Lofree Edge review: It's the Magic Keyboard of mechanical keyboards

If Apple made a mechanical keyboard, what would it look like? Well, the company has made a handful of them, but we're a few decades removed from that. The better question is, what would a mechanical keyboard from today's Apple look like? It would probably be super thin, feature exquisite build quality and materials, and offer a solid low-profile typing experience. That description happens to fit the Lofree Edge, which is an ultra low-profile mechanical keyboard from Lofree that's available on Kickstarter beginning today. I'm not the only one making comparisons to Apple products, either. Lofree itself likens the Edge to the wedge-shaped MacBook Air design, striving to meet the same level of thinness and precision.

I have to say, I'm impressed. I've used the Lofree Edge for a few weeks, and it's what I assume a mechanical version of the Magic Keyboard would look like, if it existed. The typing experience is similar to regular mechanical keyboards, and the form factor is as slim as 5.4mm at its thinnest point. There seem to be other callbacks to Apple design, too. The bottom of the keyboard, for example, has holes cut into the magnesium alloy chassis that remind me of the ones on the chin of older iMacs — or more recently, the Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR. If you're someone who has stuck with scissor-switch keyboards due to their form factor, the Edge is an alternative. People who love big, clunky, and feature-rich mechanical keyboards won't be compelled to switch, but there is a clear market for this keyboard nonetheless.

About this review: Lofree sent me an Edge keyboard for review. The company had no input in this article, and did not see its contents before publishing.

Pricing and availability

Lofree is launching the Lofree Edge keyboard as a Kickstarter project starting today, with an early bird price of $129. It's unclear exactly how many keyboards are available at this price or when they will ship, but it's a sweet 48% discount. After those sell out, the Lofree Edge will be priced somewhere around $250. We'll update this article as more information about the Lofree Edge's pricing and availability details are revealed, and it's possible the keyboard could come to retailers like Amazon in the future.

Specs

What I like

The Lofree Edge is impossibly thin, but still offers decent key travel

Any conversation about the Lofree Edge starts and ends with its design. You can clearly see the wedge-shaped design that mimics older MacBook Air models when looking at the side profile of the Edge. There is a bit of marketing magic when Lofree touts the 5.4mm thickness figure, because that's only referencing the thinnest part of the keyboard. The cool thing is that the real number — 16.5mm at its thickest point — is still really slim. Compared to the Lofree Flow, which was considered a low-profile keyboard in its own right, the Edge is considerably smaller. The Lofree Flow keyboard is 24.5mm thick, for reference.

It's impressive just how much key travel Lofree managed to cram inside a keyboard of this size.

It's impressive just how much key travel Lofree managed to cram inside a keyboard of this size. There are Kailh POM 2.0 switches inside, which offer 2.4mm of total travel. By comparison, the Lofree Flow features mechanical switches with 2.8mm of total travel. So, even though the Edge is 8mm thinner than the Flow, only a few millimeters were shaved off the actual switches.

Another one of the Lofree Edge's calling cards is the carbon fiber faceplate. A carbon fiber plate surrounds the keyboard for aesthetics, and it looks pretty good. Personally, I find the magnesium alloy chassis and low-profile form factor to be a much bigger appeal than the carbon fiber faceplate, but to each their own. The material has been really popular lately, and some will definitely appreciate Lofree's inclusion of it here.

The typing experience is comparable to a much larger keyboard

None of the clever design choices matter if the typing experience isn't up to par, though. Luckily, the Lofree Edge recreates about 75% of the feel of a low profile mechanical keyboard. Switching between the Lofree Flow and the Lofree Edge immediately reveals that the Flow feels better, and the difference is even more drastic when using a bigger keyboard, like the Lofree Block. Still, the important thing is that the Edge crushes any scissor-switch keyboard that is often used in low-profile setups. It's miles better than the Magic Keyboard, and even something like the Logitech MX Keys.

Still, the important thing is that the Edge crushes any scissor-switch keyboard that is often used in low-profile setups.

The Lofree Edge might be best suited for office suituations, because the Kailh POM 2.0 switches are very quiet. There is still a good amount of feedback perceptible to the person typing, but using the Edge doesn't sound noticeably louder than a typical scissor-switch keyboard. This is crucial, because low-profile mechanical keyboards should blend in beyond just looks. They can't feel out of place in terms of sound or tactile feedback either, and the Lofree Edge gets this right.

What I don't like

A few premium keyboard features are left out in this form factor

To hit Lofree's target form factor, the company had to cut out a few things. These compromises are the biggest reason to avoid the Lofree Edge, if you'd rather have them than a slim design. The biggest one, at least on paper, is support for hot-swappable switches. Many premium mechanical keyboards at or below this price point, like the Razer BlackWidow V4 75%, feature hot-swappable switches that can be changed without soldering. While the Lofree Flow supports this, the Lofree Edge does not.

These compromises are the biggest reason to avoid the Lofree Edge, if you'd rather have them than a slim design.

Another omission is support for a 2.4GHz connection in addition to Bluetooth and wired support. This matters because you might experience a delay over Bluetooth when first re-establishing a connection to your devices after they've gone to sleep. At a full price of around $250, this is something that would've been really nice to see.

Should you buy the Lofree Edge?

You should buy the Lofree Edge if:

• You want a mechanical keyboard with an extremely small footprint
• You don't need the most key travel or features like hot-swappable switches
• You have a large budget for a mechanical keyboard

You should NOT buy the Lofree Edge if:

• You'd rather have a larger mechanical keyboard with more travel and extra features
• You're fine using a traditional office keyboard with scissor switches
• You're on a budget, or don't want to spend a few hundred dollars on a low profile keyboard

There has never been a mechanical keyboard that reminds me more of Apple's own Magic Keyboard — which is one of the best low-profile keyboards for Mac you can buy — than the Lofree Edge. For some, that's a feature with massive appeal. To others, it's a reason to look away and turn to the other great mechanical keyboards that have a more unique identity. Still, even low-profile mechanical keyboards are considerably larger than their scissor-switch counterparts. It's impressive that Lofree has managed to squeeze a traditional mechanical switch inside the Edge, while keeping it under 17mm at its thickest point. There is certainly an audience for this kind of mechanical keyboard, and you'll instantly know whether you love it or hate it.