Redragon K556 RGB LED Backlit Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, 104 Keys Hot-Swap Mechanical Keyboard w/Aluminum Base, Upgraded Socket and Noise Absorbing Foams, Quiet Linear Red Switch

Its been just a good keyboard. Its also unexpectedly heavy, so be ready for that. Also get a wrist pad if you dont float your wrists when typing. The software is primitive and the RGB spectrum isnt great. The color you select on screen often doesnt match what shows up on the keyboard unless you are close to a standard color, example, white is light purple, and the lighter you go on any color slowly turns into light purple. Has a twang that sounds like a spring being flicked in a metal box if you press the keys with normal typing force, so I constantly hear it. I hear people say its because the switches are seated in a metal frame, but I understand a common theme among higher quality mechanical keyboards is they are mostly metal, so Ill chalk this experience up to low build quality. Would be interesting to hear the switches in a plastic frame. They are also starting to develop a slight squeak. I havent tried lubing or isolation rings so not sure if that would help. I dont think the actuation force feels uniform across all keys. These brown switches have a barely noticeable ridge when pressed, my opinion is that they are just alright in terms of mechanical feel. It comes with other samples of switches, the blacks take more force but dont have a noticeable ridge when pressed, the reds just feel light and mushy, and the blue have a nice click that sounds similar to a mouse click but add in the twang and squeak issue I mentioned earlier and I dont think I could handle that... The caps lock indicator light will sometimes switch indication. Meaning when you press the caps lock key and the light turns on, youll be typing lowercase. It switches back on its own. I have no idea whats going on with that. This is my first mechanical keyboard, so I didnt want to spend a lot. You get what you pay for so thats why I rated 4 stars instead of 3, because a lot of this doesnt necessarily mean the keyboard is junky it just means it was constructed as a cheap mechanical keyboard. I went from low profile membrane to this and it definitely required a learning curve, but regardless of all of this I dont think Ill go back to membrane. In the future Ill just get something higher quality that has switches with more actuation force, less travel, and an ever so slight click if something like that exists.

I have been using this keyboard since 2017, so I think its fitting that I leave a review for it. This review is for the original listing with standard OTEMU Brown switches. I am aware of the fact that they now come with OTEMU BOX Browns, but the experience is basically identical. Lets go over the basic parameters first: Unboxing Experience: So the box itself is alright, it serves its purpose of holding the keyboard itself. In the box, it comes with the keyboard itself, a keycap puller, a keyswitch puller, and ten extra key switches in a different variant. Since my keyboard used gateron browns, they gave me gateron blues to try out. Box itself doesn’t come with very much, other than these items. The most useful to me were the extra switches in the box. Both the keycap and key switch puller broke after a few uses. the key switch puller in particular broke the clips on some of my key switches. Serviceable, but I would rather buy my own toll in this case. Looks: This keyboard is so damn sturdy. Up until that point, I was used to cheap plastic keyboards. So the mostly metal construction is excellent! I couldn’t feel very much flexing while typing. The keycaps are okay. they are double shot, so they won’t wear out as much as ABS. The font itself is much more of the “gamer” aesthetic. I used them for about two years before replacing them for better looking keycaps. the lighting itself is good, though controls are basic. Changing color profiles without software is a nice touch, though some savvy hackers have found a way to change colors without official software. The all black design makes it fit in with most builds, though it does stand out on a lighter colored desk. the only real downside is the the secondary function keys have their labels printed on as opposed to part of the injection mold. So eventually those legends will wear away, which I have somewhat done in those two years of using the keyboard. There is a Small Red Dragon Logo above the Arrow keys and a sticker on the back detailing the keyboard information. Its very minimal, and actually decent all things considered. Feel: This keyboard won’t win any rewards for being different. The keys themselves are fine for typing, better than membrane keyboards in all regards. There is rattle and wobble on both the key switches and stabilizers, but they are not deal-breakers at this price point. The metal reinforced backplate and metal frontplate do a good job of keeping the board stable while typing, though there is no padding behind the keyboard so it does sound a bit hollow. No lube anywhere, so scratching noises will be common. Features: So this board has hotswap capabilities, but only for OTEMU Switches. Do not try to use Gateron, Cherry, Kalih, or other brands. The pins wont fit the post mounts. This is good for interoperability between different OTEMU brand switches, but you have to desolder the pins if you want anything else. This WAS a selling point back in 2017, however they recently removed it since its only really applicable to OTEMU brand switches. Again, the RGB is a nice touch, including the preset profiles. The design is held in by multiple screws, which makes dis-assembly for modding a breeze. The USB cable itself is connected to the board using a 5-pin header, so if you break the cable, you can easily replace it using a soldering iron. The keycaps are OEM profile, so you can buy an aftermarket set and put them on the keyboard no problem. the stabilizers are plate mounted, so you can replace them with cherry OEMs once they break. Honestly, if you want to use this board as a cheap base for your next keyboard, then this might be for you. Even still, this is a surprisingly reparable keyboard. Downsides: Honestly, I only have two downside for this board. That being a non-removable USB cable. If they had just added a removable port, either USB-Micro B or USB Type-C, it would make this keyboard so much better. Like, they could’ve done it so easily too. The piece that holds the wire in place is not a through hole permanently attached to the chassis, its a rubber piece that holds the cable in place. there is enough clearance to put in a female USB Type C Header in there. The other reason is the OTEMU-only hotswap sockets. I know that kalih brand switches (or similar) are more expensive to implement, but this would allow you to use ANY switch possible. Right now, you can only use OTEMU switches. Yes, they have good variants such as the reds and blacks, but it sucks that its only these brand switches and nothing else. There is also the minor downside of some of the screws losing their paint over time, though, you won’t be able to see them from the top of the keyboard. Verdict: Overall, a good keyboard for the time. Back in 2017, when there were not very many cheap mechanical keyboards on the market, this would have been the no-brainer choice. But nowadays, there is a lot of competition in this market. I would hope that Redragon would be keen to revise this board, with the possibility of a removable cable. Its still a good keyboard, but its becoming harder to stand out with so many competitors.

Really like this keyboard. Brown switches feel responsive.

Use case: Ive owned this mechanical keyboard (MK) for almost three years and use it daily. Pros: Durable, inexpensive, bright RGBs, great option for someone looking for their first MK I spilled an entire drink on this keyboard. I simply unplugged it, rinsed it in the sink, and set it out to thoroughly dry. Continued to work fine once dry. This was over a year ago. All RGBs still work fine, despite being on all the time during use. Cons: After purchasing a higher tier MK, I can confirm there is a noticeable difference in quality of the keycaps and switches. This MK has more post wobble, louder keystrokes, and overall less sound dampening. This does not impact overall functionality, and is not really noticeable unless you have experience with a higher tier MK. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I would recommend this to anyone looking for their first MK, but dont want to break the bank. I would not recommend this to MK enthusiasts who may be disappointed by the less enjoyable typing experience compared to other, more expensive MKs. If ergonomics are important to you, plan to purchase or make a wrist wrest. This is really a requirement for most MKs, including those that are expensive.

I purchased this keyboard to replace a very clicky mechanical keyboard that greatly annoyed anyone nearby, or anyone that I was on the phone with, or chatting with while typing. It was loud, and I thought that all mechanical keyboards were the same. This keyboard is far quieter, although it is missing the clicky tactile response that I was accustomed to. Button presses are very smooth, lighting is great, and keys feel very nice. Also, this thing is much heavier than my previous keyboard - so heavy, that you could use it to attack someone that you dont like, and it would probably not break. Great keyboard - you should buy it right now.

This keyboard works great for me. I needed a lighted keyboard for better visibility. I love the many color settings. The construction is so sturdy I doubt if it will ever wear out! If anything on it does, there are replacements readily available.

Highly recommend for a gaming experience. Be warned though, it’s louder than most other gaming keyboards.

I wasnt too sure about this keyboard. I wanted a lit keyboard as I prefer to do my gaming with the lights off. I suppose I delayed for years getting one due to the price. I read all the reviews concerning the Redragon keyboard. Although I was somewhat skeptical, I pushed the key to purchase. The lights (or, why were here): Prior to this keyboard I was using a really nice wireless one from Logitech. It still is nice, but it doesnt lite up the keys. The Redragon does...spectacularly! I dont know that I have a reason to use all the light shows it will perform, however, if you are reading this and you want a keyboard that does...this is the one! Now, when it comes to lighting, I wanted one that I could program the color and intensity of the keys. More importantly I wanted to be able to program each individual key according to the key controls for games. There are many expensive ones that caught my eye but didnt have this capability. This keyboard hits a grand slam when it comes to programming individual keys! Everything I wanted. For me that is enough to validate the five stars I gave it. Tactile feel/feedback from the keys: At first I wasnt sure I liked the feel of the keyboard. I used it in a few games and loved it. But I wasnt sure I was going to enjoy typing on it...until I typed out my first email. My fingers were dancing around on the keys making clickity click sounds like Reindeer on the roof. I was afraid I would end up with a lot of typos on this keyboard and the opposite is true. If you want a keyboard with tactile feel and feedback, then Redragon is your buttercup. In regards to the instructions: They arent that great. The good news is that the operation/programming of the keyboard and downloaded software is very intuitive. Seriously, it aint rocket science. I was up and programming in less than ten minutes. Would have been less except I was enjoying all the light shows. Time to sum it up and move on: Truthfully, $49.89 is outstanding for a keyboard of this caliber. Its a great gamer board and also great for typing (even in the dark). I highly recommended this keyboard! On a side note; this aint no plastic keyboard! Whack somebody with it and youll likely get charged with manslaughter (or womanslaughter, kidslaughter, petslaughter or coleslawder). Nice because it doesnt slide around.

I bought this keyboard because the one that came with my new PC had a weird problem with the space bar. I knew I wanted a mechanical keyboard eventually anyway, so after a TON of research, (learning about the dizzying array of features that modern keyboards can come with), I settled upon this keyboard from Red Dragon. I wanted a wired, full sized keyboard with backlit keys. After about two weeks of use, Im happy to say that I made a good decision. I was also surprised with how quickly the keyboard arrived after placing the order. The keyboard feels solid and well made, but still sleek and modern looking. While its a full sized keyboard, it doesnt take up a lot of real estate on my desk at all. It feels nice to type on, I enjoy typing and Im pretty quick. I havent had any problems with hitting the wrong keys or anything like that. Its also very satisfying, I like to hear the keys being pressed, so there is definitely a satisfying clicking sound, but I wouldnt say this keyboard is too loud at all. All the keys light up, there arent any dud keys. Backlit keys were important for me, as I like to use my computer in the dark. If you like to have cool lighting effects, this keyboard has a lot of different modes, and its easy to switch through them all. I prefer to have one solid color constantly, and I found the mode for that. You can also change the static color. I saw someone write in a review that they wanted a keyboard where you couldnt see lighting coming from underneath the keys, they just wanted the characters on the keys lit up. If that is something you are looking for, this keyboard is not for you. All the keys are raised up and there isnt any housing around the keys to stop the light from spilling out. This isnt a problem for me at all. Honestly, it looks pretty cool like this and its probably a way to keep the price down. As for some reviewers mentioning a ringing sound similar to a chain link fence being hit, I can definitely hear what they are talking about, but its honestly not very noticeable at all. While youre typing, you really have to be intensely listening for it to hear it at all. I brought my wife into the room to ask if she heard anything odd, and she said no. I then told her theres a ringing sound which she still couldnt hear. Then I hit the backspace and enter key harder than I normally would, and then she heard it faintly. I would never be hitting those keys that hard during normal use. She laughed and told me that its a silly complaint and one that she would never even notice. The only drawback on this keyboard is that there are no buttons to change your computer volume, or open up a browser, etc. But for me, Ive had keyboards with buttons like that in the past, and I never used them as much as I thought I would. My audio interface is always right in front of me, and it has a volume dial for that anyway.

Working in a dark space, this is exactly what I needed. I have two computers and this keyboard makes working with the other one seem like a let down. I really dont understand why you would have the flashing or rolling rainbow colors.All I want is one color backlight. I dont use for gaming, so I cant comment on that.