Angry Miao’s new $559 mechanical keyboard has Game Boy vibes

Between nan Analogue Pocket and nan proliferation of crippled emulators on Apple’s App Store, retro gaming is much than chic successful 2024. So, it’s not terribly astonishing that boutique keyboard shaper Angry Miao is getting successful connected immoderate of that saccharine nostalgia pinch its latest mechanical board, nan Game Boy-inspired AM RGB 65.

But nan existent astonishment is that what astatine first blush looks for illustration a near-$600 parts bin rehash of an existing board is really Angry Miao’s champion mech to date. 

The RGB 65 is simply a 65 percent layout keyboard, but its ample dot matrix LED forehead intends it takes up almost arsenic overmuch abstraction arsenic astir 75 percent keyboards. It looks a full batch for illustration a shrunken-down Cyberboard, but thankfully, it takes much creation cues from one of nan astir beloved handheld devices successful quality history than from a frequently mocked rolling dumpster.

The retro vibes are astir pronounced connected nan achromatic and purple versions, but each colors of nan RGB 65 person mini homages to Nintendo’s business creation from nan original “DMG-01” Game Boy. This includes a curved bottom-right area pinch six slats mimicking nan speaker grill, a antagonistic alleviation D-pad cutout surrounding nan USB-C port, and mock B and A buttons connected nan bottom, which switch nan wireless charging pad recovered connected different AM models. Another artistic flourish is simply a Galaga pixel creation schematic adorning nan integrative antenna model that lets nan Bluetooth 5.1 and 2.4GHz wireless connections done nan all-metal chassis.

Typing connected nan RGB 65 is simply a activity of caller aerial compared to erstwhile Angry Miao boards. The marbly sound signature is still present, but nan caller Icy Silver V2 linear switches pinch their nylon housings and revised soul creation springiness nan RGB 65 a deeper, overmuch much “thocky” sound than any other AM keyboard I’ve tried.

I’m relieved to spot Angry Miao making strides successful nan sound and typing consciousness departments. While I’ve personally enjoyed nan sound of astir anterior AM keyboards, it’s each very subjective. And nan “meta” astir what’s celebrated successful nan civilization mechanical keyboard segment continues to evolve. I deliberation Angry Miao is doing a good occupation keeping up pinch trends here, and it needs to. This is simply a very costly keyboard that should consciousness bully and sound awesome retired of nan box, particularly erstwhile you see it rehashes a large creation constituent from nan Cyberboard.

The 200-LED dot matrix sheet connected nan Cyberboard ever looked charming, but while it’s recycled connected nan RGB 65, it’s amended implemented and somewhat much practical. Instead of being angled distant from you and upside-down for illustration connected nan Cyberboard, it’s level connected nan main platform and easy to see. It’s still mostly a flashy novelty to spell on pinch nan RGB ray show nether nan keys, but you tin usage Angry Miao’s site to do immoderate heavy customization aliases download afloat baked presets from nan community. It’s nosy to tinker with, moreover if I extremity up utilizing it arsenic a large table timepiece astir of nan time.

But nan astir underwhelming spot of nan RGB 65 is this “cyber gray” colour combo, astatine slightest successful comparison to nan achromatic and “violet fury” options. It looks slick successful its ain right, sure, but nan different 2 consciousness for illustration wherever it’s astatine for nan maximum Game Boy vibes. Perhaps if nan grey exemplary utilized opaque ray grey aliases charcoal achromatic keycaps, it could transmission a mini spot of nan Game Boy Advance SP aliases Game Boy Pocket.

Either way, nan RGB 65 desperately needs immoderate see-through atomic purple aliases jungle green action (which is different ongoing trend), truthful I dream Angry Miao considers a cheaper all-plastic type successful nan future. I’d moreover beryllium consenting to sacrifice a spot of that thock if Angry Miao tin let itself to not overengineer each small point from aluminum.

The AM RGB 65’s Kickstarter campaign launches today, starting astatine $449 for a bare-bones kit (no keycaps aliases switches) and tops retired astatine $598 for a afloat prebuilt bundle successful violet. Angry Miao is moving an early-bird 8 percent discount for nan first 48 hours of nan campaign.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge