Keydous NJ98 keyboard review (Kailh BOX Deep Sea Islet)

Ғылым және технология

Skip to 10:02 for a typing demonstration.
Get it here: keydous.store/products/keydou...
Today we look at the NJ98, a hotswap keyboard with an integrated calculator, of all things! One can only hope these become more commonplace again. Hope you enjoy the video!
Intro by Kyle Carter
Outro by Facundo Cabanne
My keyboard reviews: bit.ly/1TbOtft
My switch teardowns: bit.ly/2C1QGHz
My TOP X videos: bit.ly/2FmpZfd
My XL typing demos: bit.ly/2OoAW3w
My tutorials and featurettes: bit.ly/2OrkLUh
My unboxing videos: bit.ly/2TSrr0m
I'm Thomas and I do videos and reviews on mechanical keyboards ranging from the most sickening modern RGB gaming keyboards to vintage hardware relics, or sometimes keycaps or keyswitches ranging from Cherry MX to Alps SKCM to IBM buckling springs and anything in between.
Follow me on Twitter for updates on my keyboard videos! / chyrosran22
The practice sentence was: "Hello my name is Thomas and I'm typing on a Keydous NJ98 keyboard right now. This is a really good-looking keyboard, and I wish more keyboards had calculators on them!"

Пікірлер: 105

  • @OhhWelll
    @OhhWelll6 ай бұрын

    You're the best and most trustworthy keyboard reviewer in my opinion. 90% of the ones I've come across almost never have anything bad to say about a keyboard they're reviewing or miss glaring issues but you have a really objective look with a lot of experience in the largely uncharted territories of vintage keyboards. I think you really put things into perspective :)

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    Thanks! :)

  • @chiShija
    @chiShija6 ай бұрын

    i miss the vintage reviews lowkey

  • @zakutenakazumiya1516

    @zakutenakazumiya1516

    6 ай бұрын

    We all do, but he hasn't received any donations for vintage keyboards as of late. 😢

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    @@zakutenakazumiya1516 It is true, I'm reliant on donations unfortunately :( . I do miss doing vintage reviews myself sometimes. That said, I do like doing modern stuff as well. Nowadays there is more variation and innovation, more interesting switches and keyboards to cover. Not everything is equaally interesting, granted, but still. In fact, there are a few extremely kickass projects in the pipeline that I can't wait to cover :D .

  • @koblaster

    @koblaster

    6 ай бұрын

    ​@@Chyrosran22everything should just be Oki tactile gourd springs. That should be every keyboard

  • @zakutenakazumiya1516

    @zakutenakazumiya1516

    6 ай бұрын

    @Chyrosran22 I know for sure one of them will be the Ellipse Beamspring keyboard... that I'm definitely curious for

  • @chiShija

    @chiShija

    6 ай бұрын

    @@Chyrosran22 How can I send you something?

  • @CoffeeOnRails
    @CoffeeOnRails6 ай бұрын

    I find the calculator feature intriguing for playing Satisfactory, Factorio and other similar games. I keep my old A Level physics Casio by me when playing because I’m always doing maths to perfectly balance the machines.

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    I never played either of those to that level, but I hadn't considered that point, well thought of! :)

  • @networkrage

    @networkrage

    6 ай бұрын

    theres a calculator ingame in satisfactory

  • @Bagel-nu1hc

    @Bagel-nu1hc

    4 ай бұрын

    @@networkrage That's true, but since I play multiple different games where I need calculators, I've found it's easier to use the same one for everything.

  • @CoffeeOnRails

    @CoffeeOnRails

    3 ай бұрын

    @@Bagel-nu1hc This exactly. It's way faster on the casio one too as it has all the scientific stuff + all sorts of other useful features just built in

  • @ElasticoOFCL
    @ElasticoOFCL6 ай бұрын

    You ever consider trying out Kailh's Mute Jade switches? Their click bar is modified and has a dampener where it hits the click bar hits to. Their tactile bump is pretty different from any other tactile switches as well cuz it has a different tactile element to other MX and Box style switches. Maybe Box white v2 as well since they improved a lot imo. They sounded deeper both the clack and click and the feel is much smoother than their originals. Their long spring helps to avoid me accidently pressing the switch without making it heavier which is one of the issues I have from the originals.

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    Yes, in fact, if I'm not mistaken, I have some! I still need to get to them, somehow I keep not getting to them xD .

  • @ElasticoOFCL

    @ElasticoOFCL

    6 ай бұрын

    @@Chyrosran22 Ohhhhh okay then, cant wait for you to make a review video of them! I really enjoy using both of the switches especially the v2, it's probably my fav click bar switches I have in my collection! ^^

  • @jammies701

    @jammies701

    6 ай бұрын

    How do you get the box white V2? I've only seen box whites listed, but nowhere that specifies a V2. Also is there a box pink V2?

  • @ElasticoOFCL

    @ElasticoOFCL

    6 ай бұрын

    @@jammies701 Oh I got it from Chosfox, don't think there's pink v2s sadly but you can click bar swap it anyways for it. think they're the same.

  • @duncanmurray6587

    @duncanmurray6587

    6 ай бұрын

    I feel like you've already reviewed the mute jades, no?

  • @Aplysia
    @Aplysia6 ай бұрын

    The three main demographics of mechanical keyboard users: gamers, typists, and catalysis enthusiasts.

  • @ShaiyanHossain
    @ShaiyanHossain6 ай бұрын

    southpaw 96 would be the dream already have a lefthand numpad for my gmmk pro and it just feels great using it for excel and other numerical entries while also keeping mouse space for my right hand

  • @maxmouse3
    @maxmouse36 ай бұрын

    The color scheme is amazing indeed!

  • @nerdyneedsalife8315
    @nerdyneedsalife83156 ай бұрын

    My eyes lit up when you said calculator. I loved that style of keyboard even if I never bought it. I always like doing my bills on my computer so I use the calculator on my PC. Even if the calc button just opens the calculator, that would be helpful but I hope they take some of your feedback into consideration. I don't think you are the best keyboard reviewer just because you like the older stuff like Alps but I like how you experienced different versions of older keyboards so you have a reference and expectation when companies reintroduce these features. That's why I like whenever you bring up macros. Back in the day macros were stored on the keyboard but now they require software. There is no excuse for this as modern firmware chips can hold a lot more macros as the chips are bigger. It just blows my mind how new keyboard manufacturers don't look back to see what stuff was good in concept but were held back by the era they were made in.

  • @lorenzoterrasi4491
    @lorenzoterrasi44916 ай бұрын

    I bought this board with the steel plate and the grey gradient backlit keycaps. Although the font could be much better, I put on Kailh box pinks customized with lighter springs, i washed and re-lubed the stabilizers, I took out the foam (if there was any, I can't quite remember) and I'm finding myself quite comfortable with this board. I especially like the sound of the spacebar with the gummy thingies. It's not perfect, but for its price I think it's a really good product.

  • @Raiko01
    @Raiko016 ай бұрын

    afaik printscreen goes fast because most people rather use the snipping tool

  • @CaveyMoth
    @CaveyMoth6 ай бұрын

    Dang it, there are so many crazy, new switches out there. I just got some Kailh Deep Sea switches last year, and they have a bunch of new versions.

  • @hazel31198
    @hazel311986 ай бұрын

    I have this board and customized it with KAILH box summers switches and GMK TeraDrive caps.

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    Ha, there's a GMK TeraDrive now? Noice :D .

  • @Sortsylic
    @SortsylicАй бұрын

    I just love your rationalism in terms of pricing (and everything else actually) since most of kbd revieweres today consider $220 keyboard a budget option

  • @det.bullock4461
    @det.bullock44616 ай бұрын

    So Kailh has started putting in longer springs in the linears too? They started with the v2 versions of their light clickbar switches to solve the problem of the lacking return force without making them stiffer last I checked.

  • @lucidmoses
    @lucidmoses6 ай бұрын

    Let me guess. You can easily remap the cal key to the way you want it by simply install the 12 gigabyte device driver. :p

  • @bismuth7730

    @bismuth7730

    6 ай бұрын

    its only 70 megabytes

  • @XanthinZarda

    @XanthinZarda

    6 ай бұрын

    @@bismuth7730 Still 69 megabytes too large.

  • @Laundry_Hamper

    @Laundry_Hamper

    6 ай бұрын

    I remember shitting my whole ass when I found out the first bluetooth driver was something like 30MB, it took a very long time to download over dialup. But it meant I could wirelessly move pokemon gifs to my phone without having to keep the IR ports aligned. Magic.

  • @lucidmoses

    @lucidmoses

    6 ай бұрын

    @@Laundry_Hamper30 mb for a bluetooth driver. Was it for a cray computer? :p

  • @gearsgamer7115
    @gearsgamer71156 ай бұрын

    Chrystoran i think i found a way to make a 1 part clicky switch that dosent use metal and has a keycap mount. It eould be used in a optoelectric parts inside the housign pcb side, there is no coilspring in the design and it uses the top housing as a return force, and the same top housing has a slider attached to an "l" shaped assembly on both sides with a clicker made of plastic on one side. Its hard to explain

  • @PlasmAnime247
    @PlasmAnime2476 ай бұрын

    Try using an 1800 layout where there's no spacing between any of the keys even though it's the same 98% key count. I use one daily from Keychron because my desk is too small but need a number pad and arrows. It was hard at first to get used to but now I love it.

  • @olik136

    @olik136

    6 ай бұрын

    that is like the Keychron K4 right? I use it daily- but as a second keyboard. The most annoying thing is the delete key- I will never get used to it. And the navigation keys in the top row are so out of the way that I have never used them.. I also like to reposition my keyboard and use the arrow keys kind of like a handle to grip on.. but that is also not possible here. I would much rather like a full 100% layout- but that is not available in my language...

  • @xaytana

    @xaytana

    6 ай бұрын

    Wouldn't that be a 96%, or do you still have spacing in the function row where insert and delete are missing? Inclusion of insert and delete is the line between a 96% and an 1800. It'd be really nice if we could get a new naming convention for boards. Especially when layouts go far enough away from the norm that they can't really be called anything relative to what a full-sized is.

  • @USSMariner
    @USSMariner6 ай бұрын

    I've been using the first version of Kalih Box Pink for years, and I notice that the switch housings have had the pigment bleached out of them by the leds in my board (they're always on, it's the V1 Hot Dox). Have you or anyone else had this happen?

  • @dalriada842
    @dalriada8426 ай бұрын

    Is the volume knob clickable to mute? Is it reprogrammable for things like zoom level, and clickable to restore the zoom level? I think there would be more space for a decent calculator screen on a fullsize keyboard, in the dead space above the inverted T nav cluster. I use the side scroll wheel on my Logitech mouse for volume, and the thumb button for the calculator app. I would like a proper clickable volume knob on the keyboard though. I have Volume down, up, and mute keys above my numpad. I find these less useful.

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    It is clickable, yes. I don't know anymore if that's mute though.

  • @Red-in4fx
    @Red-in4fx6 ай бұрын

    Wish you'd review the 8bitdo keyboards. I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.

  • @aaronmichelson5510
    @aaronmichelson55106 ай бұрын

    I just modded a nice Keychron V1 for a friend using those Islet switches. I was really amazed by their silence. However, I don't personally like non-clicky switches, so I wouldn't use them. I'll be interested to compared to my wife's new keyboard - the Varmilo 75 using Kailh Prestige silent liners. I don't think you can get those switches on their own...

  • @Big-Chungus21
    @Big-Chungus216 ай бұрын

    On some keyboards without seperate numpads, you could use the numlock key and 789, UIOP, JKL; and M,. Keys to use your letter keys like a numpad. Im not sure if theres a way to still do that.

  • @austismm

    @austismm

    6 ай бұрын

    you could always hook this up in autohotkey too

  • @aldencp
    @aldencp6 ай бұрын

    Don't know if you have done this already, but you should review something with kailh box rose red switches. I'm curious what you would think of them.

  • @TheOfficialFloridaMan
    @TheOfficialFloridaMan6 ай бұрын

    I love my kailh whale switches, I havent tried the islet switches yet

  • @raulsaavedra709
    @raulsaavedra7096 ай бұрын

    @10:03 surprisingly silent! Besides calculator and the unusual form factor, I'd say that's the next major feature of this keyboard

  • @chillazar
    @chillazar6 ай бұрын

    The 98% layout from the Keychron Q5 is much more efficient and I think it's the best layout. For gaming I still use the Drunkdeer with its 75% layout though and even that is sometimes in the way of doing big mouse swipes.

  • @ash36230
    @ash362306 ай бұрын

    I long for the day Norman Reedus buys a Keydous. They got rid of Prt Screen, which is useful, and put a calculator key there that just opened Windows calculator. Personally makes no sense to me that one

  • @xaytana
    @xaytana6 ай бұрын

    There's a 96% layout, I'm not sure how common it is in products, that rearranges the nav keys around the alpha and numpad clusters, though without gapping; function row now includes insert, delete, home, end, page up, and page down, and the numpad has a 1u 0 key to fit the right arrow, the only keys that're missing are print screen, scroll lock, and pause. There's a bigger brother to the 96%, the 1800, that reintroduces cluster spacing, arrows now have a 0.25u perimeter, but the function row spacing now gets rid of insert and delete keys. Honestly I think a hybrid could be workable, no spacing in the function row so that insert and delete, or a minimal spacing to add just delete, would be suitable. This '98%' honestly looks like it's trying to be that kind of hybrid, adding a column to have delete, page up, and page down, while also having custom elements on top of the numpad. But at this point I have to question, why not add another column so that you can also have home and end, possibly insert, print, or pause as well. Then the question becomes, why not just have a full-sized that's only an additional row on top of that, considering this is now getting into the territory of defeating the purpose of a 96% or the 1800's 'compact full-sized' approach. I also want to see these various layouts in a southpaw configuration. Where the right arrow cuts into left control (honestly 1u keys are usable and the spcacebar doesn't have to be that large), up arrow cuts into left shift, but left arrow cuts into the num enter key as southpaw numpads are not mirrored. This could also put nav keys left of escape, while delete somewhat naturally fits on top of backspace; or just do a 1u backspace and 1u delete. Though one additional thing I would do is a 16u main cluster, I know this is how 65%/75% boards get their navs, but just having one column of discretely macro keys would be nice.

  • @The-Anathema
    @The-Anathema6 ай бұрын

    Why Fn+Enter? Surely if it was going to be an Fn chord it'd be Fn+Cal?

  • @keksimus__maximus
    @keksimus__maximus6 ай бұрын

    What's the point of backlight if they keys are opaque other than gamery aesthetic? The point is being able to find the keys in the dark if you can't touch type, no?

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    No, I don't think anyone genuinely uses it for that purpose, to be honest xD . I'm sure they like to think so, but I doubt it's really true :p .

  • @melom8276
    @melom82766 ай бұрын

    calculator keyboards are soooo good i have the varmilla va104c and the calculator is so great (the keyboard is kinda buggy and mid otherwise)

  • @andrewdias478
    @andrewdias4786 ай бұрын

    Very nice keyboard it looks like but thanks for talking me out of this layout. I'd rather have a normal TKL and a dedicated numpad off to the side.

  • @DanielJBrieckJr
    @DanielJBrieckJr6 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the tip had no idea pressing 0 key restarted the video on KZread, sorry you had to find out the hard way.

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    Each number key skips to the minute mark of that number!

  • @thumbwarriordx
    @thumbwarriordx6 ай бұрын

    I do generally prefer my navy blue keycaps to be accented in gray or something. The black does look clean but I love me a classic tri-tone color scheme. Navy blue is probably the best color for this tho, wine reds and matcha greens BTFO. Class.

  • @erikchan002
    @erikchan0026 ай бұрын

    So far I haven't found a "modern" keyboard with built-in calculator function that works better than just having a Ducky Pocket sit next to the keyboard

  • @GibusGang

    @GibusGang

    6 ай бұрын

    it sucks that they dont make the ducky pocket anymore... that was my first mechanical "keyboard" lol.

  • @diodebridge
    @diodebridge6 ай бұрын

    I think Leopold & Filco are much better options for silent keyboards at this price range, but this honestly isn't too shabby.

  • @XanthinZarda
    @XanthinZarda6 ай бұрын

    I think a 98% could work, but I think that layout rather bodged it up a bit.

  • @MatthewHill
    @MatthewHill6 ай бұрын

    That's one of the reasons why I skim videos with J / K / L rather than ← / space / →

  • @azku
    @azku2 ай бұрын

    For me the ‘cramped’ 98% layout looks better than full size. I got used the the layout after a while. Yeah in term of the size, not much different.

  • @Aeolous1
    @Aeolous16 ай бұрын

    pretty sure the keycaps are based on the GMK Blue Samurai

  • @BoloH.
    @BoloH.6 ай бұрын

    Second keyboard today I'm seeing with this bastard layout, I'm not a fan of losing keys to save maybe 4cm of desk space.

  • @logipilot
    @logipilot6 ай бұрын

    Fullsize keyboards for me, too! ;))) (i like Ducky keyboards)

  • @duncanmurray6587
    @duncanmurray65876 ай бұрын

    I would like a calculator on my keyboard, but it would need to be RPN.

  • @JC-gu5cf
    @JC-gu5cf6 ай бұрын

    I think "Cal" is actually a typo because someone forgot to cross that "t". It should clearly be "Cat" 😽

  • @myhandlehasbeenmishandled
    @myhandlehasbeenmishandled6 ай бұрын

    Form factor is really about getting used to it. Making mistakes because form is a bit different is expected. Not a real knock against it.

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    Only half-agree with you there. If it's not worth getting used to, it costs you time and effort for nothing.

  • @Disobeyedtoast
    @Disobeyedtoast6 ай бұрын

    #justiceforprintscreen

  • @alexeiz
    @alexeiz6 ай бұрын

    I thought it would be cool if the macro-pad had a key for pizza - and it does! "zza"

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    It's a suffix I use for takes. It's like an A or B take, except it has the benefit of coming alphabetically after other suffixes of the main scene ;) .

  • @AzureFlash
    @AzureFlash6 ай бұрын

    They Keydous 'cause they ain't us

  • @airy9461
    @airy94616 ай бұрын

    7:37 I would actually like to disagree with the units, it is actually closer to 0.2334 hamburger patties by steam engines over the derivative of the integral of a football field.

  • @electromigue
    @electromigue6 ай бұрын

    it's contactless or the highway for me but I still watched because I'm a deviant.

  • @mouldyfart
    @mouldyfart6 ай бұрын

    I use 28-g spring keyswitches lol

  • @michaelknight2342

    @michaelknight2342

    6 ай бұрын

    I use 12-g spring keyswitches lol

  • @mouldyfart

    @mouldyfart

    6 ай бұрын

    @@michaelknight2342 lmaooo light gang

  • @alaeriia01
    @alaeriia016 ай бұрын

    Ooh, a new plank review.

  • @AndyK.1
    @AndyK.16 ай бұрын

    I don’t know why you put yourself through these silly keyboards 😂

  • @Metalwrath2
    @Metalwrath26 ай бұрын

    another keyboard that sounds like wet noodle

  • @carkrowland3363
    @carkrowland33635 ай бұрын

    Me, as an imperial scum: 😮

  • @nickthaskater
    @nickthaskater6 ай бұрын

    Winkey+CTRL+S for printscreen or Winkey+Shift+S for snipping tool. Printscreen key is redundant and requires lifting hands.

  • @DanteHaroun
    @DanteHaroun6 ай бұрын

    What the fuck is that naming scheme

  • @williamlee0
    @williamlee06 ай бұрын

    Of all the wrong layouts, 96% and 98% are the most egregiously wrong.

  • @minhquanvu2944
    @minhquanvu29446 ай бұрын

    I watch both yours and other keyboard reviewers each time you review something that isn't older than my younger sister to see if from someone who would pay no shit for all the hype train and smoke & mirror, what would be the different. For example, in this paticular board, you seems to praise the keycap a lot more compare to them. To us it's just another PBT double shot blue samurai set that we can buy for two dozen dollars and even budget china board under 50$ have them. A "modern" reviewer would skip the keycap and talk about the switches, the mounting, the foam and the wireless connectivity, ect.. I don't think any of them would pay attention to the calculator function of the screen.

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    Interesting you mention that. I know I've got very different interests compared to other youtubers, I couldn't give a toss about their lubes and stabilisers and foam and stuff, while they don't care so much about switches, chassis, innovation and special features, which I focus more on, generally. I guess it depends where the viewer's interests lie!

  • @minhquanvu2944

    @minhquanvu2944

    6 ай бұрын

    @@Chyrosran22 in prebuild like this i think there's little to talk about the chassis since it's all came from a chinese OEM somewhere and the build quality isn't wildly different like vintage boards. For the aluminum chassis, i mean they're all cnc aluminum, all of them are gonna be lethal if you smash someone's head with it, so naturaly, they talk about the asthetic and the finishing instead, which you too, are pretty excited when talking about the Class80. For the foam, i think it will stay with the prebuild budget boards and future gaming boards, but the trend is now starting to go back to none foam boards. The rise and fall of the "foam trend" is basically run around Cherry and MX switches overalls. Like the first few Korean custom boards was made pecificly to make Cherry Black and Brown sound good since they sound and feel like shit on plastic chassis. The stabilizers in other hand, i think come down to the keyboard it self. You mainly using vintage board which was made to resemble the sound of type writer, so all the ticking and rattling doesn't sound all that clear when using. Most modern typing focus keyboard nowaday are much more quite and don't usually use clicky switches anymore, so the ticking are much more profound and noticeable. So, caring about the stab sound became a thing. That said, i don't think spending 30$ for a set of stabilizers is anything but dump. They sound not cost more than an actual working keyboard.

  • @Chyrosran22

    @Chyrosran22

    6 ай бұрын

    @@minhquanvu2944 Yes, it's true, when dealing with modern, MX-based keyboards I generally feel a bit like an Englishman in New York xD . Hence why I said the calc was half the reason I took this board. See THAT'S the kind of stuff I can work with ^^ .

  • @4otko999
    @4otko9996 ай бұрын

    don't really like the layout, not my cup of tea. beautiful keycaps though

  • @Sv5YpWTwd9otTA4So83f
    @Sv5YpWTwd9otTA4So83f6 ай бұрын

    FIRST typed on my acer chromebok

  • @Fahrenheit38
    @Fahrenheit386 ай бұрын

    Love the compact full size layout, could live without the knob and screen

  • @bobweiram6321
    @bobweiram63216 ай бұрын

    Linear keyboards are so dull and boring. Yawn.

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