AZIO Retro Classic BT Wireless Backlit Mechanical Keyboard (Artisan)

8 reviews for AZIO Retro Classic BT Wireless Backlit Mechanical Keyboard (Artisan)

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   Julianne Green (verified owner) – February 7, 2023

   Thanks for making sure I got his before Christmas. It was a present for my daughter and you were out of stock, but you came through!

2. Rated 4 out of 5

   Edd Hahn (verified owner) – February 2, 2023

   i agree with other reviews. keys are not all same height. there is movement in the keys. some keys have dings and notches near bottom. time will tell if the letters wear off, but i did ask tech support and the rep said they’ve been trying other materials. but……………… it’s the most beautiful keyboard ever, so, you put up with this. my gf’s SUPER jelly

3. Rated 3 out of 5

   Alfreda Bogan (verified owner) – December 9, 2022

   If you want a keyboard that looks like an old typewriter, then you have to get this one: I don’t know of another like it. But be mindful of the following cautions: (1) The keys make a lot of noise; so DON’T get this for use in a shared space unless you want to drive the person with whom you share it nuts. (2) The keys have a fairly deep stroke, which for some reason makes it easier to make errors. This is something that you will need to get used to. (3) The rechargeable battery, which is built in and therefore cannot be replaced with dry cells, is good for only two or three days of extensive use. (4) The charge will run out with no warning whatever, and when you have recharged the keyboard, if you don’t switch it off and then on again, it will not reengage with your computer.

4. Rated 4 out of 5

   Tina Kihn (verified owner) – October 26, 2022

   Has great key feel ,1000% better that the previous Mac keyboard. I love using this key board. The only draw back. It has no usb A ports to plug in wireless mouse. It is the cool factor.

5. Rated 5 out of 5

   Armando Dooley (verified owner) – August 22, 2022

   A great example of what a mechanical keyboard should be. The base is nice and heavy, so it stays put, the keys are nicely clicky and tactile, and (contrary to the assertions made in other reviews) the rear feet have variable height adjustment, which is a nice touch. One (obvious) thing that sets this apart from a typical keyboard are the round keys, which not only look retro and feel great, but also speed up typing by reducing edge strikes. All that said, the key spacing and the ridge on the spacebar do take some getting used to. Also, when the unit is new, the keys had a bit of stiction. After a bit of use, however, this disappears and the keys are smooth and fast.

6. Rated 5 out of 5

   Kelsi Renner (verified owner) – August 3, 2022

   This is a fantastic keyboard, very well built, keys work great, and the wood looks beautiful. A minor complaint would be that the keys are plastic instead of metal, like the trim work, and the keyboard sometimes takes a while to work when the computer hibernates. I would like to add: a matching trackball mouse would be fantastic.

7. Rated 3 out of 5

   Wendy Bernier (verified owner) – June 25, 2022

   Out of the box, my keyboard had a defect: the NCSW indicator lights got brighter when I dimmed the keyboard backlighting (and vice versa). Instant grounds for a warranty repair, apparently, however return postage cost would be high, so I opted to cover the faulty too bright lights with a translucent strip. Initial Bluetooth pairing was very unreliable. Every time I restarted the PC, the keyboard had to be paired from scratch; sometimes it would pair, other times it couldn’t be found at all. So I had to restart Windows and try again. In desperation I opted for a cabled connection, but I could not get USB mode working at all: my Windows 10 PC simply did not recognize that the keyboard was connected. I had to use a different USB-C cable to get my PC to recognize the keyboard and establish a USB connection for the first time. After that, the supplied cable was able to maintain USB connectivity. Strange but true. An issue with the USB-C port on the keyboard maybe, or a defect in the cable? But in USB mode, I frequently had dropped keystrokes when typing. Bluetooth mode seems better able to keep up with my typing speed. With the USB cable continuously connected to maintain battery power, I finally got reliable Bluetooth pairing. It suggests some obscure issue where even slight discharge of battery power causes the Bluetooth transponder to fail? Mechanically, it’s more impressive than expected for a keyboard with round keys; by modern standards, it’s not ergonomic: no contouring or shaping. But it works. The keyswitch action is delightful and the countersunk keytops have a positive feel. Physically, it’s a heavy, solid product that feels invincible, and the natural wood surface and metal frame give a classy tactile sensation. As much as the centered LED in each key is touted as a good feature, you have to lean forward and look directly down at the keys, even at the highest available keyboard tilt, otherwise every key is noticeably dimmer at the top. Nobody types like that, your head would be much too close to the monitor. I think that’s a fundamental design flaw. Can I recommend it? At the price, it’s a risky choice. A major concern I have is that the manufacturer warranty only covers ONE return for repair. My experience of the dodgy electronics suggests that might not be enough. I encourage AZIO to find a better quality electronics contractor, because the physical performance is superb.

8. Rated 4 out of 5

   Salma Langosh (verified owner) – February 28, 2022

   My rating would be 4.5 out of five. The only complaint, and this complaint could be considered subjective, is the key action. The keys have some side to side play, and have a soft non mechanical feel. The rest of the keyboard is perfect in every way. The weight is perfect, Bluetooth and USB use is perfect. The battery life when using wirelessly is perfect. Great for Mac AND pc. Backlight is perfect. And it is aesthetically pleasing. I have a Mac and there is no better option out there for a Mac.