Performance

With 30KRO being the default option out of the box, we see that it just works fine. I don't see any need for more, so no points are being deducted here. Similarly, no key chatter was detected on all the keys using Switch Hitter. Note that the key not lit up here is Fn instead of Menu, so all keys work just fine.

Out of the box, the i-Rocks K70E is set to the L4 lighting preset, which we saw before was configured to the wave lighting effect. This is where I first noticed the effect of both the plastic diffuser around the switch stem and the increased distance between the LEDs to the switches to where the lights are all a lighter palette in effect, similar to the Mionix Wei we took a look at recently, though it isn't so on purpose here. In fact, if you go back to the previous page and look at the preview in the driver, you will see that these are the most intense colors available as well. The overall effect is quite pleasing to me personally and goes well with the white color scheme too in allowing a backlighting mode that is not overpowering, but know what you are getting before buying it.


I then went about testing the static lighting options with onboard and then driver controls. The first image above shows the keyboard in all pink, one of the available options from the keyboard itself. To test color fidelity further, I set the keyboard to all white and also focused on the Num Pad section to see how the various legends handle backlighting here. The white here has a light pink tone to it, and it is possible that the diffuser and white keyboard itself are factors here. Even the doubleshot injected legends that are translucent need to be at the top to be the most lit up here, as the secondary (or primary in some cases) legends at the bottom are not as well lit. There are also some specific legends that do not get lit up at all, as we saw earlier. Another thing to note here is that the lighter palette coupled with the floating keycaps means there is a good amount of light bleed, with keycaps having different colors and those next to each other being particularly susceptible at their common edge. This is not necessarily a bad thing in this case as it makes for a smoother transition of colors going across the length (or width) of the keyboard.

Here are some more of the lighting effects demonstrated. With a decent mix of static, dynamic, and type-responsive effects overall, the keyboard does a decent job with the various lighting options available.

One thing I do like is that we have extensive onboard controls here, so if you are not a fan of installing software drivers, then so be it. The manual does a decent job of telling you how to operate the keyboard with functionality and lighting in mind, but of course, there are inherent limitations here. Macro recording and assignment in particular is much easier via the software driver, for example, as is getting finer control over the lighting, but a combination of both is always the best option, so props to i-Rocks for that.


I am sure most of you are here to know how the i-Rocks capacitive switches fare, in particularly for those few who have had the pleasure of using a Topre switch keyboard before. The default switches used here have an actuation force rating of 45 gf, but note that i-Rocks has an optional model coming soon, if it is not already out in some parts of the world by the time this review goes live, with heavier switches rated at 60 gf actuation. The force diagram above is for the 45 gf switch, and note the typical high rise as you depress the switch and bottom out once the resistance from the membrane dome and spring are overcome. Another change here, which was discussed briefly in the disassembly section before, is that these switches have a rubber O-ring integrated into their design that does make them slightly quieter when bottomed out without hurting their operating zone.

The operating zone is something else well worth discussing based on what we have learned over the course of this review. Given there is a capacitive sensor that is capable of precise detection, i-Rocks has implemented the ability to choose between two discrete actuation depths; 2.2 mm (high) and 1.4 mm (low), and to where you could have the switch actuate faster if you take the 1.4 mm setting, and this is their way to try and match the likes of the Cherry MX Speed (Silver) and similar mechanical switches that market themselves for faster response times by simply having a smaller actuation distance. Topre did similarly with their Realforce RGB by offering three separate actuation depth options ranging from 1.5 mm to 3.0 mm, so this is not new even to capacitive switches, but it is another feature that is a good addition to the overall offering here.

The feel of these switches is of course subjective and can only really be described in words since I can't relate the sensory feedback objectively otherwise. Compared to the average membrane switch, these feel a lot better throughout, and the ability to not have to bottom out is always a good thing. The tactile feedback is consistent and satisfying, and calling it a refined membrane switch would not be too big a stretch. Compared to Topre switches, this is another story, though - perhaps it is the internal O-ring added to silence the switch, but the switches on the Cooler Master Novatouch TKL (which had Cherry MX stem sliders as well) felt slightly different to me. I honestly can't tell yet if I prefer one over the other, but Topre switches are slightly more uniform in both actuation force and also tactile feedback. For what is essentially an homage to the Topre switch, i-Rocks did pretty well. The price point has to accommodate all of this and more, however, since capacitive switch keyboards are more or less associated with the Topre brand today just as how mechanical switches and Cherry go together even today.


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 i-Rocks K70E sample at ~110 WPM. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with tactile switches. I did bottom out here, although you can get around that with practice. Note that the keyboard is on the quieter side, which is primarily due to the integrated O-rings in each switch, so background noise is also being picked up by the microphone in an attempt to increase the signal.