Software

There is no dedicated software driver support for the AZIO IZO—all functionality is hardware based. As such, I have chosen to combine the Software and Performance pages into one. I would have liked to see a software driver, if only to remap the keys, but AZIO has not had one for the Retro series, so I won't hold my breath here either.

Performance

We get full N-key rollover USB with the AZIO IZO, as tested successfully with Aqua's test. Unsurprisingly, it drops to the standard 6KRO in Bluetooth mode. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys, and we see above which functions get dedicated keys on the base layer.

Let's talk about that base layer since a 75% keyboard does have the luxury of more dedicated keys for customers not to feel like they are in for a steep learning curve. There is still going to be one, especially with a single bank of keys other than the Fn keys at the top, alongside Esc and that huge wheel. AZIO chose to go with 1u keys on the bottom row to the right of the space bar to fit in three keys rather than the two that would have been possible with the usual 1.25u spacing, so you pretty much get all the functionality of the alphanumeric section on a standard keyboard. Getting used to the shorter R.Shift might take a while, especially if you hit the Up arrow accidentally, but the rounded keycaps do help with quickly knowing whether you are on the right key or not. Most of the functionality of a TKL keyboard is present, and the main keys lost are Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause/Break, Page Up, and Page Down, all of which get secondary functions on End, Right Arrow, Insert, Up Arrow, and Down Arrow. I question the need to give the insert function a dedicated key since it isn't useful for most, and having Print Screen, Pause/Break, Scroll Lock in that order is going to trigger some people no doubt.


A white LED is associated with each switch, and with the blue injection, they end up shining a light blue through the switches. The blue plate also further accentuates this effect, so what you end up with is a third shade of blue when the keyboard is lit up, next to the two otherwise present without any lighting. The stock Esc and space bar keycaps are opaque, and you can replace them with the other two if you want more consistency. There is a wave effect on the keyboard by default, and you can control the backlighting brightness by holding Fn and turning the wheel. Holding Fn and then pressing down on the wheel toggles through the 21 pre-programmed lighting effects, including static, dynamic, and reactive effects, some of which are demonstrated above.

That wheel also acts as a volume control; turn it clockwise to increase the volume and the other way to decrease it, and press it to mute/unmute the system. This is far better an implementation than what Epomaker did with the B21 having two wheels for two functions in total. There are also several other pre-programmed functions on the keyboard, beginning with the Bluetooth pairing with up to three devices simultaneously, where the indicator LEDs in the top-left corner come in handy. The keyboard also supports PC and Mac, and can be switched between the two. An annoyance others have reported is that the keyboard defaults to PC no matter what else you connect to, be it a mobile phone or macOS device. So it might be connected to, say, an iMac, and if you turn it off and on again, you need to switch it. The indicator LEDs on the right help, as does the battery indicator. There are a few hot keys on the Fn key row as well, including application shortcuts and media playback controls. AZIO has also programmed in a nice battery level check, wherein pressing Fn + Esc lights up F1 through F10, with each lit key in order denoting 10% of total battery power left.

Bluetooth connectivity is one of the main features, and the use of Bluetooth 5.0 combined with support for three simultaneously paired devices and a massive 5000 mAh battery makes this a pleasant experience. I do wish the keyboard would have the 2.4 GHz support the mouse does, but you will easily get a couple of weeks of battery life with the backlighting on (which turns off after ~10 seconds of no activity). If you turn the brightness down or off altogether, battery life is on the order of multiple months. Charging the battery is also not too bad given the USB 3.0 limit of 1 A, and AZIO expects ~10 hours of charging time.

Getting used to the AZIO IZO means getting used to the keys mentioned above more than anything else. The keycap profile may also be jarring in the beginning, but the rounded top surfaces are actually nice, and the lower profile and minimal change in going from one row to another also help. The built-in elevation is probably the one thing I would change about the case, or throw in a comfortable palm rest at least since the bottom row is still slightly taller than many would prefer, even if ignoring the smaller form factor. AZIO does have an optional add-on in the Kickstarter for a palm rest and desk pad, so keep that in mind.


There is a single switch option with the AZIO IZO, which is the tactile and clicky Gateron Blue. For those complaining, I hear and understand you. That said, AZIO has always had a singly clicky switch option with the Retro series of keyboards. Perhaps it was more fitting with that typewriter-style keyboard, however. I do not associate this cuter and more fun and flashy design with clicky switches myself. Regardless, I should also mention that the Gateron Blue mechanical switch is one of Gateron's older series, and not a very good one at that. I had used these a couple of years ago. The Input Club was equally unimpressed all the way back in 2017, and not that much has unfortunately changed since. The mold may have been updated within the ~4 years since as there is more consistency in what is a clone of the MX Blue in that it is a 4-mm total travel switch with actuation rated at 2 mm, but the tactile bump and click come earlier. The stems are a bit scratchy and the bump pronounced, but the click is less satisfying than with some of Gateron's newer switches, and the feedback from the springs is not very linear either. I hope AZIO got a good deal on these because there are certainly better clicky switches out there even before the whole point of not having any linear or tactile switch options comes up.


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 AZIO IZO keyboard sample at ~110 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Gateron MX Blue switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with tactile and clicky switches. I did bottom out, but will note that there is not much reverberation with the plastic case being empty but the injection mold sections cordoning it off into several smaller boxes. The switches sound alright at best; the clicks are harsh, and there are lots of pings off the steel plate. The stabilizers are unlubed, and the stock ABS space bar makes it even worse. Using the replacement space bar does help, but there is only so much those PBT keycaps can do to mitigate that mushy feeling.