Lighting and Performance

The AQIRYS ADARA supports N-key rollover USB which tested successfully using Aqua's test. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys either, and seen above are all the functions with dedicated keys on the base layer. This 95-key unit gives you most of the functionality of a full-size keyboard in a smaller foot print and note that R. Win is replaced by the Fn key which is used for the Fn layer itself.


Speaking of which, here we see the pre-programmed functions tied to the Fn layer on the ADARA. These include volume control and media playback as well as giving you back some of those missing functions, including the handy Print Screen. There are also some shortcuts to add to your user experience here and there are similar such functions for macOS too. Additionally, we find onboard control over the RGB LEDs here for both the keyboard and the logo to where you can get a lot done with this keyboard without needing to use the software drivers.


Seen above are some of the available lighting effects accessible via both onboard controls and software, with full 16.8 M RGB per-key lighting on offer. The backlit keycaps and the translucent switches add to making this a decently lit keyboard, and then there is the backlit logo which has its own control rather than being easily coordinated with the rest of the keyboard. Light bleed is minimal on this keyboard owing to the lack of floating keycaps although color fidelity could be improved given the LEDs set to white still had a slight pink hue.


I mentioned before how the AQIRYS ADARA only comes with a single switch option in the form of the HaiMu Linear Pink, which is a silent switch at that. This is a full-size mechanical switch that can be considered similar to the Cherry MX Silent Red switch and is rated for an actuation force of 45 gf at ~1.5-2 mm of travel, which in itself is a massive range to declare. Thankfully a randomly tested set of 20 switches proved to be fairly consistent at ~1.8 mm travel with a total travel distance of ~3.8 mm. The pre-lubed switches make for a pleasant and smooth typing experience, although the dampening sheet at the bottom does take away from that crisp typing feedback some may prefer to have. As always, the sound of a keyboard is based on more than just the switch type. So when comparing sound clips, consider the keyboard as a whole. In this case, I have provided above an example sound clip of me typing on the AQIRYS ADARA keyboard sample at ~105 WPM as it comes out of the box with these switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. I did bottom out constantly here which also helps demonstrate how reasonably quiet this keyboard is! The silent switches play a big role here of course, but it is complemented well by the silicone gaskets and the foam sheet used which help dampen the keystrokes to where it's not as high-pitched as it would be without them, in addition to absorbing noise. The thicker PBT keycaps also help here, as do the pre-lubed stabilizers, and the overall typing experience is one that will be fine for a shared work environment.