Closer Examination

As the name suggests, the AQIRYS Aludra TKL is a typical tenkeyless keyboard. It loses the numpad section of a full-size keyboard, and there are 87 keys on this US ANSI layout. As far as I can tell, no other languages are supported, which is a shame for a European brand. But this is completely understandable given most keyboards these days tend to be made to a common formula before they get tweaked for personalization. In this case, we have a two-tone colorway with a white ABS plastic case and more keycaps in a white ABS plastic composition. The white on the keycaps is actually slightly colder in temperature, having a blue hue compared to the whiter case. There are also some black keycaps for aesthetics, as these mostly are novelty designs. In fact, look at that top row where you would expect a typical Fn key row followed by Print Screen, Scroll Lock, and Pause/Break. Instead, AQIRYS has drunk the gaming Kool-Aid and put out an actual hash tag that doesn't work well in practice. Not only do the various breaks hurt the flow—TGAM being a great example—but I don't want my keyboard to be a gaming and marketing advertisement, either.

This continues on other keycaps too, and I have a hard time taking the Aludra TKL seriously just for this reason. The rest of the design is normal enough, and in a nice touch, indicator LEDs have been placed above the arrow keys. Bezels are average in size, but that over-sized space bar keycap makes the bottom bezel look smaller than it is. The keycaps have centrally placed legends, including secondary legends next to primary ones where applicable, but not consistently throughout; < and > are good examples of this, and the Fn legends below the gaming tagline are the worst offenders. This results in a relatively small font size and more empty space on the keycaps, also because the keyboard no doubt uses backlit legends with north-facing LEDs below. AQIRYS also completely replaced the Ins-Pg Dn cluster with novelty designs, which will be a divisive affair. Branding comes in the form of "AQIRYS" on the left side, in addition to all the keycaps themselves, of course. Ultimately, this is a keyboard that looks clean from afar but is less at home in a public setting than, well, a home.


Turning the keyboard around, the usual certification sticker is in the middle. We also see cutouts in the case for the side lighting, and there are four long rubber pads on the corners for friction against the resting surface and to prevent scratches to the case. The case is made out of white ABS plastic and has cutouts at the top for additional cable-routing channels. There are two sets of keyboard feet at the top for a total of three elevation options, and rubber pads are at the bottom of these feet.


A cutout in the case is for the Type-C port set into the bottom, and the provided cable fits easily. In fact, depending on the thickness of the sleeving, this keyboard should work with pretty much any USB Type-C cable out there. So if you want to customize the keyboard further with a coiled or split cable, go for it. Helping with cable management are three integrated channels with plastic nibs holding the cable, so you may route the cable in whichever direction you prefer. The stock cable, in white to match the keyboard, is plenty decent as it has a durable sleeve, is the usual 6' long, and goes to an available USB Type-A port on your PC, where USB 3.0 (USB 3.2 Gen 1) is recommended.


Here is the Aludra TKL keyboard placed on the provided AQIRYS WEBB XL mouse pad. This being a desk mat, there is plenty of room for other peripherals, including a mouse and set of headphones perhaps, or even a standalone microphone. The microfiber surface works well as a mouse pad, so a separate one isn't necessary unless you have clear preferences on that front. Otherwise, this makes for a consistent white with black accents color scheme throughout.


A look from the side shows the built-in elevation of the keyboard before the two sets of feet are extended, as well as the AQIRYS branding and cutout between the top and bottom case panels, which are no doubt for side lighting from sideways-facing LEDs on the PCB. The Aludra TKL uses a typical OEM profile for the keycaps, with the usual contouring of the six rows. The two-piece case design means these keycaps are not floating in design, and the provided keycap puller works well and doesn't scratch the sides of keycaps as with the likes of plastic ring-style keycap pullers. Removing some keycaps shows these are thick ABS plastic with what appear to be laser-etched legends, so they will unfortunately show signs of use sooner rather than later. These are all backlighting compatible, including the novelty designs. But the secondary legends below the primary ones are not backlit as well with north-facing LEDs.


There is a single switch option with the Aludra TKL, and it is the Gateron Red RGB switch. This is probably the most popular Gateron switch since it doesn't cost as much as the likes of the Gateron Ink Red or Silent Red switches while replicating the functionality of the Cherry MX linear switch in most ways. The larger keycaps use plate-mounted stabilizers, with the stabilizer bar lightly pre-lubed out of the factory. This helps dampen the mushy feedback when typing on the larger keys, especially the space bar key.


Using the included switch remover, I extracted one of these switches for a closer look, which also gives us a better look at the 5-pin hot-swap switch socket and SMD RGB LED. The Gateron Red has the same cross-point stem design as the Cherry MX Red, and this is the RGB version with a clear top for more lighting to pass through. The base is an opaque white, but we still see some of the internals. The sides also reveal that this is a 3-pin mechanical switch, and you may of course replace the switches with just about any other on the market.


While it's a subtle change, here's a look at the AQIRYS Aludra TKL with the replacement space bar keycap. What differentiates it from the stock keycap is not just the simpler design, but that it better conforms to the OEM keycap profile compared to the wider stock keycap that extends past the sides for more space to hit the keycap and rest your fingers. It also affects the sound signature slightly, which is ultimately a matter of preference, so try them both out to see which you like more.