In the future of cyber aesthetics, will this be the beginning of customization and people-friendly? Detailed Review of IQUNIX Q66 Silver Trace

As early as 2021, I have seen four crowdfunding keyboards (Sen 80, G67, Q66, Tilly60) officially revealed by IQUNIX, each of which is very individual and has a distinct theme. Compared with non-aluminum mass-produced keyboards, players must be waiting for the return at the aluminum factory, so don’t make it a PPT. The good news is that the customization kit is far more troublesome than imagined, so the Q66 will not start until October this year.

Maybe a good design doesn’t have to be monopolized. Students who just want to buy Q66 with special-shaped design also have new good news. The mass-produced version has sneaked in!

Highly customized style, small size arrangement, Q66 will generally not become the first mechanical keyboard in the hands of users. Unpacking the Q66, you will not be unfamiliar with the black packaging design with bushings. This kind of design, which is quite recognizable by the aluminum factory, is suitable for the aesthetics of straight men. I don't know if there will be other surprises in the higher-end aluminum version.

The accessories are still rich and practical, such as the transparent dust cover molded by the original factory, and the key puller and other accessories that can be customized later. The small array without F area is often the favorite of Mac users, so the corresponding replacement keycaps are also given in the random box.

Everyone knows that IQUNIX is very good at design and color matching, so there are not many color options for the first Q66, only two colors of summer tour and silver trace. There is one thing to say, the keycaps are now playing with flowers, but the aluminum factory can still give people a refreshing feeling, which is amazing. The silver trace I got started is mainly white, with four fluorescent yellow keys + the same color font on the main key area + fluorescent skirt on the front side, which instantly adds vitality to the gray and white frigid wind.

The fuselage adopts a left-right symmetrical design, and the three vertical bars correspond to the radians, giving it a spaceship cyber sense. The case of the keycap is treated with a matte process, which has a more matte texture than the PBT keycap, and the visual effect is excellent, but the wear resistance needs to be tested by time.

At present, the mainstream small layout of mass-produced keyboards is 65% layout, which is small and compact and basically takes care of the main functions. Q66 comes with a lot of Fn combination keys, but there is no side engraved reminder, just record it in the manual before use, so it is not difficult to get started. If you want to write them all down, it seems to be a bit difficult. I hope that the aluminum factory can add side engraved reminders at that time.

The small keyboard has small limitations, and the whole machine only has a Type-C interface and a wireless/wired switch key. There is no adjustable foot support at the bottom, which is similar to most customized keyboards. After all, there is a high probability that the Q66 will be made of aluminum. It is understandable whether it is the same mold.

The lack of a foot support does not mean that there is no inclination angle. It is not a problem to adapt to typing at this angle, even if you add a hand rest. Although the Q66 is small, it is not light in weight, and the four non-slip feet at the bottom can also ensure the stability of the keyboard. As a simple design, it basically has everything that should be there. I believe that users who consider Q66 should not be entangled in the problem of foot support. Personality and beauty are king.

The reason why the popularity of aluminum factory keyboards has not diminished is that the appearance cannot support all of them, and the materials used have not fallen at all. The Q66 silver trace adopts the PBT keycaps of the height of the original factory. Except for the space bar without characters, all of them are made of two-color injection molding. The mouth is opaque and closed, the characters are clear, and other details such as the spout are well done. Due to the frosted texture on the surface, the touch is warm and moist without the jerky feeling of traditional PBT, and it does take into account the feel while ensuring durability.

IQUNIX Q66 is still the same as the previous models, providing two versions of RGB version and no light. Let me tell you, if you don’t care about the backlight, you can also choose the version without lights. Unless you are like me and plan to change the keycap and switch body in the future, you should choose the RGB version in one step.

After hot-swapping and removing the lower shaft body, you can see that the RGB version adopts the lower lamp position scheme (SMD lamp beads), which is compatible with the mainstream three-pin/five-pin MX shaft body, and there is basically no problem with the compatibility of subsequent shaft replacement. The original keycaps have a certain impact on the RGB light effect, but the "bleeding" effect is still possible. Subsequent customization can consider the side-engraved keyboard with the advantage of the light position and the high-transmission shaft body.

I don’t think it’s the essence of customization to have light effects or not. Players should consider the choice of shafts more. IQUNIX Q66 comes standard with three popular TTC themes to choose from, namely: TTC Holy Panda V2, Quick Silver Switch V2, and Gold Powder Switch V2. Recently, the new models of the aluminum factory have begun to be equipped with the version of the TTC Holy Panda axle body. I am already very familiar with the other two axle bodies, so I didn't consider it.

TTC Holy Panda switch is a paragraph switch (shaft body parameters: total stroke 3.4mm, trigger stroke 2.0mm, paragraph pressure 55gf, lifespan of 80 million clicks). In theory, it is quite different from the traditional paragraph axis. Advance section, as the name implies, means that the section is advanced, the resistance is given priority, and the latter section has a similar linear feel to the end. Therefore, it has two superposition states of paragraph and linear. I don’t know if any manufacturer will give it a separate name in the future.

In the face of seemingly similar shaft parameters, the actual feel is quite different. Then, when pre-running, large key balance bar, Gasket structure, CR sound-absorbing cotton, silicone bottom pad, etc. are integrated into the Q66, this makes the sense of hearing and hand feel double guaranteed, and it has a soft and comfortable flavor when tapped. ,

Small configuration keyboards often support three-mode connections, and Q66 also supports three groups of interconnection methods. Among them, the 2.4G receiver is not stored in the machine, so I have left it on the desktop for a long time and used it. The rest of the wireless devices can be used by quick switching of Bluetooth (up to three groups are supported), which is very convenient. Compatibility is not a problem, not to mention that it also provides additional MacOS replacement keycaps, which can also meet the daily multi-platform use in habit.

What's interesting is the indicator light in the middle of the GH key on the Q66. You can see different working states, and even the power display (Fn+B, each flash is 10%). Two lithium batteries are stuffed inside the small body, with a total capacity of 4000mAh. If you want to achieve long battery life, you can use the Bluetooth mode. Because I use 2.4G, the battery life will be lower. Currently, I use it for a month with the lights off during the day and on at night, and the battery prompts that there is 60% left. I expect the official 260 days (Bluetooth + turn off the light) should be achievable.

To sum up, IQUNIX Q66, as the first mass-produced version of the customized family, still adheres to the high-value design and high-quality materials of the aluminum factory. Three-mode hot-swappable, Gasket structure, RGB backlight, and holy panda switches are optional, and it is definitely a top student among small array keyboards. Compared with its predecessors, Q66 has completed the optimization of the low-power solution, which has indeed improved significantly, which can bring a lasting, stable and reliable fingertip experience.