Software

With all functionality hardware based, there are no software drivers for the AZIO Retro Classic BT. As such, I have chosen to combine this section with the performance section below.

Performance

The AZIO Retro Classic BT supports six-key rollover Bluetooth, which tested successfully using Aqua's test. Noting that modifier keys do not count towards this limit as it is, I have zero issues with native 6KRO for USB devices, but you also get the full NKRO in USB mode if you happen to need it for some reason. Similarly, no key chatter was detected on any of the keys using Switch Hitter. As with just about any keyboard these days, there is no right Windows key, it having being substituted by an Fn key instead.


When first connected, all the LEDs light up white at 100%, and given this keyboard doesn't use RGB LEDs, it is as true a white as any I have seen on a keyboard. The diffuser element built into the switch housing also works well, and we have all the legends backlit very uniformly. Sure, it does help that they are crammed into the center as we saw before, but it does at least work as intended, so I will give them that. There is onboard control on the backlighting brightness, and we have five steps (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 %) to choose from. The lights will turn off after 5 minutes of no activity to preserve battery life by default in BT mode, as well as within a few seconds of no Bluetooth connection.

The Bluetooth connectivity with the Retro Classic BT keyboard was flawless in my testing, and I can understand why AZIO went with BT 4.0 as many devices today still do not support Bluetooth 5.0. The default lighting turning off after inactivity works better than putting the entire keyboard to sleep as some others do, and the relatively massive 5000 mAh battery helps a lot, too. AZIO did a good job of balancing out portability and weight, with the wood and frame not only adding enough heft to make the keyboard solid, but balancing out the mass from the battery. For context, most full-size wireless mechanical keyboards have a 2000 mAh battery or smaller, so having something this big for this keyboard helps with battery life on the order of months depending on your usage. Charging is slow with the keyboard taking ~0.4 A over 5 V for the USB connection, but I never actually ran out of battery life on the keyboard in my weeks of testing. For context, AZIO rates battery life to be over a year without any backlighting.

There is not much else to describe here which you have not already seen—the AZIO Retro Classic BT is a fairly standard keyboard in that it does everything expected of a QWERTY keyboard, but better than most office keyboards. The keycaps look unique, the secondary functions for application shortcuts, volume, and media control tied to the function keys continue to be appreciated, but I still do not like those concave surface keycaps for typing on, which is as it was with the five keyboards with this keycap style before. Your mileage may vary, but just be aware of it, especially as you can't do anything about the keycaps to begin with. The full-size keyboard means you retain dedicated functions in this form factor, although the keyboard itself is now a fairly chunky peripheral. The RCK in its 75% form factor is one you may want to consider instead, especially if you want a wrist rest, which the RCK comes with by default.


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 Retro Classic BT sample at ~90 WPM. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with clicky switches. I did bottom out, although it is definitely possible not to for a quieter typing experience. In terms of actuation and bottoming out, these switches are functionally no different than Kailh Blue switches with an average actuation force of 59.8 cN averaged across twenty keys on my sample. Bottoming out seemed regular too, and nothing jumped out at me that was any different from the rest. The switches all felt very smooth when using the keyboard and had a good tactile bump, which is just the way I like it.