But the real surprise is that what at first glance looks like a parts bin rehash of an existing nearly $600 card is actually Angry Miao’s best mech yet.
There’s a lot of Cyberboard DNA here, but oh so much better.
The RGB 65 is a 65% layout keyboard, but its large dot-matrix LED front means it takes up almost as much space as most 75% layout keyboards. It looks a lot like a flattened keyboard. The Cyberboard (which retails for over $800 for some variants), made me wonder if Angry Miao had an extra supply of these LED displays and wanted to get rid of them. But thankfully, the RGB 65 takes more inspiration from one of the most beloved portable devices in human history than an oft-mocked rolling dumpster.
The retro vibes are more pronounced on the white and purple versions, but all of the RGB 65 colors feature small details that pay homage to Nintendo’s industrial design of the original “DMG-01” Game Boy. This includes a curved bottom right corner with six slats mimicking the speaker grill, a negative-relief D-pad cutout surrounding the USB-C port, and dummy B and A buttons on the underside, which replace the wireless charging mat found on other AM models. Another aesthetic highlight is a Galaga Pixel art graphic adorning the plastic antenna window that lets Bluetooth 5.1 and 2.4GHz wireless connections pass through the all-metal chassis.
Typing on the RGB 65 is a breath of fresh air compared to previous Angry Miao keyboards. The marbled sound signature is still there, but the new Icy Silver V2 linear switches with their nylon housings and revised internal design give the RGB 65 a deeper and much “thicker” sound than any other AM keyboard I’ve tried.
The new Icy Silver V2 Pro switches are part of what gives the RGB 65 its thick tone. Cutouts in the polyoxymethylene (POM) plate combined with adjustable leaf springs give the keys a bit of flex when typing.
This card is actually larger than my Meletrix Zoom75, which has a full feature row.
I’m relieved to see Angry Miao making strides in the areas of sound and typing feel. While I’ve personally enjoyed the sound of most previous AM keyboards, that’s all very subjective. And the “meta” around what’s popular in the custom mechanical keyboard space continues to evolve. I think Angry Miao is doing a good job of keeping up with the trends here, and they should. This is a very expensive keyboard that should feel and sound great out of the box, especially considering it carries over a major design element from the Cyberboard.
The Cyberboard’s 200-LED matrix panel has always had a charming side, but while it’s recycled on the RGB 65, it’s better implemented and slightly more practical. Instead of being angled outward and upside down like on the Cyberboard, it’s flat on the main deck and easy to see. It’s still mostly a flashy novelty to go with the RGB light show under the keys, but you can use Angry Miao’s site to do some deep customization or download fully curated presets from the community. It’s fun to tinker with, though I end up using it as a large desk clock most of the time.
But the most disappointing thing about the RGB 65 is that “cyber gray” color scheme, at least compared to the white and “purple fury” options. It looks classy on its own, sure, but the other two feel like they’re in the middle of the game for maximum Game Boy vibes. Perhaps if the gray model used opaque light gray or charcoal black keycaps, it could channel the Game Boy Advance SP or Game Boy Pocket just a little bit.
Like most Angry Miao keyboards, the RGB 65 certainly has a presence on the desk.
Anyway, the RGB 65 is in desperate need of a touch of transparent atomic purple or jungle green (which is another current trend), so I hope Angry Miao considers a cheaper all-plastic version in the future. I’d even be willing to sacrifice some of that thickness if Angry Miao could afford not to over-engineer every little detail in aluminum.
The AM RGB 65 Kickstarter campaign launches today, starting at $449 for a base kit (without keycaps or switches) and going up to $598 for a full pre-assembled purple bundle. Angry Miao is offering an 8% discount for the first 48 hours of the campaign.
Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
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