The Vissles V84 is a tidy, comfortable wireless mechanical keyboard. With a decent RGB flourish and hot-swappable switches, it really is a great bit of kit.

Specifications
  • Brand: Vissles
  • Wireless: Bluetooth 5.1
  • Backlight: RGB
  • Media Controls: Yes
  • Battery: 3,750mAh
  • Num Pad: No
  • Switch Type: VS Switch (Linear)
  • Replaceable Keys: Yes
Pros
  • Comfortable typing tool
  • Multiple keyboard configurations
  • Good battery life
  • Hot-swappable switches
  • Easily swappable key caps
Cons
  • Macro tool isn't great
  • Software app only available for Windows users
Buy This Product
Vissles V84

As a writer and editor, I spend most of my waking hours with a keyboard glued to my fingers. Comfort and precision are vital to output, as anyone who uses a keyboard frequently will tell you. The trouble is finding the keyboard that is right for you.

Mechanical keyboards are the go-to for comfort, speed, and the type of key-pressing feedback many of us now cannot do without.

The Vissles V84 wireless mechanical keyboard ticks those boxes, providing smooth key actuation, hot-swappable mechanical switches, and a with a flourish of RGB lighting to boot. Moreover, the Vissles V84 is built with Mac users in mind, which is somewhat of a rarity.

So, read on to find out how the Vissles V84 compact wireless mechanical keyboard feels under your fingers in our hands-on review.

Vissles V84: Compact, Hot-Swappable, Wireless Mechanical Keyboard

The Vissles V84 is a really interesting portable mechanical keyboard. It is a compact keyboard, meaning it ships with 84 keys.

Out of the box, the Vissles V84 is perfect for Mac users, coming with a Command key and other Mac keycaps. Vissles have thought of everything, though, and in the V84 box, you'll find Windows keycap replacements for the Windows Key and Alt keys. In addition, pressing the Fn + A shortcut switches the keyboard into Windows/Android mode (you can switch back using Fn + S).

vissles v84 wireless mechanical keyboard laptop outside table

The V84 keycaps are replaceable, as you would expect. Mechanical keyboards typically allow you to switch out keycaps for customization or to replace worn letters. However, where the Vissles V84 stands out is with its hot-swappable keyboard switches.

The Vissles V84 supports any Cherry MX-style key switch, meaning if you have some handy or purchase a replacement sent, you can swap your switches without any soldering or other technical skills. Not only Cherry MX switches, we should add. The Vissles V84 is also compatible with Gateron, Kailh, and Outemu switches, though I didn't have any of those brands to hand for direct testing.

vissles v84 wireless mechanical keyboard desktop hot swappable keys

The option to swap out switches may not appeal to many, we must admit. However, it is an option nonetheless and one that sets the Vissles V84 apart from the competition.

Vissles V84: Precision Keystrokes and Responsive Switches

How you feel about the Vissles V84 default switches is a matter of personal taste. The mechanical keyboard ships with Vissles own-brand linear switches, known as the VS Switch. Coming from a Cherry MX Brown keyboard, I found the entirely linear switches a refreshing change while tapping out articles and reviews.

The Vissles VS Switch linear movement is smooth and unencumbered and requires a very small amount of pressure to register a keystroke. For comparison, my everyday Cherry MX Brown keyboard has an actuation force of 55g, while the Vissles VS Switch requires just 45g.

vissles v84 wireless mechanical keyboard outdoor side laptop

So, while the Cherry MX Brown is considered the sweet mechanical switch spot between typing and gaming (with Cherry MX Blue considered the best overall for typing), almost anyone can pick up the Vissles V8 wireless mechanical keyboard and find it perfectly usable.

In fact, gamers might even prefer the lighter actuation, allowing faster inputs with less overall force. You should note that this isn't a silent keyboard. The Vissles V84 is a proper mechanical keyboard and doesn't come with a sound-absorbing membrane. However, the linear switches don't emit an audible click, and the key movement is smooth, making the V84 a decent compact mechanical keyboard option for offices and other co-working spaces.

Mechanical keyboards include what is known as an N-Key Rollover rating, or NKRO for short. NKRO effectively measures how many keys the keyboard can respond to simultaneously without dropping or ghosting. When you play games or even just write a lot, making sure every keypress registers properly is very important.

The Vissles V84 comes with 6KRO, meaning it can handle six key presses at the same time.

Vissles V84: Stylish and Comfortable for Typing

As a compact 84-key keyboard, the Vissles V84 doesn't require much desk space. It doesn't sprawl as many full-size mechanical keyboards do, and while the lack of a numeric pad might be an issue for some, I expect that if this is a concern for you, you're probably not looking at a compact keyboard to begin with.

vissles v84 wireless mechanical keyboard desktop rgb close keys

Transitioning from a full-size keyboard to a compact board at 75 percent of the size was much easier than I anticipated. For a few days, fingers and brain worked to undo the muscle memory built up over the years with my regular keyboard. Yet, after a few days, the Vissles V84 felt like a new home, my fingers eagerly bouncing over the keys and not worrying about the reduction in space.

If anything, as someone with "smaller" hands, the 25 percent reduction in size probably made my typing and gaming life that bit easier, reducing the amount of time and distance required for travel. Whatever your hand or desk size, one thing is for sure: the Vissles V84 is a comfortable typing tool.

Under the keys, you'll note that Vissles have included RGB lighting. There are 19 different color combinations and patterns you can choose from, ranging from static colors through to mesmerizing rainbow patterns that respond to your every tap.

vissles v84 wireless mechanical keyboard desktop rgb

Switching between the color combinations is simple: press Fn + Home to switch pattern, or Fn + End to change the colors of the monochrome sets. Or, if you're like me, press Fn + F5 to switch off the RGB entirely (preserving some battery life in the process).

Adding to the comfort are the optional magnetic footpads that you can use to raise the keyboard's angle, along with the cushioned wrist rest, which aims to take some of the strain out of your writing or gaming session. While the magnetic footpads aren't adjustable, they are sturdy, which is plenty good enough. Also, the wrist rest is plenty comfortable and double's up as a handy drumming surface for when you're thinking.

Vissles V84: Good Battery Life and Build Quality

The other thing you want from a wireless mechanical keyboard is battery life. The Vissles V84 has a 3,750mAh lithium-ion battery that you can expect at least 150 hours of usage from, if not more. If you switch the RGB lighting effects off, Vissles rate the V84 for up to 180 hours. I didn't time the battery life precisely, but it was definitely multiple days between charges via the USB-C port at the rear of the keyboard.

vissles v84 wireless mechanical keyboard hot swappable keys

Wireless connectivity comes in the form of Bluetooth 5.1, which gives the Vissles a nice versatility boost. The inclusion of Bluetooth 5.1 means you can connect the V84 with up to five different Bluetooth devices. You program each paired Bluetooth device to a different key binding, then use the shortcut to switch between devices.

The Vissles V84 is a sturdy bit of kit, too. Weighing in at 824g, the V84 mechanical keyboard isn't a flimsy toy. Instead, the V84 build quality feels good. When you type hard, it continues to respond well, and you don't feel like it might give way or that you might damage the mechanical switches. With some cheaper keyboards, the lower build quality can affect the hardware's overall performance, but the Vissles V84 suffers none of these issues.

Finally, there is the Vissles V84 software, which you can use to create custom key bindings, macros, mouse functions, and more. For example, you can create a unique macro using up to 16 different characters, enough to build a short recording of any frequently pressed combos. You can also record macros on the keyboard direct, but it is somewhat cumbersome.

vissles v84 desktop app

The V84 software isn't the most aesthetically pleasing app, but it is functional, and you can use it for small bits of customization, which is likely more than enough for most users. You can also create custom RGB color displays within the V84 app.

Vissles V84 Is an Excellent Compact Wireless Mechanical Keyboard

Overall, the Vissles V84 an excellent option for both Mac and Windows users looking to take an excellent typing keyboard wherever they go, or even if you just want a new wireless keyboard for your home setup.

vissles v84 wireless mechanical keyboard desktop side long

You can easily switch between the two keyboard layout types if you use different platforms, and the ability to jump between five different paired Bluetooth devices makes it a great productivity tool. Adding to that, the substantial battery life means you're unlikely to be caught out when you need the keyboard most, but there's always the USB-C wired option anyway.

The V84's RGB lighting isn't for me personally, but I can see why people want it (my kids loved playing with it!), and it does add a nice flourish of color to an otherwise relatively plain visual style.

But the biggest thing to take from this Vissles V84 wireless mechanical keyboard review is that this bit of hardware is lovely to type on, making each keystroke a rapid and precise experience and potentially speeding up your output.

The Vissles V84 wireless mechanical keyboard is available for $100, though you can use coupon code V84 at the checkout to grab an exclusive 10 percent discount for MakeUseOf readers.