Software

With all functionality being hardware based, there are no software drivers for the Varmilo VBS108V2 Crane of Lure keyboard. As such, I have chosen to combine this section with the performance section below. This remains one of the points against Varmilo keyboards for a more mainstream audience, but also means every customization option is available on the keyboard itself and works regardless of your OS.

Lighting and Performance

The keyboard supports N-key rollover USB as well as 2.4 GHz out of the box, which tested successfully using Aqua's test. It defaults to 6KRO with Bluetooth as expected. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys either, and you get all the functionality out of a standard US ANSI full-size keyboard with four additional shortcut keys at the top right corner to pull up the default media player, email client, calculator, and your PC/computer directory. The Menu key is replaced by an Fn key to help access the Fn layer.


Speaking of which, here we see some of the pre-programmed functions tied to the Fn layer on the Varmilo VBS108V2 Crane of Lure keyboard. You get media playback and volume controls thus, which is good given the lack of any key mapping or macro functionality here. You can also lock/unlock the Win keys in case you don't want to be interrupted during a gaming session, for example, and even get back the missing Menu key with the R. Ctrl key on the Fn layer. There may not be a physical on/off switch here but pressing Fn + Ins for three seconds effectively becomes the same thing and helps turn on the keyboard in wireless mode. Fn + F1-F3 allow for Bluetooth pairing for up to three devices whereas Fn + F4 switches the 2.4 GHz connection on. Holding Fn + Ins for three seconds turns off the keyboard and Fn + Esc for five seconds resets the keyboard. This is why we have surface mounted LEDs associated with the Esc and F1-F4 keys, and note that the Esc key LED also acts as a battery life indicator wherein it will flash if the battery level is low and in need of replacement. There is onboard memory for paired connections although it's simple enough to switch between them using the same toggles. Varmilo also has programmed power saving modes and you can choose between 5/30/unlimited minutes of inactivity before the keyboard goes to sleep. In practice I had no issues with either of the connectivity options and the lack of LEDs outside of the four simple ones means battery life with the max 5000 mAh capacity filled is on the order of weeks, if not months. You can also have pre-charged AA batteries ready to go given the external batteries in use here so there is minimal down time in wireless mode here with some basic planning.


As for the actual typing experience, this review sample came with the Kailh Crane of Lure switches, which I mentioned was a special collaboration between Varmilo and Kailh developed specifically for this keyboard theme. Varmilo should also be selling the switches separately soon, if not already by the time you read this review. These are low force linear switches with a rated actuation force of just 37 gf at ~1.8 mm of travel with a peak force barely past 40 gf at 4 mm when bottomed out. This is thus the lightest switch I have ever used and with the least incremental force between actuation and bottoming out to where you might as well forget any touch typing with these switches that rely on not bottoming out for quicker typing. Indeed, even when I was being super careful and using a light touch, I ended up bottoming out more often than not. It's a good thing then that these are very smooth and stable switches and the keyboard itself has well-tuned stabilizers to further improve the typing experience. Overall I'd classify this combination as one more suited for multi-tapping, especially for games such as Osu, over more deliberate typing where the other switch options might be a better fit.


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 Varmilo VBX108V2 Crane of Lure keyboard sample at ~105 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Kailh Crane of Lure switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. I did bottom out constantly here for reasons mentioned above, and this helps demonstrate the effectiveness of the damping provided by the foam sheets used between the plate and the PCB as well as between the PCB and the bottom case panel itself. It removes any reverberations from the typing and results in a deeper sound signature overall. The thicker PBT keycaps also help here, as do the pre-lubed stabilizers, and the overall typing experience is plenty decent to use in a variety of work and home environments.