Verdict
The Wombat Willow is an intriguing scurvy - profile mechanical keyboard with an interesting layout that offers convenient wireless connectivity , a frosty typing experience and solid construction . Just watch out for its empty acoustics and meagre software .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Wombat Willow Pro is a rarity in the mechanically skillful keyboard space , offer an intriguing key layout that I ’ve never seen before .
As an enthusiast of all things mechanical , I ’ve attend keyboards come in all shapes and size , with smaller 65 percent pick all the elbow room to more conventional full - sizing piece of music , and Wombat ’s new option takes the layout rulebook and rips it up .
In increase , this is also a wireless humbled visibility option for both Windows and macOS that ticks a lot of the ripe boxes for a keyboard at its hefty $ 144.99 price tag . With that , it ’s in the same ballpark as some of our favourites in late month and geezerhood , theLofree Flow , NuPhy Air75 V2and theLogitech MX Mechanical Mini .
I ’ve been testing the Willow Pro for the last few workweek to see how well it performs , and as to whether it makes for one of thebest mechanically skillful keyboardswe’ve test .
Design
The Willow Pro is certainly a bright keyboard by way of looks with a two - note grey and predominantly white set of PBT keycaps , although some accent key are black with others in yellow . It fit well in my preponderantly grey and black billet , while looking at home in funkier adorn quad .
The combination of a majorly plastic chassis with a grey metallic element top plate for extra rigidity pays dividend here , as the Willow Pro feels great . It tips the scale at 1 kg , which is pretty sinewy for a low-down - visibility keyboard with a smaller chassis , making it perhaps unsurprising that there ’s no deck flex whatsoever , even under pressure .
The big thing with this keyboard is its layout , which is , in a Son , unearthly . On first inspection , it looks like a TKL layout with arrow Key in the bottom right corner in their own cluster , although appear nigher and you ’ll see that it ’s completely different from any other keyboard around . Firstly , where the nav cluster would be , there ’s a consecrated numeral launching pad . Across the top , there are 24 other keys , group in three lots of eight to give you the usual functions of an F - row , the nav bunch , and other ready to hand keys , in one commodious space .
It takes a second of getting used to , peculiarly the number domiciliation in the top right corner , but is a seriously powerful layout for productivity . That ’s because you ’ve got most , if not all , of the keys you ask on a full - size keyboard , but in a much more compact form factor . It takes the gains constitute in an 1800 , or 96 % , layout , and takes it even further .
What ’s also pleasant about the Willow Pro is the aid to item here , with doubleshot PBT keycaps adding some additional caliber , as well as those keycaps get both Windows and macOS occasion on them . In plus , controlling the slant of the keyboard is leisurely as the fundament on the bottom are charismatic , and can well be flipped around to sequester to the base of the Willow Pro to leaven it up . The left over hired hand side is also home to a small space for keeping the Willow Pro ’s USB - A receiver .
The interface on the rear of the keyboard is exchangeable to that found on Keychron keyboards , with a USB - C embrasure for charging and wired performance , as well as an on / off replacement and a picker switch between Windows and macOS . In spite of this keyboard work over both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz radio though , there is n’t a toggle switch for choosing between which method acting of wireless joining you wish to employ .
Performance
Inside , the Willow Pro bring in use of Gateron ’s low - profile LP Red switches . These are a 50 g one-dimensional shift which offers a nippy propulsion with no tactile bump or audible click and are reasonably comfortable to typecast on .
Against the likes of the Phantom switches found in the Lofree Flow , or the MX Low Profile Reds found in theCherry MX LP 2.1 Compact Wireless , the Gateron LP Reds palpate a little hollow and inconsistent .
They ’re dead fine for the productivity tasks that the Willow Pro is intended for , and if you want to swap them out , this ‘ board is hot - swappable . In addition , the decision for Wombat to use a plastic bottom casing means this keyboard also vocalise quite hollow in condition of its acoustics . Options from Lofree and NuPhy are warm in the aural section , too , at least with these switch inside the Willow Pro . There is a silent switch variant if you ’d prefer a quieter pick , though .
Wireless connectivity is handled with either Bluetooth or 2.4GHz , with plug - and - play means over both method . What ’s also ready to hand is that the Willow Pro comes with a USB - A to USB - nose candy adaptor for using the keyboard with modern Macs that miss a USB - A porthole without any issues . In screen the keyboard with both my chief Windows gaming microcomputer and 2021 MacBook Pro , the Willow Pro worked without a hitch on both gadget .
Wombat says the Willow Pro come with a 1000mAh electric battery inside , which is half the electrical capacity of the cadre come up inside the Lofree Flow . The only figure provided is up to four months with no RGB on , which is sane , although if you turn on the Willow Pro ’s RGB lighting , in my experience the keyboard lasts for around 10 hr before needing to be reload .
Software and Lighting
The Willow Pro utilise Wombat ’s own Pouch software program , which provide useful functionality for reassigning the keyboard ’s function keys , computer programming macros and for fiddling with the RGB lighting . There are a cooking stove of different preset effects to choose from , with a meat sum of 13 , alongside more advanced means , too . It is n’t as sly as software pecker from larger manufacturers in take care and feel , and miss the all-encompassing functionality that VIA bid with other partizan - level keyboard . For canonic customisation such as programming keys , it ’s completely hunky-dory , although is at least stronger on its RGB lighting option .
It ’s much the same report for the Willow Pro ’s light . It offer a full spectrum of RGB with brilliant and graphic lighting beneath the key , although lacks the more advanced effects ground on boards from bigger brands .
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Should you buy it?
The Willow Pro offers a seriously interesting layout that commingle the functionality of a full - size keyboard with a small form divisor with footling ritual killing . If this case of layout is appealing , then this is the keyboard for you .
The Willow Pro declare oneself an intriguing layout , but fall short with its software that only offers basic customisation of lighting and key remapping . A lot of the competition comes with much more advanced package integration .
Final Thoughts
The Wombat Willow Pro lay down for one of the more interesting and alone keyboards we ’ve test , with a layout that offer the welfare of a lot of keys in a much smaller space with a sensitive organisation . This is n’t a layout I ’ve ever get along across before , but it ’s one that sets the Willow Pro asunder from the competition .
Combined with this , it also gets a lot of the basics correct with a hardy metallic element and plastic frame , as well as becoming low profile switches and solid options for wireless connectivity . It also looks the part with a professional grey and black schema , with the accented yellow keycaps welcome flair .
It ’s on the front of the software where the Willow Pro flow down against likewise - price productiveness - focused selection such as theLogitech MX Mechanical Mini , while its acoustic and flip-flop feeling are n’t quite as good as theLofree Flow . The Wombat Willow Pro is a seemly low visibility keyboard , although there are better option available for its higher price shred . For more choice , check out our listing of thebest mechanical keyboardswe’ve tested .
Trusted Score
How we test
We use every keyboard we test for at least a hebdomad . During that prison term , we ’ll suss out it for relaxation of use and put it through its yard by playing a variety of different genres , including FPS , scheme and MOBAs .
We also check each keyboard ’s software package to see how easy it is to customise and set up .
FAQs
The Wombat Willow Pro connect either via Bluetooth or 2.4GHz over wireless substance , working with Windows and macOS .
The Wombat Willow Pro offer up a unique layout , packing a 96 % or well-nigh full - size keyboard into a TKL - sized physique .
