Redragon K556 RGB LED Backlit Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, 104 Keys Hot-Swap Mechanical Keyboard w/Aluminum Base, Upgraded Socket and Noise Absorbing Foams, Quiet Linear Red Switch

I love this keyboard. Love the colors too. And I have a free suggestion to Red Dragon on how to improve their keyboards. I hate dust. You should add a hinged plastic cover to the keyboard to keep out dust when not in use. Just lift it up and youre ready to type. No charge for the idea, but feel free to send me one if you like the idea. Thanks.

First off I really like this keyboard itself. It came on-time and well-packaged, complaints there. Before I say more, let me be clear I am not an avid video gamer; I mostly use my computer for regular boring old stuff like emails, internet surfing, and document writing. I play the occasional video game but nothing intense that requires quick key presses. This will be important later. The keys feel great to type on, not terribly stiff but plenty of tactile feedback and I havent experienced any sort of typing fatigue. It comes with a sample set of extra key switches so you could experiment with what you like best and I guess replace all the switches with a different type if desired. Its important to note that this keyboard comes with only one or two of each type of switch, not full sets. I like the switches included with the keyboard but the ability to swap switches may be important to some. The backlighting is plenty bright, even in daylight, and features a good range of brightness settings. The keyboard allows you to cycle through some preset colors and quite a few different lighting routines by using function keys alone. Now to the software. Unfortunately the software is pretty much unusable for a few reasons. One, all of the different lighting program names are mismatched. For example theres a setting named something like snowfall which lights random keys in a pattern that looks like raindrops hitting the ground, but in the software the snowfall name is tied to the setting that makes the keyboard cycle through a rainbow configuration of lights. Not a big deal on its own but annoying. Two, you can set up the lighting however you want within the software, but when you restart the computer the keyboard resets back to whatever settings it was on without the software. Meaning when you use the function keys on the keyboard without using the software, those settings are always preserved, but if you want to use a custom setting youve configured through the software, youll need to open the software and select that setting every time you restart your computer. (Therefore its easier just to use a preset within the keyboard itself and ignore the software entirely). Three, a big draw of this keyboard for gamers should be that the software has a section that allows you to set each individual key to a specific color and effect. For example youre supposed to be able to set the WASD keys to, say, blue, and maybe the number keys to yellow, and the shift and space keys to green, and so on and so forth. Unfortunately this section of the software is entirely non-functional. When prompted to select a key to program, the software doesnt allow you to do anything and clicking on keys does nothing. Its as if the developers had the idea to customize individual keys but never got around to actually including that functionality in the software. Overall, the product loses a star for really bad software, but I want to emphasize that the hardware itself is wonderful. Even without the software, for the price, this keyboard is well worth the money, so I do recommend purchasing it unless you absolutely must have the functionality of programming individual key colors.

I primarily bought this keyboard to play around with different switches in an effort to find my ideal ones. For this purpose, this board is not the easiest choice - reason being, the hot-swap sockets on the PCB do not fit very many switch types. I experimented with modifying the switch contacts to fit, but this is hit or miss and very time consuming. The next best thing was to open the Redragon switches and swap their springs and sliders with a different switch. I had success this way, with nearly the same feel as the donor switch on its own. (I bought the Brown switch variety so YMMV if your keyboard came with blue or red.) Also note, the switches are a bit difficult to remove with the tool supplied with the keyboard. Its very easy to break a small plastic part where the LEDs shine through (this has no downside really, other than just knowing its broken). I found another, larger switch removal tool to be much easier to use. I would also recommend getting a switch opener, to allow quick and damage-free opening of donor switches if you go that route (the opener I got is not compatible with the Redragon switches, but they are much easier to open than most, using some sort of pokey tool like an awl). Without an opener, you will need to put tension on four separate tabs at once while pulling the switch apart - its doable but a bit frustrating. In my adventures, I found a recommendation for 3rd party switches which DO fit the sockets on this board. Let me preface this by saying I was after a very tactile non-clicky switch, with a rather heavy spring rate and as little noise as possible. (As much like Topre switches as possible, but with heavier springs.) I found all of these requirements in a switch called the Boba U4. These are manufactured by Outemu and designed by a keyboard forum member named Gazzew. It makes sense as to why they would fit these sockets, since I believe the Redragon switches are made by Outemu as well. The contacts fit perfectly, and they are very quiet. I tried the 68g version which is almost, maybe a bit too heavy. They also come in a 62g variety, so when I buy enough to populate the whole keyboard, those will likely be what I get. The only thing I had to do to the switches was to snip off the two extra plastic pegs (my understanding is that these pegs are the difference between a PCB mount switch and a plate-mount one). This is not difficult at all with some standard flush-cut wire cutters. So, if you are willing to do some switch surgery and/or experimentation, this board is viable for getting your feet wet with mechanical keyboards - especially at this price point.

I bought this keyboard after seeing a few reviewers talk about how much they liked the all metal body. Everything I saw online seemed to agree that the keyboard was really good, but could have been better, specifically complaining about the hardwired cable and tight hotswap terminals that limit compatibility. But when the keyboard arrived, I didnt actually get what the product page described, it turns out theyve send me an upgraded version. Its the same keyboard, but theyve replaced the hardwired cable with a detachable USB C cable, and the hotswap terminals have been upgraded to more expensive plugs with wider switch compatibility. The old terminals only supported Outemu switches because theyre so thin, but Ive tested thicker Gateron switches and they fit perfectly. The LED is on the underside of the board too, so you can even use ones without the LED cutout window and they fit fine (Although they obviously block the light from the LED). Overall I am very pleased with the keyboard, and the upgrades theyve made to it have me wondering why they havent updated the store page to reflect them. I guess I cant say for sure that I was supposed to get this version but I didnt do anything special, I just ordered the bundle with the wrist rest. The brown switches feel great, so ironically I probably wont even use the upgraded hotswap sockets, but its nice to have options anyway. Theres really no issues I can bring up about this keyboard, and over the last week Ive been trying a ton of them to find the right one for me. Ive returned a K70 RGB Pro, a Strafe RGB MK.2, EVGA Z20, Razer Huntsman Elite, Logitech G815, Steelseries Apex 7; and this keyboard is both my favorite and the cheapest of the bunch. If they made a version with media keys over the numpad and magnets for the wrist rest Id be all over it. The only nitpick I can even come up with is that the seams where the metal edges meet are a little crooked and dont sit completely flush, but frankly I dont really care.

It took a friend of mine a long time to convert me to mechanical, and now I can never go back. It takes a bit of adjustment due to the height difference in keys between this and say, a membrane keyboard, but typing is amazingly smooth and I feel like my WPM has improved. Actual construction of the product is fantastic; very solid. The brushed metal and trim top-down profile look great. Also of note, but not worth taking a star off the actual product rating: Amazon sent this to me by simply slapping a shipping label onto the original packaging. I count myself lucky that the item was in fine working order, and that it wasnt swiftly stolen from my doorstep, as a result. Please do better! My only teensy nitpick is that the color settings, while attractive, dont fare well if youre aiming for an all-white effect; it sort of fires off all colors at once to maintain it, and it makes for a subtle but noticeable flickering, almost strobe effect that was pretty distracting in my peripheral vision. Nothing wrong with sticking to the default solid rainbow lighting, though!

It’s a decent keyboard and I enjoy how heavy it is. I already changed out the key caps and it’s stunning. However, it just came in the off the shelf box which means mine has some minor scratching where it got damaged during transport. Nothing awful, but it really annoyed me since it was preventable. Also, I’m just glad no one stole it with it being so obvious.

At the moment I write this review Im pretty sure this is the most popular budget mechanical keyboard, and with good reason. Since everyone is telling you about the pros, Ill only bother to bring out the cons Ive found. 1. The software, if youve seen any review on yt of this keyboard youll definitely hear this, the software is pretty bad, but functional for changing light modes I guess. 2. Mine came with a scartches crtl key, not really noticable tbh since its not deep and its in the side of the key, but still there regardless. 3. Metal rattling, Ive seen some reviews talk about it already, but still worth mentioning, def not a deal breaker but slightly annoying, since I wear headphones I dont notice it at all, but if you arent wearing headphones you might hear that damn metal rattling which isnt that bad but its annoying long period for people with relatively sensitive ears in a quiet ambient, what I find weird about it is that I do not always hear it, just now I tried to hear it to kinda describe it in the review but heard no metal rattling, almost like it magically fixes itself and the randomly decides when to make that noise. Conclusion: Amazing keyboard, with some small flaws expected at the price.

This is a great keyboard with pretty good mechanical switches. They arent the coveted Cherry MX switches, which are far more expensive. But they are pretty close...so much so that most wont even be able to tell the difference. This is my third Redragon Keyboard, second of this style. All are still in use, all are incredibly durable. My first of this style is still in use at home after about 18 months with no issues, and it operates exactly as this new one after regular use for that long. So I picked up this one for my office because I liked it so much. Its heavy, which is what I prefer. With the aluminum base, it doesnt move around on my desk when I type. I used the brown keys which are quieter than other types, but not silent. I still get that satisfying click. The keys are also standard, so you can swap out the keys with almost any standard kit, if thats your thing. You wont best this quality in this price range.

Customization: 8/10 Putting this first so people can see: THIS KEYBOARD HAS CUSTOMIZABLE INDIVIDUAL RGB (16 MILLION COLORS) BACKLIGHTING. Download the Redragon DEVARAJAS software, go to any profile, select the Coastal lighting preset, and use the tiny pencil and eraser icons to add/remove any color you pick to the keys in the diagram (see pictures). You also get 4 mini profiles via drop-down menu within the Coastal preset - FPS, MMO, MOBA, and RTS. Be careful though, because switching to a different mini profile off of your customized one will delete any previous customization youve done on that and revert to its default. This is my main quibble with Redragons software - why is the individual key customization so difficult to find and so easy to accidentally delete? However, it is a big plus that it is possible on a keyboard of this low a price and quality. I am not sure why individual RGB customization is not advertised more clearly as I almost decided against buying this keyboard due to apparent lack of that feature. The product description touts 18 BACKLIT MODES: Press FN+INS-PgDn to enter Pro-gamer mode. RGB LED adjustable lighting with 6-themed backlights -18 lighting models and later mentions Multiple RGB Themes. Packaging: 8/10 Came in a solid box, things were secure. No issues. Quality: 8/10 Pretty great especially considering this kb is only $60. Not much flex, good weight. Cable is sturdy. Other reviewers have covered this area pretty thoroughly. I personally enjoy the floating switches. For those who are unaware / did not notice, the key switches sit flush with the keyboard surface instead of being recessed, which for me means it is way easier to clean (crumbs/hairs/dust dont fall into a black hole). Aesthetics: 9/10 Clean, minimal. Thin silver bezel border. No wasted real estate. The brushed steel effect is also much less apparent than in the stock pictures - very faint unless you hold it up to the light. A plus for me but if you are going for that look, you may be disappointed. I was honestly really expecting something obnoxious and glaring to pop out (you know Redragon, I know Redragon), but I am simply not offended by anything on this keyboard. This is quite a shock to me. Even the branding is a discreet Redragon logo in matching silver, allowing one to avoid any instances of the embarrassing and loud REDRAGON font. Speaking of fonts, the keycaps font is clean and readable. Both main and secondary characters are properly located in the top half of the key to maximize the LED backlighting. The only quibble I can find is the @ key which has a bit of a strange cutout in the middle that eats into the a, but it is not readily confused with any other symbol so it gets a pass from me. Overall: 8.5/10 At this price ($60 at time of review), the K556 is a surprisingly good bargain and can hold its own against kbs $20-40 more expensive. - Decent build quality - Macros and individual key RGB customization (although difficult to find) - Clean, understated, refined look...something I never thought I would say about a Redragon product.

Working in a dark space, this is exactly what I needed. I have two computers and this keyboard makes working with the other one seem like a let down. I really dont understand why you would have the flashing or rolling rainbow colors.All I want is one color backlight. I dont use for gaming, so I cant comment on that.