At first, we would like to thank AQIRYS for offering us a sample of their MIRA 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!”

 

Product Features:

 

#SOLID PRECISION

At your fingertips, you will find precision delivered by mechanical switches engineered for gaming and office. The Red version carried by MIRA is a good choice for those who have a lighter touch and require fast movements, making it easier to type fast and move characters around more quickly. It sports linear behavior and a quiet sound level, with a travel distance of 4 mm and 47 gF actuation force.

Having the keyboard sync even with the fastest gameplay is of paramount importance, so an N-key rollover special circuitry watches that no critical command is lost, making MIRA full anti-ghosting capable.

#SMOOTH EXPERIENCE

With MIRA, you can enjoy extensive PC, Mac, mobile connectivity thanks to the two embedded wireless options (2.4 GHz and BT) plus the wired mode. The BT connection allows pairing MIRA with up to three different BT-enabled devices and seamlessly switching between them.

Aiming to offer premium comfort and feel, no matter the environment, MIRA uses a chassis with a special rubber coating, while the surface of the keycaps is sweat proof. We took a step further by inserting a sound-dampening foam that alleviates vibrations and noise generated by multiple, rapid keystrokes; and doubled down with pre-lubed stabilizers available in the updated version. And, this brings us to the chosen mechanical switch, the 50M keystrokes rated Outemu red, that guarantees long-lasting performance for a lifetime of using and abusing.

#FAST ERGONOMICS

Adhering to the 65% gaming keyboard form-factor, the compact dimensions of MIRA save tons of space and boost portability, also improving ergonomics by keeping the hands closer and freeing real-estate for ampler mouse movements.

Lastly, the detachable USB cable makes it easier to charge and carry the keyboard in your gaming endeavors.

#ELEMENTAL CUSTOMIZATION

Make it yours! – future switch replacement and customization with exotic models is possible due to the hot-swap keyboard design (compatible with 3-pin switches). To get a taste of it, the updated version of MIRA includes 15 complimentary Outemu Blue switches to customize any set of keys you wish.

A full-RGB dynamic illumination system sparks life into MIRA’s looks, and the AQIRYS intuitive keyboard software allows in-depth customization when using the keyboard in wired mode. When connected via wireless, you can extend the battery lifetime from 8 hours to 35 days by turning the illumination off.

And since we don’t fancy bland stuff much, MIRA is showing off our exclusive and unique layout design so you can have fun using a high-performance gaming keyboard that stands out from the pack.

 

Product Specifications:

 

Keyboard type: Mechanical

Keyboard size: 65%

Switch type: Outemu Red

Switch rating: 50 million clicks

Switch feedback: Linear

Switch travel: 4 mm

Switch force: 47 gF

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

Number of keys: 68

Multimedia functions: Yes

On-board memory: Yes

Layout: US

Illumination: Dynamic Per-Key RGB

Connectivity: Dual-mode - Wireless: 2.4GHz & BT, Wired

Cable type: Detachable, braided

Cable Length: 1.8 m

Interface: USB 2.0

Battery: 1300mA / max charging time: 7h

Battery Life: Up to 8 hours (light on), up to 35 days (light off)

Operating distance: 10m

Software: Yes (Windows 10 and up)

Platform: PC/Mac & Consoles

Size: 308 x 101 x 39 mm

Weight: 556g

Color: Black

 

AQIRYS is back at it with another interesting keyboard model, which is available with two different colors, the MIRA which embraces the smaller, 65% form factor. Of course, this is a mechanical model with Outemu Red switches, which carry a 50 million click actuation rate, great RGB backlighting and multiple wireless capabilities. This keyboard model was named after a red-giant star located in the Cetus constellation and AQIRYS recommends it when planning a streamlined, minimalist gaming setup.

 

The keyboard is offered inside a medium-sized cardboard enclosure, which does show a photo of the product in the top area, together with the main highlights, shown as icons:

 

 

 

The product features are shown on the side of the box as well, on the usual AQIRYS blue background:

 

 

 

The opposite area does come with two different QR codes, which redirect to online resources, the product serial number but also the code name:

 

 

 

On the bottom area, we will get an in-depth product feature explanation, the technical specifications but also the box contents list (as small drawings):

 

 

 

In terms of documents, we will receive a leaflet with the “Built to withstand, ready to vanquish!” saying, the Quick Installation Guide but also a nice set of stickers:

 

 

 

On the back side of the leaflet, we will learn how to connect MIRA to different devices:

 

 

 

The Quick Installation Guide is helpful because it does present the main keyboard components, how to connect on different interfaces, how to control the backlight by using the dedicated keys, how to access the extra functions, the process to remove keycaps, switches and more!

 

 

 

 

 

The supplied stickers have different shape and colors, to fit different user preferences:

 

 

 

After lifting the top cover, we will learn that the keyboard is held secure inside a black plastic mold, but is also wrapped inside a semi-transparent plastic bag:

 

 

 

Underneath, we will locate the hardware bundle, which is quite complex:

 

 

 

We will receive a keycap/switch remover, the USB cable, a small pouch, a cleaning brush but also a box with complimentary Outemu Blue switches:

 

 

 

The keycap/switch remover does feature a middle plastic body with a magnet underneath, to help with storage:

 

 

 

The brush does help with cleaning between the switches, but also the keycaps:

 

 

 

Inside the surprise pouch we will get the wireless dongle:

 

 

 

This one is compact and will not obstruct nearby USB ports, when used on more compact systems:

 

 

 

 

 

The supplied USB cable is braided for additional durability, and we get a gold-plated USB-A on the computer side, while the keyboard side is an USB-C:

 

 

 

 

The 65% form factor is very compact, allowing to hold the hands closer together, maintaining only the necessary functions for gaming purposes; the keycaps are all-black, not in a white-black theme as we have seen with the ADARA or ALUDRA TLK, but the custom key legends are present here as well:

 

 

 

Each of the function keys do have triple mappings on the 65% form factor:

 

 

 

 

The Insert key, when actuated with Fn will help to select the illumination effect:

 

 

 

To the left and to the right of the Spacebar, we have custom legends:

 

 

 

 

The Spacebar key comes with the AQIRYS logo:

 

 

 

The directional arrow keys do help with increasing/decreasing the brightness of the LEDs, but also with adjustment of the effect speed:

 

 

 

The |\ key allows choosing the LED color, while the rest of the functions are available on the right side of the keyboard:

 

 

 

Let’s not forget about the Z,X,C,V and B keys, which allow working with no less than 3 Bluetooth channels, and we can also select between the wired and wireless interface!

 

 

 

With the supplied keycap puller, we can easily uncover the equipped Outemu Red switches, which come with a linear characteristic, a switch force of 47gF, a travel of 4mm, while the durability is around 50 million actuations. These switches are quite like the CHERRY MX Reds, but are overall cheaper:

 

 

 

After removing the switch, we will get a closer look at the internal PCB, but also the underneath padding, which eliminates some of the bottoming out noise. The board is compatible with other 3-pin switches as well:

 

 

 

Here is a look at the Outemu Red switch, outside the case:

 

 

 

 

For customization purposes, AQIRYS is offering a set of 15 Outemu Blue switches, which are clicky, with an actuation force of 60g and a travel distance of 4mm:

 

 

 

 

A view from the side does reveal that the casing is a bit angled; the laterals and also the bottom area of the MIRA come with a rubberized finish:

 

 

 

The frontal area of the keyboard includes the USB-C port, but also a white AQIRYS logo:

 

 

 

 

On the bottom area we will note not one but two middle stickers: the top one will show how to access the different interfaces, while on the bottom area we will note some more details on the keyboard; in the corners, we will note rubber feet as well:

 

 

 

The middle sticker does also come with an On/Off switch:

 

 

 

This keyboard is equipped with two sets of kickstands, each having rubber tips:

 

 

 

 

 

The lighting of the MIRA keyboard is subtle thanks to the onboard RGB LEDs and comes with multiple presets, which can be navigated via the keyboard or the dedicated software:

 

 

 

 

The dedicated software for the MIRA keyboard is accessible only when it is operating in wired mode; the interface is easy to navigate and comes with options to select the current profile, RGB lighting presets, key mapping but also for defining macros:

 

 

Here is the list of RGB presets we can choose from:

 

 

Depending on the chosen preset, we will have different options to choose from:

 

Neon Stream

Rainbow Roulette

Retro Snake

RGB Diffusion

Ripples Shining

Flash Away

Rotating Storm

Marquee Effect

 

Rich and Honored

Serpentine Horse Race

Stars Twinkle

Interspersed to Run

Diagonal Transformation

Sine Wave

Steady

 

Breathing

Shadow Disappear

Neon

Customize

 

From the Key Setting area, we will be able to select other functions for the keys:

 

Keystroke

Multimedia

Macro

 

We can define new macros in the dedicated menu:

 

 

 

 

 

The 65% keyboard layout seems to be more and more adopted in the gaming market, and AQIRYS did not fail to impress with their first attempt, which is the MIRA keyboard. It comes with a hot-swappable PCB, pre-installed Outemu Reds which are very similar with their CHERRY counterparts, and pre-lubed stabilizers for the Enter, Space, Shift and Backspace keys. The multiple interfaces make it compatible with a large range of devices and it can last up to 35 days in wireless mode if the RGB effects are turned off.

 

AQIRYS do not cheap out on the bundle either, since we do get the useful keycap puller, the brush for easy cleaning but also a 15-switch set of the Outemu Blues for even further customization. The keycaps are built from ABS, while the legends are laser-engraved for additional durability.

 

While simple RGB customization can be performed directly via the dedicated keys, AQIRYS has a software application ready which allows access to more options.

 

The MIRA Black is currently available for about 75 Euros, on the Shop.Aqirys.com website.

 

AQIRYS MIRA Gaming Keyboard is Recommended for:

 

 

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