to be typing on my laptop extensibly or for plugging into a Raspberry Pi when needed and it works great for that.
The blue switches are unfortunately really noisy (I've a 2013 Razer Black Widow with cherry blues and the K552 is much louder). I hadn't realised the switches were swappable though so I may look into that.
The Tecware Phantom can be found around $40. It is hot swappable and IMO very decent quality. That would be my suggested budget mechanical keyboard.
Massive vouch. Best keyboard I have ever bought. The only downside are the Outemu hotswap sockets, which only work good with Outemu switches. But case foam and even plate foam in a mechanical keyboard for 40 bucks??? That's just awesome. Plus it has some of the best RGB I have ever seen.
@@ethhics those cheap gskill pudding caps look pretty good on it too. I took mine apart, sanded the backplate down and painted it matte white with the white caps.
Got a mechanical red dragon keyboard and mouse combo 2 years ago for like 45 and it’s still pretty good after 2 years of heavy gaming
Never have I thought I see a day where Linus talking about budget friendly keyboard on this channel. I think people who knows how to desolder and solder should just get any board that is cheap and function perfectly if they don't want to spend too much money that is. I modded my keyboard by replacing new switches and lubing them and let me tell you it is definitely worth it.
it WAS a friendly price. nowday the k552 got up to 85€
I recommend people get old ones from second hand stores. Newer keyboard aren't built to last or get maintenance (unless you want to bother sending it to a pro or learning a technical skills that require you buying equipment to put to use)
I can personally vouch for the Havit (mechanical) keyboard (and mouse), I use it and it is great!!!
In fact, I previously used their membrane keyboard and enjoyed it so I went with the mechanical one for upgrading.
Are you only vouching it because you've only used their brand?
The mouse kinda sucks tho. The one I had broke within a couple of months.
0:05 this is exactly who RGB hardware is marketed towards
I keep seeing the Pulseway ad featuring Linus. It's cheesy perfection...the moment he says "cheque please" just kills me.
I've actually been using Redragon products for almost 10 years and haven't had a problem with them. I daily the Redragon Yama Keyboard and it's not bad at all
Yeah, it's kind of a gamble, I got one that lasted for years and tried to buy a new one just to get it broke in months
Same
I bought a Red Dragon K551 non rgb for my office a few years ago. It has outlasted both my personal steelseries apex boards. Yes I was stupid and replaced the failed board with the same brand. I will not be buying from them again.
I do not use my personal PC every day. I do use my $30 red dragon daily all day at work. There is no reason this $30 board should outlast two $150 boards. Steel series support (Russ) told me to go eff myself when I requested support or repair options.
So yes that $30 red dragon with blue switches has taken a daily beating since 2018 and never skipped a beat. I'm thoroughly impressed it can outlast $300+ worth of steelseries trash that doesn't even get used daily.
I’ve had that same keyboard for years. I do love it and it still works great for me. However the USB cable has a weird issue and only good connection at the right angle I have always plan to repair this but has never become such a problem that it disconnects while I’m gaming. Other than that the switches feel OK to me much better than a membrane keyboard. However the escape key sometimes doesn’t register. I plan on switching it and a USB cable at the same time sometime in the future when it becomes more of a bother.
I had one of the RedDragon ones for 4 years, worked pretty great until one of the switch sockets died (even though it was hot-swappable, wouldnt work again) - Was a great deal at the time though. I'm glad I moved on to an AKKO though, really enjoy this one.
My RedDragon keyboard lasted 4 years as well, and just very recently died :(
I've been using my redragon k551 (with numpad) for several years now. it is a good, sturdy keyboard, good heavy weight, the rubber feet are doing their job on my one, nice clicky tactile switches (loud for most people), color is not coming off or anything, leds are still shining bright. I really have nothing bad to say about this keyboard, except that it probably wouldn't win a best-design award, but hey: it has a metal base plate. can only recommend.
regarding the plastic casing, the plastic (in case of the k551 at least) is ABS, which "provides favorable mechanical properties such as impact resistance, toughness, and rigidity" (wikipedia). so the board has absolutely 0.0 flex.
I've been using my Kumara keyboard since 2018. Works pretty well, occasional chatter but fixable by cleaning. Im glad Linus has made a review of it.
Funny enough I actually love the mouse! I am on my second one of those but the version where it also has some limited rgb too. It's the perfect size for my tiny hands and the side buttons are well placed for said tiny hands. They work well for me although my first one did die after 4 or so years. I tried to switch to their Griffon mouse recently for Moar Buttons but it's bigger so it isn't comfortable for me and the driver for that one to control the rgb doesn't actually work on windows 11 (the centrophalous's software does though lmao).
Also giving their Horus keyboard a try although I am still in the adjustment period. Just glad I could find a "gamer" keyboard that was also low profile and compact in size since my brain and muscles are used to 13" laptop keyboards.
Been using a redragon mechanical for over a year now, and I'm still very pleased with it.
the kumara was the first mechanical keyboard i ever bought and when i upgraded after a couple years of use i gave it to a friend who is still using it today. great keyboard!
Got the k552 non rgb version for $20. Best purchase I had and works perfectly fine for gaming 👍