AppleInsider Staff
Third-party accessory maker Matias debuted a new version of its wired Mac keyboard at CES on Tuesday, adding a few creature comforts like adjustable RGB backlighting to fill a product category Apple abandoned last year.
Matias' latest keyboard creation takes cues from Apple's iconic design language, complete with a svelte aluminum chassis in silver or space gray black chiclet-style keys and key font faithful to the original.
Not content on delivering a near replica of the now-discontinued wired Mac keyboard, which it did last year, Matias adds an RGB backlighting system that can be controlled by a rotary dial located on the keyboard's rear panel. Rotating the dial shifts backlight colors through a rainbow of colors.
Matias notes the Color Dial effectively negates blue light levels at night, which some studies have found to negatively impact a body's natural sleep cycle. From white, the keyboard cycles through a range of colors including yellow and red. Brightness can also be customized in 10 percent increments using a dedicated key and pressing the "+" or "-" buttons, or tapping on a number key.
Like all good Mac keyboards, Matias includes function keys that correspond to macOS system controls. The keys themselves offer two millimeters of travel, while a built-in USB 2.0 port serves as a handy connection point for a wired mouse.
Matias offers the RGB wired keyboard in a number of language layouts including U.S. English, UK English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swiss, Nordic, Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean.
The device can be preordered from Matias for $99, with shipments expected to head out in February.
Oliver Haslam
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Charles Martin
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11 Comments
I've not yet tried the "wired" version, but I suspect the feel of the keys matches that of the wireless edition which I reviewed here:
https://youtu.be/pB8VGfqIKvU
The space gray aluminum frame is great, but the keys definitely don't feel as nice as the keys on Apple keyboards.
I never liked the key feel on the Matias keyboards. Also, unless it is an optical illusion from the photo, but the Matias keyboard looks longer than the Apple keyboard. Why can't they make it the same size? I just got the current Apple extended wireless keyboard and I love the key feel on it. It is nothing like the awful MacBook Pro keyboards. It has much better feel.
Agree that Apple should make a full-size wired version. Oh and add a touch bar while you're at it! The Matias looks nice, but boy, whats up with their website. Looks like its from the year 2000 and they have so many nice product images that are hidden away. If you copy Apple's design you might as well emulate their visual style and presentation as well. I really hope they are selling this through some other resellers as well, or I think this will remain a niche product for Apple nerds (like us). Also not sure about the "space gray" option. On the website I can only see one that is completely black, but NOT space gray like the one that ships with the iMac Pro!?