LoFree Dot keyboard review

The LoFree Dot keyboard is an aesthetically beautiful mechanical keyboard which has caught my eye ever since it first came out a few years ago. But then as expected, it was prohibitively expensive, around USD100 each at the time of launch so naturally I can’t afford to buy it until a few years later when some secondhand units become available. Which is right about last week.

The LoFree Dot is about the size of a 60% keyboard. Designed to resemble a typewriter, it is thick and curvy all around. The keyboard charges through a micro USB port and the battery would last approximately a week on regular use. There’s backlighting with 3 levels or brightness, no RGB though. The keyboard layout is unmistakably Mac but you should have no problem using it with a Windows or Android device since it’s Bluetooth enabled.

The rounded keycaps stayed true to its typewriter inspiration. Beneath them are Gateron blue mechanical switches which is my favourite kind of switch. And now comes the bad part and also the dealbreaker if you ever consider getting this keyboard. The god-awful keys layout. You see, the LoFree Dot free doesn’t follow your regular 101 keys arrangement. Well most of it does but the backspace, right shift and arrow keys are arranged slightly different not like other regular keyboard arrangements. So you get typos, like a lot. Even after you attempted to accustom yourself with the layout after a week. The usual culprit are of course the backspace, right shift and arrow keys mentioned earlier.

The typos are just so bad that I practically sold it off just after a week and count my losses. What is the point of a beautiful, aesthetically-pleasing keyboard when you make numerous errors every time you type? It just defeats the purpose of typing. Unless they release future models that adhere to regular keyboard arrangement, I would advise against purchasing this keyboard, for your own sake.