Introduction

Depending on when this gets published, it will likely be the fourth Akko keyboard reviewed here to date. The previous three were sent by Epomaker, a distributor for the brand among others, including their own. These were all of different themes, such as World Tour Tokyo and Matcha Red Bean in pink and green generally. Turns out Akko has been wanting to get into the global market further, having gone as far as creating an international website in English with many more products there, although still fewer than the localized Chinese one. A couple of emails back and forth, and here we are with another Akko keyboard, but directly from the manufacturer and currently exclusive to it. Thanks to Akko for sending the review samples to TechPowerUp!


Notice I said samples instead of the singular sample. The theme of this keyboard is Monet's Pond, but it is not named so for the Water Lilies series of paintings by impressionist Claude Monet. Instead, the theme is based on Monet's Pond in the Gifu prefecture of Japan, which in turn was named such because of visual similarities to said paintings. Akko is aiming to recreate the feeling of being in front of the scenic area that is extremely popular with tourists, and has included some good luck charms on the keycaps too. There is an entire product lineup under this theme, including differently sized keyboards, a wrist rest, and a desk mat. We take a look at three entries from the Monet's Pond series in this review, with the emphasis on the full-size keyboard whose specifications are in the table below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

Themed keyboards, especially if part of a whole series, usually have matching packaging. This holds true for the Akko 3108v2 Monet's Pond with its two-piece packaging that comes inside a plastic wrap to begin with. The outer sleeve is where we see most of the colors, with the base turquoise reflecting the pond in real life. The company logo and product name are alongside a large render of the keyboard on front, and there is a simplified render on the back with technical specifications alongside. A sticker on the side notes the switches for the sample inside. There are no seals here, with the inner box simply sliding off the outer sleeve.


The inner box, also made out of cardboard, has a simpler design with a mostly black color scheme. The Akko logo in a radiant purple greets us on front, and two double flaps in the middle and two side flaps keep the contents inside in place during transit. Opening the box, we see the keyboard inside two layers. The top layer is a molded plastic cover that can be used as a dust cover when the keyboard is not used, and then there is a soft foam wrap all around the keyboard for further protection in transit. This is complemented by cardboard on all sides, also as a barrier to keep the accessories neatly tucked away. A QC sticker and manual are underneath the keyboard. Not only more detailed but also supporting multiple languages out of the box, including English, the manual is better this time around than some of the previous showings from the brand.


The other accessories are actually inside two separate cardboard boxes, not just underneath folded cardboard as with most keyboards. Inside the smaller of the two boxes, Akko includes a nice metal-wire keycap puller with their logo on the handle. The wires are long and thick enough to easily remove keycaps for replacement and/or cleaning without the risk of scratching the sides as with the cheaper plastic-ring pullers most others include. We also see a detachable Type-A to Type-C USB cable in the same turquoise color to match the keyboard, which points towards the use of Type-C connectivity on the keyboard. It should not surprise you anymore, but there are more Akko logos on the cable connector housings. With notches which are presumably used as guides for the physical connection on the keyboard, the Type-C housing is also shaped differently.


Given the Akko 3108 is a full-size keyboard, we do not get a lot of room for novelty keycaps. However, this has not deterred Akko from including a whopping eleven replacement keycaps in a turquoise or white color scheme. These are thick PBT keycaps (average wall thickness 1.38 mm) with dye-sublimed designs, allowing for the use of more intricate designs irrespective of the two colors chosen for the base and legends alike. I also have to say that calling all of them legends is doing them an injustice. We do get some that add functionality, as with the Esc key and calculator shortcut and volume controls keys that make up the extra four keys here, but the rest are novelty keycap designs through and through. These are Japanese cultural elements, including origami and the Daruma dolls, but also items found in a Japanese rock garden symbolizing luck and prosperity. Backlighting is really not a thing here—this keyboard does not support any backlighting, and the focus is instead on the novel color with these keycaps and the rest of the design.