AJAZZ AK680 MAX Magnetic Switch Keyboard Review

The popularity of magnetic switch keyboards has grown rapidly over the past year, and it’s not hard to see why. With adjustable actuation points and precise performance, these keyboards earned a reputation early on as versatile tools for both gaming and productivity. However, this level of innovation initially came at a steep price, with some models costing well over $150. As is often the case with new technology, prices have gradually dropped as competition has increased, making these keyboards more accessible to a wider audience.

Today, we’re looking at the AJAZZ AK680 Max, sent by Mechlands for this review. This keyboard features a custom Magnetic Rice Switch Hi-Fi version, boasting a 100-million-click lifespan, an exceptional actuation accuracy of 0.01mm, and a blazing-fast 8K wired return rate. Designed to deliver top-tier performance, it promises a unique typing experience that aims to bridge affordability and premium features.

Available in standard and flagship versions with six color options, the AK680 Max has something for every budget. The standard model forgoes backlighting and trims down some internal specs while maintaining the same high-precision Magnetic Rice Switch. The flagship version, which is the focus of this review, includes side-printed topographic keycaps and maximizes the keyboard’s capabilities. With prices starting at $29.99 and topping out at $59.99, this lineup is positioned as a cost-effective option for enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Unboxing

The AJAZZ AK680 MAX arrives in the brand’s familiar packaging style. The keyboard comes in a sleek black box featuring the AJAZZ logo prominently displayed in red on the front. The packaging is complemented by a gray cartoon pattern, giving it a distinct look. The back of the box provides additional product details, maintaining a straightforward and clean design approach.

The packaging includes the AJAZZ AK680 MAX keyboard, a USB Type-C to Type-A cable, a switch puller, and a user manual. The addition of a specialized switch and keycap puller ensures ease of customization, allowing users to replace switches and keycaps with minimal effort.

Design

The AJAZZ AK680 Max Magnetic Switch Keyboard is designed with a 68-key compact layout, making it a great option for those who prefer a smaller keyboard footprint without sacrificing functionality. With dimensions of 324.19×115.44×42.55mm, its compact size allows it to fit comfortably on a variety of workspaces, from gaming setups to office desks. This layout is particularly appealing to FPS gamers who benefit from easy access to essential keys while maintaining a sleek, minimalist design. The keyboard’s space-saving design doesn’t compromise on performance, making it suitable for both professional and personal use. Whether for long work hours, intense gaming sessions, or casual browsing, the AK680 Max offers a well-balanced and practical typing experience.

The keyboard showcases a sleek and refined design, highlighted by its smooth, rounded corners that contribute to its elegant look. The three-layer frame adds depth and sophistication, creating a visually appealing structure. The AJAZZ logo is discreetly placed in the lower right corner, maintaining a balanced and minimalist aesthetic. With a front height of only 20mm, the keyboard sits at a comfortable angle, ensuring that users can enjoy a smooth and ergonomic typing experience without strain.

On the left side of the ESC key, there are three indicator lights that provide useful feedback on the keyboard’s current settings. The first light shows whether the Caps Lock is active, indicating when the keyboard is in uppercase mode. The second light signals if the Windows key is locked, allowing users to disable it during gaming or other tasks to prevent accidental presses. The third light serves as an indicator for Mac mode, showing when the keyboard is set up to work with macOS systems. These lights offer clear visual cues, ensuring users can quickly check the status of these functions.

The AJAZZ AK680 Max Magnetic Switch Keyboard incorporates a thoughtfully placed Type-C interface on the left rear side of the device. The port is embedded within a recessed area, designed to provide additional protection and maintain a secure connection. This concave structure not only reduces the risk of accidental disconnections but also contributes to a more reliable and stable user experience, particularly during intensive typing or gaming sessions. The positioning ensures easy access without interfering with the overall aesthetics or functionality of the keyboard.

The AJAZZ AK680 Max keyboard is thoughtfully designed with four anti-skid pads and a pair of two-stage adjustable footrests on its underside. The anti-skid pads ensure the keyboard remains stable on various surfaces, preventing any unwanted sliding during use. The two-stage footrests offer three tilt height options, allowing users to find the most ergonomic angle for their typing or gaming needs. This adjustable design not only enhances overall comfort but also helps minimize strain on the wrists and hands during prolonged sessions, making it a practical choice for both work and leisure.

The AJAZZ AK680 MAX mechanical keyboard boasts a solid build with a TOP structure and a durable aluminum alloy positioning plate. This sturdy construction ensures stability and consistency, which is essential for both gaming and typing. The design minimizes vibrations, providing a more reliable performance that enhances tactile feedback. This makes the keyboard a great choice for users looking for a durable, responsive experience during intense gaming sessions or long typing marathons.

In terms of design, the AK680 MAX keeps things straightforward without relying on excessive gimmicks. It sticks to a conventional TOP structure that prioritizes function over form. The aluminum alloy positioning plate provides the necessary rigidity, ensuring the accuracy and stability of the magnetic switches. Notably, this version features a bright brushed finish on the plate, replacing the previous frosted appearance, which adds a modern touch to the keyboard without compromising its performance.

To further improve the user experience, the AK680 MAX integrates a well-thought-out sound-dampening system. The lower-end configuration uses EPDM cotton to reduce noise, while the flagship version takes it a step further with a combination of PO cotton, EPDM cotton, and silicone. Although the sound and feel differences are subtle, the enhanced setup contributes to a more comfortable, quieter typing experience, making it suitable for both professional work environments and gaming setups.

Keycaps & RGB LEDs

The AJAZZ AK680 MAX keyboard comes with durable keycaps and is available in two versions: Non-RGB and RGB. The Non-RGB version features black and white ABS keycaps with top-printed legends, made using a two-color injection molding process. The keycaps feel solid and provide a comfortable grip, with a good texture that resists becoming slippery. The overall quality is decent, and the ABS material holds up well to regular use. The RGB version uses PBT keycaps, which are known for their durability, and feature side-printed topographic legends. PBT material offers a more long-lasting feel and doesn’t get oily over time, which is ideal for extended use.

The keycaps on the RGB version are designed to allow light to pass through, creating an interesting effect. The legends remain visible even when the backlighting is off, ensuring the keyboard looks good in all conditions. The keycaps also have a treatment that helps maintain their texture, keeping them comfortable to use for longer periods without becoming slippery or greasy.

The AJAZZ AK680 MAX also offers south-facing RGB lighting that adds to its appeal. The lighting is fully customizable, allowing users to adjust the colors and effects to their preferences. The lighting provides a balanced glow that doesn’t overwhelm the overall design, with even diffusion thanks to the south-facing LEDs. This makes the keyboard a flexible choice for anyone looking to personalize their setup while enjoying functional lighting.

Magnetic Rice Switch

The AJAZZ AK680 MAX keyboard sets itself apart with its impressive magnetic switch technology, providing gamers and professionals with a highly responsive and accurate typing experience. The keyboard’s adjustable RT range, spanning from 0.01 to 2.0mm, offers pinpoint precision with a resolution of 0.01mm. This feature ensures that every keystroke is instantly recognized, whether you’re executing quick commands during intense gaming sessions or handling complex tasks in a professional setting. With an ultra-fast 8K polling rate and a remarkably low 0.125ms latency, the AK680 MAX delivers an exceptional level of responsiveness, ensuring users stay ahead in high-speed scenarios.

Equipped with the Hi-Fi version of the magnetic rice switch, the AK680 MAX offers a tactile and precise feel with a total travel of 3.5±0.1mm. The switches are rated for 100 million key presses, ensuring long-lasting durability even with extensive use. The initial magnetic flux is set at 95±15gf, while the bottoming-out flux is 580±50gf, contributing to a satisfying typing experience with each keystroke. This switch design minimizes friction and wear, providing smooth feedback while enhancing performance across all tasks.

In terms of customization, the AK680 MAX excels with its full key hot-swap functionality. This feature enables users to easily replace switches according to their preferences, making it an ideal option for those seeking a personalized setup. Furthermore, the keyboard offers multiple key travel adjustments, allowing users to fine-tune the keystroke precision within a 0.01mm range. This level of customization not only improves the tactile feedback but also ensures that each keystroke remains accurate and comfortable, whether you’re typing, gaming, or engaging in any other demanding activity.

The Magnetic Switch Advantage: Precision and Speed

Magnetic switches have become popular in gaming keyboards, especially for their precision and responsiveness. In competitive FPS games like Valorant, where stopping and shooting can make all the difference, the magnetic switch offers an advantage. The design of these switches helps reduce unnecessary motion by detecting key releases with extreme precision. This is important in games that require quick reactions, where the speed of key presses and releases can impact gameplay.

Traditional mechanical switches can be slower due to their key travel distance. When the key is pressed to the bottom, it can take time for the switch to register the release. In many gaming switches, the key must be lifted several millimeters before the switch stops triggering. Even advanced gaming switches with shorter travel distances don’t always register a fast release due to their design. In contrast, magnetic switches offer greater control over both key press and release, allowing for a quicker and more accurate stop.

The key benefit of magnetic switches is the ability to fine-tune the key’s behavior. Users can adjust the travel distance for both pressing and releasing, giving them full control over the keyboard’s responsiveness. For example, the key can register at 2mm for typing but only need a 1mm lift to stop the trigger in a game. This level of customization helps reduce accidental presses while enhancing gaming performance, making it a valuable feature for those looking for precision in their gameplay.

With the increasing popularity of magnetic switch keyboards, manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of performance. Keyboards now feature return rates as high as 8K and travel distances as low as 0.01mm. While this ultra-low latency can provide an edge in certain games, it’s important to note that the difference in speed between magnetic switches and traditional mechanical switches is often imperceptible to the human player. However, the fact that magnetic switches can achieve such low latency without the typical mechanical jitter gives them a distinct advantage, especially for competitive gamers.

Magnetic Switch Keyboards: The Good and the Bad

The magnetic switch keyboard operates by measuring the distance from the switch center to the bottom using a Hall sensor. This design makes it incompatible with the Gasket structure commonly found in traditional mechanical keyboards. Even if the Gasket is used, it primarily serves an aesthetic purpose and doesn’t provide the same soft, elastic feel. Additionally, the stronger metal positioning plate typically used in magnetic switches makes the key press feel firmer when hitting the bottom.

• Gaming vs Typing: A Mixed Experience

While the pronounced bottoming out is advantageous for gaming, it doesn’t offer the same comfort for daily typing. The experience can be likened to older hull mechanical keyboards, like those from Filco, Leopold, and Cherry. Many of these older models share this structure, which is why I’ve often recommended against buying these “big brand” keyboards for everyday use.

• Compact Layouts for Gaming Enthusiasts

Given these drawbacks, many magnetic switch keyboards use smaller layouts, such as 60%, 68%, or up to 75% or 87% key configurations. Since magnetic switches are primarily geared towards gaming, manufacturers don’t prioritize comfort for long typing sessions or office tasks.

• Advantages of Magnetic Switches

However, magnetic switches do offer distinct benefits. First, with no physical contact, they provide a smoother typing experience and, due to the absence of exposed metal parts, there’s no wear and tear, leading to an indefinite lifespan. Additionally, the thicker spring used in these switches gives a more responsive rebound, and the overall stability of the switch is improved compared to traditional mechanical options. Although typing on a magnetic switch keyboard can feel unique, it can also lead to faster fatigue for extended typing, and the sound is less pleasant compared to a Gasket-mounted keyboard.

Software

The AJAZZ AK680 MAX keyboard offers two driver options: a software driver and a web driver. The web driver stands out for its convenience, while the software driver is more suited to users who prefer a standalone experience. This flexibility makes it easy to adapt to different preferences, whether you’re using the keyboard for casual use or more serious tasks.

The driver features are extensive, allowing for precise adjustments. For example, it supports a 0-dead zone setting, with the ability to adjust it in increments as small as 0.01mm. This fine-tuned control extends to the trigger height for pressing and lifting, which can also be set to 0.01mm precision. For those who find this level of sensitivity too extreme, there’s an anti-mistouch feature to prevent unintended key presses caused by minor desk vibrations.

The keyboard offers a maximum press sensitivity of just 0.1mm, meaning even the lightest touch can trigger a response. Additionally, the full-range quick trigger feature adjusts the lifting height and key press distance to help improve response times, particularly in situations where fast key presses are essential, such as gaming or quick data input.

For users with a smaller keyboard layout, like the 68-key setup, the FN-level functions are particularly useful. The ability to design these operations through the driver enhances the overall versatility of the keyboard, especially for users who rely on macros and quick shortcuts for more efficient workflows.

Along with the usual key customization options, the keyboard includes magnetic switch functions such as DKS, MT, TGL, and Snap Key. The Snap Key function, in particular, is useful for gaming, such as in FPS titles like Valorant. By binding two keys together, the last key pressed will take precedence, giving players an edge in fast-paced situations where every movement counts.

Finally, the AJAZZ AK680 MAX impresses with its pure white lighting. Unlike many RGB keyboards that struggle to produce a true white light, this one delivers a clean and crisp white glow. This is particularly noticeable when paired with the keyboard’s contour keycaps, creating a sleek and modern aesthetic that complements the overall design.

Connectivity

The AK680MAX relies solely on a wired connection, offering a return rate of up to 8KHz. This feature ensures that even during fast-paced gameplay, every keystroke is transmitted to the computer with minimal delay, enhancing the overall responsiveness. The top-tier version goes a step further by supporting dual 8K return rates, which significantly boosts both the stability and speed of data transfer. This setup is especially beneficial for gamers who require precise, real-time input during intense gaming sessions, ensuring that every action is registered without interruption or lag.

Use Experience

Over the past week of using the AJAZZ AK680 Max, it quickly became apparent how well it balances compact design and performance. Its 68-key layout fits perfectly on my desk, offering enough functionality without taking up too much space. Whether I was typing up articles or playing fast-paced FPS games, the keyboard felt comfortable and responsive. The compact form doesn’t feel cramped, which is a common issue with smaller keyboards, and its solid build ensures it stays stable throughout extended use.

The magnetic switches are the highlight of this keyboard, and their precision really stands out during gaming sessions. The adjustable RT range allows for fine-tuned control, which is especially useful in competitive titles where every millisecond counts. I noticed a significant reduction in keypress delay, making the AK680 Max feel incredibly responsive. However, the magnetic switches do create a firmer bottom-out feel, which while great for gaming, doesn’t offer the same comfort during long typing sessions. This makes it clear that this keyboard is more suited for gamers rather than typists who need extended comfort.

The software customization options provided a great deal of flexibility. I particularly enjoyed the fine adjustments to key sensitivity, which helped me get the most out of my gaming experience. The FN-level functions were also a convenient addition, making shortcuts and macros more accessible, especially when managing multiple tasks. Although the keyboard is limited to a wired connection, its 8KHz return rate ensures that there’s no noticeable lag, and the stability it offers during gaming is superb. The pure white backlighting adds a sleek touch, and overall, the AJAZZ AK680 Max delivers a solid performance that’s perfect for gaming enthusiasts.

Conclusion