Keyboards these days are as much an expression of your lifestyle as an input device. So if I am gushing over the artwork and design here, it may be because the Varmilo MA87M Beijing Opera tickles a lot of my funny bones in the right places. Indeed, the deeper a keyboard is placed into the form over function world, the harder it is to be objective about the keyboard. Varmilo having several different themes and going pretty much all-in with packaging, accessories, keycaps, and even optional numpads and desk mats is pretty much the apex of this dilemma. So keep in mind that I am potentially biased here; it's impossible not to be biased for or against when it comes to such specific designs, which I acknowledge, and I have written the review based on it.

Indeed, there is no getting away from this as the Varmilo MA87M Beijing Opera costs ~$160, but objectively has less functionality than most other options in this price range. It is made worse with the smaller complaints I had, including the cable really needing improvement in design and connectivity, as well as the EC V1 Ivy tactile and clicky switch not yet having an EC V2 version. The latter is more a statement than a con, however, since I would much rather Varmilo take their time to get a switch out that is as good as the EC V2 Rose used in my sample. Similarly, the adoption of the Bronze script for keycaps is one I can definitely appreciate given the Beijing Opera theme here, though it is potentially confusion if the keycaps are removed, and in some cases even if they aren't.

Varmilo jumping into the deep end of the artistry pool here with the Beijing Opera theme was never going to win everyone's heart, but that is where their other themes come in! I am hoping to be able to show a few of these over time, especially paired to a different switch since it is impossible to judge this specific MA87M keyboard outside of the Beijing Opera theme that my sample came in. The attention to detail is ridiculous in good ways, and I have detailed most of these on page 4. I wish they would have made all this contextual information easier to find for people casually browsing the product pages, however, even just as a simple link to some of their blog articles going over these design choices in more detail. Overall, the Beijing Opera theme is one I quite like, and the packaging and accompanying/additional accessories add to the experience positively.

If the theme was one of contention, I dare say that the switches themselves should be pretty popular for most. I can speak only for the EC V2 Rose here, but it is possibly the best linear switch I have used to date for my needs. Electrostatic capacitive switches are still rarely used today, mostly because they tend to be expensive with the increased number of parts and associated quality control, and if my keyboard sample is anything to go by, getting them this uniform is to be applauded. I want deliberate actions for typing and gaming, and tactile switches are typically my go-to there. However, they can be a hassle in a lot of games I tend to play, especially MOBA and RTS games. The MX Black was fine as a linear switch, but tiring over long periods of time, especially when typing long reviews such as this one. Writing this on the MA87M equipped with the EC V2 Rose switches was a pleasure really. I did miss the numpad at times and would like to see an accompanying numpad with these switch options as well instead of just Cherry MX switches. I am curious about how the EC V2 Sakura, Daisy, and, eventually, Ivy switches fare; that said, the smooth and consistent typing experience with the EC V2 Rose switches is the delicious icing on top of this very artistically decorated cake.