Software

There is no dedicated software driver support for the Shurikey Gear Hanzo at this time—all functionality is hardware based. As such, I have chosen to combine the Software and Performance pages into one.

Performance

The Shurikey Gear Hanzo supports full N-key rollover USB and switches to the expected 6KRO in Bluetooth 5.0 mode. Both tested successfully using Aqua's test. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys either, and you can see above what functions get dedicated keys on the base layer.


At this point, I again expect complaints about the space utilization, or lack thereof, since more dedicated keys could have been added. Shurikey Gear has clearly gone with the intention of making something different in look and feel, and an Fn+ layer adds the rest of the functionality of a TKL form factor keyboard, in addition to providing media playback and some shortcuts to a few programs as seen above. The two knobs on the right are going to be divisive, but both at least allow for functionality even if it is pre-set and not customizable. The left knob controls backlighting brightness in several smooth steps, and pressing it toggles backlighting on/off. The right knob acts as a volume wheel, where pressing it mutes/unmutes the system, too. Fn + Enter also toggles the number keys to the Fn keys for good, with the second indicator LED now lighting up to indicate this change, should you happen to wonder what that other indicator LED does. The first one naturally caters to Caps Lock.


I suppose I wasn't expecting much different here compared to my previous two Varmilo keyboard experiences. The Shurikey Gear Hanzo has the same white LEDs, which provide accent lighting between and around keycaps owing to the opaque legends. The left knob is great for granular brightness control and as a quick on/off toggle, and there are six different preset static, dynamic, and reactive effects, such as the wave or streamer mode seen above. Shurikey Gear also allows for further customization, including of the speed and direction of the effects if applicable. There's not much functionality to be had unless you change the keycaps to ones with backlit-compatible legends, though.

Wireless connectivity is another feature worthy of discussion, especially with the relatively massive 4400 mAh battery packed inside. We saw the use of a Bluetooth 5.0 transceiver, and the Shurikey Gear Hanzo can pair with up to three devices, with backwards compatibility as needed. The manual walks through the set up and pairing processes, including how to even turn on the keyboard in the absence of a dedicated on/off switch. Pairing itself was quite trivial, with some devices asking you to enter a pairing code on the keyboard and others opting for a simpler confirmation approach, especially on mobile platforms. I had no issues pairing the keyboard to my phone and smart TV, let alone the usual laptop and desktop PC. Connectivity is absolutely fine since the predominantly plastic chassis does not affect signal strength much, and battery life is on the order of months thanks to a combination of power-saving modes for Bluetooth operation, a well-programmed sleep mode with the PC itself, and of course the ability to turn off backlighting, which I did soon after taking the photos and videos above given it is mostly non-functional anyway. There is a low battery warning with the right indicator LED flashing red and blue for ~10 minutes before the keyboard turns off, and charging the keyboard is unfortunately limited to USB 2.0, which maxes out at 500 mA and means this is a proper overnight affair when you do need to charge it the two to three times a year in a typical working scenario with the LEDs off.

The Shurikey Gear Hanzo is compatible with Windows and macOS, and ideally Bluetooth 4.0 and newer. Note that owing to Apple licensing fees, the keyboard will not allow for the special key codes to work there. On Windows, there are a couple of other options, including Win key lock/unlock, exchanging Caps Lock and L. CTRL, and even going back and forth between NKRO and 6KRO in wired mode for when you need it. There is also a "Game Mode" in wired mode that seemingly just reduces the overall latency from 10 ms to 5 ms, but my testing didn't really show much of a difference between the two outside of error margins. There are also two different factory reset options; one only resets key mapping and the other the entire keyboard. In the absence of any user-defined key mapping outside of the few toggles mentioned thus far, I don't see the former being that useful. In fact, that is where I do want to see Shurikey Gear add some key-mapping customization for the Hanzo, especially since it is a smaller form-factor keyboard users will want to customize to their typing layout preferences.


Let's talk switches since that is another new thing here. The Shurikey Gear Hanzo uses the four new Varmilo EC V2 switches, which use metal stem contacts for actuation and reset, wherein metal pieces physically touch each other. Switch makers have improved on the reliability of these switches throughout, including the metal stems by using gold cross-point contacts to reduce oxidation-related issues. In recent years, we have had other means of actuation, including optical and electrostatic capacitive switches. It is through the latter Varmilo is showcasing these EC V2 switches, the second iteration of their EC switches. As the name suggests, these switches rely on a contact-less electrostatic capacitance generated by electric field induction. This means switch lifetime is theoretically much higher, and you can decouple actuation from actuation feedback. These EC switches are also different in functionality from the Topre-style switches we saw covered in the NIZ Plum x87 and Leopold FC660C keyboards, which allows for other feedback mechanisms here.


This review sample uses the Varmilo EC Daisy V2 switches. With a rated actuation of merely 35 gf at 2 mm travel and a termination force of 45 gf at 4 mm, this is a linear switch that is lighter than the popular Cherry MX Red and other Varmilo EC V2 switches. It would be characterized as a light-force switch in general thus. That said, the EC of the EC Daisy V2 is a big part of the typing experience. Indeed, even the most ardent Cherry MX fan would admit that the MX Red is popular, though not on top of most popularity lists, with several offerings from Kailh and Gateron at least generally considered better for typing and smooth travel before we get to the more bespoke linear switches available today.

Varmilo says it tested a bunch of switch materials and lubes for each specific switch option, and the wall design around the stem was also incorporated to keep wobble minimal, which is useful with the thicker ABS keycaps on the Shurikey Gear Hanzo. There is also much marketing talk about the carefully chosen materials for the stem, springs, and even flat metal prongs, in addition to the time taken to make the molds for the various components tight, with low tolerances for pieces moving along each other. The general actuation mechanism involves moving a metal stem slightly away from the switch as it is depressed, and the metal pieces don't touch each other anymore, either. What this ultimately results in is an extremely smooth, lightweight linear switch that is good for faster typing and even gaming. Bottoming out is going to happen more often than not, especially with the peak force being where the average linear switch actuates at. The lubed stabilizers are useful as well, but touch typists and those who prefer heavier switches may want to consider the other EC V2 switches.


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 Shurikey Gear Hanzo keyboard sample at ~85 WPM with the Varmilo EC Daisy V2 switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. As pointed out before, there is very little stopping you from bottoming out. This means the bottoming-out sound has to be considered strongly, and Shurikey Gear did a good job minimizing annoying high-pitched pings off the steel plate by adopting the silicone pad right underneath. The switches are generally crisp to type on, which works well with the plastic case and cover dampening keystroke sounds to where you generally have a single sound profile when typing. The larger stabilizers can sound deeper, especially the space bar key. Not different enough to be irritating, it instead feels complementary with the lube working out well, too. I am not a fan of lightweight switches, but even I have to acknowledge that this entire combination sounds quite nice, certainly a level above the typical pre-built mechanical keyboard.