Review on 💻 LTC NB681 Nimbleback 65% Mechanical Keyboard – Wired, RGB Backlit, Ultra-Compact 68 Keys | Gaming Keyboard with Hot-Swappable Switch, Stand-Alone Arrow/Control Keys | Hot Swappable Red Switch | White by Derrick Feliciano

Background: Definitely not my first mech. I guess I'm not 10 either. I'd like to think I've had enough time in the mechanical keyboard community to properly judge this. I got this because I wanted to try a cheap hot swap board. It's impossible to beat the price of this item for what it offers. I spray painted the top and bottom of the case and added some signature red samurai keycaps. Right now I have KTT Rose Switches, this is a 63.5g linear switch. Pros: 1) Its form factor is not to everyone's liking, but I like it. I need a separate arrow block and it's good to have 4 navigation keys. You get 68 keys in 65% of percentage layouts. 2) Mac compatibility is important, not many mechs have this feature and it's a damn shame. Mac users need an idea and it's nice that this keyboard takes that into account 3) RGB is cool 4) You can get a program from their website that allows you to reprogram the keys and each key is programmable 5) Standard gimbals are dry bones, but they cleaned VERY well. They become amazingly good with a little lubrication and lubrication. 6) Standard red switches are surprisingly good. The slider doesn't come lubricated from the factory, but it's not even that scratchy. They are so good that I even decided to keep them for myself. I'd say they're on par with Cherry or Gateron Red. Also, I think they smeared the springs with some oil because I didn't hear any spring jingle from them. 7) It uses Kailh hot swap connectors which are the best. Or at least every high-end keyboard uses these for their hot-swappable connectors. Neutral: I literally have no idea what the record is made of. I've heard iron, fiberglass, steel and aluminum. Whatever it is, it's tough and complex. Cons: 1) No per key RGB programmability, I tried it in software and it's either not there or I'm too dumb to figure it out, 2) You can NOT edit layers, not alt or ctl or shift or function . Whatever features the keyboard has, that's all it has. If you reprogram a button, the function level for that button also disappears. It sucks, especially in such a small form factor that requires you to be able to program at a functional level. There is more than enough room for a full-size bottom row and a full-size shift to the right. This only makes the keyboard setup more expensive (that's the whole point of a hot swap board) since you're now buying an upgraded keyboard. Sentences that have more than the standard 104 keys. they are everywhere but it is annoying. 4) The sound of the board is very muffled. It's a matter of taste, but I like the rickety line sound. However, every switch on this board sounds muffled, no click or pop, just a barely audible bottom noise, and for some reason the keystroke feels soft when typing fast but feels good when typing slowly. There just seems to be something wrong to me, and the way it removes the properties of the switches really turns me off. I tried to fix it by installing screws with 3mm o-rings and I removed the 2 middle screw supports and that helped but little. This is a board for testing switches, not for touch tapping. 5) Standard keycaps are bad, standard OEM press double stamp with translucent material.