NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL Keyboard review — A softer typing experience

I’m very particular about keyboards. I always prefer a full sized keyboard, complete with a num pad, and want the switches to be loud and proud. While others may find the clicking and clacking of keyboard keys while typing distracting or frustrating, I love the loud sound of a button firmly pressed. So when the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL Keyboard came across my desk, I was a bit skeptical. It prides itself on being smaller and quieter than other keyboards on the market. While I’m not a convert, I can definitely see the appeal of a keyboard like this.

Let’s talk about the packaging first. As I mentioned in the NZXT Lift Elite Wireless Mouse and Mousepad review, the box the keyboard comes in feels premium. The box itself feels very sturdy, but the tape has nice pull tabs for easy opening. Inside, you’ll find the keyboard itself sitting proudly upon a nice cardboard insert, held steady with two cardboard protrusions in the lid. Aside from the device itself, the box also contains a USB-C to USB-A cable, necessary to plug in the keyboard, three replacement switches, and a 2-in-1 switch and keycap puller. I haven’t needed to use the switches or the tool yet, so we’ll focus on the keyboard itself for the rest of this review. Still, they’re a handy inclusion.

I normally use a Roccat Pyro keyboard, complete with a volume knob, and the MiniTKL feels tiny by comparison. It’s compact, with little room between each key. This does make things like the arrow keys or delete kinda cramped, but simply typing or playing a WASD game feels perfectly fine.

I do still prefer more clacky key switches, but the actual action of pressing keys here feels nice. It’s a bit smooshy like a membrane keyboard, but with a bit more punch to it. It’s a weird but good feeling that’s difficult to describe. The keyboard uses magnetic switches, which I’ve never used before but supposedly enhance accuracy, stability, and most importantly durability. The back of the box claims each key can be pressed around 150 million times over its life. I can’t exactly test that, but it certainly feels like good quality.

I do find the keycaps to be a bit abrasive after long periods of time. They have a rough surface, which makes them easy to press and not slippery, but when playing a game and resting your fingers on WAS and D it starts to feel very uncomfortable. I’ve been playing through Cyberpunk 2077 again with this keyboard, and I find that uncomfortable feeling sets in pretty quickly. Even now, while I’m typing this review, I can feel it start to set in. This feels designed for more lightweight computing, for the person who isn’t typing or playing games with their keyboard.

That use case is ironic given how heavy the MiniTKL is. It has per-key RGB, as well as a ring around the keyboard itself, contained in a metal and plastic base. You don’t need any software or drivers to use the keyboard, it works right out of the box and even has a few preset color settings, but if you want to customize it you’ll need the NZXT CAM software. This gives you many more options, with lighting customization for the entire keyboard, per key, and the perimeter. I like the reactive setting, where pressing a key causes a color to ripple outwards on the rest of the board.

You can also fine tune the performance of the board here, though that’s where I start feeling a bit overwhelmed. For example, you can adjust the polling rate as well as how far down you need to press a key for it to register, and even how long you need to hold it for it to repeat. Again, you can do this for each key individually, all of them at once, or anywhere in between. Finally, you can rebind keys or create macros.

This won’t become my go to keyboard, but I’m still thoroughly impressed with the Function Elite. Its weight and need to be wired makes it terrible for traveling, but if you just need a keyboard to plug in for a bit to something like a laptop or Steam Deck, it’s a great option.

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