Lighting and Performance

The SKYLOONG GK61 Pro supports NKRO out of the box in wired mode as well as wirelessly over 2.4 GHz, which tested successfully using Aqua's test. Using the keyboard in Bluetooth mode defaults to standard 6KRO as expected. No key chatter was detected on all the keys using Switch Hitter. The image above also shows what the base layer on the keyboard is programmed to as far as dedicated keys go. As with most keyboards these days, there is no right Windows key, as it has been substituted by an Fn key here which is far more important on a smaller form factor keyboard.


To explain why the Fn key is so important, here is a look at layer 1 or the Fn layer. This is accessible by simply holding the Fn key and now we see how SKYLOONG aims to bring back most of the missing functions compared to a TKL keyboard. These are mostly logically placed, such as the Fn key row on the number row, although I would have liked to see some more already added rather than having to rely on layers and the software. This also shows the keyboard features dual OS support but I can only speak about my experience with Windows.


Given this keyboard has opaque keycaps on the pre-assembled version, there's not a bright light show to expect or any backlighting of the legends. The RGB LEDs end up doing accent lighting only thus and seen above are some of the pre-programmed effects available. As seen before, we get control over not only brightness steps but also many static, dynamic, and reactive lighting effects to choose from and customize. You can select four to five effects from the various LE effects and then toggle between them using onboard controls too. The issue is most of these effects are not very good to begin with—some seem to not be any different from others and this is where you will probably miss out on what most other keyboard software drivers can provide.

The quick start guide briefly talks about how to initiate pairing in Bluetooth mode and connect with up to three devices simultaneously. The 2.4 GHz connectivity is simple enough here given the pre-paired USB dongle in the box making it plug-and-play. I imagine most people using this keyboard wirelessly are likely to have it on their desk very close to the PC to where Bluetooth would be fine, pending no latency issues. Another use case would be on the go with a laptop or tablet given the more portable form factor, although the aluminium case version of this keyboard is heavier than a few full-size keyboards even to make this less practical. There is a sleep mode built into the firmware to preserve battery life and turn off LEDs. The battery life in Bluetooth mode can be on the order of ~2 weeks of my daily usage—slightly lower than usual these days, owing to the smaller battery inside—with the LEDs turned off. Given the opaque keycaps, I really saw no reason to have them on anyway. Charging takes a few hours off a 5 V/1 A connection accounting for any losses along the way.


The Gateron G Pro 3.0 Yellow mostly differs from the older Gateron Yellow switches (non-Pro) in that it comes lightly pre-lubed, and Gateron also claims a better mold for tighter tolerances with the moving parts in each consecutive G Pro iteration. There may or may not be some gold plating on the metal contacts, since none is visible to the naked eye. It is a linear switch rated to be slightly heavier than the Cherry MX Red, but with the same respective actuation and total travel distances of 2.0/4.0 mm. Actuation force is thus expected to be near the rated 50 gf, with a bottoming-out force of ~65 gf. A random test of twenty switches showed these were not only quite consistent, but very close to the rated numbers. Even using the switches was a pleasure because of the smoother travel, which the lube makes even better. These switches would be a good upgrade for those used to the Cherry MX Red because of various gaming keyboards since it won't feel too different, just better overall while having enough resistance to keep regular typists happy as well. Keeping to 2.0/4.0 mm travel is also good overall; while not a fast gaming switch, it will be a very good general switch, and from what I am told, these switches are selling well too. The issue is the plate is a bit too flexible combined with the screws/silicone O-rings aiming to act as pseudo gaskets so it ends up feeling somewhat mushy anyway—especially at the bottom around the space bar key.


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 SKYLOONG GK61 Pro keyboard sample at ~75 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Gateron G Pro 3.0 Yellow switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. I did bottom out here and it helps test the effectiveness of the silicone-based decoupled mount used here as well as the various dampening sheets used between the plate and PCB as well as between the PCB and the case. These all come together to ensure there are no reverberations or pinging off the plate, which in turn results in a satisfying sound. Indeed, the keyboard sounds better than it feels to actually type on for me!