HAVIT HV-KB366L Mechanical Keyboard Review Roundup

Whether it's typing out a lengthy essay due tomorrow, or postponing the whole thing for a couple of hours so that you can make some time to play a round or two of your favourite computer game, having a quality heavy-duty high-tech light-show-producing keyboard can really be a valuable addition to your work/gaming arsenal! Even the sounds that the buttons make when you press them as well as the quickness of the response time represent important factors in the world of advanced customized keyboards. One of our most interesting models to come out recently- the Havit 366L Mechanical Keyboard can as well act as a flagship for these cheeky computer utensils, as it combines some glorious keyboard values such as a pleasant click sound, instant response time, and a proper little lightshow for good measure. It seems to have it all, really! So we rather like it, but in the spirit of fairness and democracy, let's see what other tough Internet reviewers had to say about it:   Peek&Co “Havit 366L is a solid entry level mechanical keyboard. Its got great build quality, the Otemu blue clones perform well and would only be noticeable to seasoned keyboard veterans, and it has RGB capabilities to top it all off.” –Matt Zeitler [Full review] “Havit 366L is a sturdy freaking mechanical keyboard.”   GadgetViper.com - 8.8/10 "The keys are fairly smooth to the touch and have a fractional amount of movement when jiggled with your finger. If compared to more expensive mechanical gaming keyboards from the likes of Corsair or Razor this movement may be noticeable, but for a gaming keyboard in this price bracket it’s perfectly acceptable. The key characters are bold and clear with a white frosted finish to allow for the LED back-lighting. All the keys are pretty standard except for the additional lighting control button placed between the Fn and Ctrl keys. There’s a small grey “Magic Eagle” logo printed on the keyboard just above the arrow keys. On the underside of the keyboard are thick rubber pads at the bottom and extremely firm, well made fold-out feet on the top. Anyone who has trouble with their keyboard slipping on their desk will struggle to find a more stable or secure product. This is in no small part down to the weight of Havit HV-KB366L, It’s the heaviest keyboard I’ve owned – by a mile. When the delivery guy dropped it off, I was sure I’d been sent a paving slab by mistake!" -- Simon Tunnard [Full review]   Totally Dubbed - 8.5/10 "The build quality is really one of the standout features for me. The keyboard's weakness I feel are the switches. As they’re relatively unknown and not really that throughout tested it’s hard to say if they will last as long as a Cherry MX switch would, either way that’s just an observation rather than a fact. When considering its price of £70, and even more so its price of $90, which works out even cheaper, it’s really easy to recommend this keyboard. I don’t think you’ll be able to easily find a full-metal mechanical keyboard, that’s also RGB lit for that price. If anything it’s triple if not more to buy something like that!" -- Chris, TotallydubbedHD [Full review]   GoMechanicalKeyboard - 8.2/10 "The keyboard has a very nice profile to it. I like the raised switches, especially for a backlit keyboard. You can see here that the switch casing is clear, allowing more light to disperse. The ergonomics on this keyboard are nice, not too steep of row changes are good for typing comfort. You’re probably wondering about the blue plastic pieces on the corner of the keyboard. These are there by design and do not peel off. I would have preferred them to be black or silver, as they only really serve to take away from the RGB backlighting." -- Kyle [Full review]   Keychatter - 7.1/10 "Overall the Havit Magic Eagle is a decent keyboard. The build quality is above average for the price range, and the lighting effects make the keyboard a bargain, but features like the proprietary stabilizers really keep it from being a great keyboard. So my opinion on this keyboard is very split. In one way, this is one of the best budget keyboards I’ve used in a long time. The case is exceptional, the switches are crisp and feel good, and the lighting – while nothing crazy – is above average for the budget bracket the Magic Eagle is in. The downside is that those damn stabilizers will prevent you from ever really swapping out the keycaps with a new set, which can be a big issue for people looking to customize their board, and I would have to tell them to avoid this keyboard." -- LIVINGSPEEDBUMP [Full review]   Proclockers - 8/10 "The Havit HV-KB366L Mechanical Keyboard offers a few impressive features that are worth considering when looking for your next mechanical keyboard. If you are looking for a simple mechanical keyboard, this will be it. It doesn't use a software to control backlighting effects and other features casual users doesn't necessarily need. However, that leaves you without the macro creation, media keys and other added functions typical gaming keyboards have. But I like the idea that it is a plug-and-play keyboard, no more and no less. Another very notable aspect of the keyboard is its solid body and weight. Prior to this review, I got my hands of Corsair's K70 and Tt eSports' Poseidon Z Forged mechanical keyboards. The Havit HV-KB366L is by far the sturdiest and heaviest, thanks to its thick metal front plate and body. The use of blue switches is more of a personal preference. If you like clicky switches, blue switches are the way to go. I personally prefer Red switches as of this moment." -- Michael Pabia [Full review]   Enos Tech - 6.3/10 "The KB366L has a full-metal cover design which is probably one of the reasons it weighs so much. The keys are black with the laser-etched engraving so the backlighting can shine through. It is worth noting these keycaps are quite thin and fragile, so please do use an extra bit of caution when removing them. As we can also get a little glimpse of it in the below photo, the KB366L comes with a light grey braided cabled which goes with the keyboard quite nicely. While this is called a ‘Gaming’ keyboard, there are not a lot of gaming features to it. Firstly, we have the RGB backlighting, which if you want to see the different modes, please do see the above video. Lastly, there is the windows lock feature, which I feel is a must for gaming keyboards. Simply hit the FN+win key to lock/unlock the windows key. This comes in handy when gaming as if the windows key is locked and you hit it by accident, it will stop the start menu from popping up, something which could essentially cause you the game." -- Ben [Full review]   Jerry Neutron "Construction-wise it comes with these ABS keycaps. Pretty standard, they’re thin and cheap so if you want double-shot or PBT or both you’ll have to invest in an aftermarket set. There are no media shortcut or macro keys here, it’s pretty barebones in terms of functionality. You have the ability to switch between your lighting modes and 6 key or N key rollover, disable the Windows key and that’s about it. Which for $70 bucks is honestly not a huge deal to me. The keyboard uses Outemu Blue switches, which Havit advertises as having an 80g actuation force. I don’t believe that’s correct, based on some research I’ve done on the switch manufacturer website and Reddit I’m pretty sure they’re 60g. They also feel nearly identical to Kailh blue switches so if you’ve used those before you can expect a similar feel here." -- jerryneutron [Full review]   Nikktech   "First of all when we learned that HAVIT was sending the HV-KB366L keyboard we all expected (I don’t think anyone would expect anything else) a cheap plastic keyboard with a poor excuse for mechanical switches. Instead we got a solid aluminum keyboard with surprisingly good mechanical switches that also feature RGB LED illumination. Granted the Outemu blue switches need more power to press (HAVIT gives a required actuation force of 80G but I doubt it’s more than 60G) and are quite louder compared to Cherry MX (much like Gateron ones) but these two are not necessarily bad for a switch aimed towards people who like to type a lot. Now some of you may not “believe” the number of actuations (50 million) Outemu gives for their mechanical switches but even if they are good for half that they still offer a very good price/endurance ratio." -- Nikktech crew [Full review]   Mechanical gamers "Built-in Gaote / Outemu Blue mechanical key switches, Feel the Difference Built with the all-new blue mechanical switches, help you take your game to the next level with more speed and precision. Provide a combination of great gaming performance with tactile feedback and an audible click for typing. Full Anti-ghosting, Designed for Performance Gaming Full key anti-ghosting mechanism for perfect signal quality, press FN + Pause to switch between 6-key-rollover and N-key-rollover (Mac OS support 6-key rollover only). Backlit Brightness Adjustment Only Blue LED Light, not Programmable; Default to be medium brightness, press FN + Esc to adjust 3 levels of brightness/ switch into breathing backlit mode." -- Mechanical Gamers [Full review]   Nerd Techy "The backlit illumination is adjustable to 4 levels of brightness and 10 levels of breathing rate. However, all of the backlit modes are pre-programmed and you’re not able to adjust individual keys. Built of high quality materials including aluminum top housing and an aluminum base. This gives it a solid and quality feel, not the cheap and plastic-ridden feel you may be used to. Anti-Ghosting feature makes sure that multiple keys aren’t going to confuse it. With the N-Key rollover technology, you’ll be able to press as fast as you want without any hiccups." -- Tech Guru [Full review]   Conclusion All things considered, each of the reviews featured on this list seems to be saying the same thing appreciating the sturdy build and the impressive light properties that are on display every time when you press a button. Or you can set it to glow all the time! It's your call. Click the button and get this sturdy mechanical keyboard today!