Closer Examination

The James Donkey RS2 was an interesting take on a compact full-size keyboard, with the norm being the 1800 or 96% form factors for those who still want a dedicated number pad. Instead, it used 99 keys in a modified 1800 form factor with extra keys above the arrow key cluster and going around over the number pad too. With the newer RS3 2.0, things are closer to a 96% keyboard owing to the row of keys at the top now being replaced by an extra column between the alphanumeric keys and the numpad. We also have different keys here with Del, Home, Page Up and Page Down on the RS2 3.0 compared to Del, Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause/Break, and a dedicated calculator key on the RS2. I would say the RS2 3.0 has a more useful default layout for people prioritizing productivity. The different key layout means there is no room for dedicated indicator LEDs above the arrow keys and instead this is left to the integrated display on the top right corner alongside the large multi-function wheel which makes the RS2 3.0 a big update compared to the previous variants. Some of the keys are still shorter than on a full-size keyboard to accommodate this design so you need to be aware of this for aftermarket keycap compatibility. However, I dare say the two-tone white and blue color scheme used here pairs well with the white case to look and feel fresh.

Branding at least is fairly subtle with the logo on the front side facing you and bezels are slightly larger than average but uniform throughout. I also noticed right away that the RS2 R.0 is heavier and feels better built than the original RS2 with small touches like the blue knurled accent ring on the wheel adding towards making this a more premium keyboard. The numpad has secondary legends underneath the primary ones, and the alphanumeric section instead goes with them alongside at the expense of a smaller font size. This does allow for keyboard-specific functions to be placed underneath and I also appreciated that the keycaps are now consistent throughout with legends and symbol placement. For example, the RS2 has the symbol before the word on the shift keys as opposed to the other way round on Enter and tab modifiers. Not so here with everything looking like it belongs together. The keycaps are still opaque though so I suppose it's an added benefit in that you won't spend extra time staring at them and spotting the errors from before.


Turning the keyboard around, we see the usual certification badge in the middle of the ABS/PC two-tone case. James Donkey is employing also a two-piece case design here that matches the colors of the keycaps. There are five color-coordinated rubber pads at the top and bottom to prevent the keyboard from sliding around on your desk, and two sets of keyboard feet at the top provide for a total of three elevation options. These feet also come with rubber pads and work well in practice.


A cutout on the back also hosts the low profile USB dongle pre-paired with the keyboard for 2.4 GHz connectivity, and there are magnets inside the chassis to help keep it there. I/O controls are on the back side facing away from the user, including a dedicated switch to push in for wireless connections (Bluetooth or 2.4 GHz) and out for USB. It appears to be simply a switch that allows power from the internal battery, but does the job just fine that way. Alongside is the expected Type-C port for the wired connection, and the provided cable fits snugly. Note the right-angled housing here though—it makes for the cable to meld better with the keyboard but ends up also making the relatively shorter 5' cable even shorter in terms of how much room is left to go to the PC itself. The cable eventually goes to an available USB Type-A port on your PC where USB 2.0 will suffice for power and data alike.


A look from the side shows the built-in elevation of the keyboard, which I would classify as a medium to high profile and can benefit from a wrist rest if you are not used to touch typing with hands hovering over the keys at all times. The side view also confirms the use of an OEM keycap profile with the six rows sculpted and contoured accordingly, and they are non-floating in design courtesy the two-piece case design. The provided keycap puller works well to help extract some of the keycaps for closer examination as well as for cleaning the keyboard itself, if not also completely replacing the stock keycaps. We get two-tone thick PBT plastic keycaps (average wall thickness 1.35 mm) with doubleshot injected legends throughout, which is good for longevity and won't develop a shine from finger oils over time. But the keyboard-specific legends appear to be laser etched on so they may well wear out sooner than later. The seam-less loops in the other keycap legends here comes via the Ducky-style of doubleshot injection with the bars seen underneath, but that doesn't really impact backlighting here given the keycaps are opaque anyway. As such, the LEDs will mostly be for accent lighting only.


The pre-assembled version of the James Donkey RS2 3.0 comes in two switch options—Gateron G Pro 2.0 Silver or Kailh BOX V2 Red. I have the former here, which is an RGB switch that itself is an update to the previous G Pro Silver. The switches are installed in a south-facing configuration for increased keycap compatibility and this is good news for those looking to get the kit version and use it with low profile keycaps. Note also the symbols tied to each key are printed on the PCB underneath the switch that is very handy for those using the kit version of the keyboard. The larger keycaps use plate mounted stabilizers which still feel somewhat cheap but come lightly lubed this time round to help counter the mushy feeling on the original RS2.


The switch remover tool is handy to remove the hot-swappable switches off the PCB, such as the single Gateron G Pro 2.0 Silver switch seen above. It also provides a good look at the hot-swap socket complete with the SMD LED here, allowing for 3/5-pin Cherry MX-style switches to be used on the keyboard easily. The Gateron G Pro 2.0 Silver switch itself is characterized by the silver-colored cross-point stem, and is visually similar to the Cherry MX Speed (Silver) linear switch with the earlier actuation compared to, say, a Gateron Red switch. These newer ones have updated molding, among other things, and are pre-lubed at the factory, both of which should assist in the typing experience.