Akko MOD007B PC Santorini — The Thock is Strong With This One

Being someone who gets paid to write is interesting and fun. However, the fun soon starts to die on you when you realize that the keyboard you are using is not up to the mark and you need something better. It has been a while since I got rid of my gaming setup for a more portable laptop and keyboard experience, but the one thing that has been missing from my arsenal has been a keyboard that I can consider a mainstay. This, however, changed when Akko reached out to me regarding their MOD007B PC and asked me if I would like to review the latest Santorini or the Tokyo-themed keyboards, and I happily agreed.

Now, before I start talking about this keyboard, there are a few things that I would like to address. I do not consider myself a keyboard nerd, but I do love a good typing and gaming experience. My first mechanical keyboard was the Corsair K70 Rapidfire, and for most of my life, I have jumped from either Corsair or Razer in terms of keyboards. I was completely unaware of the world of custom keyboards and how they can provide a better typing or gaming experience until I unboxed and started using the MOD007B PC Santorini. Now, not only has my perception about keyboards changed, but my expectations from every other keyboard have tripled.

Speaking of typing and gaming, considering how most people will be using it with 2.4 GHz wireless, I am happy to report that the 2.4 GHz connection offers a 1,000 Hz polling rate; the same goes for wired mode, and Bluetooth offers a 125 Hz polling rate. The Bluetooth mode is great if you are just browsing the internet or doing some word processing, but for everything else, I would suggest either 2.4 GHz or wired mode.

Coming back to the keyboard, the Santorini is simply an upgraded version of the MOD007 PC. Akko has decided to spec this keyboard with everything they have. You can buy the MOD007 as a barebone version as well, but even the Santorini variant can be called fully custom because every aspect of the keyboard can be changed to your heart's content, which makes it one of the best-prebuilt custom keyboards on the market.

The unit I have comes with the Kailh Sakura Pink Magnetic switches. These are excellent linear switches with an operating force of 50 ± 10gf, total travel of 4.0 ± 0.4mm, and pre-travel of 2.0 ± 0.5mm, but all of these specs won't mean a thing if the switches don't help the keyboard perform the way it should, and that is where the Akko MOD007B PC Santorini shines. It is one of the best stock keyboard experiences I have had. Now, I have been using the Razer Huntsman Elite as my daily driver ever since it came out, and I love that keyboard even today, but this keyboard has made me realize that I am simply not willing to settle for anything less.

Right out of the box, the MOD007B PC offers what I would consider one of the smoothest typing experiences that you can find on any magnetic/mechanical keyboard. The switches are lubed, everything about the typing experience feels satisfying, and there is not a single scratchy noise coming from any key. Every keypress sounds incredibly satisfying, to the point that I do not feel like putting my headphones on while typing. I did hear some users tape-modding the keyboard, but I have not decided to do that, as I am pretty satisfied with the keyboard sounds right out of the box. You can check out the sound below. Do note that there is some echo in the recording due to the construction of the room.

Coming to the construction of the MOD007B PC, the entire keyboard is made out of thick polycarbonate, and while it might disappoint some users, there is zero flex to the board itself, and there is also an aluminum plate inside the keyboard, giving it the extra heft and adding durability. The keycaps are Cherry profile and are made with PBT--they do not shine through, however. But they are adequately sized and should have zero issues.

Another thing that I really love about the Akko MOD007B PC is the battery life. I received this keyboard on 23rd December, and the keyboard still has some charge left. This is my daily driver, and all the work and web-browsing is done on this keyboard. During my time with the keyboard so far, I only had to charge it once, and then it was off to the races. Now, I only use reactive RGB lighting, but your mileage may vary--I am still very confident that the keyboard will last a significant amount of time on full charge.

Now, I have raved enough about the Akko MOD007B PC, but there are some issues that I feel could have easily been handled. Bear in mind that these are just personal preferences and have little to do with how the keyboard operates. The first thing that I noticed is that the keyboard does not have any housing for the 2.4GHz dongle--now, for me, it is an issue because I do consider this keyboard to be something that I can carry in my backpack, and to have a slot for the dongle is very important for me.

The second issue that I ran into is the fact that the switch to turn the keyboard off or switch the modes is hidden under the capslock key, and while you can reach the switch with a nail filer or something like a pin, I would have preferred the switch to be on the side or right next to the USB port on the keyboard as it would have made it very convenient.

Another thing that I would consider a personal preference is that I really wish that the LEDs were north-facing because that increases the compatibility with shine-through keycaps. The LEDs are great even when they are south-facing, but this means that there aren't enough keycaps to support these LEDs. Thankfully, Akko does offer ASA-profile clear keycaps in multiple colors that you can pick up and enjoy the RGB bonanza if you must.

The last issue that I have with the Akko MOD007B PC has to do with the software. It is available both as an offline version and as a web driver (which I feel is the right thing to do). The software, however, is not the smoothest experience. There are some random translation issues, text that does not make sense, and other small problems that might frustrate some. However, the functionality is easy to understand, and the keyboard allows full control of everything through the Fn key, so you really do not have to use the software if you don't want to.

As you can see, the negatives that I have pointed out are largely personal preferences, and the keyboard itself does not have any issues related to functionality. I can go out on a limb and say that the Akko MOD007B PC Santorini is the best keyboard I have used in my journey as a tech enthusiast.

It is the keyboard that makes me wish that my Razer Huntsman Elite was this good, and honestly, going back to other gaming keyboards now just makes me want to switch back right away. I am happy that Akko sent me this keyboard, and I will keep you posted with more reviews in the future. But for now, if you want to pick this keyboard up--close your eyes and go for it. At $150, this is the best keyboard you can get that can go toe to toe with the likes of Keychron, Wooting, and other custom keyboards in the market.

The Akko MOD007B Santorini is the best keyboard I have used that is a treat for both gamers and those who are used to writing thousands of words on a daily basis. The keyboard is built like a tank, has stellar RGB lighting, and excellent battery life that will allow you to breeze through your week without any issues.

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