8BitDo makes mechanical keyboards now, and they’re pretty good even if you’re not into the NES aesthetic. Since introducing the Retro Keyboard last year, the company has made several more versions, including ones that celebrate the IBM Model M and Commodore 64, among others. But the newest Xbox version is really plucking at my 90s-kid heartstrings.
This is almost the exact same keyboard that I reviewed a year ago, just redone in translucent green plastic. But unlike 8BitDo’s previous designs, which were evocative but not officially branded, this one has Microsoft’s official Xbox seal emblazoned on it. It also gets an RGB lighting upgrade (which didn’t really make sense for the previous 80s-style designs). Note the multi-colored arrow keys mirroring the original Xbox controller.
Just in case you’re wondering: The Xbox labeling here is entirely for the vibes. The Retro Keyboard uses a wireless USB receiver and multi-device Bluetooth, which should work fine with any desktop or laptop and most mobile devices. It’ll also work on a modern Xbox One or Series X/S, assuming you’re playing a game with mouse and keyboard support.
Of course, if you had an OG Xbox, you remember that it was big and black, not green, though its logo and flashy console interface were very green indeed. The translucent green plastic harkens back to something of a white whale of console collectors: the Debug Kit version, which developers used for testing. It was gloriously see-through, a trend seen in other consumer tech of the time, like the Game Boy Color and the iMac. It’s a trend I’m glad to see return in a few notable places.
8BitDo
The Xbox keyboard comes with the same add-on buttons as the original design, with hot-swappable keys across all of it. You can also get an Xbox-flavored wireless Retro R8 mouse with the same colorful design and four side buttons. Thankfully, this one looks a lot more comfortable than 8BitDo’s NES-inspired mouse.
The keyboard ships on January 16 for $119.99 — twenty bucks more than the original model without RGB lighting, but still not terrible for a wireless mechanical keyboard with hot-swap switches and programming. The mouse releases on the same day for $59.99.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.