Feker Alice 98 Mechanical Keyboard Review

Whether you're a gamer or a desk junkie, having a reliable and well-performing keyboard is indispensable these days. However, it should balance price and performance, offering you a better bang for your buck than most other options. Until recently, most ergonomic mechanical keyboards were out of reach for most, with people spending hundreds of dollars to get one. 

Regular keyboards can be uncomfortable for long periods, so a competitively priced option is always welcome. Enter the Feker Alice 98 Keyboard, one of the best offerings by CheerType with the Alice layout. We have a few thoughts to share after recently getting our hands on this unconventional keyboard, so let’s begin. 

An Overview of Specifications 

The Unboxing Experience 

The unboxing experience with the Fekir Alice 98 is pretty standard. As soon as you open the box, you get a manual with loads of details regarding the three modes of connectivity, pre-programmed keyboard functions, and how to toggle between Windows and MacBook. Below that lies the Fekir 98 in all its glory. 

Here are the other things you get in the box:

• 1* USB Cable
• 1* 2.4G Receiver 

The Design: An Unconventional Choice

The very first thing that jumps at you is the unconventional Alice split layout, which compliments your hand placement. The Alice layout has the four innermost columns inverted for better hand placement, with the remaining keys having a symmetric stagger. It might feel a bit weird when coming from a regular keyboard, but once you get the hang of it, you understand that the typing experience is more natural.

I think Cheer Type got it right with the keys: they added a num pad and the navigation keys to take the total number of 98 without drastically increasing the overall size of the keyboard. They split the spacebar to accommodate the ergonomic design without affecting its performance.

To help you use the keyboard comfortably, Feker has provided five rubbers and two flip-up feet on the back. 

Knob, Knob 

I think it's pertinent to mention here that getting a knob with an Alice-layout keyboard is pretty rare, especially at this price point. The one included on the Fekir is a volume knob that's smooth to operate and helps you control volume with immense ease. 

Let's not forget the LED screen here, a standout element of the Feker Alice 98 keyboard. You can actually get two versions of this keyboard: one with the knob and the LED and the other with two keys in place of the LED. 

Keycaps and Switches 

I'll be honest here: the quality of the keycaps on this bad boy surprised me, pleasantly, I mean. They are of really good quality for a pre-built board, with a 1.6mm thickness built from ABS plastic. The keycaps have vibrant colors and clear legends that'll never fade because they have been printed using a dye sublimation process. 

Pulling the keycaps off reveals the Kalih Winter Switches with a pre-travel of 2.0mm and a total travel of 3.0mm. Their initial force is 40g, and the trigger force is 38g. These switches are pre-lubed, meaning you'll have a smooth typing experience. With that, you get south-facing LED RGB backlights with 21 light effects, making for a colorful view. 

Sound Absorption: Pretty Good 

Those after a soft typing experience with minimal sound have a treat with the Feker keyboard. It is gasket-mounted, which means the PC plate is laid on top of the bottom plate without any screws. As a result, you'll get a consistently soft and sturdy typing experience at every single key.

To take the sound-dampening experience even further, Feker has placed four Poron foams:

• Bottom case Poron foam
• Socket Poron foam
• Poron switch sheet
• Poron PCB foam 

With these many layers, we noticed that the sound coming out was much lower than what we experienced with many other mechanical keyboards. 

Battery and Connectivity 

With an 8000 mAh battery, the Feker Alice keyboard will last you hours and hours. Moreover, you have three different connectivity modes, including Type-C wired, Bluetooth 5.0, and 2.4GHz, for maximum flexibility. You have a 10m cable connecting devices even at a significant distance. 

Our Verdict

Feker has installed almost every prominent feature on this keyboard, so it is a worthwhile purchase. You get a class-leading package with excellent build quality, multilayer foaming, long battery life, multiple connectivity modes, and more. You don't need to mod it, as the default keys perform pretty well.

You can purchase it from CheerType instantly.