Maximum PC - USA (2022-04)

THE MECHANICAL keyboard market is
nothing if not saturated at this point.
Gamers and typists alike are spoilt
for choice, with a vast range of sizes,
styles, and switches available. RGB
lighting has become ubiquitous. Unique
proprietary switches are becoming
incredibly common, a marked shift from
the days when the only widely available
options were red/blue/brown Cherry and
Gateron switches.
Vissles is a newcomer to the market,
founded in 2018 and launching its flagship
mechanical keyboard, the V84, in 2021.
In addition to its odd name, Vissles also
has a weird slogan plastered all over its
website and on the V84’s box: ‘Poppin
Your Life With Ease’. The ‘About Us’ page
isn’t forthcoming with an explanation.
Perhaps it refers to how the original
V84 (and the model we’re reviewing here,
the updated V84 Pro) features easily hot-
swappable keycaps and switches, which
can be ‘popped’ out with included tools
and replaced with caps or switches of
your choice. You can order the V84 Pro
with pre-installed Cherry MX switches,
however, our review unit comes with
Vissles’ VS II mechanical switches, which
surprised us greatly in terms of how good
they feel to use.
The VS II switches are linear-standard,
with a remarkably smooth actuation and
low operating force. They have 4mm of
total travel, registering input at 2mm,
which makes them feel comfortable for
typing. The light actuation is also great
for gaming, with every keypress feeling
immediately responsive. These are also
some of the quietest linear switches
we’ve come across, which is a bonus for
anyone located in the immediate vicinity.

A challenger approaches

Vissles V84 Pro

9

VERDICT Vissles V84 Pro

POPPIN Great battery life;

VS II switches are good; clean

design; comfortable wrist rest.

POOPIN Software is unimpressive;

opaque keycaps cause issues with

lighting functions.

$109, vissles.com

SPECIFICATIONS

Switch Type VS II Mechanical Switch

Switch Durability 60 million presses

Media Keys Integrated w/ function keys

Connection USB-C/Bluetooth 5.1

Battery Life 180 hours

Wrist-rest Separate leather padded

Dimensions 4.96 x 12.44 x 1.54 inches

The overall design is simple, but don’t

take that as a criticism; we like the V84’s

stripped-back look. It uses a 75 percent

keyboard layout, which is rare even in

tenkeyless (TKL) keyboards (60 percent

and 80 percent are more common), so

naturally offers some pre-loaded macros

to make up for the missing keys. Like

many compact keyboards, the V84 Pro is

wireless via Bluetooth 5.1, although you

can also use a USB-C cable.

GRIPPY TEXTURE

The exterior is plastic, but it doesn’t feel

cheap. The V84 Pro is weighty, preventing

it from shifting around during use, with a

matte black base and white PBT keycaps.

These keycaps have a pleasing, slightly

grippy texture under your fingertips,

and the overall build quality is excellent.

There’s no flimsiness and no flex in the

case when speed typing. Vissles includes

a padded leather wrist-rest in the box,

which feels well-made, along with some

alternative keycaps for Mac users (with a

keyboard shortcut to swap modes).

Vissles has also seen fit to include LED

backlighting. This offers 19 preset effects

spanning the usual range of rainbow

colors, and can be tweaked along with

custom key bindings and macros in the

Vissles desktop app. This is functional

but rather ugly and underwhelming, like

a lot of proprietary keyboard software.

The RGB lighting is fine, but since

the PBT keycaps are opaque, the

backlighting is limited to illuminating

around the edges of the keys. It’s also

not particularly bright, meaning that

it’s barely noticeable in a brightly lit

environment (although it does look great

in a dark room). It also causes some

minor issues with practical use; for

example, turning on caps lock or scroll

lock lights up the corresponding key in

white, which is near-impossible to see

around the white keycaps.

The V84 Pro is rated for up to 180 hours

of use with the lighting turned off, and we

can confirm it didn’t need charging once

in the time we spent with it. With a price

of $109, it sits somewhere in the middle

of the mechanical keyboard market, but

we’d consider it good value for money.

It’s rare that a brand we’re unfamiliar

with surprises us so pleasantly; if you’re

on the hunt for a new TKL keyboard,

we’d strongly recommend the V84 Pro.

–CHRISTIAN GUYTON

APR 2022 MAXIMU MPC 89