Dareu launches Ultra68 keyboard with a swappable LED matrix screen and 8K polling rate

As an Amazon Associate, Gizmochina earns from qualifying purchases. Links on this page may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

If you’re into mechanical keyboards, you might want to check out the new Ultra68 from Dareu, which just launched in China. It’s built with a solid aluminum body, but the real standout is its modular design that lets you physically change the layout of the board. You can actually pop off the function row and swap it out for a small LED screen.

Dareu Ultra68 Keyboard Specifications

Depending on your preference, you can set the board up as a standard 75% layout or size it down to a more compact 68-key footprint. If you decide to remove the Fn key section, you can snap in a 335-LED dot-matrix display instead. It’s a fun addition that lets you show off pixel art, animated GIFs, or scrolling text.

To manage the screen and tweak your RGB lighting, Dareu uses UniHub. It’s a web-based driver that works right in your browser, which is pretty convenient since it saves you from having to download and install dedicated desktop software.

Under the hood, the Ultra68 packs the kind of features you’d expect from a modern gaming keyboard, especially when it comes to adjustable actuation. Dareu is offering two different switch setups. The wired-only version uses the company’s own Luban magnetic switches.

These give you an adjustable actuation range from 0.1mm to 3.5mm, a total travel distance of 3.5mm, a light 35gf actuation force, and a 55gf bottom-out force. If you prefer going wireless, the dual-mode version uses Kailh’s Thunder inductive switches.

When you’re plugged in via cable, both models support a fast 8,000Hz polling rate, which Dareu says brings the latency down to just 0.125ms. They also feature Rapid Trigger support with a fine adjustment precision of 0.01mm, along with a 32KHz full-key scanning rate to make sure your inputs register as quickly as possible.

As for the build itself, it’s put together nicely. You get an aluminum alloy chassis, an FR4 positioning plate, and a gasket-mounted structure. Inside, there are four layers of sound-dampening material to help with acoustics: PORON foam, an IXPE switch pad, a PET layer, and PORON bottom foam. It’s got some heft to it, too, the wired version weighs 1.9kg, while the dual-mode model comes in at 1.7kg.

Interestingly, the two versions handle the modular swapping a bit differently. The wired model uses a ball-bearing mechanism to lock the modules in place, while the dual-mode version relies on magnetic attachments.

The dual-mode version also gives you 2.4GHz wireless connectivity (which runs at a standard 1,000Hz polling rate) and is powered by a built-in 8,000mAh battery. Whichever one you go with, the box includes the keyboard, the expansion module, a manual, a keycap puller, a switch puller, and a USB cable.

Pricing

If you’re looking at pricing and colors, the Ultra68 has a few options. The wired Luban magnetic switch version comes in a sandblasted Metallic Black for 799 yuan (about $120) or a brushed Burgundy for 849 yuan ($127). The dual-mode Kailh Thunder inductive switch version is available in a brushed Metallic Silver finish for 999 yuan ($150).

(JD)