This is one of the coolest keyboards ever to grace my desk, and when I try hard, I can justify the price tag. It’s just a shame I’m a terrible typist on it.
When I was offered the Angry Miao AM AFA R2 keyboard to review, I couldn’t resist due to the fabulous Macross-inspired styling and futuristic looks, but I also remember trying to live with an Alice-layout keyboard before and failing to adapt to it. However, I convinced myself this time would be different. I’d try much harder.
Living with the AM AFA R2 has been a bit different from the last time, but I’ll admit it now, I still can’t type on it very well. However, this hasn’t stopped me falling in love with this amazing product that’s more a piece of functional art than a keyboard for me.What is the AF AMA R2?
As keyboards go, even high-end mechanical gaming ones, the Angry Miao AM AFA R2 (the successor to Angry Miao’s R1 keyboard) is pretty expensive, with the price topping out at $795. For that price, however, you are getting something very special indeed. The chassis is made from sandblasted aluminum with a hand-polished finish, and each side of the keyboard is controlled by its own PCB. The keys have a 6.5-degree inclination and a 5-degree tenting, which Angry Miao says matches the the height difference of our fingers.
The 65% keyboard has an unusual adjustable leaf spring suspension system to help get the feel just right. It comes set at the medium level, which offers a degree of resistance, but with a screwdriver and an included set of accessories, you can take the casing apart and switch between three different levels of flex, with 18 options possible in total if you change the Poron foam pads too. The switches are hot-swappable, and have a soft, non-mechanical sound.
I’ve mostly been using the keyboard connected to my Mac Mini M1 with a cable — a USB Type-C connector is hidden on the back of the chassis — but there’s a Bluetooth 5.1 connection if you’d prefer. It has a 10,000mAh battery inside (actually made up of two 5,000mAh cells), and it even has 5-watt wireless charging. It didn’t require any drivers and worked instantly with my Mac — just be aware Angry Miao swaps the Command key for the one marked Code, but all the usual shortcuts are available through it.What about the AM AFA R2’s design?
The model I’ve been testing has a color scheme inspired by the VF-19 fighter from the Macross Plus anime, and it looks fantastic. Angry Miao seems to have taken further inspiration for its materials from the armored mechs featured in the anime, because it’s built like a tank. It’s absurdly heavy at 1.4 kilograms (just under 3.1 pounds), and comes delivered in a stunning custom case with foam-molded inserts keeping it safe.
The metal chassis is full of vents, slashes, and RGB lights, while the weight and rubber feet keep it firmly planted on your desk.
