Form Factor: | TKL (with additional keys) |
Dimensions in cm (Width x Depth x Heigh): | 34 x 14 x 4 (with feet extended) or 3 (with feet not extended) |
Weight (kg): | 0.97 |
Key Features: |
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Price: | N/A |
Additional Info: | Manufacturer Website |
The Rapoo V500 was a low-cost mechanical keyboard aimed at gamers on a budget. The model I have offers the now discontinued Kailh Yellow switches which at the time was somewhat of an interesting switch. This keyboard is still being sold in select markets, although many of those are sold under a different name and have other switches installed.
Build Quality: 6/10
The keyboard is built around a fairly cheap feeling plastic case, the keycaps are thin, pad printed, with some having markings on them and the cable is not braided. On the plus side, I couldn’t get the keyboard to creak in my ‘bend’ test, so at least there’s that. It’s built decently well overall.
Features: 5/10
The feature set of the board is quite limited as it was intended for budget gamers at the time. So, there isn’t anything of real interest here.
Here’s the full feature list:
- Kailh Yellow switches
- Costar stabilizers
- Standard bottom row
- Dedicated volume controls + Windows lock key + “Mode switch”
The most interesting feature is the “Mode switch” which unfortunately doesn’t work on my model. It only lights up when I press the key, but it does nothing else. Many missing features include unrubberized flip out feet and an absence of cable gutters. I can forgive it not having a removeable cable and RGB backlighting as those tend to drive up the cost quite a bit.
Kailh Yellow switches.
Daily Performance: 4/10
I mostly didn’t like my day-to-day use with the board. The biggest reason for this is the switches; they suck ass. I am for once glad that Kaihua decided to discontinue this switch.
I would say gaming on it was “fine” for the most part, but typing? NOPE! I can barely keep typing on it after a few hours as my fingers started to hurt from the weighting inconsistencies. Yes, these switches also have weighting issues present from the Kailh Red…but as these switches are a little heavier, they become much worse.
Additionally, this board only has 2-key rollover…for a “Gaming Keyboard”! This doesn’t deserve to be used by anyone who plays games on a constant basis. What’s the point of this keyboard now exactly?
Reliability: 5/10
The two biggest concerns I have with this keyboard is the switches and the keycaps. Firstly, the switches are already terrible as they are, there is a good chance that they will worsen over the years. And secondly, the keycaps are pad printed, meaning that in the future the legends have a fairly short life span. It’s a good thing that you can change the keycaps very easily as they keyboard features a standard layout.
Another concern would be the cable, but as long as the keyboard stays on your desk more than it does inside your bag, it should be fine. However, if you do still plan to take this board with you, keep in mind that the cable may fray or break eventually.
Value: 5/10
Since it’s not sold new anymore in most countries, your best bet is the second-hand market. I purchased mine on eBay for £17, but I had to bide my time as these are often not readily available.
If this is your first venture in the mechanical keyboard scene, this board can be a great starter board if purchased under £20 and a great value under £15. Otherwise, there are plenty of used boards that cost a little more and perform much better than this. Alternative choices I would go for would be used BlackWidows or K70s for around £25.
Final Score = 25/50 (50%)