Rapoo is a well known peripheral brand that specializes in wireless technology. Their main focus is bringing peripherals such as keyboards and mice that maximizes productivity and ergonomics. Having mastered the craft, Rapoo branched out their VPro brand for their gaming line. The VPro V560 is Rapoo’s entry-level mechanical keyboard that embodies the brand’s craftsmanship.
Unboxing and First Impressions
The front of the box shows a clear shot of the V560 mechanical gaming keyboard with no other fuzzy details aside from the side printed model name on the right. There’s also a sticker on the top left indicating the switch used. The back part shows the feature highlights of the keyboard in different languages.
The contents of the packaging only contain the keyboard, manual and a keycap puller.
At first glance, the Rapoo V560 looks like the Neolution Element which also features a sandblasted aluminum top plate. Albeit, the V560 sports a more relaxed look without the extravagant edges.
Most mechanical keyboards have cable routing groves underneath to position the cable to either left or right. This makes the desk less cluttered as the cable won’t have to pass the base or neck of the monitor. Rapoo’s solution is to just position the cable slightly to the right-hand side.
The keyboard’s surface area is fairly large due to the aforementioned edges. It takes a larger space than most 104-keyboards and could pose an issue for users with limited desk space.
The Rapoo V560 sports a floating key design and despite its somewhat outlandish frame, there’s subtle branding present on the V560 with only the VPRo logo found above the arrow keys.
Rapoo uses their own switch for the V560 as our unit came with Rapoo’s Blue switch that has a similar feel with that of the CherryMX counterpart. Apart from the switches, the keycaps of the V560 are Doubleshot ABS.
The flipstands are able to elevate the keyboard high enough for an ergonomic typing experience.
The floating keycap design of the Rapoo V560 allows the light to bleed out of the sides of the switches themselves. This type of design usually means that the keyboard is spill proof but it isn’t listed as one of the keyboard’s features based on the manual and on the website.
F1 to F4 keys serves as shortcuts for My Computer, Search, Calculator, and Music when used with the FN key. Media controls are found on F5 to F11 while the F12 button is for the Windows Lock function.
User Experience and Conclusion
The Rapoo V560, despite its flashy edge design, is just a standard 104-key mechanical keyboard. The V560 Mechanical keyboard is basically a plug-and-play mkb without the hassle of having to download software or drivers. The multicolor option instead of a full RGB might be a deal breaker for this year’s standards, but it does slightly makes up with 6 onboard lighting effects. Despite it’s over the top looks, the V560 shows little to no signs of flex thanks to the sandblasted aluminum top. Moreover, the Doubleshot ABS keycaps are a value-add as most entry-level mechanical keyboards only use generic ABS keycaps. The quality of the Rapoo Blue switches remains to be seen in the long run, though Rapoo claims a lifespan of 50 million switches which is the standard for most mechanical switches. As for functionality, the Rapoo V560 has the complete media functions embedded as the secondary function of the Function keys. Lighting profiles are also embedded by using FN + Ins/Home/PgUp/Del/End/PgDn. There’s no macro recording or keymapping available as there’s no software to control the keyboard and its features.
Build Quality and Durability are the core features of the Rapoo V560. It falls short in terms of customization via software and RGB lighting. But it makes up for its no-compromise sandblasted aluminum top plate and Doubleshot ABS keycaps. Its SRP of Php 1,995 makes it a tough sell as there are other options in the market that specializes in one of the features that the VPro V560 lacks. In the sub Php 2,000 mechanical keyboard market, there are only a few options available for full-sized keyboards, most of which are unknown or OEMs. Rapoo’s 1-year warranty and proven track record still make the V560 a rational choice for a starter 104-key mechanical keyboard.