James Donkey R2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard

[VSG]

The James Donkey R2 is a premium keyboard that looks and feels like a much more expensive one. It has all the features you might expect out of an enthusiast wireless mechanical keyboard and yet manages to impress further with the use of a high quality aluminium chassis that comes in different colors, including matching keycaps too.

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[cellar door]

They nailed the aesthetics and good value too - if only these caps were shine through, I would be picking it up. Excellent review as always!

 

[Chrispy_]

Why linear swtiches only? The few surveys I've seen have a 50:50 split between people who want linear and tactile.

 

[VSG]

Why linear swtiches only? The few surveys I've seen have a 50:50 split between people who want linear and tactile.

People who usually go for more enthusiast keyboards also prefer to have smoother travel switches which are usually linear in feedback.

 

[Chrispy_]

People who usually go for more enthusiast keyboards also prefer to have smoother travel switches which are usually linear in feedback.

Fair enough, just not for me I guess.

I have tried a few linear keyboards and whilst I can game on them, I cannot type of them. My WPM drops from 80+ to 40 and my accuracy drops from 99% to 90%. I blame my 25 years of prior keyboard usage with the market being almost exclusively buckling-spring or membrane keys prior to linear key switches first hitting the mainstream PC market around 2010 or so. Perhaps the Zoomers and Gen-a don't have that hardcoded muscle memory, or simply don't touch-type like the gen-x or millennials.

Tactile feedback is important for speed and precision. Ask anyone who plays a music instrument and the feedback is a lot of what seperates a decent instrument from a great one. I play a couple myself and it's always the cheap stuff the lacks feedback, and gets review-bombed by expert musicians.

 

[HairyLobsters]

James Donkey is an interesting name for a Chinese company.

 

[VSG]

James Donkey is an interesting name for a Chinese company.

Yes it is, HairyLobsters.

 

[RandomWan]

Fair enough, just not for me I guess.

I have tried a few linear keyboards and whilst I can game on them, I cannot type of them. My WPM drops from 80+ to 40 and my accuracy drops from 99% to 90%. I blame my 25 years of prior keyboard usage with the market being almost exclusively buckling-spring or membrane keys prior to linear key switches first hitting the mainstream PC market around 2010 or so. Perhaps the Zoomers and Gen-a don't have that hardcoded muscle memory, or simply don't touch-type like the gen-x or millennials.

Tactile feedback is important for speed and precision. Ask anyone who plays a music instrument and the feedback is a lot of what seperates a decent instrument from a great one. I play a couple myself and it's always the cheap stuff the lacks feedback, and gets review-bombed by expert musicians.

Personally, I prefer linear, though I can maintain typing speed and accuracy on just about anything that is responsive once I drop into my rhythm. (Gen X and I've been typing since Commodore 64 was a thing.)