Lighting and Performance

The Endorfy Thock TKL Wireless 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 the larger TKL form factor allows for 87 dedicated keys which do not necessitate the use of layers for base functions. Instead, Endorfy has added things on the Fn layer such as program shortcuts, volume controls, and media playback to improve the user experience, and these are indicated by the keycap legends to make it easier to use.


When the keyboard is first plugged in, regardless of whether the software drivers are installed or not, you will see the LEDs light up in a rainbow wave effect. This does a good job of confirming there's at least power being fed to the keyboard but keep in mind that you may have power to the LEDs but still see the keyboard not fully function unless you have the Type-C connector completely pressed in place. I found out the hard way and I have to complain about Endorfy making this unnecessarily complicated. Either way, there are onboard controls over the lighting effects that are stored on the keyboard itself, although you will need to use the software drivers to have finer control. I tested a few different such lighting effects thus, including one which is useful for confirming there isn't a lot of light bleed here despite the floating keycaps. Setting all the LEDs to white was also productive in showing the LED colors are decently calibrated in putting out a close-enough white from the RGB LEDs. Please also be aware that the flickering seen in the video is a recording artifact from my older camera, it's not visible in person. That being said, it still appears that the LEDs refresh as a lower rate than on many other keyboards.

I would have liked more indicators on board the keyboard for the wireless connectivity features, especially for battery status during charge and discharge cycles. This is all the more handy given you can connect the keyboard 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 and there is a rudimentary sleep mode programmed in to turn off the LEDs and then the keyboard after certain periods of inactivity. Yet, having just covered some keyboards where you have more control over all these and also get to see the paired device, the connectivity mode, and the battery level, things could certainly be better. Battery life is quite acceptable though, with over a few weeks of use with the LEDs turned off and ~45-50 hours with them on at full brightness. In typical use you can expect to only charge the keyboard once every couple of weeks and charging takes ~5-6 hours off the provided cable and a USB 3.0 connection.


This is the force-travel curve for the Kailh BOX Black switches courtesy Kailh. These are heavier-force linear switches with a total travel of 3.6 mm compared to the usual 4.0 mm and a rated actuation distance of 1.8 +/-0.3 mm as opposed to the average switch at 2.0 mm. Rated actuation force is 60 +/-20 gf, which is worse than the average +/-15 gf error bar. Peak force is rated at a tiring 80 gf, which you will hit when bottoming out and letting go. As far as the rated specifications go, this switch is quite similar to the Cherry MX Black with shorter travel overall, but also a slightly lower peak force in practice since the MX Black can exceed 80 gf. A random set of twenty switches tested well within rated specifications, with measured actuation at ~1.9 mm. Key travel is again smooth with only plastic on lubed plastic contact, and bottoming out can be avoided more easily owing to the heavier spring. If you do bottom out, the total time between keystrokes is also shorter owing to the appreciably shorter travel distance. Those who like deliberate typing or prefer a heavier switch in general will like these, but the heavy spring does mean these are less commonly seen and thus make the Endorfy Thock TKL worthy of consideration for those who are looking for keyboards with BOX Black switches out of the box.


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 Endorfy Thock TKL Wireless keyboard at ~95 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Kailh BOX Black switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. I did bottom out here although it is possible to train yourself not to do so given the use of the relatively heavier switch. This helps all the more here given the keyboard does not have any dampening materials in use, leading to the switches pinging off the frame and reverberations in the empty case itself. It's far from being my favorite sounding keyboard with a mix of high and low notes too.