OnePlus has revealed its new smartphone, new earbuds, and now, its brand new OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro.
No, your eyes don't deceive you; leading smartphone manufacturer OnePlus is set to launch its first-ever mechanical keyboard, working in collaboration with one of the best companies in the mechanical keyboard business: Keychron.
The big question is whether the OnePlus mechanical keyboard will stand alone or appear as a rebadged Keychron board. And now, following months of teasers, we finally know what to expect.
OnePlus Launches the Keyboard 81 Pro, Its First Mechanical Keyboard
The OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro officially launched on 7 February 2023, with OnePlus expecting full-scale production to start between March and April. Orders for the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro will launch in April, but as yet, there is no confirmed price (but you can add your name to the Notify Me list).
What makes the OnePlus mechanical keyboard an interesting proposition is that it has partnered with Keychron, a mechanical keyboard manufacturer that currently delivers the best features-to-price on the market.
Furthermore, while we've reviewed the Keychron Q8 and Keychron Q5, it's fair to say the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro bears more than a passing resemblance to the Keychron Q1, which launched in 2021.
The 75% layout is familiar, and the key positioning, case size, hot-swappable keys, and customizable VIA software are all the same. Even Keychron's customary media dial features in the corner.
However, we're not complaining, as Keychron's mechanical keyboards are typically built extremely well, come with multiple layers of volume-dampening foam to dull those thunderous mechanical keyboard strokes, and also include a double-gasket design, which also helps to reduce the audible typing sound.
What Makes It a OnePlus Mechanical Keyboard?
As above, rebadging a Keychron mechanical keyboard isn't the worst idea in the world, as the base quality is there. However, OnePlus has opted to design a fresh keycap set using the company's red and gray, while the media control dial is transparent.
Furthermore, at the rear of the 81 Plus is what appears to be a height adjustment bar, which is interesting for a couple of reasons. One, it didn't feature on the original Keychron Q1, nor its recently released update, the Keychron Q1 Pro, and two, Keychron doesn't always opt to include height adjustment options. In that, it's good to see OnePlus adding some specific design decisions to its mechanical keyboard.
OnePlus has also stated that its 81 Plus keyboard will launch with two switch types, both of which it claims an original design. It will be very interesting to see how the "Winter Bonfire" tactile switches and "Summer Breeze" linear switches handle, especially versus the Gateron switches Keychron often uses or even Keychron's in-house K Pro switches.
There is also a keycap set made from something called "Marble-mallow," and I have no idea what this means. It all adds to the intrigue, though.
Get Ready for the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Plus
While there is currently no pricing information, we don't expect OnePlus Keyboard 81 Plus to retail for more than $250-$300. Keychron's Q1 Pro fully-assembled keyboard retails for $199, and accounting for the OnePlus name and the few extra design points, the price shouldn't ramp up much further than this.
Either way, we're interested to see how the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Plus handles when it launches later in 2023.