Guess who is getting into the PC peripheral space? OnePlus
OnePlus have been manufacturing smartphones for a decade now. The company is known for producing premium devices you can purchase for a reasonable price. Competitively they have held their own against the titans of the smartphone industry, Apple and Samsung. But now there are reports that they will be venturing into PC peripheral space.
According to my gathered information, OnePlus will produce mechanical Keyboards compatible with the PC and Mac systems. Moreover, they won't be alone in the manufacturing process; they will partner with Keychron. A wise move considering Keychron produces some of the best mechanical keyboards in the market.
Let's outline the expected features on this Keyboard; the following are; high-quality builds, TK layout with the multi-purpose dial, hot-swappable standard key switches, open source firmware, Mac and PC compatibility with a flick of a button, dual-mode connectivity, Bluetooth or wired and whats a feature-rich keyboard without RGB lighting.
OnePlus offered specifics on the Keyboard regarding the overall design. The keyboard chassis is described as a" meticulously crafted Aluminum body" that is carefully using a CNC machine. Directly underneath the keys, you will find a deck with multiple layers of dampening components, with a quote, "double gasket design." Also, according to OnePlus, the Keyboard offers advanced customization. The peripheral can be seamlessly modified thanks in part to hot-swappable switches and the use of standard keycaps. In addition, there is open-source firmware, such as QMK and Via, allowing real-time control of RGB lighting, key mapping, and much more.
Image source: 91 Mobile
Thanks to 91 mobiles, a respected publication, we have leaked images of the upper right OnePlus keyboard deck with an equipped red knob which I'm assuming is the multi-purpose dial. OnePlus will bundle a variety of keycaps or exceptional control and modifier keys with the peripheral.
According to reports, OnePlus will launch the Keyboard in India alongside the OnePlus 11 smartphone on February 7. The company also stated that the Keyboard would hit the Chinese market sometime in February, with no confirmed date. Mass production of the mechanical Keyboard will take place sometime in March.
