The aluminum frame is cool and pleasing to the touch, machined in two pieces that are joined via hexagonal screws underneath the keyboard. In a thoughtful design touch, the screws aren’t hidden beneath the four rubber footpads, making it easy to open up the keyboard for any mods or repairs. You’ll need to supply your own Allen wrench, though: The tool isn’t included.
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(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
When you do get inside the DeltaForce 65, you won’t find much space to work with. The bottom frame fits the internals of the keyboard with little to no wiggle room. On the one hand, it’s not great for mods. But the tight design does make for an exceptional sound profile: There’s not a lot space inside the board for echoes to bounce around in. The DeltaForce 65 also sports a layer of sound-damping foam, giving each keystroke a satisfying “thocc” sound that’s barely audible.
I went through some rounds of the MonkeyType typing test to get used to the keys on the DeltaForce 65. Smaller keyboards always take some acclimating, I find, but it didn’t take long to get back to my average of 68 words per minute.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
On the left and right sides, the DeltaForce 65 sports grooves reminiscent of mounting rails found on some firearms. Similar grooves are cut into the metallic red control dial at the upper right corner of the keyboard, giving it a look akin to the drum on a revolver. Both design choices strengthen the military aesthetic of this board, but the side grooves don’t offer any kind of functionality. The grooves on the dial at least offer a natural place to grip.
What else comes in the box? As I said, you won’t get an Allen wrench, but you will find a combination key-switch/keycap puller and a USB-C-to-USB-C cable for connecting to your PC. This is pretty barebones for accessories in this price range. In contrast, the Keychron Q1 HE is also easy to open and includes a screwdriver, extra screws, and foam gaskets for a comparable price. See also the Asus ROG Falchion RX, which comes with a plastic cover that is useful for transport.
