The Machenike KT84, an 84-key mechanical keyboard, has launched on Kickstarter in a major way. Meeting its funding goal of $10,001 in only 14 minutes, the see-through keyboard is now at 450% only 3 days later and promises a host of features to excite any mechanical keyboard aficionado.
The keyboard's most obvious attraction is its pair of screens; a 490-dot pixel matrix spanning most of the top row, and a 1.47-inch TFT LCD display in the corner. The pixel matrix can be fully customized with static displays or animations, which can be shared on Machenike's community site; out of the box, it displays a classic RGB waterfall. The corner screen is also customizable, with advertised use cases including showing hardware temps, a clock, RGB settings, or whatever else the settings allow. Both screens will be controllable with downloadable software for Windows or a web-based driver for Mac/Linux users.
The other extra features of the keyboard are a side-mounted volume roller/button and a cute toggle switch in the top-right corner, set to immediately minimize all tabs and windows by default — though this will also be customizable for those who don't have to worry about bosses peeking over their shoulders.
The keyboard will come in black or white colorways, with the black version providing a solid black frame and the white providing a clear see-through case. Both colorways have transparent keycaps in their respective colors, paired with fully transparent Gateron North Pole 2.0 Yellow or White switches. The Gaterons are silent-feeling linear switches, with the Whites offering an extremely light 35g activation force and the Yellows offering a heavier 50g. The keycaps are fully hot-swappable.
The Machenike KT84 can be preordered on Kickstarter now for as low as $199 in the Super Early Bird tier; it will become slightly more expensive as the Kickstarter continues, with an eventual MSRP of $249. An optional $20 palm rest can also be wrapped in with your pledge. Machenike is a China-based gaming company that has been manufacturing gaming computers, laptops, keyboards, and mice for 10 years; we previously covered its leak of Intel's Raptor Lake Refresh launch date last year on a product listing page.
Machenike has a previously successful Kickstarter under its belt and a few years of mass-produced products in the market. But even with this good track record, remember that crowdfunding a project is not a guarantee of receiving a finished product. Backing a crowdfunded project is akin to an investment; you believe in the project and want it to succeed. You are not purchasing a retail product.
