Software

Scroll down towards the bottom of the product page and open the Download tab for links to the software drivers of the MAXFIT67, firmware update tool, and keyboard manual. As with any keyboard, if a firmware update is available, go ahead and apply it lest you miss out on any feature updates or bug fixes. This tool is something else, though; it feels as though breaking something is easily done. Just follow the instructions in the compressed folder containing the tool. The actual process is very simple and takes about a minute.


The software drivers are Fantech Core, and version 1.1 is available on the product page as this is written. The installer is ~90 MB, and the installation process offers next to no options outside of an installation confirmation and the language option. Fantech Core then takes liberties in where it is installed, any terms and conditions you inadvertently agree to, and desktop or start menu shortcuts. Not a great iteration, and one Fantech needs to rectify as soon as possible. The installed drivers take 277 MB, but are otherwise light on system resources. Opening the program requires the keyboard to be connected using the cable; according to Fantech, wireless connectivity isn't going to provide enough bandwidth. While it doesn't have the most polished UI and still retains clear signs of English not being the first language, Fantech Core at least scales well with both OS scaling and high DPI displays, and the various elements are placed logically and with enough space between them.

Above is a walkthrough of customizing the Fantech MAXFIT67 in Fantech Core, which appears to be a universal program for other Fantech peripherals, at least based on the drop-down menu at the bottom-right corner over which an available product is selected. There is not much in the way of general settings, and neither can you create or edit profiles whatsoever, which is a major miss. The other functions are all working as expected, including key mapping courtesy a virtual keyboard on the screen, macro recording, editing, and assignment, an integrated driver updater and firmware updater that might well be the way to go, as well as a plethora of lighting effects. The lighting effects have various associated sub-options associated, and Fantech allows for per-key 16.8 M (256 brightness steps per R/G/B channel) lighting control over all the LEDs on the keyboard. There is no option to control the polling rate, key rollover, or repeat and delay rate of the keyboard, and Fantech has a ways to go before this is a fully featured software suite. My biggest issue with the suite is the absence of a dedicated "Apply" button; instead, any changes made save automatically, which can be a pain when setting macros or LED color.