Akko MOD007 PC review: Magnetic bliss
DexertoThe Akko MOD007B PC Santorini keyboard is the company’s latest option to support magnetic hall effect switches, but is it worth checking out?
Magnetic hall effect keyboards have taken over the industry over the last few years, with SteelSeries being one of the first to market with its adjustable OmniPoint switches in the Apex Pro lineup.
Many keyboard brands like Higround and Wooting are now adopting the use of adjustable switches as they gain popularity, and Akko is among the latest to do so.
I’ve been using the Akko MOD007B PC Santorini keyboard for several weeks, and while you might have not heard of Akko before, especially if you’re new to the keyboard scene, you should absolutely be paying attention to them.
Key Specs
- Switch type: Akko Cream Yellow Magnetic (Hot-Swappable)
- Keycaps: Thick PBT Dye-Sub
- Connectivity: USB-C, Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz Wireless
- Form factor: 75%
- Lighting: Per-key RGB
- Features: Gasket-mounted PCB, adjustable actuation distance, rapid trigger, onboard memory, knob, 3600mAh, coiled cable
- Price: $134.99
Design
The Akko MOD007B PC Santorini keyboard features a gorgeous design, largely thanks to its keycaps.
Taking inspiration straight from the Santorini Islands just south of Greece, Akko has placed a silhouette of the local architecture on several of the keys with the island’s name on the escape button. It is also outfitted in the iconic colors of the Greek flag. The rest of the keyboard brings out the nation’s seafaring history.
DexertoIt’s by far the best-looking stock keyboard I’ve had my hands on over the years, and Akko’s build quality elevates the whole keyboard even further than I ever imagined.
The MOD007B PC Santorini’s case is white, which was the perfect choice to pair with these keycaps, and they’ve gone with high-quality plastic. It’s a pretty standard 75% form factor layout, complete with the programmable knob in the top right corner.
Flip it over, and you’ll find three levels of height adjustment on the feet. Not to forget, you’ll also find the USB-C port on the back — but there isn’t much to the design of the Akko MOD007B PC Santorini outside of the keycaps.
I quite appreciate the fact that they haven’t extended the Santorini design outside of the keycaps, though, as it means customers will still be able to change up the design in the future with a new set. A white case leaves you with a blank canvas to work with, so you can go wild with the keycaps if you want to replace them.
The only complaint that I have about the Akko MOD007B PC Santorini keyboard is that it has RGB backlighting, but it doesn’t have shine-through keycaps to show off the lights. However, the keycaps are of such high quality that I find it hard to fault the company for making that decision.
Akko’s thick PBT dye-sub keycaps are a large part of the sound and feel of the keyboard, which is one of the major selling points of the MOD007B PC Santorini.
Features
Where Akko stands out with the Santorini keyboard is all of the features they’ve managed to squeeze into it.
Being a boutique brand, they’ve given the product a high-quality feel all across the board. The gasket-mounted PCB allows for more flex, giving the end user a softer typing experience, and the thickness of the keycaps helps provide a high-quality sound profile.
The PCB is hot-swappable and compatible with 3-pin switches in both mechanical and magnetic forms. It features in-house designed Akko Cream Yellow Magnetic switches, which offer adjustable actuation points from 0.2mm to 3.8mm.
DexertoOpting for 3-pin switches might be a downfall for some users as 5-pin switches gain popularity due to their increased stability, but it’s pretty redundant in this situation. By mounting the switches into a plate, Akko’s switches have no noticeable wobble when typing.
The switches (paired with the software) are what makes the peripheral a bit of a sleeper. After designating a low actuation point, you’ll be able to turn on Rapid Trigger mode and be able to move around your favorite game quicker than you ever have before.
With a higher actuation point, it becomes more of a typing-first keyboard, and it does both modes quite well.
Despite the focus on typing and gaming, Akko has managed to squeeze multi-mode wireless into the keyboard with Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4Ghz wireless (with the included receiver), and USB-C.
It sports a 3600mAh battery, which lasts right around 30 hours when on 2.4 GHz, and around 40 hours on Bluetooth. There’s no issue with battery drain while it’s not in use, and it quickly allows me to switch between my gaming PC and docked MacBook Air.
Akko includes a coiled USB-C to USB-A cable in the box, and quite frankly I wish it wasn’t coiled. Like many others, it doesn’t seem to sit right when on my desk — especially when I move my keyboard around during the day. It doesn’t mean it is a bad or poor cable, though, as it’s still extremely high quality, and for those more into the coiled aesthetic, it’s a nice bonus.
Web-based software with on-board memory
Akko uses a web-based software option similar to VIA/QMK, but it’s built in-house at the company. It does offer all the features one would expect from a keyboard software, and thanks to your browser’s translate option it is easy to figure out what menu handles what.
There are four main menus: Main, FnSetting, Macro, and Light. Each of them has a well-labeled box around each menu, and it’ll be quite easy for even a beginner to find their way through it.
Paired with on-device memory, any changes you make to the keyboard through the web software will transfer over between each of your devices with ease. I tested it with my PC, Ayaneo Kun handheld, and MacBook with zero issues across each.
Gaming Performance
Gaming performance on the Akko MOD007B PC Santorini is great, thanks to the adjustable magnetic switches and rapid trigger.
While testing it with Counter-Strike 2 and Warzone, I was able to quickly move around the map and switch items quicker than ever. There were no stutters or delays in the rapid trigger mode, and it performed simply fine without it enabled as well.
Should you buy it?
Akko’s MOD007B PC Santorini is one of the best options you can choose when it comes to high-end keyboards that excel both in gaming and typing.
The keycaps are relatively niche, and I’m personally not a fan of the coiled cable, but Akko has built a beautiful product all around.
Verdict: 5/5
At $135, the Akko Santorini keyboard is one of the best options around in both price and build quality. The magnetic switches with adjustable actuation are something I’d love to see in more enthusiast-level keyboards, and Akko has set the standard.
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