A lot of keyboards released by brands small or large alike happen to be incremental updates of previously released keyboards. You tend to see names that reflect this too, with words added on the end such as MK2 or PRO or Elite. Apparently James Donkey decided to do the same thing but adding version numbers at the end of product names that already have numbers in them, so that's how we end up with the RS2 3.0 which is a relatively big update to the RS2 2.0 that was an incremental update to the original RS2 we saw last year. To add to the confusion, there are also James Donkey RS4 and RS6 keyboards and an RS3 mouse in addition to other peripherals that have RS in the name. Maybe it's time to think about a new naming scheme?

On a more serious note, the new James Donkey RS3 is a fine keyboard for the asking price. It costs slightly more than the original RS2 does but gives you a more rounded off keyboard experience. The first thing I noticed was the screen which works very well in being not only a status indicator but also a means to further customize your keyboard. There is also a handy onboard menu that you use with the adjacent wheel for different pre-programmed functions. Then there is the software support which seems quite polished already and now allows for key assignment with profiles when the previous unit did not. The color scheme is also refreshed from the retro gray with an angular chassis to a white/blue two-tone using a more standard case design. It feels solid and looks premium too. The wheel is nice to use and there's good attention to detail throughout. I also appreciated the improved switches and stabilizers on offer in addition to the larger battery capacity too.

Some things have not changed though, and here I have mixed feelings. There are of course good things to retain including the use of 5-pin hot-swap switch sockets, SMD RGB LEDs, the aforementioned wheel, and hybrid wireless connectivity with 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth on offer that both work very well. Battery life is long and the screen makes things easier to connect and monitor too. But the keycaps are still opaque as a deliberate design choice and the keyboard specific legends do not appear as long lasting as the rest. My biggest pet peeve would be the gasket mount implementation that is less than ideal considering the use of cheap and soft foam that barely holds the plate down with applied pressure and comes out of the inserts easily. There's a similar foam insert which James Donkey calls "cotton" between the FR4 plate and the PCB which does a better job in dampening the keystrokes to the point where I don't think you should go in expecting anywhere close to a proper gasket mount implementation here as opposed to just a foam-dampened one. But the positives heavily outweigh the cons here to where this is a compelling keyboard for many who want something long lasting without breaking the bank. As such, I am happy to recommend the James Donkey RS2 3.0, but you should be aware of the specific feature set here before making your decision.