There are a lot of “me too” mechanical keyboards on the market. These days, most of them work with Macs and PCs. They often look and feel the same so you can imagine my pleasure when a couple of keyboards with a difference turned up for review. If you are a fan of great design and you appreciate good build quality, I think you’ll love the Magi 65 keyboards from Iqunix.
There are two variations of the Iqunix Magi 65. The basic model is the Magi 65 while you can pay a little extra to get the Magi 65 PRO which offers a volume control and a superb music controller, plus a dongle for 2.4GHz RF which gamers will love.
Like most of the best pro gaming keyboards, the Iqunix Magi 65 is an ultra-compact 65% ANSI layout and includes full RGB backlighting behind each of the low-profile keycaps. The backlights can be set with a range of lighting effects and colors to suit the mood.
The overall feel of the keyboard is that it’s exceptionally well made and the design of the keycaps looks modern and elegant. There’s a choice of Shadow Black or Ochre White colorways and both keyboards come with Gold Red switches.
The low-profile design of this compact keyboard gives a front height of just 11mm. There are no height-adjusting feet at the back but the overall design is small enough to slip in a bag so you can take the keyboard to a gaming tournament.
The case of both Magi 65 models is made from an aerospace-grade aluminum alloy that’s been CNC machined before being finished with an anodized and electrophoretic coating for a premium feel. The matte finish ensures the keyboard’s good looks will endure against scratches, fingerprints and general wear.
For those of us who love music, the Magi 65 PRO is worth the extra as it has an add-on ledge with dedicated music controls with two additional media keys. This is important because 65% designs don’t have a separate row of function and media keys. The PRO version gives you a rotary knob for precise volume control, while a super-looking X key lets you control music playback with controls for play, skip, rewind and mute.
The stylish keycaps on the Magi 65 are a handsome low-profile design made from PBT and featuring an anti-oil coating to stop them from getting shiny. PBT material offers exceptional durability and should help to keep the keycaps clean and resistant to wear, even after lengthy use.
The inside of the Magi 65 keyboards uses a Le-tray mount design with four separate support arms for the circuit board and silicone rings that make for a more comfortable typing experience, reducing fatigue from long-term use. There are seven separate layers to ensure the keyboard has a good level of isolation.
When it comes to connectivity, both Iqunix Magi 65 keyboards offer three ways of connecting with the host computer. Firstly, you can use a good old-fashioned cable and Iqunix supplies a superb cable with a custom connector that matches the keyboard perfectly. Secondly, you can connect with up to three Bluetooth devices and easily switch between them. Finally, there is a 2.4GHz RF dongle for a low-latency wireless connection that’s vital for pro gamers.
On the Iqunix Magi 65 PRO version, the RF dongle is hidden away under a magnetic tile below the music multi-control. It’s all so slick and well made. Both keyboards support Windows, macOS, Android and iOS devices so you can switch easily between hosts. The Iqunix Magi 65 can also be customized with settings and macro recording across Windows, macOS, iOS and Android devices.
If you’re going to be using the keyboards with a wireless connection, there is a rechargeable battery onboard with instant wake-up. A full charge should provide up to 300 hours of operation in Bluetooth tri-mode without any backlighting. If you want, you can enhance things with customizable RGB backlighting that can be set and adjusted using various key combinations.
Iqunix has fitted the Magi 65 with Gold Red switches for a smooth typing experience with a nice sound and positive tactile feedback. The lightweight switches have a 45gf actuation force, which is just enough to eliminate accidental presses but positive enough to give a good feel. The low-profile switches are hot-swappable so you can use or replace any of the switches if you want a different feel.
Finally, Iquinix has used QMK VIA firmware so you can customize the layout of the keyboards to your heart’s content and even set up recorded macros or remap all the keys and set up bespoke RGB lighting using either Chrome or Brave browsers, basically any browser that supports HUD.
I have very few criticisms of this keyboard. One small one is there’s no power switch. To turn the keyboard off completely you need to press the Fn and Esc keys down for five seconds. Secondly, you can’t turn the keyboard off when it’s connected via USB and that might have been why my Mac was having trouble staying asleep. Apart from those two small points, there is nothing to criticise here.
Verdict: The Iquinix Magi 65 and Magi 65 PRO are the nicest 65% mechanical keyboards I’ve reviewed this year. I love the compact size and the premium finish. There’s nothing else you could ask from these stylish and well-made keyboards. Top marks to Iqunix and I think we’ll be seeing lots more great keyboards from the brand to rival the likes of Nuphy, Logitech and Keychron. Highly Recommended.
Pricing & Availability: The Iqunix Magi 65 is available now from the brand’s website and costs $119 / £93.49 / €113,35. The Iqunix Magi 65 PRO is also available now and costs $139 / 109.09 / €132,27 and is worth the extra few dollars unless you want the smaller footprint of the Magi 65 for gaming.
Tech Specs:
- Layout: 65% ANSI.
- Type: Mechanical.
- Key Count: 68.
- Dimensions Magi 65: 318 x 108 x 11mm (front height).
- Dimensions: Magi 65 PRO: 357 x 108 x 11mm (front height).
- Weight: 900g/1030g.
- Warranty: 1 year.
- Switches: Red Gold with 45gf actuation.
- Hot-swappable: Yes.
- N-Key rollover: Yes.
- RGB backlight: 16 million colors (with per-key RGB).
- Interface: USB Type-C.
- Software: VIA.
- Mode: Bluetooth 5.1 / 2.4GHz / USB-C.
- Battery capacity: 3000mAh / 3.7V.
- Compatibility: Windows/ macOS / iOS / Android.
- Colorways: Shadow Black / Ochre White.
- Case material: CNC aluminum.
- Coating: Anodized and electrophoretic.
- Structure: Le-Tray.
- Silence configuration: FR4 Gold-plated Plate, Horizontal Cut PCB, CR PCB Foam, IXPE Switch pad, PET switch pad, Poron bottom case foam, IXPE bottom case pad
- Keycaps material: PBT + anti-oil coating.
