I've tested dozens of gaming and office keyboards over the past few years and Varmilo's Moonlight MA108M with its EC Switch V2 switches is sure to be one of the best mechanical keyboards available. From its attractive and solid design to its incredibly soft feel and pleasant sound, it offers an amazing typing experience.
The main part of this experience is the company's electrostatic capacitive switch, which calculates the change in electrostatic capacitance rather than using a physical contact like other mechanical switches. The result is a stable, fast and extremely sensitive switch with a theoretically unlimited lifespan, says Varmilo.
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The V2 EC switch is currently available in three versions - Daisy, Sakura, and Rose - and all of them are linear. That is, they go straight down without clicking or tactile bumps. A tactile Ivy switch is under development that the company claims will resemble a Cherry MX Blue switch. I tested the EC Sakura V2, which is similar to the Cherry MX Red and Speed Silver switches. The Sakura has an actuation force of 45 grams with an actuation point of 2 millimeters and a force of 60 grams to hit the ground at 4 mm. The actuation force of the EC Daisy V2 is 10 g lighter and the EC Rose V2 is 10 g heavier than that of the Sakura.
If you are not used to linear switches, it may take some time to get used to due to the lack of tactility. And the EC Sakura V2s move so smoothly that even with another linear keyboard it took me some time to adjust. Combined with the soft actuation, there is no wobbling of the keys at all. Even the space bar feels solid and wobble-free. The buttons also have the most pleasant clack sound. You will hear a spring sound or a scratchy sound on many mechanical keyboards, but not here: it's just a faint click.
Plus, I'm a sloppy typist and have found that regardless of which part of the button I press, the switches feel evenly - no added friction or drag. I'm a tough typist, too, and generally prefer a tactile switch with a bump so I can feel the actuation before I step on the floor. Varmilo's upcoming ivy switch may be the answer, but at the moment I have no complaints about the sakura.
Josh Goldman / CNET
It's a nice looking keyboard too. The $ 157 moonshine - Available in a 110% version with 108 keys, which I also tested a smaller, tenkeyless size - is one of several themes that will be available with the new switches. (That equates to around £ 120 and AU $ 225.) Varmilo's other themed keyboards, from panda and ocean-inspired designs to vintage layouts, are also currently available with Cherry MX switches. You can check them all out on his website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter Profiles.
The keyboard is backlit, but since the company's PBT keycaps are solid with vacuum dye, the light doesn't shine through the key legends. When the lights are on, the keys are really backlit, which can make them difficult to read in the dark. However, since the keys on this model are mostly light gray and blue, you can read them easily enough in low light.
After all, this keyboard is built like a tank. It could have an imitation wood plastic case, but it also weighs a serious 1.2 kg. Between the weight and the rubber feet (there are also fold-out legs at the back), this keyboard only moves when you want it to. A mini USB port on the far right at the back and the supplied cable connect to your computer. It's fully compatible with Windows, but macOS users lose the use of the keyboard shortcuts.