irocks K71R Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Review – A Lightshow for Your Table

I still remember my first mechanical keyboard, the Corsair K70 Rapidfire, and how excited I was to finally ascend to something that I had only heard about. I can tell you that there was a drastic change in how I felt about keyboards. After that, I simply couldn't go back. So, when I heard about the irocks K71R wireless mechanical keyboard, I was really excited to give it a spin and I am glad I said yes because this is easily one of my favorite mechanical keyboards available in the market.

So, what is so special about the irocks K71R keyboard that you cannot find anywhere else? Honestly, it does not offer you anything that stands out, and there is nothing wrong with it. Keyboards can be boring and still very functional, and if you are looking for something that will take away the wires from you and allow you to ensure your gaming or productivity is not hindered, then it's a no-brainer.

Now, the irocks K71R makes a strong case for itself as it is a very capable keyboard that can operate on a 2.4GHz wireless connection with the supplied dongle, or you can just go for a USB Type-C connectivity. The choice is yours, to be honest. It has full, per-key RGB lighting and a smart dial, which can utilize the Windows 10 and above feature that lets you program the wheel on your keyboard. The keyboard I received was equipped with Gateron Brown switches. Sadly, there's no indication that the keyboard is available with Red and Blue switches because nowhere on the store does it show that you can pick the switch option.

The box, or the unboxing experience, for that matter, is a simple experience. The front and the rear of the box give you all the information you need to know about the irocks K71R, and opening the box reveals the keyboard, some booklets, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, and a 2.4GHz dongle; that is about it. You are not getting any wrist rest or keycap puller.

I really wish the keyboard itself had a cavity where you could put the 2.4GHz dongle, but sadly that is not the case. There is no place to store the dongle, so be sure that if you are traveling and putting it somewhere you won't lose it. I do understand that this might sound like I am nitpicking but considering how such a small detail is available on so many other keyboards and mice, I just believe that this is an oversight that actually adds up to the user experience being better.

Setting up the keyboard is extremely easy. You take it out, plug it in, make sure that it is charged, and you are off to the races. Honestly, you do not even need to install the companion software; that is how good the onboard controls are, and I am glad. However, if this is your first time with a wireless mechanical keyboard with onboard controls, you are going to have some time to learn the basics because it can be confusing.

The typing experience is another area where I absolutely fell in love with this keyboard. I have been using the Razer Huntsman Elite as my daily driver ever since it came out, and I have gotten used to the clicky purple optical switch, so a sudden switch to the brown mechanical switch did feel a little different, but after a while, my fingers adjusted and rest was history. The irocks K71R also comes with a sound absorbing pad under the main plate, making sure that you are getting a smooth, satisfying, and acoustically pleasant typing experience.

Since the irocks K71R is a wireless keyboard, I was a bit skeptical, considering how wireless keyboards often run into issues with latency, but thankfully, that was not the case. The woes of wireless peripherals are in the past as this keyboard performed exceptionally in terms of latency and battery life because for the entirety of this review, this keyboard was my daily driver and it easily lasted up to 12 hours with RGB lighting. The company has advertised 27 hours, but I doubt you will be hitting that mark. Speaking of RGB lighting, the keyboard is an absolute light show, and well, it looks amazing while doing so.

I am not particularly sure of the controller used in the irocks K71R, but regardless, it's a great one. The lighting effects are among the smoothest I have seen, and the lights are extremely bright. Honestly, I was a bit concerned that maybe my Razer Huntsman Elite is giving up in terms of the lights and how bright they can be, as this keyboard delivered a fantastic light show, and the lightbar on the top is one of my favorites. I only wish there was a wrist rest for added comfort, as it would have made the typing experience even better.

Now that I am done gushing over how good this keyboard is, I would like to address one issue where I think that this keyboard lags behind, and that is the software. Don't get me wrong, I am really glad that the onboard controls are there, but I do like having good companion software, but sadly, that is not the case here. You can have a look at some screenshots below and you will be able to understand what I am talking about.

The software is barebones at best. I do understand that it might be the case since it is still in the early stages, but if you are looking to customize your keyboard, I would highly suggest that you do it with the onboard controls since they are much more comprehensive. Another thing to note here is that if you are using the irocks K71R in wireless mode, then you will not be able to use the software. So, that is another issue that I would like to bring out. I thought this was normal, but this is not a feature that cannot be added.

Simply put, the irocks K71R is a great keyboard. It's not perfect, but it's not bad to the point that it breaks the experience. If you want to get your hands on a good keyboard that delivers an excellent typing experience, one of the best-looking RGB implementations on peripherals, and great battery life, then look no further than this. Oh, did I mention that you are getting one of the best build qualities as the keyboard has some heft to it, zero flex, and uses double-shot PBT keycaps? So, you are good to go. The keyboard is available in white and black, so you have the choice to go for either of them.

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