Here at Tech4Gaming we’re used to receive and use gaming mechanical keyboards as in this days it’s practically the standards in the gaming industry. The product we are reviewing today is a breath of fresh air from those big clicky and RGB screaming keyboards we always see.
If you spend most of your day typing or coding, a mechanical keyboard is a worthwhile upgrade.
I’m talking about the Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard with back light.
Matias is a really cool and innovative brand that is constantly pushing keyboards forward with more features and niche add-ons. They’re target clients are keyboard enthusiast (they also produce a copy of the legendary ALPS switches) and classy office workers with their Apple inspired models. All of this with a few innovative features like RGB back light and wireless connectivity.
The keyboard we are reviewing today is the Wireless Aluminum Keyboard with back light and Apple Magic keyboard inspired model with added back light. All of this while destroying the Apple’s battery life: while the Cupertino’s keyboard will last roughly a month after a full charge, Matias says that the battery is meant to last up to one year, obtaining this result with a pretty interesting solution!
DESIGN AND STRUCTURE
The keyboard looks classy and well designed with its anodized aluminum structure, black smooth plastic low profile key caps, and white printed letters.
The surface is quite raised from the bottom (2 cm in the back side) as in the front floor is placed the massive battery that powers the keyboard and other electronics. This design feature is also very good for ergonomics as the keyboard is basically placed were your fingertips would be if your hand was laid naturally on a surface.
The bottom is made from reflective quality plastic and there are 4 rubber feet to prevent the keyboard from sliding around on your desk. On the back of the keyboard are placed the Micro-USB for charging and the power button. The structure itself is very stiff and doesn’t bend at all.
The layout we are testing has an added number pad and the keys are spaced 2mm one to each other which is a the perfect distance for this style of keyboards.
It prevents accidental key presses and it’s very convenient for fast typing without rising your hand too much.
The layout has included Mac function buttons but at this price level I’d preferred also Win functions to be printed on the relative key caps in addiction or maybe interchangeable key caps included in the package.
SWITCHES AND TYPING EXPERIENCE
The switch system used in this keyboard is the butterfly style one like but it’s more fluid than the one used in early days Macbooks. The typing experience is very good if you’re a fan of quick low movement typing. You can definitely feel the switch actuation, I’m not comparing it even remotely to a mechanical keyboard feeling, it’s still a membrane type of feeling. But for a membrane keyboard, the bump that defines the actuation is very good. The sound is quite nice, audible of course, but quiet and not harsh like the apple keyboard.
The only issue I’ve experienced in my typing test was when pressing the number 1 in the number row. The key was quite mushy and sometimes you had to press is a little bit harder for my tastes to activate it. After removing the key cap and reinstalling it the issues seems to be solved.
Before using this keyboards I’ve used only mechanical keyboards with Blue or Red Cherry switches and I’d say that after one or two days I was already enjoying it. They’re two completely different experiences and in my opinion a winner can’t be chosen. Everything relies eventually on personal preference and contextualizing the keyboard in different uses.
FEATURES AND BATTERY
The keyboard, unlike the Apple counterpart is packed with features. The keyboard has back light which can be dimmed and turned fully off with the dedicated button combinations.
When I first heard of the back light and the one year use after only a full charge I was pretty skeptical, but everything lines up with the solution Matias come up for this product.
The keyboard has two batteries, one for the keyboard itself (1600 mAh) and one for the back light (1400 mAh).
The total battery capacity is 3000mAh and let you use the keyboard with backlight for about 2 weeks (the backlight battery lasts a few days to a few weeks depending on how much you use it and how bright you make the backlighting). Then when the dedicated backlight battery runs dry, the keyboard will still continue working off its own separate battery for up to a year.
The keyboards can also be used at the same time with up to 4 devices. You can switch between paired devices with the 3 buttons on the numpad. The switching is instant and doesn’t require extra time than your button press would (NOTE: this could change depending on the device you’re paired to or its status).
The function keys let you control screen brightness, volume, iTunes, and more but those features are accessible only on Mac.
MODELS AND COMPATIBILITY
The keyboard is available in Space Gray and Sliver Black colors with multiple language layouts.
For more info check out the product page: https://matias.ca/aluminum/backlit/
The keyboard is also fully compatible with Mac, iPad, Windows, Android, etc.
CONCLUSIONS
At 139 USD the Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard with back light is almost a best buy: the apple Magic Keyboard cost 149 USD, has no back light and the battery lasts significantly less than the 1 year period of the Matias counterpart.
The price is perfectly fine for a product with so many features in addition than its most direct competitor, the quality is there and you definitely get what you payed for.
I wish that the package was at the level of the actual product, but other than that small detail, the Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard with back light is a great product.
Every keyboard comes with Two Year of repair coverage and 90 days of complimentary support.
If you’re interested in buying the Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard with backlight:
https://matias.store/collections/slim-aluminum-keyboards-1/backlit
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