Yunzii Keynovo IF98 Pro Keyboard GBAtemp review
Hardware
Product Information:
If you're hunting for a new pre-built keyboard, the process can be pretty daunting. Every day, it seems like there are a dozen new companies, all vying for your attention (and money), and only a sparse handful of them are worth the prices they command. We've checked out Yunzii's releases before, back in 2021, and at the time, their keyboards had a lot of great qualities--especially when it came to looks--but they suffered from rattly stabilizers and some tiny concessions in order to be competitively priced. Now that the market has heightened its standards, can Yunzii keep up with the pace? After trying out their new Keynovo IF98 Pro, I can be fairly certain that Yunzii Keyboard is one of those select worthy brands.
The Keynovo IF98 Pro comes in three colors: transparent black, transparent blue, and white. The latter looks sharp, and has an almost retro aesthetic to it, but the standout option here is the transparent blue variant. Rocking a frosted blue case, a soothing light blue and white palette, and even an adorable wave acrylic design in the top right corner, the IF98 has all the appearances of a designer keyboard. There's also a brass backplate adorned with the words "One Click To Infinity", making the board look even cooler.
Since the keyboard has a frosted case, you can see through it, just a tad, offering that nostalgic view of the internal working parts of the tech. I think they went a little too opaque with the frost accent, though, because it hampers the RGBs, making them look dull. Either the case needed to be more transparent, or the lights underneath needed to be brighter. At the very least, the faint lighting is even, and it looks pretty enough when the RGBs are disabled. Though it's made from plastic, the keyboard has some heft to it, with minimal flexing on the outer edges.
The Keynovo has a fascination with trap doors. That previously mentioned artplate of waves crashing is actually a hidden compartment, where you can add four extra switches and keycaps and program macros into. Or you can just leave it be and keep the design there. It's a nifty feature, and I'm a fan of the extra function you can get out of extra macro-dedicated keys. Yunzii provides the extra switches and keycaps that you'd need, too, so you're not left in the lurch after discovering it. There's some other bonus goodies in the box, too, like a thick coiled cord, which adds to the fancy flair, even more keycaps should you want to reprogram certain keys, as well as a cap/switch puller, because the IF98 is hot-swappable.
You can choose between four types of Gateron Pro switches: Red, Black, Brown, and Yellow. In this case, I got the brown switches, and though I'm not normally a fan of them, Yunzii pre-lubed them to perfection, making for an S-tier typing experience despite that. Each of the stabilizers are also lubed, and screwed in securely, to the point that I'd say this is possibly the best out-of-the-box experience I've ever gotten from a keyboard. Even for someone who's fairly picky, I'd say it was done flawlessly.
Underneath the case is yet another secret trapdoor, which holds a 2.4gHz dongle, used for connecting the keyboard wirelessly. You can also opt for Bluetooth 5.1, or go the traditional wired route, with that sweet coiled USB-C cable from before. A 3,000mAh battery is pretty standard, and gives you decent usage, assuming you've got the RGBs off.
If all that wasn't enough to grab your attention, this next detail should: the Kenovo IF98 is a gasket mount keyboard. This can take away a lot of the audible clacks that a mechanical keyboard has, while accentuating the tactility of each keypress. There's some bounce and flex that give a real satisfying feeling as you type, while the layered dampening foam keeps everything near-silent. It's a super fun experience to use, especially combined with the pre-lubed switches, which give the keyboard this very soft sense of feedback. This is one of the funnest keyboards I've ever used, thanks to all of that.
As the name implies, the IF98 is a 98% keyboard, meaning it's pretty much a fullsize board, condensed into a smaller, sleeker frame. You've got the beloved numpad, and the four bonus macro keys, giving you everything you need.
I am completely and utterly impressed with the Yunzii Keynovo IF98 keyboard. It has everything you'd want from a high-end keyboard, and then some, with some great factory-lubed switches, and stellar overall build quality, making for one of the best pre-built keyboard options on the market.
Verdict
- Perfectly lubed switches/stabilizers
- Great keycaps, dampening foam, and accessories
- Three different connectivity options
- Feels so wonderful to type on
- The case is too opaque for the RGBs
