When Redragon told me they made a variation of their famous K617 Fizz keyboard, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Having reviewed the original keyboard before, I praised it for being a pretty good keyboard for the price. Now, they’ve decided to upgrade the same keyboard by changing one big thing—the switches. The K617 Fizz is now offered with magnetic switches, Redragon’s first foray into this technology. But what exactly is a magnetic switch? Does it change your gaming experience, and is it worth the jump in price? Let’s dive in and find out.
First, let’s cover the basics. The Redragon K617 Fizz Rapid Trigger Magnetic Switch Keyboard, as it’s now called, is still a 60% keyboard that is wired only. It maintains the same basic profile for being 60%, making it a no-frills product. It’s lightweight with an all-plastic body, which does result in some flex on the board, but nothing too alarming.
The Big Change: Magnetic Switches
Now, onto the main feature—these magnetic switches. But what exactly are they? Magnetic switches function similarly to regular switches, but instead of contact pins at the end, they use magnets. This allows the keyboard to detect the distance when you press on a key. You can customize how sensitive you want your keystrokes to be, making the keyboard either very responsive to a slight tap or requiring a full press to register a key stroke.
This feature of changing the actuation point can completely transform your gaming experience, especially for FPS gamers. If you’re playing games like Overwatch, CSGO, Valorant, or Apex Legends, you can press the keys much faster, allowing for quicker movements in the game. You can even set different actuation points for each key, giving you a significant competitive edge.
Combining this with Redragon’s claimed 8KHz polling rate, this keyboard becomes a very quick and responsive device. Although I can’t personally test the 8KHz polling rate, the keyboard does feel fast, especially if you adjust the actuation point in the software.
The Sound and Feel
The switches themselves feel linear but are quite loud and clacky. Outside of some mushy stabilizers, they produce a noticeable sound. This might not be for everyone, but it adds to the tactile feedback that some users prefer.
Software: A Mixed Bag
Now, let’s talk about the software. It’s simple, which is both good and bad. While you don’t need the software to control the RGB lighting—most people’s primary use—it is necessary to control the custom trigger actuation.
The software allows you to adjust the actuation point from 0.1mm to 4mm. This means you can set a key to register a press with just a light tap or require it to be fully pressed down. You can apply these settings to individual keys or all keys at once. Additionally, the software allows for quick trigger settings, which let you customize and adjust the trigger stroke and the reset point.
However, the software can be confusing at first. It took me a few tries to understand how to enable the quick trigger and set the actuation points. Once you get the hang of it, it’s a game-changer, but Redragon could improve the user experience with clearer instructions.
Real-World Use
In real-world use, once you get past the software learning curve, the keyboard is a blast to use. For example, in Valorant, if I set the actuation point to 0.1mm, my movements are incredibly fast with just a light tap. This level of customization can significantly enhance your gaming performance. However, setting it too sensitive might not be practical for all users, so finding the right balance is key.
The K617 Fizz magnetic keyboard is priced at $60 MSRP on Redragon’s website. This makes it one of the more affordable magnetic switch keyboards available. If you’re curious about magnetic keyboards and don’t want to break the bank, this is a great option. For those who already know what they want in magnetic switches, other options with different sizes and materials might be more appealing. If you don’t care for four-digit ipad passcode magnetic switches, you might as well stick with the regular K617 Fizz, which is cheaper and essentially the same keyboard sans magnetic switches.
Final Thoughts
The K617 Fizz Magnetic Keyboard is a great entry for Redragon into the budget keyboard space. It offers a unique feature that works well in practice. While the software could use some improvements, it gets the job done. If you’re interested in trying out a magnetic switch keyboard without spending too much, this is a solid choice.
If you want to check out this keyboard for yourself, I have included a link below along with a coupon code to save you a few bucks. I’d also like to thank Redragon for sending this keyboard for review.
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