I do love mechanical keyboards, but not as much as magnetic ones. After switching to magnetic switch-based keyboards, it's hard to go back, but my eyes stumbled upon the Womier SK80 Pro, which seemed promising. What caught my eye more were the color themes and visual styling, which make it stand out among other similarly-priced 75% keyboards.
I have tested only one Womier keyboard till now, but that was "the" best keyboard I have ever used. It was the SK75 TMR magnetic keyboard that blew most magnetic keyboards out of the water for its price, but the SK80 Pro is a bit different. It's a cheaper alternative for those who cannot spend nearly $150 on a keyboard but want good performance switches, aesthetics, functionality, and connectivity.
In this review, we will take a look at its design, feel, ease of usage, connectivity & compatibility, and, of course, if the features justify the price tag of $79.
Packaging and Contents
Womier's packaging is almost identical for every keyboard, but the SK80 Pro comes with some decent accessories. It's bundled with a cushioned wrist rest and a small mousepad, and you will find more items like a key/switch puller and additional switches. Both the wrist rest and the mousepad follow the same theme as the keyboard, and in this case, I chose the Plum Blossom. There are four different themes you can choose from, but I think they have discontinued the Kanagawa outline. All of them draw inspiration from Japanese aesthetics, which I’m personally a big fan of.
Quick Specs and Core Features
- Model: Womier SK80 Pro
- Total Keys: 83 keys
- Color Options: Sakura Pink/Kanagawa/Kanagawa Outline/Plum Blossom
- Profile: Cherry profile
- Keycap: Dye-sublimation double-shot PBT keycaps
- Case Material: ABS
- Connection Types: Wired/2.4GHz Wireless/Bluetooth
- Switches: Womier POM pre-lubed linear switches
- Backlight LEDs: South-facing RGB
- PCB: Support custom driver, full RGB, hotswap, 3/5 pin switches compatible
- Mounting Style: Gasket mounted
- Battery Capacity: 4000 mAh
- Interface: USB Type-C
- Operating System: Windows/macOS
- Keyboard Weight: 793g
- Dimensions: 347.5*134*45mm
The SK80 Pro brings a 75% layout, but it's a bit wider than conventional 75% keyboards. One more row has been added on the right, adding the Page Up and Page Down keys for more convenience. There are a total of 83 keys, and this one uses the Womier POM Beige mechanical linear switches that have a travel distance of 3.8 mm and a pre-travel distance of 2 mm. The actuation force is 50 gf, which is higher than other variants like the Rose Whisper, Mint Blizzard, and Taro.
The keyboard brings tri-mode connectivity, allowing users to connect the keyboard to their devices via wireless or wired methods. The SK80 Pro retains a lot of specs and features from the predecessor, the SK80, including the design, gasket mounting, an OLED display on top, and more such stuff, but now we have an additional key row, as we talked earlier. Perhaps the biggest difference is that the newer SK80 Pro gives you the choice of wireless connection, which was absent on the SK80.
However, the SK80 is available in more color options and weighs a bit less. That said, SK80 Pro aims to deliver a versatile functionality, catering to the requirements of both gamers and non-gamers by not just bringing wireless connectivity, but retaining hot-swappability and extensive customizations via software.
Build Quality and Feel
The SK80 Pro is somewhat heavy, weighing nearly 800 grams, but it feels premium overall. It's pretty sturdy without using an aluminum chassis. The keyboard utilizes ABS plastic for the casing/chassis and uses the popular Gasket mount for achieving software but bouncier typing feel.
As you can see, the keyboard has almost half of its keys covered with custom nature-themed graphics, including lovely cherry-blossom trees, but these overlap with the legends on many keys. This makes it difficult to see the key legend in some places. For instance, you likely can't see the "End" key legend beside the Del key, but when the RGB lighting turns on, every key legend becomes visible.
On the top right, you will find a small OLED display for multiple functions, which we will talk about in detail later. There is no Volume roller, which I usually prefer for adjusting the volume, but certain key combinations will help you adjust the volume. You can check various keyboard stats on the OLED display, and then you have the small LEDs for the Caps, Scroll, and Windows keys to indicate their status.
The keyboard uses double-shot PBT keycaps, which are dye-sublimated, and the legends appear durable as well. These don't shine quickly and are mostly common on mid-range keyboards. For switches, the SK80 Pro settles with the Womier Full POM pre-lubed Beige switches as we talked earlier. These are MX-stem, and you can replace them with either 3-pin or 5-pin switches, as the PCB offers hot-swappable MX-Style mounting.
As far as typing is concerned, I think it's one of the best mechanical keyboards I have ever used. The key presses are linear, soft, bouncy, and fast. I think it's ideal for both gaming and work, but certain keys produce inconsistent acoustics. It's not that noticeable, but the inconsistency is there on some switches, which is likely due to minor variations in factory lubrication.
Connectivity & Ease of Usage
SK80 Pro is definitely the best in connectivity, not because it brings tri-mode connectivity, but because of how it manages all connectivity options in a single place. While tri-mode connectivity is quite common on many mid-range keyboards, there are not many keyboards that bring a dedicated housing for the USB adapter. The 2.4 GHz USB adapter attaches to the magnetic housing, which reduces the risk of accidental drops, but a dedicated cover could have been better. Still, no complaints here as it genuinely makes the SK80 Pro a truly portable keyboard.
The keyboard has two switches to change between connectivity modes (2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, and USB-wired) and the operating systems (Mac and Windows), and I found the availability of such functions in a single place pretty conveninent.
For wired connectivity, I believe the SK80 Pro surpasses any other keyboard I have reviewed or used so far. Although it doesn't need to, it comes with a dedicated cable management system for various setups. You can either get the cable straight out of the middle or you can route it from the left or the right side of the chassis, depending on where you find it more convenient to connect to your device. This also helps in cleaner cable management, and this is something the SK80 also brought out of the box.
The keyboard includes dedicated adjustment legs for height control, with two different height levels available on each leg. That wraps up the connectivity and ease of usage, but one thing I forgot to mention is how the included wrist rest is attached. It's great that the wrist rest is included in the box, but it would be better if keyboard makers implemented a secure attachment mechanism to fix it to the keyboard body.
Customization and Features
The keyboard offers hot-swappability and RGB lighting customizations. It's on par with what most mid-range and high-end keyboards offer.
The SK80 Pro might be one of the brightest RGB keyboards. The RGB lighting is just too bright, but you can always tone it down according to your preference. The pics you are seeing above had RGB lightning brightness set at 60%. So, you can imagine how bright the lighting must be at 100% brightness. For controlling the RGB light, you will have to use the FN+ Arrow Key combination to select the Effect mode, and there are 19 presets to choose from.
I am just in love with the effects, particularly Effects 12, 13, 15, and 18. Apart from the onboard customizations, you can also customize various functions of the keyboard via Womier SK80 Pro software. But before that, let's take a look at what's possible using the onboard key combinations.
The dashboard on the OLED screen shows the current status, such as battery life, connectivity mode, and whether Caps Lock and Windows key are turned on/off. By pressing FN+Left/Right arrow keys, you can switch between different settings such as RGB effects, color, brightness, lightning effect speed, volume, and even language, giving you both English and Chinese.
There is also an option to display custom images or GIFs, and it's available only in the software. You can import your favorite images or GIFs into the software and upload them to the keyboard. Within a few seconds, you will now see your Image/GIF in effect.
You can set different functions to keys on different layers, make macros, customize RGB lighting, and do all major customizations through the software. So, the customizations are vast and easy to do.
The Verdict
It's hard not to like the SK80 Pro after seeing it do terrific in every area. The upgraded SK80 version now brings more versatile functionality, better connectivity, and excellent core features for a price tag of $79. The incredibly smooth and bouncy key presses, solid build quality, built-in OLED display, tri-mode connectivity, and comprehensive customizations position the keyboard as one of the best mid-range mechanical keyboards in today's time.
There were a few flaws here and there, but mostly minor. I think mechanical keyboards have evolved greatly, and even in the presence of magnetic switch keyboards, keyboards like the SK80 Pro can be a viable solution for gamers and professionals who want the best of the available features for half the price.
*Review unit was provided by the manufacturer
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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