Most keyboards are rectangular with straight keys, but there are more options for those who want to work out of the box. The Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus is an affordable interpretation of the hugely popular Alice layout, featuring ergonomically slanted keys, split center and two spacebars. Akko has kindly included a spare set of ASA profile keycaps, a polycarbonate switch plate, a coiled USB Type-C to Type-A cable, a keycap and switch puller, a spare daughterboard, and a spare silicone. Gaskets, drivers, adjustable feet and Akko Crystal or Silver switches can be purchased for $130.
With that out of the way, $130 is still money out of your pocket, so is this interpretation of Alice worth it?
Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus
| switch | Akko CS Crystal or CS Silver |
| lighting | addressable |
| Onboard storage | yes |
| media key | FN or configurable |
| connectivity | USB Type C to Type A |
| cable | coiled five feet |
| additional port | none |
| key cap | double shot ASA |
| software | Akko Cloud |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 380×150×21mm |
| weight | 1.85 |
Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus design
The Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus is not a traditional gasket-mounted 65% keyboard. Features the Alice layout. This is a unique and comfortable design that has become an icon in the world of mechanical keyboards. The Alice layout was first realized by TGR Keyboards, influenced by his EM.7 at Linworks. Getting his real TGR Alice isn’t easy. I’ve seen them resold for thousands of dollars.
The Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus, on the other hand, is just $130 and is very well-made for its price point and has plenty of accessories. While other keyboards I’ve reviewed in this price range are typically constructed from polycarbonate or ABS, the Alice Plus has an acrylic build that feels great and does a great job of dampening noise when bottoming out. fulfill its function.
Alice Plus comes with both aluminum and polycarbonate switch plates. The aluminum plate comes pre-installed (which makes sense since it’s a more common material), but since this is a gasket mount board, I immediately installed the polycarbonate plate. Polycarbonate plates are much more flexible than aluminum.
Akko uses silicone socks instead of poron foam pads for gaskets. Silicone socks are a refreshing choice, killing two birds with one stone by helping this board dance and dampen noise. Alice comes with her 3 layers of foam and silicone for even more noise dampening. They do a good job of eliminating spring ping, but the case still feels hollow to me.
This didn’t bother me much, but it’s worth mentioning that this Alice’s LED faces north. I’ve never had any clearance issues with Cherry Profile keycaps, so this usually doesn’t bother me. However, if Akko wants to recreate his one of the most coveted mechanical keyboards ever, the LEDs should face south. I had no problems using Cherry profile keycaps.
Thanks to the acrylic case, the RGB are bold yet well diffused. However, almost all RGB effects look the same. The rainbow LED features looped motion across the PCB, making it cumbersome to light every key. For some reason I can’t select all the keys at once and set that one shade of him. Instead, each key must be selected one by one. Hmm, terrible. If you’re like me and you’re not running RGB, this shouldn’t be a problem.
Akko includes two sets of double-shot ABS ASA profile caps that are of excellent quality, especially for the price. It’s not mine.
Akko designed the PCB to accept both screw-in stabilizers and plate-mounted stabilizers, so enthusiasts can see what they’re looking for in the box. The stabilizer that comes with Alice is a plate-her mount, and I was able to get it almost perfect by simply dipping the wires in some dielectric grease.
The Alice Plus flip-up feet are the most unique I’ve seen on a keyboard. The main reason is that they are not attached to the keyboard. It is attached using double-sided tape and there is no marking on the bottom of the case to indicate where to attach it. They are not built into the case, which also affects how the keyboard sits after installation.Akko didn’t seem to have planned feet for this keyboard and added these as an afterthought.
Finally, the Linear Crystal Switches are fairly light (43g) and made of polycarbonate, except for the POM stem. More on the switch later, but I love it.
Typing Experience with Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus
The Alice layout always intrigued me, but its split design and potential learning curve put me off. should not do. I work in talent acquisition, and a lot of my work involves sending emails quickly. You should be able to type as quickly and accurately as possible. I was so confident with her Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus that I got to work with her. I have no regrets.
The two B keys are the most distinctive feature of the Alice layout. Before writing this review, I didn’t actually know that the Alice layout had two B keys (and now I know why many keycap sets have two). The Alice layout uses two B keys, so users can choose according to their preference. The same applies to the two mini spacebars.
Gasket-mounted mechanical keyboards took the enthusiastic market by storm last year, but I’m a little fed up with poron foam and steel switch plates. Thankfully, the Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus uses a silicone sock that wraps around the switch plate, giving you the most bouncy typing experience ever.after reviewing Canon Keys Bakeneko 60I was impressed with the amount of bounce the board offered, and the ACR Pro Alice Plus makes that board feel like an over-tightened tray mount, especially with the polycarbonate plate attached.
The included Crystal switches are great. This is a budget friendly board, but the switches don’t feel budget. This is a big plus. The 43g spring weight is very close to the weight of the popular Cherry MX Red switches (45g), so the Crystal switches may be suitable for MX Red users looking for something smoother.
Gaming experience with Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus
I’ve recently gotten back into arcade style games.I tested this keyboard tetris effect, the switch test kicked in when I reached level 9, making the game much faster. I used the left and right arrow keys to move the tetrad and the left spacebar to rotate it.
If I had to choose between an ACR Pro Alice Plus and a standard ANSI mechanical keyboard for gaming, I would probably choose the latter. Don’t get me wrong. Gaming on the Alice Plus is certainly possible, but the semi-ergonomic split design makes this one off the list best gaming keyboard.
Software for Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus
The Akko ACR Pro Alice Plus software is nothing special, but it does work when it comes to key remapping. Akko didn’t say exactly how many profiles Alice could have, but she was able to create over 10 profiles.
Alice’s layout is rather confusing. Many Alice users remap one of her on the spacebar to perform other inputs such as layer swapping. Unfortunately, Akko’s Cloud Software only allows you to change your profile within the program. Akko Cloud works fine but it would be great if this keyboard could be compatible with his QMK/VIA to maximize the board’s potential and make Alice more competitive in the market I think.
Conclusion
Quality Alice replicas are hard to find, especially since most are limited to group purchases. It’s a great keyboard. Die-hard Alice fans might not like her north-facing RGB. It didn’t bother me, but if you’re going to recreate one of the most popular and frenzied layouts of all time, you probably need to tick all the boxes.
That being said, the Akko Alice is still a great mechanical keyboard, and an easy one to recommend, especially considering all the features included.
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