Vissles V84 mechanical keyboard review: Simple, but functional

The Vissles V84 mechanical keyboard offers features like hot-swappable switches in a compact form factor for those on a budget, but has it already been superseded?

Keyboards are having a bit of a renaissance. With the pandemic, more people than ever were discovering the deep and expansive mechanical keyboard communities. However, this seeming paradise of keyboards can occasionally be obtrusively expensive.

From switches to keycaps and more, the whole package can cost a bomb, so Vissles has made their idea solution, a board that retails for around $100, with a hot-swappable PCB in addition to PBT keycaps, and heaps of connectivity.

Key specs

• Switch type: Vissles VS-II (Linear)
• Keycaps: Double-shot PBT
• Connectivity: Wired, Bluetooth 5.1 (Up to five devices)
• Form factor: 75%
• Battery: 3750mAh
• Lighting; RGB, up to 19 backlight types
• Features: Programmable macros, customizable RGB, magnetic typing angle, NKRO,
• Price: $109.99
• Where to buy: Vissles (Use code ‘V84’ for $10 off)

Included in the box: Vissles V84 mechanical keyboard, wrist rest, USB-C to USB- A cable, Keycap puller, switch puller, magnetic feet.

Design

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The Vissles V84 boasts a compact 75% design that retains the function row, arrow keys, and more in a compressed form factor. It does look a little bit cramped on first appearances, but we quickly got used to the look, and it looks pretty sharp out of the box.

The entire chassis is made from plastic, which is to be expected in this price range. However, it never feels cheap. The black bezel around the board is easily removed for those who want to have a slimmer look, too. The keycaps up at the top of the board also manage to feel great while in use. Though, their concave profile did throw us off a little bit.

They feel excellent to type on, thanks to the PBT materials used on the board itself. Though, if you have the RGB on at full-whack, the white keycaps do have some light bleed, if that bothers you. Otherwise, this is a smart-looking board that is a touch boring, but you can customize it to your own will.

We just popped the caps off and replaced them with a set of Logitech’s PBT caps, and they fit in really well, though there is some difference between the height of Vissles’ keycaps and a standard Cherry profile.

The included wrist rest is a nice touch, but the faux leather can stick to your hand if they get warm, it rounds out a value package, and won’t look out of place in any office. Our only minor disappointment was that the Bluetooth switch is all the way at the bottom, forcing you to pick up the board to turn it off if you want to conserve battery.

Setup and features

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The Vissles V84 is easy enough to hook up, just pair it using the function key and Q for three seconds, and you will be able to pair it to any Bluetooth-enabled device of your choice.

You can freely switch between them with a similar key combo, and we found no issues with reliability when pairing, or while switching between devices. To use it in wired mode, it’s really as simple as hooking up a USB-C cable.

The function key can cycle through RGB modes, but they are all fairly standard OEM RGB, and you can also tune the brightness level without even having to touch any external software.

Unfortunately, we did run into some trouble with the software, which failed to display any text whatsoever. Luckily, you can record macros on the board through yet another function combination, making the entire piece of software feel a little bit moot. On reboot, the software managed to sort itself out and push a firmware update to the board.

Typing experience

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The included Vissles VS-II switches felt extremely nice. With a healthy dose of factory lube, these switches went down incredibly smoothly. There was very little stem wobble, and they felt like a step above the usual Cherry Red that so many other brands seem to stick with.

We swapped out the switches with Gateron G Pro Brown switches for daily use, since we generally type all day, and the experience was painless. The included switch puller is a godsend, since it is high-quality, and didn’t make our hands cramp throughout the whole experience. It’s a very beginner-friendly board, that offers you a lot of room to get your feet wet by trying out new keyboard switches.

There is a hollowness to the board since there is no dampening via foam or silicone to speak of. However, after we cracked open the keyboard, there was ample room to modify the V84 to your heart’s content. There is an included daughterboard, which is always nice to see, so there’s a lot of room to play around with.

Is it good for gaming?

Plainly put, if you were to game on this board, use it wired. The Bluetooth connection was noticeably higher latency. However, the Vissles VS-II switches managed to perform in games admirably, even when we were continually getting killed in Apex Legends or Halo: Infinite.

For those looking for a gaming-focused board, you might find better options elsewhere, this board is plainly focused on the typing experience and customization, rather than gaming.

Should you buy it?

You certainly won’t be disappointed with the Vissles V84 if you are looking for a wireless board with heaps of customization, but it all feels a little bit too generic for us to recommend. If you want to seriously mod keyboards, which you will want to do with the Vissles V84, you should instead look to the Keychron V1, though you do lose the wireless capabilities.

It’s a nice package, but it could stand to be a little bit cheaper.

6/10

The Vissles V84 has poor software but is a cohesive board for those wanting to get their feet wet in the big wide world of mechanical keyboards. However, there are now better options available on the market, especially if you don’t particularly care for wireless functionality.

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