Lighting and Performance

The CIDOO ABM084 supports N-key rollover USB and 2.4 GHz out of the box, which tested successfully using Aqua's test. It defaults to 6KRO with Bluetooth as expected. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys either, and seen above are all the functions with dedicated keys on the base layer. There are 84 mechanical keys in total here with the R. Win key replaced by an Fn key and a dedicated Menu key pleasantly surprising me. The larger form factor means you have all the keys typically used on a TKL keyboard and you can use the software to get back print screen if needed—no one uses scroll lock or pause/break these days, let's face it.

Regardless of whether the software drivers are installed or not, the keyboard lights up in a rainbow wave effect called "Rolling" seen above when first connected. This is a dynamic lighting effect that goes through the 16.8 M colors and confirms the keycaps are indeed opaque and also that the keyboard is powered on and recognized by the PC. Note that the flickering is a recording artifact, and not present in person.


Seen above are some of the other available lighting effects, accessible via both onboard controls and software, with full 16.8 M RGB per-key lighting for some static RGB modes, having me test for light bleed. There is minor light bleed present, owing to the non-floating and opaque keycaps that make for the LEDs to only shine through between the keycaps. This isn't really a keyboard you would get if you want a fancy light show anyway, at least not with the stock keycaps. I then used the software drivers to set all LEDs to white, testing for color fidelity, since RGB LEDs can struggle to put out true white and require calibration on the hardware and software fronts from keyboard makers. CIDOO managed to put out a very good white here that merits commendation. I will also give a shout out to the onboard controls over the LED, as well as other OS shortcuts, to where you really only need to use the software drivers for fine tuning. The dual action knob/media keys are also quite handy here as previously described.

Wired mode works as expected without hitches, but the wireless connectivity is going to be a primary feature of interest for potential customers with the CIDOO ABM084 having both 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity on offer. Fn + tab toggles through the various connectivity modes, and the LEDs light up red/white/cyan to indicate wired/Bluetooth/2.4 GHz modes respectively. The keyboard can be paired with up to three devices simultaneously in Bluetooth mode to make for a maximum total of five devices across the three modes. The user manual describes how to pair the keyboard in the wireless modes as well as indicator LEDs to describe the operating state and battery status during charging/discharging. There is also an auto sleep mode pre-programmed which turns off backlighting after five minutes of inactivity and places the keyboard in standby mode after 30 minutes. This contributes to a battery life on the order of multiple weeks with the LEDs off, which really is how you would be using the keyboard with opaque keycaps anyway. I got closer to 30 hours of intermittent use with the LEDs on, which is not really enough for Bluetooth noting that this runtime reduces further over 2.4 GHz. Charging time is also not the most impressive given the meager 300 mA max current draw over 5 V, so this becomes an overnight affair.


The Gateron Pro Yellow only differs from the regular Milky Yellow in that it comes lightly pre-lubed, and Gateron also claims a better mold for tighter tolerances with the moving parts. There may or may not be some gold plating on the metal contacts, since none is visible to the naked eye. It is a linear switch rated to be slightly heavier than the Cherry MX Red, but with the same respective actuation and total travel distances of 2.0/4.0 mm. Actuation force is thus expected to be near the rated 50 gf, with a bottoming-out force of ~60 gf. A random test of twenty switches showed these were not only quite consistent, but very close to the rated numbers. Even using the switches was a pleasure because of the smoother travel, which the lube makes even better. The Gateron Pro would be a very good upgrade for those used to the Cherry MX Red because of various gaming keyboards since it won't feel too different, just better overall while having enough resistance to keep regular typists happy as well. Keeping to 2.0/4.0 mm travel is also good overall; while not a fast gaming switch, it will be a very good general switch, and from what I am told, these switches are selling well too.


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 CIDOO ABM084 keyboard sample at ~105 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Gateron Pro Yellow switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. I did bottom out more often than not, but this is a well-damped keyboard with no other source of sound but the switches themselves. There are no felt reverberations, and even the actual typing experience is excellent, and feels supported. It may not be a gasket-mount design, but the dual thick poron foam sheets coupled with the well-lubed stabilizers—for the most part anyway—and switches make for a pleasant typing experience that also sounds good for the price range.