(Pocket-lint) – The NZXT Function MiniTKL is the company’s first proper compact mechanical keyboard, and one that comes with some great features.
NZXT has come to market with a keyboard that’s not only good looking, but also one that’s customisable before you buy and available in different variations, too. You can get a full-sized model, a standard TKL, and then this tiny, compact MiniTKL, which packs a TKL frame into a body more comparable to a 65% keyboard.
That’s not all, either, as it offers a lot more than what you’d usually get from a big name gaming brand. It has a standard bottom row layout, hot-swappable switch design, per-key RGB lighting, onboard profiles and lighting and much more.
The NZXT Function MiniTKL is full of surprises. NZXT could have gone half-hearted into the keyboard market, but this effort is fantastic. It’s a great looking keyboard, comfortable and capable, but also offers a lot more than first meets the eye.
We really like that it has more options and features than many other keyboards, but does so without an insane price tag. Simple things like hot-swappable key switches, onboard profiles, per-key RGB and more make this one thoroughly appealing.
The NZXT Function MiniTKL is immediately striking – it’s a good looking keyboard with plenty of appeal.
The model we tried boasts a white top plate that helps to nicely backdrop the per-key RGB lighting. This keyboard comes with ABS keycaps as standard – not as fancy as PBT, of course, but still good enough to be comfortable to type on and to let the RGB lighting shine through.
There are four onboard profiles for that lighting which you can switch between using the FN and F1, F2, F3 and F4. This includes some nice standard lighting – and reactive effects, too. If you want more, you can try out multiple effects via NZXT Cam, and things get really pleasant in there, as you can set a standard layer and a reactive one on top.
Similarly, there are four onboard profiles, too, so you can program those and switch between them easily on-the-fly.
In terms of how the design actually works in use, the Function MiniTKL is a curious case. It seemingly offers the best of both worlds – all the keys of a tenkeyless keyboard, but with the smaller form factor of a 65 per cent keyboard. It’s not as compact as something like the Corsair K65 RGB Mini, but it makes up for that by not sacrificing essential parts.
This way, you don’t miss out on any important keys, but the keyboard also doesn’t take up unnecessary desk space that could be used for large swipes of your gaming mouse.
It’s also interestingly thought out, though. There’s a volume wheel on the left and three buttons down the side, one to adjust lighting, another to disable the Windows key and the third for a mute button. This is great placement, as it means you can use these things without taking your hand off your mouse, but we also found we accidentally pressed them when shifting the keyboard about our desk.
