iKBC F87 & F108 Mechanical Keyboards Review

1. Introduction2. Unboxing and First Look3. Testing4. Closing Thoughts5. View All Pages

iKBC has done a fine job with their F87 & F108 keyboards.

They look very sleek and simple, meaning they would fit in at the office just as well as on your desk at home. The build quality is also excellent, and the keycaps are doubleshot PBT so you can bet on them being extra-durable.

iKBC have also made sure that no functionality is lost despite there being no included software. This means all the RGB lighting is controlled on-board, as you have to use several different function keys to choose the right colour or pick a lighting effect. These settings are then stored to the keyboards' in-built memory so you can move the boards around without worrying about losing the settings. It also might prove useful for Apple users who want to adopt a high grade mechanical keyboard – there is no reliance on software to control the lighting (and keys can be easily remapped in Apple OS).

That being said, I would personally have preferred to see some software – I found the on-board controls to be just a bit fiddly and complicated. Software would allow quick-and-easy configuration of the lighting, while the in-built memory still ensures that the settings are saved directly to the keyboard.

Other than that and the lack of multimedia keys on the smaller F87, both keyboards are excellent day-to-day. Cherry switches are still the gold standard so it is good iKBC did not go for cheaper equivalents, while the PBT keycaps are beautifully textured and contoured to make for a great typing experience.

All-in-all, then, I am happy to recommend both the iKBC F87 & F108. With just a few minor tweaks, these would be near-perfect boards.

While they are currently unavailable to buy in the UK, iKBC have told us they are working with Overclockers UK to get stock to the UK, so keep your eyes peeled. The F87 has a European RRP of €126, while the F108 is only €129, so be prepared to shell out over £100 for these boards when they do land in the UK.

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Pros

• Lots of functionality despite the lack of software.
• The backlight is excellent.
• Sleek and simple design.
• Cherry MX switches are top-class.
• In-built memory stores your settings directly to the keyboard.

Cons

• On-board control is not very intuitive.
• The smaller F87 model lacks multimedia keys.
• UK pricing and availability is as-yet unclear.

KitGuru says: iKBC have made two cracking keyboards in the F87 & F108. With the addition of some software and multimedia options, we could be looking at two ‘must have' products.

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