8bitdo Keyboard C64 Edition Review

[@shirokuro73]

I got this last weekend and absolutely love it. I have the NES one on my gaming setup, and am using this one for work. I adore how it looks.

[@Ancient_West]

If this had the PETSCII characters on it, it would make a WAY better Commander X16 keyboard than the official Commander X16 keyboard.

[@GRayDefender]

True and to use it on the X16 would need PS/2 haha

[@gbraadnl]

nothing that stickers can't fix in that case.

[@gbraadnl]

@@GRayDefender we need a good USB (HID) to PS/2 adapter. So far have not been able to find a good one (for use with my FPGA based machine)

[@stevenrosscarpenter]

I want f1 - f7 on the right so i can emulate c64 games on pc

[@impossiblescissors]

Many products have tried to tap into Commodore nostalgia, with mixed results. This one definitely seems like a winner.

[@joshuaabe4832]

I just got mine and it types so smoothy. This is (so far) the best keyboard i've had since an old Model M my grandmother used.

[@ricky865]

There is a num pad coming out from them soon that is in the form of all of the retro keyboards including this one and you can also use it as a calculator.

[@GRayDefender]

Yeah, I saw it on Amazon, releasing July 15th for $45...

[@SocialStudiesBob]

I order my num pad for this keyboard a few weeks ago. Amazon says July 15th for delivery. I’m a teacher and need num pad for grades. Love this C64 inspired. Think about getting FamiCom version too. I started on a TRS-80 but 8bitdo is definitely not going to make that keyboard.

[@SocialStudiesBob]

@@GRayDefenderIt’s worth the $45 plus it’s a standalone calculator.

[@Bigheadedwon]

One thing that sucks about the numpad, at least now you can’t use the software to remap the buttons or add macros. Hopefully they’ll add this in a firmware update. I’d really love to get the keyboard with the numpad. But not until I can remap both

[@3vi1J]

Thanks for sharing your experience/insights! I somewhat like it, but the knobs/buttons on the top left look more at home in the Fami edition colors than the C64. Also, without the PETSCII chars, @ key, and other things that would truly make it a modern C64 keyboard for emulators... it's only a C64-colored keyboard, IMHO.

[@networkg]

Great review. Wonder if they will come out with a numeric keypad plug-in.

[@RocketboyX]

They did but it is not out yet. It also doubles as a standard calculator with a LCD display.

[@GRayDefender]

I was thinking the same thing, why not have an accessory it..

[@Omarshmallow]

Looks pretty cool but I wish it had the PETSCII characters on the keys.

[@GRayDefender]

Yeah I had that same thought... :)

[@mariusmyhre7594]

For everybody who ever had to use their feet to press "space" in certain games, those buttons are godsent. And I gotta admit, it kinda looks flimsy in images, but it feels really good when I actually use it. Loving the clicking noises.

[@Micromation]

The big buttons are a gimmick but I'd do anything for an expandable keyboard with additional keypad modules that are individually programmable with rich customization and macro software...

[@BreakingPintMedia]

No mention of the bespoke Numpad being released on July 15th (alongside the one for the N, Fami, and M edition Numpads)?

[@OldSkoolCoder]

Nice Keyboard, I do agree with you, when u have used a full size mechanical keyboard for day to day stuff, this one would not get used for that day to day stuff either for me. Looked Cool Though :)

[@williammckeever4790]

Just under $130 at Amazon CA, currently with 12% discount. A little too much for me but will keep an eye on this to see if it comes down at all.

[@esignacio]

Wow, it is so expensive there. In the Philippines, you can get this for $50 after discount.

[@GRayDefender]

Amazing price!

[@GRayDefender]

Yeah I am thinking it will come down some day.

[@esignacio]

I will be waiting on the m edition of this keyboard. Check it out! it is sooooo beautiful

[@josefjelinek]

IMHO if the numpad is really needed (personally I never use it and go for TKL keyboards), it would be better as a standalone one as most of the time it just takes up space and pushes mouse away from a more comfortable placement. I think that it would actually be a way more practical accessory than the provided joystick or even the buttons as those are better connected to the computer directly rather than wiring them all the way to the keyboard. I assume here that they are only practical on the floor for foot use.

[@luigig44]

The numpad is available for preorder. Matches keyboard aesthetically but is independent

[@josefjelinek]

@@luigig44 That is actually quite interesting. I can see one only for famicon variant at the moment though at about ~$40. It would have been more economical to bundle it with the keyboard from the beginning instead of the big buttons/joystick IMHO.

[@anyatheile]

Not sure if you've seen it but they released a numpad for their keyboards! It funtions as a standard numpad aswell as a regular calculator. I'd be curious to see if having that changes your opinion about the keyboard.

[@stevenkennett8694]

This would have been more interesting with the petscii characters on the key caps. I'll wait until such a keyboard exists.

[@Paperinjerate]

That's the most inconvenient joystick I have ever seen!

[@jessicalawson1417]

It’s accurate though

[@gbraadnl]

From what I saw, the joystick uses the same mechanism as they have for their SNK (NeoGeo CD) gamepad, but instead of the thumstick with an actual stick. Perhaps in that case that horrible deadzone is not as obvious.

[@MaximumRD]

Oh man, that looks neat.

[@ryanashe5019]

Can you tell me if the keys are illuminated at all? I struggle to see without lit up keys, sadly.

[@GRayDefender]

No, the keys are not illuminated.

[@chromium5988]

Any way to program media keys like play/pause? I'm surprised it doesn't have them and only has a volume knob, otherwise it would have been an instant purchase for me

[@tuhkathri9126]

Those big red buttons would be great for activating the helldiver 2 strategems 😂

[@clumaster]

did you try it with a C64 mini? (If you have one that is)

[@Red-in4fx]

Almost the same sound profile as the Famicom/SNES versions despite having the SA keycaps IMO. I'd get one if I didn't own the Famicom version already.

[@cleangoblin2021]

Best looking of the bunch. I think the NES/famicom styles ubiquitous nowadays

[@LeMonsieurPoulet]

If you mind, could you tell me what software version you are using? Mine is not working, it's displaying an error saying "input string was not in the correct format".

[@samuelbanya]

Lol you hate this because of the lack of a numpad? I just got this keyboard. This thing is AMAZING. Sounds great, feels fantastic compared to modern shitty Zoomer tier keyboards. Would recommend if you want this for the Commodore vibes. Joystick peripherals are super loose though so get a different joystick if you're looking for that as a combo. Everything else about this is fantastic.

[@fNX-TOBYTRONIC]

I would buy it with PETSCII characters on the keys. For that price I can also get a Mechboard64 which uses the original keycaps. Combined with a small keyboard controller I can use it with my original C64 and also as an USB keyboard on my Linux system.

[@Johninadelaide2022]

There is a wireless receiver on the bottom of the keyboard that slides out.

[@stakezero]

Is it possible to swap Command and Option on the hardware level?

[@gbraadnl]

3:45 but too bad they look so different; square edges and rounded corners, the black does not even seem to match.

[@audie-cashstack-uk4881]

Because the accessory are nintendo themed

[@wdsbhb]

I’d def be interested if they offered one with a numpad

[@shyd00d]

looks cool

[@Commodoreretro-programming]

You're right. The price should be much lower. Stickers on a $15 mechanical keyboard will do the job. Great video.

[@puzzud]

I don't understand why so many people pronounce it as 8 bit du. It's clearly a play on the name Nintendo.

[@RocketboyX]

I see it also as doh as in Dojo or Akido.

[@dirty-moto]

Because the company themselves have told us it's 8 bit doo. Though I imagine they when they started, they were likely copying Nintendo in pronunciation, the same way how they started off making exact replica controllers before eventually changing their designs around.

[@puzzud]

@@dirty-moto Interesting. That explains it. Thanks for letting me know. Now I'm speculating they do it to avoid Nintendo wraith or something? I own two of the SNES looking controllers--shame they stopped selling them (at least directly).

[@blarghblargh]

​@@puzzud their snes controllers are a bit stiffer than a real one. I personally use a real SNES controller + adapters (e.g. reflex adapt). It's basically perfect, as long as the game isn't a modern one that gets an advantage from analog sticks.

[@puzzud]

@@blarghblargh I agree about the stiffness. But I love the analog sticks and additional buttons to make it XBox / Playstation / Switch compatible.

[@ojisan4795]

No RGB ?

[@broncofun5636]

No petscii graphics - even on the top surface - makes it a no-go for me

[@ludvigtheowopaladin]

I wish i got this insted

[@adamp3628]

I liked the keycaps, but did not like the switches. Too noisy, too plastic-sounding, too loud of a click.

[@MrPsanterIsBack]

Seems interesting but way overpriced: I would only pull the trigger if this was around $50, certainly not at $100.

[@dirty-moto]

How many other wireless mechanical keyboards are $50!?

[@MrPsanterIsBack]

@@dirty-moto This thing doesn't even cost $30 to produce: They are just trying to profit from the nostalgic vibe. Kind of a ripoff at this price point.

[@blarghblargh]

​@@MrPsanterIsBackguessing you don't know what mechanical switch keyboards cost. $100 is the entry level price.

[@networkg]

I will bite when the price reaches the same level as the other release versions $70-$80

[@Skobeloff...]

Just hope you don't have a warranty claim with them, dodgy company.

[@Earthwormjimm]

Is it possible to map one button to open Spotify and shuffle play my Emo Lives Matter playlist? Asking for a friend…

[@jed4276]

Yeah you can, but you'll have to code it to be able to do that. Reddit can help you more with that.

[@TheFellerHasAChannelGodDamnIt]

I preordered the keyboard and got it a few days after, and I absolutely love it. Until I saw this video, I didn't know that was what the star button did lol. I avoided the super stick and buttons because the software, in my opinion, fucking sucks. Macros barely work for me, and it is extremely annoying. A downside is the joystick itself. Like you said, it should have had a button, but I also don't like the square gate. I don't know why 8BitDo keeps using it, but they do and I hate it. EXTREMELY inaccurate for games like Pac-Man and Berzerk, and if I am missing shots in Berzerk, your stick has an issue. Other than that, I really love it. Satisfying to use. 8BitDo is making an IBM version of this keyboard, which looks sick, and would probably be awesome to play DOOM with. 8BitDo is also making a number pad with each of the keyboard's styles, and it comes with a full on calculator, which is sick as fuck.

[@TheFellerHasAChannelGodDamnIt]

8BitDo has been cooking for the past few months, I gotta say.