This is an article that mainly talks about Varmilo MA 87 keyboard. But it doesn’t just talk about Varmilo MA87. I want to take full advantage of the opportunity to introduce the excellent brand as well briefly. And then I will show you the Varmilo MA87 keyboard in detail. Now, let’s have a look at it。
Introduction to Varmilo
Brand
Varmilo is a company founded in 2007. It is a Chinese brand famous for its unique appearance and comfortable hand feel. Its main operating direction is the mechanical keyboard design and sales of peripherals. The brand has been trying to provide high-quality products and better services for users.
In the mechanical keyboard market, the Varmilo keyboard belongs to the high-end mechanical keyboard, which was Leopold’s foundry, and later transformed and started its own research and development. At present, its products expand multitudes of aspects such as brown switch, wireless keyboard, Bluetooth keyboard, white cherry switch, Bluetooth earphones, games, keycaps and so on. With excellent workmanship and delicate touch, it can be compared with internationally famous brands such as Filco and Leopold.
Products
In terms of its main product–mechanical keyboard, Varmilo has a wide variety. From different perspectives, keyboards can be divided into different categories. Then I will introduce the great keyboard from three aspects: its number of keys, its themes and its models.
First, it provides six types for different groups. These types are respectively 20%, 40%, 80%, 65%, 100%, and 110% according to its official website.
20%:This is a small 21-key keyboard including many themes. It looks like a calculator about its size.
40%: The product is coming. It seems to provide customized service.
65%: The 65% keyboard includes 68 keys. It basically meets your daily needs and can save more space, making your desk tidier.
80%: The keyboard is called the TKL keyboard, namely without the common number keys on the right. It includes some shortcut keys to achieve some functions.
100%: The keyboard is the commonest with 104keys. It includes the right ten keys and is normal in its size.
110%: The keyboard is different from the 104-key keyboard. In the original places of indicator lights, the keyboard sets four multimedia keys. It is more convenient for playing music or video.
The keyboards mentioned above are several types according to the number of keys.
Second, the Varmilo keyboard includes many themed keyboards. As we all know, the themed keyboard is one of Varmilo’s spotlight. Varmilo keyboard has cooperation with many brands.
Its themes include Hua Dan (Chinese Beijing Opera), Koi, panda, sea melody, Sakura, Warrior, Lovebirds, Moonlight and others. Varmilo is like a painter or artist, which seems to aim to integrate every beautiful and meaningful thing into their keyboard and then show us.
These are part of Varmilo’s themes.
Third, when you are going to buy a Varmilo keyboard, you will find its product title includes too much information and it’s difficult for you to understand what that means. This is about its model name. Its name includes Miya, MA, VA. Their same model means the same accessories, function, material, technology, and so on. The differences exist in the theme, size and appearance. Now, according to my detailed explanation, I believe you can understand the brand and its products.
In addition, Varmilo’s keyboard has too many complicated models to divide them into a concrete category. If you want to have a better understanding of it, you can search for some information about it again.
Characteristics
Why can the Varmilo keyboard compare with other internationally famous keyboards? In my opinion, it includes its own characteristics. So what characteristics does it have?
First, its themes. Someone said the keyboard is used to work, play or type. The design is unnecessary. But I think it is wrong. Its utility indeed is first. But now, in the keyboard industry, the basic functions of the keyboard are similar. Under competitive circumstances, the design is especially important for every brand to survive and be leading. As the old saying goes, a human is a visual animal. Everyone likes nice things. So Varmilo-themed keyboard is pretty successful and distinguished. It succeeds in attracting more users through its multi-style appearance.
What Varmilo’s most proud is the keyboard design. In fact, Varmilo’s slogan never hides its position: a keyboard artist. This slogan is certainly not a boast of Varmilo. A longitudinal comparison of the appearance design of all mechanical keyboards shows that the appearance level of the Varmilo keyboard is almost superior to others. And its keyboard really can be called keyboard art.
Its Chinese-style keyboard series are very popular. All components, beautiful figures, classical style, interesting stories and profound Chinese culture, follow the current fashion trend. Besides, it invites famous illustrator, Li Huan and calligrapher, Mayun to add some color to the keyboard. Varmilo also designs the lovebirds series, which is a wise strategy and increases its sales volume. So, its theme is one of the factors.
The second is its innovation. Varmilo is full of innovation. Its switch and font are all demonstrations. It not only uses the Germany Cherry Mx switch but develops its own EC (electrostatic capacitive) switch, which provides more options. The cherry switch is too famous and common, so I won’t talk too much. And then what’s the EC switch?
A common mechanical keyboard is parallel to a membrane keyboard. The electrostatic capacitive keyboard refers to a type of keyboard triggered by an electrostatic capacitive switch. Although it is often discussed in conjunction with a mechanical keyboard, it is important to recognize that it is not a mechanical keyboard.
Its trigger structures have no physical contact with some obvious innate advantages over mechanical switch bodies. Electrostatic capacitive keyboards tend to have longer service life because the trigger structure does not require contact. The official estimate from Realforce is 50 million times. But in practice, electrostatic capacitive keyboards often last far longer than estimated, and most of them don’t end with the problem of switch failing. The common failure of the mechanical switch, such as the joint hitting and shrapnel aging, can not be found on the electrostatic capacitive.
The capacitive switch is controlled by capacitance change, that is, the distance between the two plates — it does not have a strictly fixed trigger stroke. After the production of the mechanical switch, the trigger stroke is fixed. If the total stroke of the red switch is 4mm, you must press the position of 2mm before it will be triggered. If you want to trigger faster and earlier, you have to introduce a new switch and change the switching stroke. As for the electrostatic capacitive keyboard, as long as the manufacturer provides relevant settings, you can change the keystroke according to your own needs.
In addition, capacitive switches also have intuitive characteristics including low jitter, N-key rollover, and the like, which are considered by the manufacturers. There are some sophisticated manufacturers of EC switches such as the well-known HHKB, NIZ, RealForce, and Varmilo.
In terms of the using experience of the electrostatic capacitive keyboard, in general, its sound is low and typing feel is good. Overall, the electrostatic capacitive keyboard is suitable for typing.
The Varmilo keyboard is equipped with its own electrostatic capacitive switch and provides many electrostatic capacitive switches: Daisy, Sakura, rose, ivy, and green. The electrostatic capacitive switch is developed by Varmilo, which combines the hand feel of a thin membrane and a mechanical switch body.
What are the differences or the applicable situation among these different switches?
The daisy switch is light and easy for typing, and suitable for people who need to work on editing. Its trigger force is about 35-45g. The Sakura switch also is light and suitable for those users who are pursuing the high-stage keyboard. Its trigger force is about 45-55g. The switch is available both in the office and in daily life. The rose switch keyboard has strong feedback, suitable for gaming players. Its trigger force is about 55-65g The green switch keyboard clicks clearly and gives you a mechanical feel, which is suitable for players preferring the sound. Its trigger force is about 50-60g.
The Varmilo keyboard uses PBT keycaps rather than ABS keycaps. It is said that PBT keycaps are never greasy. And most to my surprise, Varmilo uses dye sublimation printing technology. The technology is containing leaching technology of printing, completely different from ordinary ink printing. It uses solid resin ink instead of common liquid pigment ink. And then the ink becomes gas at high temperature and in the form of gaseous molecules, penetrating the surface of the print and sublimation. Finally, the ink is integrated with the object as a whole. Therefore, all aspects are very excellent and the fonts are difficult to be worn out.
Third, its attitude. Last but not least, attitude is everything. From the PBT dye sublimation keycaps, we can see its unremitting resolution. After all, dye sublimation technology is complicated and high-cost. Its EC switch is developed by combining the Cherry switch and the original EC switch, which shows its innovation. Varmilo is outstanding and has its own developed keycaps in so many keyboard brands. Its success is attributed to its serious and responsible attitude.
Varmilo MA87 Sea Melody Keyboard
It seems I talked too much above. Now let’s have a look at one of the Varmilo-themed keyboards– MA87 Sea Melody.
Box
When opening the box and seeing the packaging at first glance, I was deeply impressed. The packaging I have seen before can be described as simple and exquisite boxes, but any of them couldn’t be called an art. Maybe the Varmilo MA87 Sea Melody keyboard is the only one. The whole package is like a blue ink painting. Varmilo is a real keyboard designer. The original packaging pattern of the Sea Melody keyboard is drawn by an artist and then printed on the box, which can be said to be very original.
The blue ocean and whales printed on the bottom of the box look comfortable. There is little information about the keyboard on its top. If it is sent to others as a gift, nobody knows what’s in it. On the side, there are several labels, from which you can see the switch body, and lighting information of the keyboard. The blue whale represents the theme: Sea Melody. On the other side is the keyboard model and stripe code label.
Open the box, the Varmilo MA87 keyboard lies in the box covered with a plastic dust cover. The accessories of the Sea Melody theme are rich: 8 postcards with the scene of Whale Fall, a USB cable, a keycap puller, an instruction book, two five-side dye sublimation keycaps– ESC and Enter and a warranty card.
The cable is a glue line, mini USB interface and 1.5 meters in length plug in the keyboard cable. Most accessories are blue, which seems to match the keyboard. For example, the keyboard cable and the keycap puller are in blue, especially the handle part, which is made of blue transparent plastic like the crystal with the logo of Varmilo. After turning on the keyboard light, you can see the keyboard’s main body. The simple shape, fresh color and dye sublimation PBT keycap of the Sea Melody theme make the keyboard art.
Viewing the keyboard is enjoyable. The whole keyboard is sprayed with dye, which is different from the earlier keyboard, only sprayed with the cover. The keycap of the keyboard even is also stained with a pattern, which is more coordinated and has a stronger visual impact.
Appearance
Let’s look at the keyboard design. The new Varmilo MA87 “Sea Melody” series is based on the VA87 design. The MA87 keyboard uses a floating structure, but there is still a relatively thin cover, which is easy to customize the cover color and can relieve fatigue.
In addition, the keyboard adopts a combination of blue and white, creating the ocean-atmosphere. The design concept of pattern elements is derived from “whale fall”, which is reflected in the space bar, Enter and ESC keys. Enter key demonstrates the whale jumping, ESC key the whale sinking and finally the space bar the whale sinking, depicting the whole process of “whale fall”.
The back of the keyboard is very simple with the requisite non-slip pads, brackets, and a large metal nameplate in the middle. Varmilo MA87 keyboard’s nameplate seems to be the largest of all keyboards. And the back has no other superfluous decoration.
The blue cover of the Sea Melody keyboard actually looks like a little sea wave. The personalized keycaps of the keyboard depict the phenomenon of Whale fall. All patterns are drawn on the paper by the painter including the packing and keycaps, which are by watercolor brush and colored pencil.
Some ornaments are around the keycaps of its main personalized keys making it more clever. You can look at these keys closely, such as X, C, D, F, G and others.
Switch
Varmilo MA87 is equipped with a new self-developed electrostatic capacitive mechanical switch. The concrete operating principle has been mentioned above and here I won’t talk again. Varmilo’s design idea is different from the traditional electrostatic capacitive keyboard. The electrostatic capacitive and Cherry Mx switch are integrated into Varmilo’s electrostatic capacitive switch, whose appearance is very similar to that of the Cherry Mx switch. The satellite switch does not affect the compatibility of the keycap.
A transparent switch cover is adopted, and open lamp holes are reserved. Varmilo MA87 electrostatic capacitive mechanical switch is a hybrid product based on an Mx switch combined with an electrostatic capacitive contactless trigger principle. It inherits the durable service life of the electrostatic capacitive keyboard and retains the mature hand feel of the traditional switch.
The new switch needs to be used with a specially designed PCB to provide calculated capacitance changes. Among them, capacitance change is a linear process, leaving more space for development in the later stage. Based on the traditional Cherry Mx switch, its parts are not too different from the traditional switch.
It is composed of a satellite switch, a transparent switch cover, an insulating piece, an electric field induction fixed piece, a pressure spring, a base and an electromagnetic field induction pole piece. Among them, the switch pressure is directly determined by the spring. It is different from the Cherry Mx switch in that the contact structure is removed, and the capacitor is changed into one, which is close to each other to achieve a certain capacitance.
Varmilo MA87 keyboard’s electrostatic capacitive mechanical switch has no physical contact. Therefore, its service life is higher, and it is waterproof and dustproof.
Keycap
The keycap of Varmilo MA87 is about the thickness of 1.3mm. V-SILK keycap can ensure PBT high purity and high-degree dry keys. And at the same time, it touches like delicate and moist silk. The most distinctive part of the Varmilo-themed keyboard is high purity PBT, with wear resistance, and anti-oil characteristics.
The printing process is thermal dye sublimation, which makes the color into the deep layer of the PBT keycap so that its color won’t fade and the characters and patterns are completely unable to touch. The characters and patterns on the front of each keycap are thermally dye sublimated. The Esc, Enter, and space bar keys are the use of a more advanced five-side thermal dye sublimation process.
Design
Each of Varmilo’s themed keyboards tells us a story. This Varmilo MA87 “Sea Melody” keyboard depicts a whale fall that is beautiful and great.
As we all know, the whale fall gives birth to everything. When the whale dies, it devotes itself to the ocean that gave it life. It gives energy to the nutrient-poor ocean like an oasis in the deep sea, which makes life and words bloom.
It is a keyboard that combines watercolor, colored pencil, and board painting.
To express the vastness of the ocean and the vitality of marine life, Varmilo first tried to integrate watercolor, color pencil and other art into the keyboard design. All the personalized keys of the Sea Melody are drawn by hand and printed accurately into the keycaps through the thermal dye sublimation process. The Varmilo MA87 keyboaard contains the meaning that the ocean embraces all lives, adopting personalized key design.
We try to let the keyboard incarnate the ocean, containing all marine creatures. All of them formed a vivid “Sea Melody” keyboard.
Details
Details of the design are very suitable. For example, the fish pattern is on the direction keys, which can express and fit the theme. And so do ESC and other keys.
There is no doubt that Varmilo MA87 keyboard’s fonts are printed by thermal dye sublimation, clear, and wear resistant. The overall design of the font is fine and beautiful and the biggest highlight is the five sides of the thermal dye sublimation.
The keycap material is undoubtedly PBT, thick and smooth. It can give you a nice hand feel.
The back of the keyboard is simple. I like its metal nameplate and three-way cable slot most, which can upgrade the level and bring you great convenience.
Function
In terms of function and the backlight of the Varmilo MA87 keyboard, it hardly has changed compared with the previous model. Backlight includes solid and breathing modes and can adjust its brightness and light effect. If the Varmilo MA87 keyboard is charged for 6 hours, it can last for 1 month and 7 days. And if the Varmilo MA87 keyboard is fully charged, its battery life is 300 hours.
In addition, it can connect to four devices at the same time and support one-key switch among them. The the Varmilo MA87 keyboard is compatible with Wins OS and MAC OS, but it supports normal typing and is not fully compatible with MAC. The dual-mode keyboard supports Win8, Win10, and MAC, but the Bluetooth of your device must be above 4.0.
Conclusion
Varmilo MA87 keyboard is an 87-key wired keyboard, including multitudes of themes. This article talks about the Varmilo and Varmilo MA87 keyboards taking the Varmilo MA87 Sea Melody keyboard as an example. The model includes different themes and they have a difference in appearance, but every Varmilo MA87 keyboard adopts the same materials and technology and enjoys the same components, functions and size.
Finally, I will draw a conclusion about the Varmilo MA87 keyboard.
- Unique themes. Every themed keyboard uses different colors, attached relative accessories, and contains artistic as well as cultural colors.
- Innovative self-developed electrostatic capacitive switch. The switch integrates the advantages of the Cherry Mx switch and common EC switch, which has no physical contact and brings you a hand feel of the mechanical keyboard. The keyboard will last longer and be waterproof.
- PBT material dye sublimation keycaps. The dye sublimation process costs more time and energy, but it can keep the patterns real as soon as possible. In addition, the fonts of the keyboard are more durable and worn-resistant. PBT keycap has the characteristics of being dry and not greasy.
- Considerate back design. The Varmilo MA87 keyboard includes non-slip mads, brackets, and a three-way cable slot. The design is considerable, which can provide different heights to meet different groups’ needs, and keep your table tidier.
- Multitudes of functions. The Varmilo MA87 keyboard is compatible with Wins and Mac OS and can connect to four devices at the same time and N-key rollover.
- Long battery life. It can last for one month and seven days after being charged for six hours and 300h with full power.
…
The Varmilo 87 keyboard couldn’t be introduced in some words. If you are interested, you can try to buy one.
Only have a try in person, you will have your own using experience.
https://www.good-keyboard.com/product/varmilo-sea-melody-miya68c-ma87-ma108-68key-87key-108ke-mechanical-keyboard-wired-static-capacitance-axis-v2-white-backlit/
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