⌨️ A Budget King: A Long-Term Review of the AULA F75 Pro Wireless Mechanical Keyboard
ELECTRONICS - The mechanical keyboard landscape has never been more competitive. What was once an expensive, niche hobby is now accessible, thanks to a wave of budget-friendly boards that deliver premium features. Among these contenders, the AULA F75 Pro Wireless Mechanical Keyboard has rapidly carved out a reputation as a potential "budget king." This comprehensive review dives deep into its design, performance, and features to determine if the F75 Pro truly sets a new benchmark for affordable custom keyboards.
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| A Budget King: A Long-Term Review of the AULA F75 Pro Wireless Mechanical Keyboard |
📐 Design and Build: A Premium Feel on a Budget
The AULA F75 Pro immediately impresses with its compact and highly functional 75% layout. This design retains essential keys like the F-row, arrow cluster, and a handful of navigation keys (Page Up, Page Down, Home, End), while significantly reducing the desktop footprint compared to a full-size or TKL board.
The Gasket Mount and Sound Dampening
One of the most praised features of the F75 (and F75 Pro) is the implementation of a gasket-mounted design. This structure uses flexible materials (like gaskets) to sandwich the plate, allowing a slight, cushioned movement upon typing. The result is a softer, more forgiving typing experience that significantly reduces harsh impact noise.
Complementing the gasket mount is a multi-layered internal structure, often featuring Poron foam, an IXPE switch pad, and a silicone bottom pad. This comprehensive sound dampening system is typically reserved for much more expensive, custom-built keyboards, and its inclusion here is a major value proposition. The result is a highly desirable "creamy" or "thocky" sound profile right out of the box, with minimal case hollowness or stabilizer rattle—a huge win for keyboard enthusiasts.
Keycaps and Aesthetic
The "Pro" version often distinguishes itself with its aesthetic choices, such such as unique colorways and side-printed PBT keycaps. PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) is the material of choice for durability, as it is highly resistant to the oils and shine that plague cheaper ABS keycaps over time. The side-printed legends offer a clean, minimalist look from the top down, keeping the aesthetic focused and modern.
The keyboard also includes an integrated multimedia control knob in the upper-right corner. This volume roller is intuitive and functional, though some users have noted a minor looseness in its feel.
⚙️ Performance: Tri-Mode Connectivity and Hot-Swap Functionality
The AULA F75 Pro is designed for maximum versatility, offering tri-mode connectivity:
2.4GHz Wireless: Utilising a dedicated USB dongle, this mode provides a low-latency connection (often boasting a 1000Hz polling rate), making it highly suitable for fast-paced gaming where milliseconds matter.
Bluetooth 5.0 (BT5.0): Ideal for general productivity and connecting to multiple devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones) with a reliable connection.
USB-C Wired: A stable, zero-latency option that also serves to charge the substantial 4000mAh battery. Battery life, even with moderate RGB use, is excellent, often lasting several days to a week.
Hot-Swappable Sockets
A cornerstone of its customizability is the fully hot-swappable PCB. This feature allows users to easily swap out the mechanical switches with almost any 3-pin or 5-pin switch on the market (Cherry, Gateron, Kailh, etc.) without any soldering. This significantly extends the keyboard's lifespan and allows for endless experimentation with different typing feels.
🖱️ The Typing Experience: Pre-lubed Reaper Switches
The AULA F75 Pro is commonly paired with LEOBOG Reaper Linear Switches. These are highly regarded for an entry-level switch, offering a smooth and satisfying linear travel.
Type: 5-pin Linear
Actuation Force: Approximately 45g/f
Pre-Travel: Around 1.8 mm (fast actuation)
The switches come factory pre-lubricated, a crucial detail that eliminates the scratchiness found in unlubed budget switches. This pre-tuning contributes significantly to the F75 Pro's overall "creamy" sound and smooth keypress. The linear nature, combined with the quick actuation and the acoustic benefits of the gasket mount, results in a pleasant typing experience that is both responsive for gaming and comfortable for long work sessions.
✨ Lighting and Customization
The F75 Pro features vibrant, customizable RGB backlighting with 16.8 million colors. The PCB uses South-facing LEDs—a layout preference among enthusiasts as it prevents interference with Cherry-profile keycaps during switch replacement.
While the included PBT keycaps may not be "shine-through" (meaning the light is mostly an underglow), the overall effect is bright and aesthetically pleasing. The keyboard also offers a proprietary software driver for macro creation, key remapping, and detailed RGB effect customization, including audio-synced lighting—a nice touch for a budget board.
🏆 Verdict: Punching Above Its Weight
The AULA F75 Pro Wireless Mechanical Keyboard is a remarkable achievement in the budget segment. It successfully democratizes features that were once exclusive to high-end custom builds.
Pros:
Exceptional Value: Offers premium features at an incredibly competitive price point.
Acoustics and Feel: The gasket-mount and multi-layer dampening deliver a satisfyingly "creamy" and "thocky" sound profile.
Versatile Connectivity: Reliable Tri-mode (2.4G/BT/Wired) for all scenarios, including low-latency gaming.
Customization: Hot-swappable sockets and durable PBT keycaps allow for easy personalization.
Great Out-of-the-Box Experience: Pre-lubed switches and well-tuned stabilizers require minimal-to-no user modification.
Cons:
Plastic Construction: While sturdy, the plastic case may lack the heft and premium feel of an aluminum board.
Software Limitations: The proprietary software, while functional, may not be as robust or open-source (like QMK/VIA) as what's available for higher-end boards.
Minor Hardware Quirks: The volume knob can occasionally feel slightly loose.
In conclusion, for users seeking a highly-featured, excellent-sounding, and versatile mechanical keyboard without spending hundreds of dollars, the AULA F75 Pro is a powerful contender. It offers an incredible blend of performance, comfort, and customizability, making it one of the absolute best entry points into the mechanical keyboard hobby today.