At first, we would like to thank AQIRYS for offering us a sample of their ADARA Gaming Keyboard for testing and reviewing.

 

 

 

About AQIRYS:

 

“AQIRYS is about IT products and hardware dedicated to gaming.

Our solutions are developed and perfected by a passionate team with over 15 years of expertise in the IT & gaming industry, heavily focused on variety, quality, and affordability.

We all are avid gamers, some of us even reaching pro levels. Top that with the excitement for PC modding and overclocking that was well established through our parent company about 13 years ago (the first company in our country to receive the NVIDIA SLI certification).

The whole experience we amassed from gaming and crafting super high-end PC’s is now put to work in developing the AQIRYS products.

Our final goal is to deliver these products in a cool, dynamic way to people who are keen or enthusiastic about PC gaming and modding, making them feel more satisfied than before.

Welcome to AQIRYS! The galaxy of gaming tools that will lead you to victory!

Fun fact

Our logo resembles the image of a galaxy, the AQIRYS galaxy, which revolves in the universe of gaming and technology. That is why most of our products will borrow their names from actual stars, planets or other celestial bodies. We invite you to check out the fun facts on each product page and discover some cool stuff about the actual Universe!”

 

#SOLID PRECISION

At your fingertips, you will find precision delivered by factory pre-lubed HaiMu 5-pin mechanical switches warranting 100 million keystrokes consistent gaming experience. The customized Pink version installed on ADARA offers a smooth linear key press and a quiet sound level, having an operating travel of 2 mm and 45 gF actuation force.

#SMOOTH EXPERIENCE

Besides factory pre-lubed switches, ADARA is also rigged with pre-lubed plate-mounted stabilizers to smooth out the typing experience by effectively reducing noise, spring pings, and evening out large-key pressing (like the Spacebar).

Featuring the new Gasket-Mounted keyboard design, ADARA has an elaborate internal architecture - decoupled mounting of the switch-plate using silicone gaskets, PCB silencer & anti-vibration silicone pad, bottom EVA foam for noise-dampening - specially created to achieve a smooth keystroke without noise and vibration, and without changing the tactile response or affecting the stability of the switch. All contribute to achieving the same exceptional feel you can only find on ultra-high-end custom-built keyboards.

On the outside, the resilient lightweight chassis is complemented by double-shot PBT keycaps engineered for durability, precision, and improved tactility to match or exceed any lifetime of the mechanical switches they sit over.

Inside Bonus – ADARA also comes with a multi-tool brush so that you can take care of it with all the thoroughness it deserves!

#FAST ERGONOMICS

Preferred by e-sport professionals, a compact layout not only saves desk space but also improves ergonomics for intense gaming sessions by keeping the hands closer and enabling ample quicker mouse movements. With ADARA’s 1800 compact form factor and 95-key layout, you can enjoy the same space-saving benefits of the TKL design and unleash your mouse swipes while preserving the convenience of the Numpad.

Furthermore, a three-stage height adjustment system puts the wrists at your optimum tilt angle for fast typing (flat, half, and full extension). Plus, our AQIRYS-designed spacebar is guaranteed to be a thumb-pleaser every time you press it – in fact, we’re ready to bet that you’ll love it so much that you’ll press it faster and more often than any other spacebar before!

Using a detachable USB-C aviator-style braided cable boosts aesthetics, durability, and mobility making it easier to take the keyboard to gaming tournaments; also, three built-in channels under the keyboard allow using and routing of your classic USB-C cable.

#ELEMENTAL CUSTOMIZATION

Make it yours! – future switch replacement and customization with exotic models is possible due to the hot-swap keyboard design (universal compatibility with 3 and 5-pin switches). To get a taste of it, the package includes 20 complimentary pre-lubed customized HaiMu Ocean Blue Tactile switches to use on any set of keys you wish.

We’ve also included an additional slim-profile spacebar for those who prefer a different style.

And since we don’t fancy bland stuff much, ADARA has a two keycap-color scheme, so you can have fun using a high-performance gaming keyboard that stands out from the pack.

Lastly, a full-RGB dynamic illumination system fires up our cool transparent logo and the PBT keycaps with on-the-fly adjustable visual effects; of course, the intuitive AQIRYS software provides access to advanced configuration options, including per-key illumination customization.

 

Keyboard type: Mechanical

Keyboard size: 1800 Compact

Switch type: HaiMu Linear Pink

Switch rating: 100 million clicks

Switch feedback: Linear

Switch travel: 1.5 - 2mm

Switch force: 45 gF

Anti-Ghosting: 100% (N-Key rollover)

Number of keys: 95

Keycap: Cherry profile, Backlit, Double Shot PBT

Multimedia functions: Yes

On-board memory: Yes

Polling Rate: 1000 Hz

Layout: US

Illumination: Dynamic Per-Key RGB

Connectivity: Wired

Cable type: Detachable USB Type-C, coiled braided, aviator-style

Cable Length: 2 m

Software: Yes (Windows 7 and up)

Platform: PC/Mac & Consoles

Size: 386.54 x 139.92 x 44.7 mm

Weight: 880 g

Color: White/Black

 

AQIRYS is at it again with another interesting keyboard product launch, which features a form factor we have never tried before: the 1800. This is an alternative to the full-sized keyboard but with a much more compact arrangement, meaning that the directional arrows are placed right under the Enter key and the overall size almost matches a TKL layout.

 

The ADARA keyboard was named after the brightest star in ultraviolet light, features RGB lighting which is also enhanced by the opaque silicone pad, HaiMu Linear Pink switches with a rating of 100 million actuations, Cherry profile, Double-Shot PBT keycaps and more!

 

The product is shipped inside a medium-sized cardboard enclosure, which shows a photo of the ADARA in operation:

 

 

 

Some of the main highlights are listed here as small icons:

 

 

 

The product is compatible with PCs, Macs, and consoles:

 

 

 

On the side, we will note some QR codes but also the product serial number:

 

 

 

The opposite side contains the list of product features, in multiple languages:

 

 

 

The features are explained in more detail on the back, but we will be also informed of the technical specifications. The exploded view of the product does show the multiple layers ADARA is composed from:

 

 

 

After removing the top packaging layer, we will find another box, which features the “Built to Withstand, Ready to Vanquish” saying on the cover:

 

 

 

The “All About Gaming” saying is present as well:

 

 

 

A large AQIRYS logo is present on the bottom area:

 

 

 

After removing the top cover, we will note that the main product is surrounded by foam material, to avoid damages during transit:

 

 

 

The included leaflet does show the connection procedure, but also the link from where to download the dedicated software:

 

 

 

The manual does explain the main product components, its bundle but also how to access various shortcuts:

 

 

 

 

The hardware bundle is found on the bottom layer, also surrounded by foam material:

 

 

 

A set of 20 pre-lubed HaiMu Ocean Blue Tactile switches are offered for replacement. HaiMu was founded by one of Kailh’s engineers and it is a new company; unfortunately, not a lot of information is found on the web regarding these:

 

 

 

While the stem and bottom layer of the switch are made of ocean blue plastic, the top area is transparent to let the LED lighting shine through:

 

 

 

Underneath, we will note two gold plated pins but also the plastic mounting pins:

 

 

 

Here is a look on the lateral as well, where we can note the plastic clips which holds the assembly together:

 

 

 

We have plenty of accessories, such as the cleaning brush, a keycap extractor, a switch extractor, a slim Spacebar (stock design) but also a detachable USB Type-C aviator-style cable:

 

 

 

The supplied Spacebar keycap does not feature an extra drawing on top, but only a central area which allows the LED light to shine through:

 

 

 

Underneath we will discover 6 mounting points:

 

 

 

The switch extractor does assist with removing the stock switches with their replacement; this is quite an easy process:

 

 

 

The keycap extractor is like the one we have found with other brands:

 

 

 

The cleaning brush covers quite a bit of area due to its dimensions:

 

 

 

For extra cleaning, inside it we will find another adapter which containsa pen-type metallic tip, a high-density brush but also a high-density sponge:

 

 

 

The detachable USB-C aviator-style braided cable adds a novelty and retro style to the keyboard and the cable comes with two different colors. The whole idea behind this type of cable is to be able to quickly switch between keyboards, without the need of operating the USB cable in the back of our computer:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The black and white color scheme has been preserved from the ALUDRA, but the 1800 layout really makes the keyboard look unique! The choice to include Double-shot PBT keycaps is great since they are much more durable than before:

 

 

 

Quite a few functions can be accessed via F-keys:

 

-F1 – Brightness decrease

-F2 – Brightness increase

-F3 – Task view

-F4 – File Explorer

-F5 – Search function

-F6 – Screen capture

 

 

 

Moving on, we do have:

 

-F7 – Previous track

-F8 – Play/Pause

-F9 – Previous track

-F10 – Mute

-F11 – Volume –

-F12 – Volume +

-Del – Switch color sequence

 

 

 

Plenty of other functions can be accessed via Ctrl, Win, Alt keys:

 

 

 

 

The Backspace key can also change the illumination effects:

 

 

 

Next to it, we do have the illumination effects switch for the AQIRYS logo:

 

 

 

Shift will allow adjustment of the brightness for the logo:

 

 

 

For the directional keys, we will note the following:

 

-increase illumination speed (left)

-decrease illumination speed (right)

-increase illumination brightness (up)

-decrease illumination brightness (down)

 

 

 

The NumKey, Caps, Scroll and WinLock functions have LEDs placed between the NumPad and the rest of the set:

 

 

 

The AQUIRYS logo can be noted on a transparent plastic layer, in order to allow the LED light to shine through:

 

 

 

The Spacebar key is long and borrows the design elements from their previous successful model, the ALUDRA:

 

 

 

On the left side of the keyboard, we will note an AQIRYS logo:

 

 

 

The frontal frame does not come with extra USB hubs or other interfaces:

 

 

 

On the black plastic bottom, we will find an extra plaque in the middle, holding the product sticker and serial number. In the upper area, we will note no less than three cable routing channels:

 

 

 

The Mac/Windows compatibility switch can be also found here:

 

 

 

The ADARA is also equipped with double kickstands, to have it angled at two different settings. Each of the kickstands is equipped with rubber tips:

 

 

 

 

The USB Type-C port is located right near the AQIRYS logo from the plaque:

 

 

 

The keyboard is equipped with HaiMu Linear Pink switches by default, which offer linear feedback, a switch travel between 1.5 and 2mm, while the switch force is 45gF. These are factory pre-lubed and to offer a more silent experience when actuating, ADARA is also equipped with plate-mounted stabilizers. ¬¬-The lightweight chassis is then covered by a noise-dampening EVA foam, and then AQIRYS has mounted on it a hot-swappable switch socket. Over it we do have the PCB silencer & anti-vibration silicone pad, which is accompanied by the silicone gasket mount:

 

 

 

Here is a close look at the multiple layers inside, the RGB LED being present in the upper area:

 

 

 

When powered on, ADARA looks great, the effects are fluent, and light is flowing between the switches as well:

 

 

 

 

 

After downloading the dedicated software utility for controlling the ADARA keyboard, we will note the main sections in the top area, beginning with the Lighting section:

 

 

 

Compared to the previous AQIRYS keyboards, this one has a ton of presets we can choose from:

 

Fixed On

Respire

Rainbow

Flash_away

Raindrops

Rainbow Wheel

Ripples Shinning

Stars Twinkle

 

Shadow Disappear

Retro Snake

Neon Stream

Reaction

Sine Wave

Retinue Scanning

Rotating Windmill

Colorful Waterfall

Blossoming

Rotating Storm

 

Collision

Game Mode

 

The Key Setting area allows programming of different other functions of the existing keys:

 

Default

Keystroke

Multimedia Functions

Macro

 

Macros have a dedicated section, from where we can define our keystrokes, with additional options as well:

 

 

ADARA does also come with the most advanced visual EQ modes yet we have seen with a gaming keyboard:

 

 

The EQ can be customized with our preferred colors, but also comes with quite a bit of presets:

 

 

Dazzling – Rock

Clouds Rise and Snow Fly

Light Field Change

The Gurgling Stream

Blooming – Passion

Pearl Falling Jade Plate

Clouds follow the moon

Mountains and Flowing Waters

Raining like Silk

 

 

Following the success of the ALUDRA keyboard, AQIRYS has entered the high-end keyboard market with the ADARA, which does not disappoint at all in terms of quality, features, and switches durability. We have a custom chassis with noise dampening capabilities, compatible with 3 and 5-pin switches, durable and silent HaiMu Linear Pink pre-installed switches and plenty of available customization directly via Fn key or the included software.

 

The aviator-style cable adds flexibility and a retro note to the keyboard, while the bundle is quite impressive for servicing the keyboard but also for replacing the switches with HaiMu Ocean Blue Tactile (20 pieces), which are offered as a bundle. Of course, we can always order and install other models as well.

 

The 1800 form factor is interesting because it brings back almost the full Numeric Pad, but with a similar compactness as TKL. The software is much more advanced than before regarding RGB lighting, which is fluent and comes with plenty of presets. We did particularly enjoy the visual EQ, which links the audio output to nice effects.

 

The ADARA keyboard can be picked up right away from the Shop.AQIRYS.com page for about 114.99 Euros.

AQIRYS ADARA Gaming Keyboard is Recommended for:

 

 

We would like to thank again to AQIRYS for making this review possible!