Introducing the RC Prestige Collection: Elevating the Art of Design and Mechanical Keyboard Functionality. The cornerstone of AZIO Corporation's success, the Retro Classic Collection, has epitomized our brand's vision to create premium lifestyle workspace tools. The original typewriter-style keyboard, born from our dedication to excellence, has delighted our valued customers with an exceptional ownership experience and unparalleled customer support. Today, we are thrilled to unveil the latest addition to our lineup: the RC Prestige Collection.

Remaining true to AZIO's distinctive brand identity, the RC Prestige Collection introduces two new captivating colors, Ebony and Ivory, further infusing our signature material-centric design philosophy. The Ebony variant features a faceplate adorned in an elegant black wood finish, embraced by a sleek gunmetal grey aluminium frame and accents. The Ivory edition stands as a striking contrast, showcasing a refined white leather face encased within a silver aluminium profile. Every keycap set impeccably follows their respective color schemes, either presenting black keycaps with gunmetal edges or white keycaps complemented by a silver framing. This time, the keycaps are thoughtfully designed with a rounded square profile, setting them apart from the renowned circular keycaps found in our Retro Classic Collection.

AZIO, the company that created the popular Retro Classic Line, announced today the Antimicrobial & Waterproof Product Line. Building from the success of its Large Font keyboards, AZIO has taken account of the ongoing situation with COVID-19 and added features to combat these concerns.

As COVID-19 grips the world, the need for health and safety has grown immensely. For those who work in medical, industrial or food services where dirt, liquids or germs are a concern, antimicrobial products reduce the risk of cross-infection by inhibiting the growth of bacteria on the product. For those outside of these industries, the potential for exposure has increased significantly and the ability to wash an item is more important than ever.

AZIO found a market segment all to themselves with their Retro peripheral lineup, which took the typewriter-style keyboard design and ran with it using rarely seen higher-end materials for the keyboard and mice including leather and wood. We saw also at Computex last year that the company wanted to make a new series of peripherals inspired by retro cameras, with the then-called Iris K-Pad being the first entry and based on the Leica analog camera design. Our coverage led to them being contacted by another entity that used the Iris name in this category already, so we feel somewhat responsible for AZIO having renamed it to the Fokal. We met AZIO at CES this past week, and they spoke more about the Fokal, including letting us know that the crowd-funding campaign is underway and already successful.

The Fokal moves away from the typewriter-style keycaps in favor of more traditional, and comfortable, keycaps and promises a fully customizable control knob which can be used for multimedia and lighting (RGB) controls by default, as well as being a joystick too. There is also full software support for more utility, with up to seven profiles on board for various use cases. The base unit is a 75% form factor keyboard as with their R.C.K. we saw recently, and there is a separate number pad unit for those who need it which is further built to suit number crunching with extra keys as seen below. The units can connect wirelessly over Bluetooth or RF, with a massive 5000 mAh battery for the primary unit promising weeks of use on a single cycle. The Indiegogo campaign, still going for another 24 days as of this post, has already hit ~400% of the goal, and units are expected to ship in April. Pricing with the current discounts range from $184/246, with MSRP going from $230/330 for the base unit/combo with number pad.

AZIO at Computex 2019 showcased a number of new products, which showcase the company's Los Angeles-based design. AZIO's ALUMINUM line of products includes the Iris ALUMINUM K-Pad (which AZIO says is inspired in retro camera designs), the Iris ALUMINUM N-Pad, the RCM ALUMINUM mouse, and the RCPM mouse pad. The Iris K-Pad in particular has a multi-functional knob on the top right corner allowing as much as three actions per side, and is a complex feat of engineering to say the least. We look forward to checking out the new lineup in detail closer to launch.

Various materials, such as leather, are being used in these AZIO products, but the one star of the show has to be the usage of concrete in computer peripherals. I guess we'd have to actually touch these to see if the texture does work well in a daily environment, but it's interesting that this material has been used in a computer peripheral at all - and the effect does look interesting and pleasing to the eye. The RCM aluminium mouse looks like a very sleek unit, with the cold touch of aluminium greeting your first minutes of usage, and it does feature AZIO's design touches that have become the company's hallmark.

Hardware pre-orders are a mixed bag, especially when it comes to keyboards from a peripheral maker that you know are going to be available for retail sale one way or another. AZIO showed off their R.C.K. (Retro Compact Keyboard) series at Computex this year, with the defining features including a TKL form factor keyboard offering their Retro-series options of genuine leather or wood materials for the keyboard, a typewrite-style mechanical keyboard design that AZIO have used to good success in the past, and a combination of wired and wireless (via Bluetooth) connectivity as well. A 5000 mAh battery should provide months of battery life even with backlighting on, which is a nice change of pace from the current crop of wireless mechanical keyboards that struggle to go more than a few days on a single charge.

IndieGoGo as a platform used to be associated with crowdfunding a product, and indeed the original AZIO Retro series of keyboards came about that way. But the new R.C.K. range appears to be up for what AZIO terms is a "pre-launch" perk at a heavily discounted price, rather than this being a requirement towards getting the product to market. If you are so interested, the current pre-order price is $119 for a keyboard and matching palm rest (in leather or wood to match the keyboard), which is a 45% discount to the $219 MSRP for when the keyboard launches in December 2018. The special price ends September 15 and pre-orders have become an accepted norm in the enthusiast keyboard community today, but we still recommend thinking hard before going forward with pre-orders in general.

AZIO Corp underwent a massive makeover in their product line the last few years, focusing on their typewriter-style mechanical keyboards and then doubling down on it to give their products a different look than most others. Their Retro Classic line from last year introduced vegetable-tanned genuine leather to the keyboards, and then there was a special edition that made use of genuine wood trim as well. At Computex this year, AZIO showed more of the same being applied to other products, as well as hinting towards the use of more such unique materials in the future.

The Retro Classic full-size keyboard was shown in a new orange leather color, which went well with an entire system a wrist rest and mouse pads as well. This was next to another wood option, this time a lighter tone that went well with the white keycaps as opposed to the darker grain wood and black keycaps from the previous version. AZIO also showed off more mouse pads under the R.C. Mouse Pad name in two sizes (medium and XL) and multiple genuine leather color options to match the rest of their portfolio.

AZIO, a well-known keyboard manufacturer, has started shipping a Bluetooth version of its well-received Retro Classic Keyboard. Originally released via a Indiegogo funding campaign as a way to increase the product's visibility, AZIO has now put a few more dollars into the keyboards' development, and included a Bluetooth model. Not so retro now, I'd say, as wires are part of a retro product's flair.

We visited AZiO's booth to get a sneak peek of their upcoming products. First up, we got a glimpse of their Atom, Aventa, and Bluetooth Retro Classic mice. The AZiO Atom is an ambidextrous RGB gaming mouse which is available in black or white. It boasts a 280-degree surround RGB lighting system with onboard control. The Atom features an anti-slip surface finish to provide users with a better grip and a Pixart 3360 optical sensor for dead-accurate precision. The Aventa, on the other hand, sports a more aeronautic exterior with a Zinc alloy exoskeletal frame complemented by an ergonomic hand grip. Both the scroll wheel and 3D logo possess RGB backlighting. The Aventa utilizes the exact same sensor as the Atom. Lastly, the Retro Classic is built with a metal frame with bolts and makes use of a refined leather and plastic interchangeable surface.

AZiO also had some interesting keyboards on display as well. The MGK Ultra is the company's latest RGB backlit gaming mechanical keyboard. It's available with Cherry MX Blue, Red, Brown, or Silver switches. This keyboard features a full RGB backlit control which doesn't require the use of software. The lighting is separated into two independent zones. The interchangeable top plate is made of bulletproof Kevlar and exotic carbon fiber material, and the spacious palm rest is magnetic. An integrated USB 3.0 hub and audio ports are also present on the keyboard.

AZiO showed off a three new gaming mice the company plans to launch through 2017, the GM2400, the Atom, and the Aventa (pictured in that order). The GM2400 is an entry-level ambidextrous gaming mouse designed for claw-grips with either hands. It features a basic 3 button layout with a hard-teethed scroll-wheel, and a button for on-the-fly DPI adjustment. Under the hood, it features a 2,400 dpi sensor. Blue LED lighting, rubberized top surface, and a braided USB cable make for the rest of it.

The AZiO Atom is the company's new mid-range gaming mouse. Featuring a rustic (worn-out) industrial ambidextrous design, the mouse is designed for e-Sports, with 7 programmable buttons, a 3,200 dpi sensor with 1000 Hz polling rate, red LED illumination, a zero-acceleration mode, and a detachable braided USB cable. Lastly, there's the Aventa, the company's latest premium gaming mouse, featuring a right handed design, with its body borrowing design elements from the Exo Alpha. It features 7 programmable buttons, an Avago 9800 (8,200 dpi) laser sensor, RGB LED lighting, and a detachable braided USB cable.

AZiO also unveiled the second generation of its popular keyboard that features old-school typewriter styled keycaps. The new AZiO Retro 2 comes with a more polished top panel with a matte white surface, bordered by stainless steel accents. The keys are backed by Kailh Blue mechanical switches, which offer good tactile feedback. Completing the retro theme is a white fiber-sleeved USB cable.

AZiO appears to be cashing in on the new hip trend of old-school typewriter keycaps. The company unveiled its new high-end mechanical gaming keyboard, the Armato, and while most would expect it to accompany with an RGB LED lit variant; AZiO dedicated a variant to classic typewriter keycaps, called the Armato Classic Edition. It's not just keycaps that set the two apart. The Armato uses Cherry MX Brown switches, while the Armato Classic Edition features Kailh Blue switches, for more tactile feedback. Both keyboards are characterized by a standard 104-key layout with locally stored macro profiles, and a rotary volume control wheel. The Armato comes with red LED back-lighting, while its Classic Edition variant comes with white LED lighting. Both keyboards feature large firm palm-rests.

In addition to the MGK Alpha, AZiO also unveiled its flagship keyboard, the MGK L80 RGB. This mechanical keyboard features RGB LED multi-color lighting for its keys and aesthetic bits, with six lighting modes that can be set directly on the keyboard, without needing software. You also get four macro keys that are directly programmable on the keyboard. Also featured is a magnetic detachable palm-rest, and a volume control knob. The MGK L80 RGB goes on sale later this month.

AZiO Also announced the EXO Alpha line of gaming mice featuring a metal-frame design, with a brushed aluminium floating palm-rest that comes in three colors - red, blue, and gunmetal, and light from an RGB LED coming out from the edges of the floating rest. Under the hood is a 9,800 dpi optical sensor with 5 adjustable settings, six programmable buttons, and a management software that stores your settings on the cloud.

AZiO unveiled the MGK Alpha, a high-end backlit mechanical keyboard. Away from the RGB madness, the MGK Alpha features elegant white LED back-lighting, a magnetic detachable palm-rest, a volume-control scrollwheel, an anodized-aluminium faceplate with brushed finish; and an anodized side-mesh. You get five programmable macro keys, and you can use the Function key to set even more macros using the included software. The keyboard allows hot-switching between three profiles programmed directly into it.