Value and Conclusion

The HAVIT HV-KB390L is a recent release and sells for $59.99 from HAVIT's web shop as well as third-party retailers, including Amazon.com for customers in the USA, as of the date of this article.

Well-priced for the feature set
Low-profile, bezel-less design
New low-profile Kailh switches that are very consistent and of high quality
Lightweight driver backed with good onboard control over backlighting
Fairly clean aesthetics give it the ability to fit into different environments

Mediocre quality stock keycaps
One-year warranty is short
Unnecessary empty space in the case, which could have been cut down to make this even lower in profile

I was prepared to rate the HAVIT HV-KB390L as a keyboard priced in the $80-$100 price range, so the $60 MSRP is nice to see. It was then that I recalled something similar, and a quick search revealed a news post right here on a Sharkoon keyboard coming up soon with the same switches, albeit with the added option of the Red linear switch, and a near-identical design to where it would not be far-fetched to conclude these two share a common OEM. Regardless, the Sharkoon keyboard was announced at €70, which still makes the HAVIT keyboard a better deal if all other things are equal.

The switches, low-profile case, and low-profile keycaps all help make this the "thinnest 87-key mechanical keyboard on the market" in HAVIT's own words, and it indeed is when compared to every other keyboard I have ever tested. This makes for an excellent travel keyboard, or even one for a small or crowded desk. The build quality is decent, but nothing out of the ordinary, and the aluminum alloy plate with its matte plastic bottom case panel make for a keyboard that is not a fingerprint or dust magnet either.

The ice blue backlighting and different pitch of the keyboard when typing also help distinguish this from something that many mechanical keyboard users have used or felt before, tough it is also similar enough to where it won't alienate them either. The software driver adds in support for macros and virtual profiles, and the >10 different static and dynamic lighting effects help provide something for everyone to choose from. The only real complaints here are the same old thin ABS keycaps and their laser etched legends, which in this case is compounded by the presence of primary, secondary, and even tertiary legends on certain keycaps. So when they wear out, and they will sooner than you think, onboard functionality can be compromised. I would encourage HAVIT to at least adopt doubleshot legends here, although I concede that the wholly new mold needed for such keycaps will not make this a trivial change.

Overall, I am happy I agreed to take a look at the keyboard, and this is now going to replace my current travel keyboard. For $60, you can't do much better if you are looking for a low-profile mechanical keyboard, and so I gladly give the HAVIT HV-KB390L awards for both value and overall appeal.