Like it or not, my taste in mechanical keyboards has a lot to do with looks. Beyond the world of “Gunmetal Gray” best gaming keyboard, the color of the keycap and the design of the case become more important. Not convinced?let’s take a peek mechanical keyboard subredditYou might mistake it for a photo subreddit, but it’s not. Love An interesting looking keyboard.
That’s exactly where the iQunix ZX75 comes in. Mechanical his keyboard designed to be eye-catching, retro-futuristic chic and impressive. But looks are just a teaser to get you in the door. At a premium price starting at $195, it has some notable drawbacks to watch out for, but for pure typing it’s a solid option that will impress.
iQunix ZX75 Specifications
| switch | Hot-swappable Cherry MX Red, Brown, Blue, or Pink. TTC Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE |
| layout | 75% |
| lighting | RGB per key |
| Onboard storage | none |
| media key | secondary keybinding |
| connectivity | Detachable USB-C cable, 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.1 |
| battery life | Up to 300 days with backlight off |
| additional port | none |
| key cap | Sublimation PBT plastic |
| construction | ABS frame |
| software | none |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 13.6 x 5.9 x 1.7 inches |
iQunix ZX75 design
The iQunix ZX75 reminds me of a keyboard that sits on your desk. fall outa blast from the past that somehow looks futuristic at the same time.l. It’s a board that makes a difference between life and death, mainly due to its aesthetics. A retro yet futuristic design. Its thick bezel and tall frame harken back to a time when thin and light weren’t a consideration. But its bright colors, plaid stripes on the back, and an interesting jumble of textures and sylizations make for a keyboard that feels right at home on the Deck of a Space Cruiser.
Available in 5 different colorways, each with its own charm. I was sent two versions for testing. Gravity Wave in white, gray and yellow, and Dark Side in black with a translucent case. There’s also a black and orange tangerine colorway, a green and white camping version, and a second dark side that uses translucent keycaps.
From top to bottom, 0.5 inch bezels on all sides give the keyboard a boxy look. Hex screws on all four corners give it an industrial feel. Between the function row and the volume knob is a large light that changes color to indicate Caps Lock and wireless pairing status. Above the right corner is a tall, smooth volume knob that you can click to pause the music.
The design of the back and bottom of the keyboard remains interesting. The rear end consists of a pair of frosted panels that look almost like windows. Flipped over, the Gravity Wave version has a solid yellow backing with diagonal stripes and a graph paper-like grid on the label. The Dark Side version has the same textures, but is totally black and totally minimalist. There’s also a pair of magnetic tilt legs that can be flipped over for a larger typing angle, and a switch to switch between wired and 2.4GHz wireless modes.
The design is certainly unique, but while it may (or it may not) be the aesthetics that ultimately sells you on the keyboard, it’s not just the style. Known for manufacturing full quality mechanical keyboards. It continues here as well.
The ZX75 uses a compact 75% layout. Retains the function row and arrow keys, as well as the navigation and edit button columns on the right. This column and the arrows below it have been moved closer to the main keyset to save space. In the designer’s opinion, all unnecessary keys are removed.
The nav column is[削除],[挿入],[ホーム],and[終了]consists of four buttons. this is, A80 reviewed last summer I used Page Up, Page Down, Home, and End. The ZX75 does not have a Print Screen key or Paging Up/Down keys, and unlike most compact keyboards, these buttons are not mapped to Fn combinations. they just aren’t there.
Depending on how often you use these keys, it might not be a big deal, but it’s been a constant annoyance for me. , I didn’t have to look for workarounds like taking a quick screenshot using the Windows Snipping tool. Currently, there is no software that can add these functions either. The support page says “keep an eye out” for the driver release, but it’s not clear when it will actually happen.
It’s no exaggeration to say that keycaps are one of the biggest reasons to buy the ZX75. It’s a color combination that will instantly stand out on any desk, but it’s very well made. The keycaps are made of thick PBT plastic and won’t absorb oil or shine from your skin even after long hours of use. The legend is made of a second piece of glued plastic so it won’t chip or fade. They are crisp and clear.
Beneath these keycaps, the ZX75 comes with a choice of Cherry MX blue, red, or brown switches, or TTC ACE, gold pink, or speed silver. The keyboard also supports hot-swap switches, so if you have a different set you want to try, simply remove the existing switches and plug in the new ones.
It’s a solid hobbyist-level feature, but it’s much more than that.If you unscrew her one of these switches, the LED under of the switch instead of the top. This south-facing orientation means you can replace the keycaps with an aftermarket set without worrying about interfering with your sound.
The keyboard also comes with a pre-lubricated costar stabilizer, with a thick layer of foam between the switches and the PCB. Typing doesn’t rattle, and there’s just enough damping to take the cavity out of the sound. Acoustics are important to keyboard enthusiasts, and this keyboard provides a pleasing sound without requiring any mods.
The ZX75 can also be used wirelessly over Bluetooth 5.1 or 2.4GHz with the included dongle. The keyboard can store up to 3 Bluetooth connections and switch between them on-the-fly using Fn shortcuts. Switching is reliable and fast, but if you’re gaming, he recommends using a 2.4 GHz dongle with a fast 1,000 Hz polling rate.
Whether you’re a fan of RGB backlighting or not, you’ll be happy to know that iQunix offers illuminated and unilluminated keyboards. The backlight adds $20 to the price of the sticker, bringing the total to $195 to $215, but it’s bright and vibrant, with 19 preset effects and 10 static colors to choose from. The legend is not backlit, so if you don’t know the key placement, don’t expect to use it for typing in the dark – only underglow.
Typing experience on iQunix ZX75
The typing experience on mechanical keyboards depends on the switches you choose. The ZX75 comes with a choice of Cherry MX or lesser-known TTC switches. Don’t let the unknown name fool you. TTC switches are excellent. Both models I tested included TTC ACE switches. This is a pre-lubricated, super smooth linear that sounds great right out of the box. I choose these over cherry switches because of the improved smoothness and no spring noise.
The typing feel of the ZX75 is very good. The switches are smooth and crisp with a squeaky bottom out. I also really like the feel of the keycaps. It has a little texture and feels comfortable under your fingers. The double-shot construction also adds a little extra thickness, making each keystroke sound and feel louder.
The keyboard uses a costar stabilizer that is completely rattle-free out of the box. I wouldn’t recommend taking them apart unless you’re familiar with assembling keyboards, but I made sure they were well lubricated right out of the box. did a wonderful job of doing it. These are some of the best tuned stabilizers I’ve used on off-the-shelf keyboards.
The ZX75 bucks the trend of a soft, flexible typing experience that has taken over the enthusiastic keyboard world. It goes old school with a very solid typing experience. Honestly, a typing experience as solid as this is a little refreshing, but it also helps ensure that every key feels consistent with the next. , this is not the keyboard for you.
The only real problem I had with typing on the board was missing keys. Secondary layers are reserved for media, lighting, and wireless controls only, so I had to consider workarounds like holding ctrl and scrolling the mouse to simulate page up and page down. It’s annoying when there are so many unmapped keys.Indeed those missing buttons could have been mapped somewhere.
Gaming experience on iQunix ZX75
The ZX75 is not a gaming keyboard, but it works well for games that don’t require extra features or keybindings. Much of the joy of using a keyboard is shared for many things: the feel of the keys, the sound of typing, and the clean, crisp feedback when bottoming out. The keyboard is responsive enough for competitive gaming when wired or with a 2.4GHz dongle, so I’ve never felt at a disadvantage compared to dedicated gaming keyboards. However, Bluetooth only has a polling rate of 125 Hz (8 ms), so it’s best used for typing.
Beyond these basics, you might want something a little more flexible. Without the ability to program or record macros, you are locked into the base layer and the macro tools provided by the game. Third-party tools such as AutoHotKey are available here, but you should learn them first and then keep them running in the background. This should change as iQunix releases custom software for their keyboard, but it’s not available at the time of this writing.
Conclusion
The ZX75 is a very good keyboard, offering geeky levels of functionality in a unique and eye-catching package. The typing experience is top-notch for an off-the-shelf keyboard, and the keycaps are premium and easy to sell.
With that in mind, the ZX75 is a keyboard that needs software to replace the missing keys and is currently missing. It does, so it’s a solid alternative if you need to remap functionality. If you like the unique look but want a numeric keypad, the iQunix F97 is your next best option and worth considering.
Ultimately, the ZX75 remains a solid choice if you don’t need the missing Print Screen and Page Up/Down keys. A rare keyboard that offers a great typing feel and sound, great looks, and saves you money if you opt out of RGB.
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