
- #VARMILO REVIEW FOR MAC INSTALL#
- #VARMILO REVIEW FOR MAC SOFTWARE#
- #VARMILO REVIEW FOR MAC PC#
- #VARMILO REVIEW FOR MAC WINDOWS#
The Varmilo VA87M was a surprisingly smooth transition. It takes time to get used to the layout and there are often typos for the first few days until I adjust. I change keyboards often and usually there's a learning curve with a new one. Many secondary functions for keys are labeled on the side and you can turn the backlighting on and change the brightness on the keyboard itself with the Fn and arrow keys. It was refreshing to just plug in the Varmilo VA87M and get started.
#VARMILO REVIEW FOR MAC SOFTWARE#
Some of the gaming keyboard software also demands to be updated with annoying regularity. While software typically offers the option to reprogram keys, tweak lighting effects, and other bits and pieces, it's also another thing that's constantly running on your computer.
#VARMILO REVIEW FOR MAC INSTALL#
Most of the keyboards I've tested over the last year have required me to install software. The board the company sent me is equipped with Varmilo's own EC V2 Rose switches. Varmilo also sent me a switch kit, so I could compare different switches. The included keycaps are easy to remove and change. You also get a wire keycap remover in the box and a couple of alternative keycaps for the Caps Lock and Scroll Lock keys with small LED indicators on them. There's no wrist rest, and I find the feet a little easy to accidentally collapse if I push the keyboard, but the build quality is excellent.
#VARMILO REVIEW FOR MAC PC#
It plugs into a Mini-USB port on the keyboard and any free USB-A port on your PC or laptop. A channel runs the length of the board so you can run the cable directly out the back or off to the right or left.

#VARMILO REVIEW FOR MAC WINDOWS#
The media keys are clearly labeled and there's a Windows lock option, but this isn't a fully programmable keyboard, and it doesn't come with any configuration software.įlip the Varmilo VA87M over and there are two feet with rubber pads to set it at an angle. There is white backlighting beneath every key, and you can set different brightness levels or switch to a breathing effect by pressing the Fn and arrow keys. If you're a heavy typist or gamer, you'll get a longer life from PBT keycaps. PBT keycaps feel very lightly textured, and they don't wear as quickly or develop a shine in the way ABS keycaps can. These are full-sized keycaps at 1.3mm and their PBT construction is a more durable and better-quality plastic than the more commonly used acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or ABS. Most people don't need the number pad I find I don't miss it at all, and it's good to have a bit of extra space for my mouse. With 87 keys in total, the Varmilo VA87M is a tenkeyless design, so there's no number pad on the right. You can get a little more conservative with a charcoal version, but most of the alternative color schemes add splashes of color and artistic flourishes on the Spacebar and Enter keys. The reassuringly heavy body is finished in lightly textured dark plastic. There's nothing overtly flashy about the Varmilo VA87M Moonlight model I tested, which has a mix of light and dark gray keycaps with the Escape, Spacebar, and Enter keys highlighted in cyan. But there are weaknesses here, and this keyboard won't suit everyone. Having worked and played with the Varmilo VA87M keyboard for the last few weeks, with the Moonlight keycaps over Varmilo's EC V2 switches, I'm ready to sing its praises.

Offering strong performance in a durable design, the VA87M is light on superfluous extras. Varmilo uses tough, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) keycaps that come in different colors and finishes, and they sit atop various kinds of mechanical switches, so you can pick the pairing that suits you. The Varmilo VA87M is a good example, as this tenkeyless - meaning without a numpad - mechanical keyboard comes with a wide choice of different key switches and keycaps.Ī tenkeyless design is a great way to save space on your desktop and makes it easier to maneuver your mouse without stretching. They offer a more satisfying feel than other kinds of keyboards and usually feature a range of customizable elements. Mechanical keyboards have soared in popularity with heavy typists, programmers, and gamers increasingly being seduced by their charms.
