Punkston TH61 60% Mechanical Gaming Keyboard,RGB Backlit Wired Ultra-Compact Mini Mechanical Keyboard Full Keys Programmable Black (Hot-Swappable Optical Yellow, Black)
-
Verónica
> 3 dayLa verdad compre el teclado sin esperar mucho pero realmente me sorprendio la calidad del mismo. Los unicos motivos por los cuales no le doy 5 estrellas es porque: 1- El Software no lo pude descargar desde la pagina (me puse en contacto con el fabricante y hasta ahora no hubo respuesta), y 2- En las imagenes de la publicacion los teclados se ven con cables tenzados, y los 2 que compre vinieron con cables de plastico comunes. Pero funcionan excelete y esta genial el detalle de la muestra que viene de los switches, que muchas de las marcas de renombre no las traen.
-
Mac
> 3 dayFor the price, I figured this wouldnt be a risky purchase - but an optical hotswap for less than 30? I bought this as something to modify, and the customization on it was an enjoyable experience. Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised by the weight of this one - its a little lighter than the SK61, but not by much. The keys rattle slightly, but if you do not have much experience with mechanical keyboards, this may not be a deal breaker. The black optical switches respond wonderfully. Where this keyboard really stands out is the LEDs. The color is absolutely gorgeous, and the software for customization is wonderfully robust. I was able to individually set specific keys to whatever color is a fun plus. A bit more in depth: -Optical Switches - After taking these apart, theyre horribly shaky. The spring is incredibly light, so its not a very satisfying response. I didnt try to swap out the spring to see if that helped, but adding some film to the box-style switches didnt help the noise or rattle, especially with the ABS keycaps. I popped these out and replaced them with Gateron silvers. -The Plate - this was beautifully heavy, but mine has a pretty nasty dent in it and the machining could have been a bit better as there is an inconsistent bit of spacing between it and the PCB. Not a big deal of youre not planning on modifying it much/at all, but it made adding a few extra layers of foam to it a bit trickier than expected. - Case - Thick plastic with some hollow spaces. Plastic is think, but it does need a bit more to eliminate the hollow sound. - Stabilizers - more wobbly than a toddler, and the factory lube felt a little lotion like. Plate mounted, though, so clipping, bandaid modding, and a bit of dialectic grease made major improvements. Ill most likely replace these a bit in the future, but at least they came in decent shape - no warping at all on mine.
-
holly blackwell
> 3 dayI ordered the red key one at the suggestion that it was the quietest as this is my first mechanical keyboard and I gotta say it is very quiet! Ive heard mechanical keyboards before that click clackd super loud and this definitely does not do that. Ive found Im not at a loss for the 10 key pad I dont use it nearly as much as I thought I did so when Im using it for just chatting or gaming it is perfect and compact. I love the lights on the keyboard as well they are gorgeous and not nearly as blinding as they can be on some lit keyboards. Ive found Im quite satisfied with that feature as well. There was another review that spoke of the keys wiggling in their spaces - mine definitely do not do that! They are tightly secured in place. When Im gaming Ive noticed no lag in response time between the board and Ive not had any issues with keys not responding. Overall Im very satisfied with my purchase and would highly recommend this to anyone looking to buy a 60% mechanical keyboard.
-
Feelin’It
Greater than one weekI know there are keyboard enthusiasts out there, but this particular keyboard is a steal! For starters, right out the box, the keyboard has decent weight, so it wont scurry around your desk. The quality of the product is pretty decent and well put together. Depending on the key switches you have, it honestly is so satisfying to type on. The RGB is VERY bright and customizable. Whats there not to like for a budget keyboard?
-
Danii Rodriguez
> 3 dayThis keyboard is very good but it feels so much different from my last keyboard I’ve never tried black switches it feels so different I need to get use to it but it’s really good I love it so much and it’s quiet which I really love definitely recommend
-
Andrew D
> 3 dayI figured Id check this keyboard out since Ive slowly been getting into smaller and smaller keyboards. I had my reservations about the optical switches but figured it was worth the risk at this price point. Now that Ive had some time to check it out, Im more or less sold. I cant tell if their speed is much different from electric switches, but they are quiet and feel great. I ordered the keyboard with black switches, which ended up being linear; I cant comment on the weight, since I dont have any other linear switches on hand to compare it to. As for the rest of the features of this keyboard, Im pretty impressed. Besides the keyboard, the box contains a keycap puller and a switch puller. The removable cable is braided and quite high quality, with connectivity provided by a USB C port. I use Linux daily, so I wasnt able to test the driver software, but I was quite impressed by the number of lighting effects available out of the box. It looks like the customization options are quite numerous, though, which is important for a keyboard this small. The lack of a larger online presence for this company does seem a little concerning, but for the price, it can easily be overlooked.
-
Emmett Grames
> 3 dayOverall, this keyboard is a great little unit that delivers an excellent typing and gaming experience. For the price, it is very well constructed, has quite a lot of nice extra features, and even has its own software for messing with the RGB lighting. Things I liked: - Keycaps are textured! This feels amazing when typing, and although I cant say how long the texturing will last, in the week Ive had this keyboard, it has held up very well and doesnt show any signs of developing shine - Fairly intuitive RGB/Macro settings: despite lack of instructions, the RGB and accompanying software are easy to figure out and work well. On this note, the RGB is bright and vibrant, and the white backplate really helps the colors stand out. - Typing feel: the keyboard feels and sounds great to type on, with no flex at all, very nice stabilization (especially on the spacebar) with no rattle, and a nice deep thocky sound that good mechanical keyboards are known for. The stabs come lubed, and theres foam dampers between the plate and PCB, and between the PCB and the case. Very well constructed. - Hot-Swap switches! This is always a nice feature to have, and while the implementation here isnt perfect (more on this later) I really like that I can swap out my switches when I decide I want a different feel or sound. They even included a little switch tester with the 4 different kinds of switches (unbranded Gateron Opticals as far as I can tell). - Its heavy. Like, surprisingly heavy. It feels very solid, and definitely isnt going anywhere while you plonk away on it. I disassembled it to check if it was weighted, but as it turns out, its just built really solid. Things I didnt like: - Hot-swap switches are really hard to pull, included switch-pulling tool is garbage. I replaced my ESC switch with the Blue from the included tester pack, and getting the original switch out is really difficult due to the design of the switches. The included puller was really easy to bend, and deformed to the point of uselessness while pulling the switch. You will want to invest in your own if you plan on swapping a significant number of switches. - Software could use some more polish. Its awesome that there is software to begin with, but the overall features could be a bit more polished, and it would be nice to see more options for the RGB (for instance, layered effects). - Brown switches arent tactile. I bought the keyboard with the Brown switches, and these have no tactile bump at all. Maybe I just got a bum lot from the factory, but not a single key on my keyboard (or the one included tester) has a tactile feel. The Blue on the tester clicks just fine, but comparing all the switches, the Browns just feel like Blacks, maybe a bit lighter on the actuation, but definitely heavier than the Reds. Not a huge issue for me since I like linear switches too, but a bit of a let-down if you were expecting a tactile bump. Theyre still fine to type on and feel great, but theyre definitely linear. - No adjustable tilt. Not a huge issue since I leave my keebs at an angle anyway, but just be aware that this keeb has the tilt built into the case, its at a single fixed angle, about the same as the highest angle on other keebs. Overall Conclusion: This is at a price point where youre just starting to get into keyboards with lots of extra features and options. For what this keyboard offers, its certainly worth the price for the features and overall build quality. If you like what this keyboard offers compared to the competition, Id say its well worth picking one up, its a great introduction to the world of 60% keyboards and overall I really enjoyed the experience of using it. Its very minimal-looking on the desk, but lights up with brilliant RGB while in use, packing a good bit of punch for its size. Despite the downsides, I still think its worth 5 Stars and is certainly a solid choice of keyboard. (Note: Keychron K3 with Optical Browns used for testing and comparison, pictured next to the Punkston TH61 in photos for reference)
-
Cozic
Greater than one weekThis keyboard is amazing, especially at the price point. I bought this keyboard after my GK61 broke and I was stuck with a membrane keyboard. I always find myself on a low budget, so when I stumbled upon this keyboard, I immediately bought it. I have no regrets purchasing this keyboard. At this price, I was able to get an optical keyboard with fully customizable RGB, a detachable USB-C cable, pre-installed foam, pre-lubed stabilizers, and a great software. This keyboard can compete with other more pricey optical gaming keyboards. For example, the GK61. The TH61 is on par with the GK61 if not better than it. The TH61 (in my opinion) has a more functional and usable software, better lighting, a better cable, a better case design, and better textured keycaps. The only thing I could imagine being upset about with this keyboard are its key caps. The legends on the keycaps are printed in the classic gamery font that you tend to see on most cheap keyboards, but at this price point, with all it offers, I am not complaining, especially since the keycaps are well textured, better than the GK61s. There is also some slight spring ping that the switches produce but it is very hard to hear unless you listen for it. Ive seen a lot of people complain about how the arrow keys dont work or how it is inconvenient having to toggle them on or off. There is a way to use both the primary and secondary functions of those keys without having to toggle them on/off. If you have the arrow keys toggled off, just hold Fn and click one of the keys labeled with an arrow and your device will detect the input as you clicking the arrow key, and vice versa if you have it toggled on. Overall, this keyboard is a great keyboard, whether youre on a budget looking for a value keyboard or youre just trying to find a good simple gaming keyboard thats just plug and play. I would recommend this keyboard to anyone I know looking for a simple and easy-to-use 60% gaming keyboard.
-
Tyron Watanabe
> 3 dayAfter spending a couple of days using this keyboard (I got the blue optical switches), I feel comfortable writing a review on this. I was given incentive to write a good review, just to be transparent with anyone looking to buy, and I intend to be completely honest. Luckily, I am able to give an honest good review for this keyboard. Pros: - The keyboard itself is sturdy! It has a solid heft out of the box and has a clean aesthetic - no obnoxious branding, just the punkston label on the bottom side. The case is plastic but it feels good, especially for the price. - The keycaps have a very clean aesthetic - no gamer font thankfully! Although they do feel a little thin (Im assuming theyre ABS keycaps), for the price they are totally fine. Clean font, the RGB shine through is consistent throughout the keys, no complaints. - The RGB is beautiful. I didnt really notice RGB until I got a keyboard that had very bland, bleak lighting. THIS keyboards RGB is very beautiful, and it shines wonderfully. The different patterns and settings that come in-built with the keyboard are nice as well, and they are individually customizable through the downloadable application. - The hotswappability worked without a hitch. I was a little worried that wed only be able to use other Punkston switches, but I bought some Gateron Optical Yellows and swapped it in without a hitch! So if anyone was worried about that , I tested it out immediately. Now that said, it doesnt (and isnt supposed to) take anything but other optical switches. The switches were easy to get out of the hot socket and it was easy to replace them! - Software is very user-friendly for the most part. There is one con Ill outline shortly. But its easy to set macros and edit RGB software. - The stabilizers are for the most part good. Theyre not the most satisfying sounding, but they do not clack or rattle in an obnoxious way. - The included keycap puller and switch puller are nice! better than the generic ones that usually come with cheaper keyboards. Cons: - One thing that I noticed briefly with the software is that when the software is open, I cannot use the hotkeys on the keyboard to change the different RGB settings, which was a little annoying. - My biggest gripe with this keyboard are the switches. They are optical blue switches by Punkston, and while they do their job and are fairly smooth, they are quite wobbly. I can tell by just resting my finger on the keycap and moving it around without pressing down on them that the stem is a loose in the housing. This was further emphasized when I took a switch out and did the same thing just to confirm. - With optical hotswap, your only options are for other optical switches, which is a very limited selection. All things considered, I got this keyboard on sale for a little under $30, and I genuinely think that this is a steal at that price point and a great place for someone wanting to try out a mechanical keyboard. The keyboard has a clean aesthetic, feels sturdy despite being mainly plastic, you have the ability to customize keycaps, even customize switches (with other opticals), and work with lighting effects and macro functions in a software that is user-friendly. Now all of that said, at full price (~$60), you begin to be able to consider other options, but I think on sale its a steal, and at full price its still definitely worth considering. If you were considering other optical switches to try out, look at gateron optical switches or kailh box optical switches!
-
Matthew F.
23-11-2024Have not had an issue with this keyboard, although it doesnt seem like the switches were lubed. That can be fixed since the machine is hot-swappable, but still an annoyance. For a first-time mechanical keyboard user, I do love this keyboard and am going to enjoy it for a long while.