Varmilo had recently released its latest addition of its Minilo series silent custom mechanical gaming keyboards. We got a chance to try out the new Varmilo Minilo 75 Pro, and here are our thoughts about it.
Design
Varmilo is famous for its custom gaming keyboards, especially the Minilo 75%, that was released over a year ago. The keyboard was praised for its comfort in typing, the color options, and also the inclusion of the Kalih silent switches, that offered an amazing super-quiet typing experience. We have seen the performance of the Kalih silent switches on our Varmilo VA80 Hygge Gaming Keyboard review.
While the keyboards look similar, the Minilo 75 Pro does offer improvements with respect to design and performance, when compared to the previous Minilo 75% keyboard. The Minilo 75 series features the unique three-layer color scheme on the upper, middle, and lower sections. The keyboard comes in the same color options as the previous generation, including the Retro, the Bluebell, and the Eucalyptus colors. As you can see, we got the Bluebell color for review.
The Minilo 75 Pro also features a CNC Metal Inlay frame that gives a premium high-end feeling while using the keyboard. Its compact size is about 20% smaller than a traditional TKL keyboard, while retaining most of the functional keys. There are 81 keys in total on the device, and Varmilo has also included MacOS based keys too. The front side features the USB-C port and the connectivity switch to choose between wired, Bluetooth and wired modes. We wish that Varmilo did not design the USB-C port in such a way, where it is buried inward. This makes it hard for users to find a third-party USB-C cable that fits the slot properly (if the need arises for a cable replacement).
There are two two-stage kickstands that help users to choose the height of the keyboard for a comfortable typing experience. The back panel is completely blue in color, along with four silicon pads, and a silver nameplate with the Varmilo branding and the Minilo 75 Pro insignia.
The keyboard comes included with a keycap and switch puller, a white USB-C to USB-A cable with an attachment for the USB-A wireless dongle. We are glad that Varmilo also included MacOS specific keycaps, including the Options and Command.
Features
One of the key differences between the old and the new Minilo 75 keyboards is that the Pro version comes with high-purity PBT keycaps out of the box. On the contrary, the original Minilo 75 came with custom ABS DoubleShot keycaps. That said, both the keyboards share the same 1.5mm think keycap with Cherry design. The device also offers hot-swappable sockets for 3/5 pin switches. Varmilo offers the keyboard with a choice of either the Kalih Prestige Voice switches or the Kalih Prestige Silent switches that we have here. We should also mention that the sockets feature south-facing RGB lighting.
The keyboard’s complete gasket structure includes the keycaps on the top, followed by the switches, the CNC metal inlay frame, the anti-static spring, the middle case, a PC plate, a Poron plate foam, the IXPE pad, the PET pad, the main PCB, a Poron PCB foam, the battery, a soft case silicone, and the bottom case. This gasket structure, and the inclusion of the Kalih Prestige Silent switches help for a very silent and comfortable typing experience.
We did a sound typing test to see how quiet the keyboard is when used. We are totally impressed with the performance and typing comfort of the keyboard. Take a look at the video below.
Other features of the keyboard includes the powerful ST+Nordic chip, that is responsible for providing 1ms ultra-low latency and 1000 Hz polling rate for both 2.4Ghz and wired connectivity modes. The keyboard also uses Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity. While the previous model came with a 3400 mAh battery, the new Minilo 75 Pro houses a larger 4000 mAh battery. The device also has support for N-key Rollover, and users will be able to do customizable keymapping and macro commands with QMK/VIA.
Verdict
We recommend the new Minilo 75 Pro for those looking for a smaller and silent keyboard experience. While the device resembles the previous model, the new Pro version comes with notable improvements, such as the inclusion of the PBT keycaps, a larger battery, and more. The overall design appears to be the same as before and comes with the same exciting colors. Varmilo also included MacOS specific keycaps for Apple Mac users as an extra add-on as a part of the package.
The switches feature south-facing LEDs, and the Kalih Prestige Silent switches are the most silent switches that we have tried till date. The Minilo 75 Pro’s gasket structure helps for a silent and comfortable typing experience. This makes it the perfect choice for users working in offices or at homes that require silence. The ST+Nordic chip helps for 1ms ultra-low latency and 1000 Hz polling rate for both wired and wireless modes.
