Retro mechanical keyboards by 8BitDo have different looks, each paying tribute to classic technologies. The design hints are subtle enough to avoid copyright issues. Similar to the company’s NES and Commodore 64-style keyboards, the 8BitDo M Edition follows the color scheme and button shape of the classic IBM Model M keyboard from 1985. Enthusiasts appreciate the springy buttons of IBM keyboards, the design of the buttons, and their role in the emergence of modern mechanical keyboards.
The M Edition keyboard connects to devices with a minimum of Windows 10 or Android 9.0 via a USB-A cable, a 2.4GHz USB-A wireless adapter, or via Bluetooth 5.0. 8BitDo says 200 hours of battery life. The M Edition also comes with removable «superbuttons» A and B that connect to the keyboard via a 3.5mm jack and are programmable.
The IBM keyboard of the 80s did not use modern mechanical switches. They had elastic springs on the membrane sheet, which made the keys harder to press than the keys on the previous Model F keyboard. Unlike the original’s membrane switches, the M Edition has Kailh Box White V2 mechanical switches that are easy to press with crisp clicks and noticeable, but not delayed, feedback. The 8BitDo switches can be quickly replaced.
M Edition does not have a numeric keypad — 8BitDo produces a separate numeric keypad in the same style that can be connected via Bluetooth, «whistle» or cable. The keyboard itself costs $100, and the additional panel costs another $45. The 8BitDo M Edition may appeal to those who feel nostalgic for IBM but don’t want their workplace to seem stuck in the past.
Source: Ars Tecnica