A double review? Well, it would seem silly not, to seeing as the Akko 3084 and 3068 keyboards are practically twins, albeit in a Schwarzenegger / DeVito kind of way.
The 3084 is the big fella. 84 keys. 315 X 127 X 42mm. 0.76kg. All the F keys. Prt Sc. The whole lot, bar the Num Pad.
The 3068 is the more diminutive sibling. 68 keys. 312 X 102 X 40mm. 0.59kg. Everything you need, and nothing more.
Both the 3084 and 3068 come with a choice of Pink, Orange, or Green Gateron switches (the 84 with the additional option of White Gaterons). I opted for Orange on both keyboards, which I *think* you currently only get in Akko keyboards. They’re comparable to the tactile, non-clicky Cherry MX Brown switches which you’ll find elsewhere, but a lot of reviewers seem to be saying they prefer the Gateron Oranges to the MX Browns.
Both keyboards work wired and wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.0 (there’s an on / off slide switch on the base of each board). Both can connect to and store connections with up to four (website says three, but the manual says four) Bluetooth devices (cycled through using FN and E, R, T, and Y keys). Both come with a built-in 1800mAh battery, which provides up to 90 hours standby without backlight.
The keycaps on both boards are long-lasting, high quality, grey and off-white PTBs, with an OEM classic, sculpted profile. That’s the kind with a rounded dip in the middle, which fits the fingertip nicely. Both come with additional purple and blue extra keys for extra customisation.
The 3084 and 3068 are backlit with white LEDs, and both have slots for LED modifications for anyone who likes to tinker. The backlights shining through the Orange switches give the boards a pleasant kind of coral tint, and the lights all being one colour make the light animations (which, as always, there are a fine array of) much less eyewatering than on a multi-coloured board.
Finally, both the 3084 and 3068 are fully programmable with AKKO Macro V1.0. I don’t really understand Macro stuff, to be honest, so I won’t pretend that I do.
Are you someone who quite fancies a modern, backlit, mechanical keyboard, but you’re a little bit worried that they’re all a bit too… you know… Gen Z? The look and feel of both 3084 and 3068 is very professional, very understated, very classic, without being dull. These are top of the line, mech boards with all the bells and whistles you’d expect, but without all the bright, flashing, primary colours which perhaps put some people off. Maybe some might say that the 3084 and 3068 are “serious” keyboards? Serious, but not definitely not boring.
If I had to pick one, I’d probably go for the 3068 just because I’m a big fan of a 68 key board (for the sake of portability too), but the extra keys on the 3084 seem to give the whole board an ever so slightly higher pitch, which means that it feels (to me) just that little bit nicer to type on.