AKKO MOD007B PC HE Tokyo Mechanical Keyboard Review

Introduction

Welcome to the paradise of custom keyboards with one truly genuine and unique experience never like before. I am writing these words as I am trying to put my immersive experience with the AKKO MOD007B HE PC Tokyo mechanical keyboard. Stop right there, why praising so high when it is just a mechanical keyboard? No, it is not your everyday mechanical keyboard for many reasons that I will try to cover in this article.

The particular variant that I have got is MOD007PC Tokyo with Kailh Sakura Pink Magnetic Switches. This keyboard is fully customizable which is why I used the words custom keyboards. It is also available as a bare unit that you can build upon your own very customized keyboard.

There are two main design elements with this keyboard in addition to others that are important. These are:

• Hall Effect
• Rapid Trigger

The Hall Effect simply means you can customize and define your actuation point per key or all keys. The easiest way of saying this is that you can define how far the key or all keys are pressed till they are registered. This would depend on the software in large as well as the Hall Effect sensing switches. These switches are usually analog which is why their pressure mounting sensitivity allows the detection of full or slight key press and the ability to customize it using the software.

On the other hand, Rapid Trigger is the functionality of breaking the tradition way of how a key is pressed and reset. Traditionally, the reset is done when the key comes to the initial actuation point. However, with sensitive switches, this is a game changer where you get to re-press the key while it is traveling back to its initial actuation point and the key will be registered, or in other words that key press will still be registered with your PC.

So by defining continuous rapid trigger mode, you are quickly pressing the keys and they are still being registered. These would come highly handy dandy in FPS gaming particularly competitive gaming scenarios where you will enjoy more fluid action compared to other keyboards on the market.

Here are some of the salient features of this keyboard:

• Rapid Trigger
• Dynamic Key Stroke
• On-Board Memory
• Gasket Mount
• Aluminum Plate
• Magnetic Switch
• Dual Mode Knob
• 3-Way Connectivity
• Hot-swappable Socket
• RGB Lighting
• Lubed Switches

This keyboard is available on the AKKO website for USD 149.99.

AKKO MOD007B PC HE Tokyo Specifications

The salient specifications are listed above taken from AKKO website.

Unboxing

The presentation of this keyboard is premium, to say the least.

There is an outer box that is finished in pink and shows the Tokyo theme. This keyboard comes from a themed class of keyboards from AKKO and since it uses Kailh Sakura Pink Magnetic Switches hence this particular mode is highly reflective of that.

Looking at one side of the outer packing box, you will see a serial number label along with a part number sticker. The switch type is also printed.

There is another box inside that is made of cardboard. It has AKKO branding in the center.

Kudos to AKKO for such a lovely presentation! There is a hard transparent cover over the keyboard. The accessories are included inside another box placed above the keyboard.

Accessories

Let’s see what is included in the box.

There are:

• 1x Quick Start Guide
• 1x Key Puller
• 1x Switch Puller
• 1x USB Dongle
• 1x USB Cable
• 1x Set of customized keycaps

You can start your journey from the Tokyo Metro! AKKO has provided a set of 19 customized keycaps to fully represent the Tokyo Drift theme that AKKO is using on this signature keyboard.

Closer Look

The above picture shows a main view of the keyboard. This is a 75% keyboard. Those shifting from a full-keyed keyboard to a smaller footprint may take some time to get used to it. The main housing is made of thick polycarbonate for further strength there is integrated aluminum plating in the housing. The dimension of this keyboard is 333x47x132mm (LxHxW). There are a total of 82 keys and a knob.

The overall construction is solid and this keyboard has got some weight to it. The complete chassis is in white. The keycaps are in pink and white color combination.

Despite using PBT material, I observed that there is a scratch on the Shift key which is probably paint that is coming off. I hope this is only with this unit and QC would catch such things!

The right side of the keyboard has a single column of 4 keys and a knob. These keys are Home, Page Up, Page Up, and End. Despite using this keyboard for over a month, I still could not get used to this particular layout of these 4 keys. In my opinion, they should have used the Delete Key along with Home, and End key in a series followed by a Page Up and Page Down. Anyhow, this is just my opinion. Packing these many keys in a small form factor is not easy to do.

There is a white color knob. By default rotating it would increase or decrease the volume in 2 counts. However, it has dual functionality. Pressing it once will toggle the control from sound to controlling the RGB lighting brightness. Clockwise rotation increases the volume and counter-clockwise rotation decreases the volume.

There are 4x arrow keys which is a sigh of relief for me. I have been using 60% form factor where these keys are not present and it is inconvenient switching to these keys on that keyboard.

I am showing the left side keys on the MOD007M PC Tokyo keyboard. We have a traditional layout here. There is a Tab key, Caps key, Shift key, Control key, Flower labeled Win key, and Alt key. The Esc key has Japanese writing over it.

A close-up view is in order in my opinion showing a perfect placement of keys in that order and the Tokyo signature theme in particular. These keycaps are made of PBT material with Dye-Sublimation printing. These are solid designs meaning lighting will not pass through these keycaps. So, the RGB lighting effects would actually remain on the base plate of the keyboard.  If this is not what you want you can order a set of light pass-through design keycaps from AKKO.

The top row is of the functions from F1 to F12. They are in three groups. The first group is in the Japanese language whereas the middle group is in English language and the third group is in Japanese printing. There is your Delete key right on the top.

I am showing a side view of the keyboard housing. It is a thick housing and we can see it is an angled slope down design. So, even if you don’t use the feet on this keyboard, the natural design of the housing would provide a certain uplift out of the box.

Looking at the front side of the housing, there is a recessed USB-C port towards the right side.

The south-facing side of the keyboard has a flat surface layout. There is no wrist pad with this keyboard and from extensive use, I would say, you don’t need one but in case it is needed, please check AKKO web store. Check the stenciling on the spacebar showing a large volcano in the background.

This keyboard uses Kailh Sakura Pink Magnetic Switches. These are not AKKO’s famous yellow-cream switches. Hey AKKO, I would love to try those switches on this keyboard! The Kailh Sakura Pink Magneti Switches are linear so expect a better sound output without being loud, unlike those Cherry MX Reds. Their bottom-out force rating is 50±10% gf. Don’t hold yourself back with 50 gf. These are pressure-sensitive switches with HE and RT. Just switch to Sensivity mode from the software before the gaming and you will love this keyboard for its fast and accurate action. The total travel time is 4.0 ±0.4 mm. The pre-travel time is 2.0 ± 0.5mm.

One thing you would notice from the above picture is the location of RGB LEDs. These LEDs face the user side or what I can is south side. While there is nothing wrong with this layout these could actually affect the eye and I would put them on the North side for that matter.

I have mentioned that this keyboard has a hot-swappable feature meaning you can easily plug out the switch and install a new though you would need to re-calibrate the keyboard after doing that. Also, take a glimpse of the aluminum plate and sockets in the above picture. To make things even better, AKKO has used a gasket mount as well. A gasket material like silicone or neoprene is used to create a floating mounting for the switches and this material sits between the plate and the PCB. This is the power of a fully customizable keyboard.

The Akko magnetic switches keyboard is hot-swappable and compatible with any 3-pin mechanical switches, providing users with the flexibility to install different switch types according to their personal preferences like yellow cream magnetic switches from AKKO or even from any other brand as long as they follow a 3-pin style.

I have removed the switch housing from the socket and showing you a complete switch in the above picture. These switches are lubed and if you are still not satisfied with the sound level then you can add dampening rings as well.

Looking at the backside of the keyboard, you can see a silver label in the center. This keyboard is made in China. There is no power rating mentioned on this label which is unlike. There are a total of 10 screws that can be removed to access the complete inner of the keyboard. There are 4x anti-vibration/anti-sliding rubber pads on top and base. There are two adjustable feet.

There are two levels of height lifting coming from the dual design feet on the backside of the keyboard.

This picture shows the fully unlocked feet on the keyboard.

I was looking for the keyboard power button on this keyboard on the sides of the main housing. Turned out it was not where I was looking. It is under the Caps key between the Caps and letter A keys. This is strange and inconvenient. Why would you do something like that in the first place? You will have to either pull the keycap or improvise. Either way, it is not a user-friendly design. Another thing I noticed is the lack of holding space in the main housing for the USB dongle. If you are a mobile user and carry this keyboard along in your backpack then take good care of the USB dongle.

The middle position is the default it shows the powered-off state in Windows mode. Sliding it down will power on in Windows mode and sliding it upward will power it on in MAC mode. Oh by the way, do read and keep the manual intact for key combinations, connectivity modes, battery charging status, and other details.

The above picture is taken from the AKKO website and it shows the integrated gasket on this keyboard.

Some other useful functions of this keyboard include:

There is a flexible function allowing the user to program 4 triggers up to 4 actions on a single key press based on actuation. However, note that you would need to spend some good time getting used to pressing pressure-sensitive keys to achieve this function’s objective. You can program two actions on key press and two on key release.

There is a feature called Mod Tap which is designed for gaming needs primarily. You can use it to create a dedicated or dual-functional key based on a dedicated key press. There would be two functions on a single key press; holding down the key for a function and pressing it for a second function.

There is a Toggle Key function in the software for continuously triggering a key. The way is to turn this feature off.  You can use this on any key that you want to customize.

Deadzone simply means the area on the actuation path that will not trigger the key. You can define your own per-key dead zone setting for more precise releases.

In addition, this keyboard features an onboard memory to retain your hardware settings so that they can be restored during the next power cycle.  Then this keyboard supports an N-ley rollover function so that any key press is not missed no matter what. Speaking of the battery, this keyboard houses a 3600mAh capacity battery.

Connection Modes

This keyboard supports three connection types:

• A Bluetooth 5.0 Connection
• A 2.4Ghz USB Receiver
• A USB Wired Connection

The Bluetooth connection would be handy for those who are into more typing work along with web surfing. Though 2.4GHz is a versatile mode.  You can press a key combination of Fn and E/R/T for three Bluetooth connections. For a 2.4GHz connection, you would need to press Fn and Y. Fn+U would switch to the wired mode.

The above picture shows some LED indicators and their meaning. This table would come in handy during use.

There is a premium white color USB-C to USB-A connector cable for wired connection.

There is a purple color USB-A-based USB dongle for a 2.4GHz connection.

RGB Lighting

There are RGB LEDs that are installed above the stem housing of the switch and it faces South direction. Since the keycaps are solid, the light will not pass through them hence these are not RGB backlit keycaps. But the lighting is enough to allow you to work in a dark room. My gripe is that when looking at the keyboard, you will get to see these LEDs head-on. I would prefer installing these LEDs on the top of the switch i.e North direction. Anyhow, it is still not an inconvenient experience at all. You can work all day long and don’t even look at the keyboard to be dazzled by these LEDs. Here are a few pictures:

Akko Cloud Software

Now it is my turn to take a look at the web driver/software client software from Akko.

At the first launch, the software will detect the attached Akko keyboard and initialize it.

Now we are looking at the main interface of the software. I would say this UX is somewhat user-friendly. In some places it was self-explanatory but in a few places you would need to figure out what is meant by what is offered. There is a keyboard picture in the center. You can define multiple layers with each layer having its own customization that can switched easily. You would need to press a key to see related functions.

I am showing keys that are associated with the Fn key meaning that keys that would produce a second effect if combined with the function key. There is a bar on the top that shows the battery status and at the bottom, you can see 2.4G indicating that the current mode is a 2.4GHz dongle.

The user can define macros as per the requirement. This interface is hard to understand and I had to search online on how to program it before even making a simple macro.

As mentioned above, there is a feature Dynamic Keystrokes. This is where you can customize the keys to define 4 functions per key. Two functions on a key press and two on a key release.

This is the most important area of the software. This is where you can use the Hall Effect and Rapid Trigger on this keyboard. I love the visual aid that the software provides while pressing a key and releasing it you will get to see the actuation path and corresponding value that makes life easier.

This is where you get to decide after what time the RGB LEDs are turned off in both modes and when the keyboard will enter sleep mode in both modes. This is a battery-saving function.

Now, I am showing the RGB Lighting settings in the software which in my opinion are not a friendly UX and Akko needs to redo the software somewhat to make it more user-friendly.

You can save your settings and assign them to predefined and user-defined layers.

There is a Share page where you can upload your own created lighting effects as well as macros and download the other users’ lighting effects and macros to try these out.

This is one example where I downloaded a user’s custom-made lighting effect and applied it.

There are also different configurations/settings available that you can download and apply on your keyboard via the software.

You can update the software version and firmware of your keyboard from this page. You must do that on the first startup of your device.

You can access your account from the software on this page.

Take note of the empty bar on the top. It shows that the battery is drained and needs recharging.

Conclusion

Well, where to start and how to end! I am so lost in the typing experience of the Akko MOD007B PC Tokyo keyboard that I never want to stop typing on it. It is so damn good! I have used many mechanical keyboards from a range of brands and even membrane keyboards and my brain was tuned to hey send me only Blue or Red with later on silver switches from MX Cherry or Kailh and a few other brands as for me these were the best mechanical keyboards ever for a daily driver or gaming.

All that is changed in like a blink of an eye when I unboxed my first custom keyboard and plugged it in! Say hello to the mind-boggling MOD007B PC Tokyo keyboard which is a mechanical key from the themed signature series from Akko. This keyboard is based on the MOD007 PC keyboard. This keyboard uses Kailh Sakura Pink Magnetic Switches which are fine-tuned linear switches having a force of 50±10% mg with a total travel time of 4.0 ±0.4 mm. The pre-travel time is 2.0 ± 0.5mm. These switches come pre-lubed and you don’t need to add any dampening in my opinion based on my experience but your mileage would vary. For me, these are best-sounding keyboards. Period.

This keyboard features:

• Hall Effect
• Rapid Trigger
• On-Board Memory
• Macros
• N-Key Roll Over
• 3600mAh Battery
• Three mode connection
• Toggle-Key
• Deadzone
• Mode-Tap
• Dynamic Key Stroke
• On-Board Memory
• Gasket Mount
• Aluminum Plate
• Magnetic Switch
• Dual Mode Knob
• Hot-swappable Socket
• RGB Lighting
• Lubed Switches
• PBT Keycaps

As you can see the list is extensive. My experience with this keyboard has been mixed. On one hand, I am used to typing on this keyboard like crazy. Since I am a blogger, the bulk of my time is spent writing content, guides, and articles, and this keyboard is love to type on this. On the other hand, I have observed a few glitches that I have already reported to Akko customer service. Their customer service is top-notch. The magnetic switches are pressure sensitive and the ability to define custom actuation points along with rapid trigger mode is a blessing.  A few mentions of the issues that I have faced include:

• No battery charging. No matter what, the battery was not charging.
• Delayed response time coming back from sleep mode.
• Software simply not do anything at some times.
• After updating the keyboard to its latest firmware, keys become highly sensitive and a slight finger touch on the keycap would press and register the key.
• Failure of software and hardware to reset the keyboard.

Many of these were addressed by customer service by providing a patch for the software afterward I simply calibrated all keys and the keyboard was back from almost dead. However, I am still experiencing no battery charging and delayed response resuming from sleep mode.

Don’t let my experience take you away from this keyboard and effective customer service from Akko. I am using wired mode now most of the time and have no complain. Initially, one single charge lasted me 6 days with heavy typing, gaming, and other regular desktop use which is nice. I would suggest using a Bluetooth connection for typing work.

The real experience was from the gaming. Boi o boi! This keyboard with its sensitive mode is a game changer. You will experience a fluid gaming experience that you may not have experienced before. The sliding effect in the Valorant is on another level using this keyboard. I have used a MX Cherry model for gaming and then used this keyboard and I can tell you one thing, the difference is day and night in my opinion.

This keyboard is all about customization and that is I wrote the words “Welcome to the paradise of custom keyboards”. In this category, Akko might be new but they are making strong waves.

This keyboard uses a gasket mount and aluminum plate with a 3-pin socket that has a hot-swappable function with any supported switch. You can fully customize this keyboard and for that you should visit the Akko online web store. This keyboard uses a 2.4 GHz connection using a USB dongle or establishes up to 3 Bluetooth connections (only one active at a time) or simply uses a wired mode using a USB cable that has USB-C to USB-A connectors. This cable is also required to charge the keyboard.

The software is a mixed experience for me. It has a simple interface at some points but at few you would need to figure out how to do that task. You can program the time to enter into sleep mode as well as the time for RGB lighting to go out. You can also program it to use reflective RGB which would save battery.

This is my first custom mechanical keyboard using magnetic switches and I am attached to it like a drug addict. I have nothing but praise for this keyboard and my overall experience has been satisfactory except that of a few glitches. Take a listen to the audio of this keyboard. There is some distortion in the background. Sorry for that.

 

This keyboard is also available as a barebone unit that you can fully customized using your own PCB, switches, keys. I would love to try yellow Cream V3 switches on this keyboard. Hey Akko, are you reading?

Pros:

• Customizable Keyboard
• Mechanical Keyboard using Magnetic Switches
• Hot-Swappable Socket using 3-pin contact point
• Kailh Sakura Pink Magnetic Linear Switches
• PBT Material for the Keycaps
• Keycaps have solid structure
• Typing Experience on another level
• Best Sound Profile
• Lubed Switches
• Three Connection Modes
• Hall Effect with Rapid Trigger
• Basic RGB Backlighting
• Ergonomic Design
• Dual-Purpose Knob

Cons:

• No housing for USB Dongle
• Inconvenient Location of Power Button
• Slow Response While Coming from Sleep Mode
• Broken Software in my experience