Akko MOD007B-PC keyboard review: Going on a feature-packed world tour

Akko is a Chinese company that has quickly become a noteworthy name in the keyboard market. The company's mission revolves around infusing artful designs with advanced features to transform keyboards into something more than just mere tools. It offers a wide range of options, too, from the full 108-key to the more compact 60% layout, along with multiple unique designs. For example, the vibrant World Tour Series draws inspiration from iconic cities, while it's also done captivating collaborations with anime like One Piece and Dragon Ball Z. Akko is continuing that trend with the new exploded 75% Akko MOD007B-PC.

The Akko MOD007B-PC comes in two variations: Santorini and Tokyo, which are both a breath of fresh air in an otherwise bland pool of mainstream keyboards. Akko also surprised me with its features, especially the Hall effect magnetic switches, which have usually only been available on more expensive keyboards. Coming from someone who uses their keyboard every day for work and then uses the same keyboard for gaming, these switches are a lifesaver.

While this might not be a budget keyboard, the number of features it has, the way it looks and feels when you type, and its design and customization options make it feel like you are definitely getting your money's worth. It'll definitely make it onto my best keyboard list this year.

About this review: Akko sent me the MOD007B-PC Santorini for this review, which had no input into this article.

Pricing and availability

The Akko MOD007B-PC line offers excellent value at its $150 price point. You also have the choice between two switches: the Akko Cream Yellow Magnetic Switch or the Kailh Sakura Pink Magnetic Switch. I used the Akko MOD007B-PC Santorini with Cream Yellow Magnetic Switch for this review.

What's in the box

All the goodies you've come to expect

Unboxing the Akko MOD007B-PC Santorini was a treat, from the themed box to the branded protective covering that ensured the keyboard's safe arrival. After opening the keyboard's beautifully designed packaging, you will be greeted with the keyboard, along with a manual and a second compartment that holds the extras. With any typical device, the manual is usually the first thing I would throw out. But Akko's manual helps you in several ways, from directions on modifying the keyboard to diagrams explaining all the keyboard's function commands.

In the second compartment is a box that holds a high-quality USB-C cable that you can use to charge the keyboard or connect it directly to your PC, a 2.4GHz USB receiver for using the keyboard over Wi-Fi, and a keycap/switch puller.

Design

It types like a keyboard, but it looks like a painting

The keyboard's unique appearance compared to other, more traditional keyboards is a huge part of its appeal. A lot of options, especially from larger brands, rely solely on RGB lighting to add some flare. The Akko MOD007B-PC defies all odds by being a keyboard with a visually stunning design while using RGB lighting as a secondary aesthetic.

The Akko MOD007B-PC Santorini keyboard was inspired by the Greek city of the same name, with a white and blue color scheme. The Santorini uses white keycaps for the letter/number keys and blue keycaps for the function keys. The space bar, Shift, and Enter have artwork depicting the city, which pulls the whole design together. The Greek-inspired font also adds to the overall look.

Meanwhile, the Tokyo design, as you may have guessed, is inspired by the city of Tokyo, incorporating both Mount Fuji and Sakura blossoms in a white and pink design. The font used on its keys is closer to a traditional keyboard, with the addition of Japanese letters on the keys that turn it into a multilingual keyboard. The Tokyo model has fewer artwork keycaps compared to the Santorini, but it does have a cherry blossom on the Windows key.

Both keyboards use an exploded 75% layout, use the same type of magnetic switches, and have dye-sublimation keycaps, so the only difference between the two is the design. This is a rare treat in a world where products are usually separated into pro and slim versions to maximize profits. If you are not a fan of magnetic switches, or you have custom keycaps you'd like to use, the keyboard does support 3-pin mechanical switches and is hot-swappable.

The Akko MOD007B-PC defies all odds by being a keyboard with a visually stunning design while using RGB lighting as a secondary aesthetic.

The PBT case feels strong, but the top plate makes it slightly bulky. If you had to remove the top plate, the keyboard would look much slimmer, and it would be easier to travel around with, but that doesn't seem to be an option. Another thing that caught me off guard was how heavy this keyboard is, especially for a more compact keyboard, weighing around 2.8 pounds (1.2kg). I loved using the keyboard while at a desk; it felt sturdy and didn't move around when I was gaming, but it was a bit harder to travel with it in a laptop bag or use it when not at a desk.

The connectivity options are a bonus. There's a wired USB-C connection for using or charging the keyboard at a desk, a multi-host 2.4GHz USB receiver for Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.0 compatibility. The keyboard also has onboard memory that saves your settings and RGB profiles, so you do not have to mess around with your settings whenever you change devices. The keyboard boasts a 1,000Hz polling rate, but from my testing, this only seemed to be the case when connected via USB-C. It also has a 3,600mAh battery, which is nothing to scoff at. I was able to use the keyboard in 2.4GHz wireless mode for two days with RGB lighting on without the battery dying.

Switches and typing experience

Tactile, quiet, and customizable

Typing on the Akko MOD007B PC feels fluid, with a very light-sounding click on your letter and number keys and harder clicks on any function keys. This subtle design element allows you to type blindfolded and still know what you're doing. The typing feel is made smoother by the keyboard's gasket mount, which adds more bounce to the keys when you use them and reduces the sound that the keypresses make even further. While there are no screens on the keyboard, it does have a dial on the top right of the keyboard that works for volume control, and if you click on the dial, you can also control the brightness of the RGB lighting, although there are only three levels: bright, dim, and off.

Underneath the keyboard facade is where things get interesting. Akko included Hall effect magnetic switches, which are brand new to the keyboard space and feature some interesting tech. First, they use magnets to register keypresses instead of relying on a physical mechanism like a spring. They also feature a sensor that can measure the distance between the key and the board, which allows for adjustable actuation points. Essentially, you can change how much force you need to use to register a keypress, anywhere from 0.1mm to 4mm. The added benefit of this is that you can now use dynamic keystrokes, where you can assign up to four commands for a single key depending on how hard you press it.

During testing, I set a low actuation distance for key presses when typing to minimize typos, and then set it higher for when I was gaming so that the keys responded to the lightest touch. Personally, it took me a while to get used to the switches while typing. I found the keyboard very sensitive and would often make typing errors because I had accidentally touched the wrong keys, but that changed after I played around with the actuation distance. Once I changed the distance from 0.1mm to 2mm, my typing experience greatly improved, and I made fewer mistakes while working. But this only worked when I was typing. While gaming, I had to change it back to 0.1mm to ensure I had lightning-fast keypresses.

The added benefit of the switches is that they come factory-lubed out of the box for a smoother feel and sound. The switches and keys also have very little pushback, which can take a while to get used to. Also, since this is a magnetic keyboard, you should be careful not to place your keyboard on any metal surfaces or near any magnets. I placed the keyboard on my tablet, which has a magnetic strip for its pen, and the keyboard RGB lit up randomly, and a few keypresses were erroneously registered. This also happened when I weighed the keyboard, with the keyboard getting stuck to the scale.

Software and features

Not needed but appreciated

The Akko MOD007B-PC Santorini can be used without setting changes, but the company has its own software. Akko Cloud Driver helps you customize the RGB lighting, measure and change the actuation points of your keys, remap the keys to your liking, install firmware updates, or set macro commands. The keyboard has onboard memory, so everything you change will be saved to the keyboard, so you don't have to be constantly wired to your PC.

The software is highly informative, showing you live simulations of keypresses so that you can test and change them to your liking. The remap functions also let you swap and change any key you'd like. There are presets made by Akko, but you can also create your own or use a custom-created configuration uploaded by other users.

The RGB settings are where I had the most fun. You can create your own custom static RGB backlighting themes or use ones uploaded by other users. The motion RGB lighting impressed me with features like a ripple effect that cascades as you type, a music RGB setting that lights up the keyboard as the music plays, and you can even upload a photo and have the keyboard match its RGB to it. From a keyboard that I expected very little from RGB-wise, I was pleasantly surprised.

Akko Cloud Driver offers many customization options and allows you to tailor your keyboard's look and feel to your setup, but it isn't pushed on you the way it is with other keyboard companies (although the company does ask that you use it to upgrade the firmware). I found the software slightly clunky and slow compared to other proprietary keyboard software on the market. Still, it wasn't intrusive.

Should you buy the Akko MOD007B?

You should buy the Akko MOD007B-PC if:

• You want a more artistic keyboard design
• You want a keyboard that can be wired or wireless
• You want a keyboard with replaceable keycaps and programmable RGB
• You're looking for Hall effect magnetic switches

You shouldn’t buy the Akko MOD007B-PC if:

• You want your keyboard to be as slim as possible
• You need to travel a lot with your keyboard
• You don't like PCB cases on your keyboard

The Hall effect magnetic switches on these keyboards are worth the price of admission alone, but the Akko MOD007B-PC also has a beautiful design and many customization options. The adjustable actuation distance really helps if you want to use this keyboard for more than just one task, while advanced features like rapid triggers and dynamic keystrokes give you a tactical advantage in games. If you want to use this keyboard solely for gaming, then it is recommended to use it as a USB-C keyboard, but for general use, the wireless options are great, and the battery lasts quite long.

Today, the most affordable brand-name keyboards all look very similar, with monochrome colors, a bit of metal plating, and a ton of RGB. Even though we have seen a resurgence of more retro-looking keyboard models from brands like Drukdeer, Wooting, and Keychron, Akko's keyboards are just on a different level in terms of design. I'm happy to see a company like Akko on the market, creating unique keyboards that help bridge the gap between DIY keyboard enthusiasts and regular keyboard users. This keyboard did everything I expected and still surprised me a little more. I've now got my eye on Akko and can't wait to see what they release next.