The AJAZZ AK680 Max's extremely compact design and magnetic switches allow it to be easily coordinated in virtually any gaming or office setup. This versatility emphasizes the keyboard's minimalist nature with potential for light customization.
Last year I delved deeper into the arena of customizable mechanical keyboards, one I had primarily passed by in my years of gaming.
The AJAZZ AK820 Max and the AJAZZ AK870 were two sides of a similar coin. Both had impressive lighting effects, responsive and satisfying keystrokes, and ease of use for whatever purpose they would be implemented for.
When it was all said and done, the AK820 felt like the superior experience, despite being the cheaper option. Not only was the AK820 the first mechanical keyboard I truly consumed, its pared down feature set fit the bill for my playing and typing style–one that didn’t need to be buoyed by numerous features.
Later in the year Nathan Stevens reviewed the AJAZZ AK820 Max HE. While sporting a similar title to what I consider a fantastic keyboard, the Max HE swapped the gasket-mounted sea salt switches for magnetic switches. The difference? According to Nathan the magnetic switches were lightning fast and keystrokes with the Max HE almost felt like a physical cheat code at the tips of a player’s fingers.
The AJAZZ AK680 Max is another entry into this busy space from AJAZZ and my first time using magnetic switches. More interesting, however, is the strikingly minimal design of the AK680 Max, stripping any potential excess to make a mechanical keyboard that can be fitted to nearly any purpose.
Check out the AJAZZ AK680 Max at Mechlands by following this link. (Non-affiliated URL)
My review of the AK680 Max was conducted on the white model pictured above. With six color variations, I find the white model to be perhaps the most catching right out of the box. The body of the keyboard is a smooth, bright white color with a black design–similar to the contour lines of a topographic map–covering the surface of the keys. Like many white accessories, it is likely that over time this color scheme will emphasize dirt so it would be advisable to keep it clean to retain the striking look. The black color features white lines cutting through the keys. While the other color schemes don’t feature a similar design, opting for giving specific keys bold colors.
As can be the nature of mechanical keyboards, users may wish to swap out the keys with new custom ones. I think the white and black versions of the AK680 Max have great out-of-the-box appeal, making them aesthetically striking for those making a purchase for both form and functionality without wanting to change things too much.
Unlike many gaming-oriented keyboards, the AK680 Max is absolutely minimal it its layout. This is a 68% layout, meaning the footprint is about as small as you can get. The keyboard features 68 keys, with no number pad and five rows of keys. There is virtually no space in between the keys, the only “open” room being the border acting almost like a bezel.
Outside of micro keyboards meant to be connected to small tablets or the optional keyboard that attaches to my Microsoft Surface, the AK680 Max is the smallest keyboard I’ve ever used. But this isn’t a condemnation. Undoubtedly, this keyboard is meant for portability and flexibility. It can be moved around a desk with a minimal footprint. Adding a wrist rest won’t bloat potentially limited desk space.
More importantly, I found no issue typing on the keyboard. It is one thing to use the WASD keys to move a character around in an FPS. The compact design of the AK680 Max allows the fingers to have less room to travel to strike a key, whether it be to reload, jump, or access inventory. But more than playing games, word processing trumps any other use of a keyboard for me.
Mechanical keyboards have been a very interesting journey for me in terms of a person who types thousands of words a month. My ability to swap between laptops, tablet keyboards, work computers, and personal desktops and only take a few moments to acclimate to the unique feeling of each setup is pretty good. But I have found mechanical keyboards to be a joy to type on. Though I’ve only dealt with AJAZZ keyboards, I still think it’s a valuable sample size because I’ve been able to understand and detect the variations, even when small.
For raw word processing, I have to say that I prefer the AK680 Max. Its design is no-nonsense and the compact nature means that my fingers have less work to do when tearing through words and corrections. But this also addresses the feel of striking a key, especially when striking them in rapid succession or alternating quick instances.
Unlike what many might expect from a mechanical keyboard with their robust ability to produce clicks and clacks, the AK680 Max produces less sound than I expected. Featuring sound-dampening PORON foam, the rapid-fire clicks of the keys aren’t overwhelmingly noisy, amounting to nothing more than a soft “thunk” at most. With minimal vibration from a heavy strike of the finger and a satisfying tactile feel when not only pushing down but feeling the gentle raising of a key, this is an extremely pleasant experience for anyone simply wanting an essential computer accessory that could potentially be further customized down the line.
One thing to keep in mind that this AK680 Max is a Type-C wired keyboard. While the small design does make it portable, that portability is still limited by it requiring connection via a cable. The tradeoff is that being a wired keyboard means no discernible lag from a Bluetooth or wireless signal. With an 8k polling rate and 0.125ms latency, it would be almost impossible to feel like your finger barely has to touch the key for it to register.
The use of magnetic switches allows the AK680 Max to have an adjustable RT range of 0.01-2.00mm with a precision of 0.01mm. With the ability to adjust the registry range of a keystroke to such infinitesimal measurements, it means that the lightest keystroke can be registered lightning fast. Coupled with a mouse with insanely high DPI, the only limits would truly be a player’s reaction time.
AJAZZ’s other keyboards I previously used not only sounded different but felt different when striking keys. Those keyboards did not feature the magnetic switches. And while they were quick, the sound was a more recognizable “clack” and pushing a key down all the way had a slight squish-like feel as it hit the membrane. Not unpleasant, mind you, simply different.
Keeping with AJAZZ’s tradition of great lightning patterns, the AK680 Max lets players control the RBG light pattern and brightness by holding down the Function key and using the arrow keys. While not as complex and intricate as the AK870 or AK820 Max, the AK680 Max features a satisfying wave pattern. Using a handful of solid colors, the light will shift left to right or right to left fluctuating in brightness and intensity like a wave of water. Coupled with the pattern on the keys, it’s satisfyingly hypnotic almost to the point where it makes the keys appear to have a life of their own.
The AJAZZ AK680 Max is meant to be a minimalist mechanical keyboard, one that satisfies the need for a competitive edge in gaming and a tactile typing experience. Stripping excess may not be ideal for players used to elaborate gaming setups but there is certainly a market for a keyboard that delivers what’s most important. Capable of lightning-fast response times and satisfying keystrokes, don’t let this small package fool you.
