Packaging and Accessories

Packaging for the Vortex keyboards does seem to have settled down in design recently, much to my dismay, but it remains of extremely high quality nonetheless. Indeed, this reminds me a lot of the packaging used for the POK3R V2, but goes a step further to signify this 10th anniversary edition. It comes with a plastic wrap on the outside to minimize dust, and the box itself has an 80s neon aesthetic to it with just "10th Anniversary" on the front. The back is completely blank, with "沃特概爾" (Wò tè gài ěr... Vortex Gear, get it?) on the side in Traditional characters to signify the Taiwanese base of the Vortex brand. The only way most people will know this is a Vortex keyboard is through the label itself, so needless to say, this keyboard is extremely clean in design throughout. There is an outer sleeve over an inner box, so a two-piece packaging is employed here.


We get a box that is more reminiscent of that used for the Vortex CORE, which may be another way the company is celebrating its past. The box is black with a striped pattern and has "10th Anniversary" etched into the top, as well as a large flap on the side. No seals, you open it to see a thin foam cover, with another cardboard piece underneath protecting the contents inside during transit. We then see the keyboard itself, held in place inside a shaped plastic mold and surrounded by a foam piece with a string on its end to help pull it out, again similar to the CORE. The other accessories are found at the bottom.


Vortex includes two brochures that make up the user manual for the Vortex 10, which is extremely handy for going over all the pre-programmed functions, including the dip switches that change some things. Keep these manuals close, as I still am even as I type this review on the keyboard. It cuts down the entry barrier even if you are used to a 60% form factor. There is a thick, sturdy metal switch puller with the Vortex logo which also does night duty as a keycap puller should you need it. Finally, there is a white male-male USB Type A to Type-C cable, which I would have rather seen in black and maybe a different design to fit this commemorative keyboard. Maybe a coiled cable, or even some vintage connectors between to go with the retro theme Vortex has employed for keycaps in the past.