Keydous NJ98-CP

Keydous NJ98-CP, the first keyboard from Keydous with magnetic switches.

With the Keydous Nj98-CP, the brand enters the world of hall-effect switches to add a further layer of innovation to the already superb Keydous NJ98 series.

Some years ago, hall-effect keyboards were limited to just a few mainstream brands with unrealistic prices, in the last years the technology has started to spread into the custom keyboard world and manufacturers, allowing users to get the benefit of magnetic switches but with the superior quality of custom keyboards like Keydous.

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Keydous NJ98-CP Review

Tests & Scores

Scores

Keydous NJ98-CP Scores

Accessories - 8.75/10
8.8/10
Design - 9/10
9/10
Display Screen - 9/10
9/10
Ergonomics - 9.75/10
9.8/10
Construction & Build - 9.75/10
9.8/10
Keycaps - 8.75/10
8.8/10
Switches - 10/10
10/10
Connectivity - 9.75/10
9.8/10
Customization - 10/10
10/10
Typing - 10/10
10/10
Gaming - 10/10
10/10
Productivity - 10/10
10/10
Office - 10/10
10/10
Tablet-Mobile - 8.25/10
8.3/10
Programming - 10/10
10/10
Sound - 10/10
10/10
Durability - 10/10
10/10
Lighting - 8.75/10
8.8/10
Software - 8.75/10
8.8/10
Battery - 9.25/10
9.3/10
Value for Money - 10/10
10/10

Summary

Pros

✅ Hall-effect switches

✅ Adjustable actuation distance

✅ RT and DKS

✅ Excellent display implementation

✅ High-quality components

✅ Premium performance

Cons

❌ 1 position of feet adjustment

❌ No extra switches included

CONCLUSION

The original Keydous NJ98 was such an exceptional keyboard that we thought that it could hardly get any better, yet the newer Keydous NJ98-CP provides all the excellence of the mechanical keyboard sibling with the superior advantage of magnetic hall-effect switches.

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9.5/10

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ACCESSORIES & PACKAGING
^4.5^_/5

As usual with Keydous keyboard, the packaging is not too fancy and can make you think that you are getting a less-premium keyboard.

Inside you will get:

• 56 extra keycaps
• Keycap puller
• Switch puller
• USB-C cable
• 4 additional stabs housings and stems
• Keyboard cover

It is nice seeing the plethora of extra keycaps included for free with the keyboard – you are even getting multiple colors for ISO and ANSI layouts.

DESIGN
^4.5^_/5

The Keydous NJ98-CP has a 96% layout with 98 keys and a knob.

This kind of layout contains a full-fledged numpad on the right of the keyboard and a handy color screen.

The knob and screen are positioned on the top right of the case. Despite not having dedicated status LED lights, the most typical indicators are incorporated in the displayed info of the screen.

An USB-C connector is placed on the left rear edge of the case while the 2.4G dongle is hidden in a slot on the bottom of the case. The bottom case is also the place where you will find the power switch whenever wanting to use the keyboard in any of its wireless modes.

The keyboard includes 4 very rubberized feet that do a remarkable job keeping the keyboard in place. On top of that, the NJ98-CP includes 2 adjustable feet that provide an additional, more-angled tilt when open.

The Keydous Nj98-CP is available in 6 different colors:

• Keydous NJ98-CP white
• Keydous NJ98-CP pale green
• Keydous NJ98-CP Shadow
• Keydous NJ98-CP Black Samurai
• Keydous NJ98-CP pink
• Keydous NJ98-CP khaki

The specific model of the Keydous NJ98-CP that we are reviewing is the Keydous NJ98-CP Black Samurai that has an all-black solid case and black keycaps – after finalizing the review we used a couple of the 56 extra keycaps included with the keyboard and added a more contrasty aesthetic by using the mustard-brown alternatives.

DISPLAY SCREEN
^4.5^_/5

The display of the Keydous NJ98-CP is the same that we saw on the Keydous NJ98 (classic), which might look smaller than others but it is way more useful and easier to read than some overcrowded displays.

To offer information regarding the new magnetic switches, the display of the new NJ98-CP now adds a quick overview of the actuation mode being selected and the activation distance set.

On top of that, the screen is magnetically attached to the case, so you can hot-plug/unplug it if you want to and still comes with the superb built-in calculator function (read more about this calculator function in our review of the Keydous NJ98 classic)

The rest of the general info and functions of the screen include:

• Clock
• Num lock
• Caps lock
• Battery status
• Static or animated GIF upload and playback
• Custom design of the image/GIF

CONSTRUCTION & BUILD
^4.75^_/5

The Keydous NJ98-CP has a PC case with an internal metal plate, a full aluminum alloy knob and a metal display screen body.

Similar to the Keydous NJ98 (classic), the new Keydous NJ98-CP can be chosen with 2 different plate materials, either brass or aluminum. We have the aluminum plate version of the NJ98-CP and compared with the brass variant that we reviewed with the non-CP NJ98, the difference in final weight is night and day.

Internally, the keyboard sports plenty of premium dampening layers that include INOAC PORON foams for the PCB, bottom foams layers and an IXPE switch foam.

KEYCAPS
^4.5^_/5

The 5 different color options for the case of the Keydous NJ98-CP that we mentioned in the Design section also provide a different theme, build and profile of included keycaps.

The keycaps profiles can be OEM, Cherry or MOA and the build can be either Dye-sub PBT, double-shot PBT or side lit (PBT).

We are reviewing the Keydous NJ98-CP Black Samurai that includes double-shot PBT Cherry keycaps and no Mac-compatible keycaps preassembled.

These keycaps set has a main black body with a mustard-brownish fonts and the classic top left alignment of Cherry keycaps – if you want the fanciest keycaps, go for the side-lit PBT version.

The knob of the Keydous NJ98-CP is the exact same of the NJ98 classic, which is a superb one that has become the favorite knob of any other keyboard reviewed so far. This is thanks to its smooth rotational move, precise stepped control without any drifting, its perfect usability with silent-tactile feedback and the ease of rotating it with a single finger without needing to grab and rotate it.

SWITCHES
⁵^_/5

The Keydous NJ98-CP comes pre-assembled with magnetic switches, which are the newest evolution of classic mechanical switches.

The specific magnetic switches used for the Keydous NJ98-CP are a special Kailh x keydous model of customized switches which exhibited absolute smoothness and zero scratchiness (typical from hall-effect switches)

You might or might not know the vast advantage of magnetic switches and what they are able to do; in any case, we will explain you what you can expect and achieve with the hall-effect magnetic switches of the Keydous NJ98-CP.

Unlike mechanical switches, hall-effect switches use a magnetic to activate the key input. These new design allows the switches to unleash the total freedom of configuring the actuation point to any travel distance wanted.

The customization gets further on, as you can also set the distance for the trigger release of the key and you can even set the activation and release travel independently from each other.

The actuation distance can be freely set from 0.2mm up to 3.1mm in 0.1mm steps while the release distance offers the same range – the only limitation is that you can access the customization up to 3.1mm of the 3.7mm of total travel of these Kailh switches.

This basically means that you can transform the switches in any linear switch that you want with a level of precision, actuation/release distances and customization that is simply impossible to obtain with a classic mechanical switch.

These hall-effect switches support also advanced functions like Rapid Trigger (RT) and Dynamic Key Stroke (DKS).

Rapid Trigger allows to define how much travel it is needed to re-activate and reset the triggering of the key without regard to the actuation/release points – this is an advanced function that is better adapted for hardcore gamers to achieve the ultimate speed with their switches.

DKS is an advanced programming that grants 4 different functions per key press and release according to the pressing distance and release distance; meaning that you could program complex 4-function macros or key functions in a single key that will activate each of the 4 programmed macro/keys at the precise travel distance that you set in-software – DKS is divided in the initial point, bottom point, initial reset point and full reset point.

You can read more about hall-effect switches in our other reviews of keyboards with magnetic switches.

These switches have a white POM upper case, salmon-colored POM stem, white POM bottom case, a LED pipe/lens and spring that gets defined by Kailh as a “high rebound” spring.

Spec-wise, the Kailh x keydous switches have an actuation force of 30GF and a total travel of 3.7mm.

In real life use, these switches have a nice harder force feel than many linear mechanical switches, like the Taro Ice Cream used in the Keydous NJ98 (classic mechanical version)

The Keydous NJ98-CP exists in 2 variants:

• Keydous NJ98-CP

• Keydous NJ98-CP PRO

Both models come with magnetic switches but there is a main difference between them, the PRO version accepts hall-effect and standard mechanical switches while the “non-PRO” can only use hall-effect switches – our advice, go for the PRO version as it is only $10 more than the non-pro one.

The specific model that we are reviewing is the Keydous NJ98-CP (non-pro).

CON

CONNECTIVITY
^4.75^_/5

The NJ98-CP offers a tri-mode connectivity with both wired and wireless options.

In total you can connect up to 5 different devices but utilizing the 3 Bluetooth slots, one wireless 2.4G connection with the included dongle and the USB-C detachable wired one.

The keyboard operates at 125Hz for BT connections and 1000Hz polling rate for either the wired and 2.4G wireless ones.

C&R

CUSTOMIZATION & REPROGRAMMING
⁵^_/5

On top of being a hot-swappable keyboard with the possibility to replace the switches without any soldering involved, the Keydous NJ98-CP allows full per-key reprogramming, macros and lighting design.

If this was not enough, you can even access all the magnetic switch actuation/release and travel distance customization and set it independently per key.

Despite the advanced and complex level of customizations of the keyboard, the Keydous NJ98-CP has an internal on-board memory, so everything that you customize will remain saved in the keyboard itself without depending on the PC software to be open, boot up nor keep running on the background to apply and preserve the customized settings.

Moreover, you can switch on-the-fly between the actuation/release presets by using the Fn+(Q, W, E, R)

P&E

PERFORMANCE & USE

TYPING
⁵^_/5

The typing experience with the Keydous NJ98-CP is fantastic with its buttery smooth switches, well-lubed stabs, quality keycaps and handy screen.

On top of that, the fact that you can fully personalize the working and personality of the switches provide a whole new level of personal tuning and flavor of your keyboard.

GAMING
⁵^_/5

The Kailh x keydous magnetic switches unleash a gaming superiority that no speed linear mechanical switch can provide.

Among the unique gaming capabilities, the Keydous NJ98-CP offers:

• Unmatchable speed with RT
• Advanced programming with DKS
• Actuation/release distance customization
• 2.4G wireless and wired connection at 1000Hz polling rate

PRODUCTIVITY
⁵^_/5

The original Keydous NJ98 was such a productivity excellence that it gained a permanent spot as the article creation keyboard of one of our editors and he says that he cannot live without it.

The brand new Keydous NJ98-CP starts competing in the productivity area where the non-CP sibling ended, providing a whole new layer of innovation and productivity boost thanks to the customizable actuation and Dynamic Keystroke offered by the magnetic switches.

OFFICE
⁵^_/5

The nearly 100% layout with the included numpad, screen with built-in calc function, media knob make the Keydous NJ98-CP a highly competent keyboard for office and general purpose use.

Also you get:

• Wired/wireless connection
• Customizable switches
• Hot-swappable
• Excellent switches performance

TABLET/MOBILE
^4.25^_/5

Usually we consider larger keyboards a bit less friendly for mobile use but the Bluetooth connection, superb performance, hefty battery capacity and innovative hall-effects switches make this Keydous model a highly efficient one as a main keyboard for mobile and tablet users.

LIGHTING
^4.5^_/5

The keyboard has south-facing LEDs that combine perfectly with the LED pipe of the Kailh x keydous switches, optimizing the final results of the RGB backlight effects with a brighter and more evenly lit visuals than other south-facing boards.

It is fair to highlight that the keycaps of this specific variant of the NJ98-CP are not shine through nor the side-lit keycaps that we showcased during our review of the non-CP NJ98 keyboard.

SOUND
⁵^_/5

The Keydous NJ98-CP exhibited pristine sound with no traces of pinging, rattling nor any issues with hollow and resonance.

The switches and stabilizers come pre-lubed from factory with final result that shows the right amount being applied as they react smoothly and quietly but never getting sluggish, mushy nor sticky.

Sound-wise you can expect a clacky-thocky profile that becomes delightfully when used for typing long documents and articles.

SOFTWARE
^4.5^_/5

From full per-key programming, actuation distance, release distance, lighting design, screen customization, DKS programming, macros, RT configuration, etc.; the Keydous software puts no limitations to the full personalization of the keyboard – you can even reprogram the knobs function.

Probably the only point to criticize is the less-fancy UI of the software.

BATTERY
^4.75^_/5

If you get a variant of the NJ98-CP like ours that is not the side-lit keycaps one, you could optimize the battery life and runtime of the keyboard as you will not be forced to always have the RGB backlight turned on.

If you keep the RGB and screen off, the 8000mAh battery of the Keydous NJ98-CP can reach a whopping runtime of as much as 800 hours – this is the equivalent of 160 days of use (if you use if 5 hours per day or 100 days if you use it 8 hours per day)

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Keydous NJ98-CP Technical Specifications

Model
Keydous NJ98-CP

Layout
96% | 97 keys + 1 knob

Hot-swappable
Kailh Magnetic Switch Sockets

Keycap Material
PBT

Keycap Profile
Cherry

Connectivity
USB-C/Bluetooth 5.0/ 2.4G wireless

Battery Capacity
8000mAh

LED Direction
South-facing

Ghost Keys
NKRO/anti-ghosting

Dimension
403*138*40mm

Weight
1.4kg

Polling Rate

• Bluetooth mode:125Hz

• 2.4ghz/wired mode: 1000Hz

RGB&screen always on: 29 hours

Power Saving Mode(RGB&screen off): 800 hours

Note: lab test result. The actual lasting time may be vary from the actual using situation.

• USB cable operating voltage: DC 5V

• USB cable operating current: 30-300mA(without charging)

Includes:

• NJ98 Keyboard *1

• Switch & keycap puller *1

• USB type-c Cable *1

• Dust cover *1

• 2.4Ghz Dongle *1

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Keydous NJ98-CP

9.5

SCORE

9.5/10

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Keydous NJ98-CP – Review

Keydous NJ98-CP