Lighting and Performance

The Fantech MAXFIT67 supports N-key rollover USB and 2.4 GHz out of the box, which tested successfully using Aqua's test. It defaults to native 6KRO when using Bluetooth connectivity. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys either, and above are all the functions with dedicated keys on the base layer. There are 67 keys in total, with the Fn key not showing in Switch Hitter.


As with most such 65% keyboards, a secondary Fn layer is how you get back most of the missing functionality of a full TKL keyboard. Indeed, the user manual has a table covering these, although the keycaps themselves don't have any of these marked on them to lower the entry barrier. Still, these are logically placed, such as the Fn keys tied to the number keys. Fantech has pre-programmed some additional functions to improve the user experience, such as a toggle between Windows and macOS correspoinding to the extra keycaps in the box, media playback controls, and onboard lighting controls, although these keycaps being opaque doesn't help much with backlighting.

Speaking of which, here is a look at the MAXFIT67 lit up in a rainbow wave default lighting effect when it is first connected and powered on irrespective of whether the software is running or not. This is a dynamic lighting effect that goes through the 16.8 M colors on offer, and the opaque keycaps mean the RGB LEDs just shine through the gaps between the keycaps for accent lighting.


Seen above are some of the other available lighting effects, which are accessible via both onboard controls and software. One of the static effects includes a "Dazzle" option that is a multi-color selector that has different LEDs light up in different colors. It helps test for light bleed, of which there was very little on this two-piece case construction with no floating keycaps. The black colors also mute any light bleed, and I suspect the white color options will make for a more vibrant light show. I then used the software drivers to set all LEDs to white to test for color fidelity since RGB LEDs can have a hard time depicting a true white. To Fantech's credit, the MAXFIT67 outputs a very good white. Perhaps there is something to be said about having a backlit-compatible keycap set here, although the south-facing LEDs on basically all the keys mean the legends on the top won't be as well lit.

Wireless connectivity is another strong point with both 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth 5.0 options available, although the actual execution of both could be improved. The Beken chipset isn't the best in the world, and I lost Bluetooth connectivity a few times in my living room with the keyboard ~10' from the PC. Walls in between made this worse, but typical usage on a desk was fine aside from occasional noticeable input lag. I recommend going with the USB dongle and 2.4 GHz connectivity if you absolutely must take the wireless route, and battery life here is still very good because of the relatively large 4000 mAh/15 Wh battery inside. There are sleep modes integrated to turn off the LEDs first and the keyboard with inactivity, and I went through weeks on end with the LEDs off given the opaque keycaps. There is a dedicated battery status indicator LED, along with others, on the right side of the keyboard, which also helps with the charging that is an overnight affair on 5 V and maxes out at 500 mA over USB.


The Gateron Milky Yellow is a linear switch rated to be slightly heavier than the Cherry MX Red, but with the same actuation and total travel distances of 2.0/4.0 mm respectively. Actuation force is thus expected to be near the rated 50 gf with a bottoming-out force of ~60 gf. Despite the different stem and spring compared to the Gateron Yellow, these Milky Yellow switches perform similar in practice and are also quite consistent. Using the switches was a pleasure because of the smoother travel, and this is coming from a guy who prefers tactile switches. The spring is near-perfect, appealing to all Cherry MX Red gamers without feeling too different while having enough resistance to keep the general typists happy as well.


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 Fantech MAXFIT67 keyboard sample at ~95 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Gateron Milky Yellow switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. I did bottom out constantly, which isn't surprising given the peak bottoming-out force is very close to the actuation force. The rest of the keyboard built around these switches improves the typing feel and sound signature as best as possible, and the combination punches above its price point despite that super-thin foam sheet between the PCB and case. The lubed switches and stabilizers combined with the thicker foam between the plate and PCB make for a deeper sound signature from the switches bottoming out on the steel plate. This keyboard also does not sound as high-pitched as I initially thought it would be. It sounds solidly reassuring, especially if you come from having used, say, Cherry MX Red switches on keyboards with a mostly empty case.