Introduction

James Donkey is a peripheral brand established in 2014 that prides itself on offering compelling options even in a very crowded market. For a long time this came in the form of ergonomics-first peripherals, especially mice, although lately we have seen the brand go with uncommon keyboard form factors that are closer to full-size. The James Donkey RS2, for example, has 99 keys and offers hybrid wireless connectivity in addition to a good selection of features for a low price, which won a recommendation at the time of our review. That keyboard has since been replaced by the RS2 3.0 which includes an LCD screen for a slight premium over the original, but this left room for an upgraded take on the RS2 itself. Today we examine the James Donkey R2 which seems to be marketed under a sub-brand called Alpha LV to try and make it seem a more premium offering at the same time.


The James Donkey/Alpha LV R2 is a fancier, flashier take on the RS2 down to the use of the same form factor and key layout. This also retains the hybrid wireless connectivity support including Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz as well as ensuring it is on par with other contemporary pre-built mechanical keyboards today, by using hot-swap switch sockets, a gasket mount, plenty of sound dampening, and also enthusiast-designed switches. The R2 uses the RS2 as a base and ups the ante a few levels, be it with a larger internal battery or, more obviously, the use of thick CNC-machined aluminium alloy chassis in different colors to go with a matching keycap set that makes this look and feel high end without necessarily having the associated high price tag. Thanks to Mechkeys for providing a review sample to TechPowerUp, and we begin with a look at the product specifications in the table below.

Specifications