December 3rd, 2020
Introduction:
This was one of my first higher-end purchases, which ended up costing me over $600. I bought this keyboard wanting my Fn and Arrow keys back, and also to see what a more expensive keyboard would feel/sound like.
Brief Overview:
The Mode Eighty sounds excellent. The way the foam is tightly packed into the case isolates any vibration and makes the keyboard sound very muted. Mode calls this the “stack mount”, as the whole enclosure is held together by pressure. As a result, the board is left with an extremely stiff typing experience. I tried two builds, one with an aluminum plate, and one with a polycarbonate (PC) plate. The plastic PC plate allows for a deeper sound as you would expect, but didn’t offer significantly more flex in comparison to the metal aluminum plate due to nature of the stack mount. The quality of the case is very impressive with a nice heft to it. On the inside of the case, there’s an engraving that says “First Edition”, and the number of your keyboard out of 450 (mine was #351, for example).
The back piece allows a seamless connection with the top piece, so there’s no line on the side profile. The top is matte aluminum but not completely fingerprint immune.
The biggest concern with the First Edition in particular is the price. The Mode Eighty First Eidition was $650. If you include shipping, additional plates, and tax, it goes up to $750-800. Whether or not the exclusivity factor is worth it or not is at the end of the day up to the buyer, however the biggest "feature" about this keyboard is the fact that it was in-stock [Note from the future: this was one of the first keyboards, especially in the higher-end market, to be sold in-stock]. This likely drives up the price in comparison to its normal counterpart, selling for $480. You can order a different board that can sound a certain way, or is designed for a certain aesthetic (like a RAMA board), but you could be waiting for months, or even years. For this board, it took them less than 2 weeks to get it to my doorstep. The in-stock option was extremely convenient, but whether or not the faster delivery date in addition to the exclusivity factor is with that $170 USD, is really up to you.
Switches
The Banana Split switches are like most other JWK linears, offering the smoothest experience and a decent sound signature. If you look up any JWK linear switch review, they’ll give a more in-depth review, however a brief explanation would be medium-higher pitched, with a very clean clack. They sound fine, higher pitch than a Gateron Ink but by a very slight margin. Those who prefer a cleaner sound profile will enjoy these. The feel is very smooth, as any JWK linear does. Makes my NK Creams feel slightly sandy in comparison.
The Original Aspiration switches are very similar, as it is another JWK linear. It does not feel like the UHMWPE in the housing made a significant difference, but they do sound slightly deeper than the Bnaana Splits in comparison.
Sound Tests
I've included two sound tests below: one is my original build with Banana Splits & an aluminum plate, and the second is with the OA switches and a PC plate.
Ending Thoughts
Coming 2021, there are and will be many more group buys and many other TKLs that are worth considering. However, if you can’t wait and want a very solid keyboard, going for something like the Mode Eighty in future in-stock sales could be something to consider.
Thanks for reading,
Justin