My Cube i9 keyboard arrived today, rather poorly packed as it shipped with an express document courier and GearBest removed the outer box. Not too happy about that, luckily no damage to it.
But this keyboard is so far great! First impressions are really good, the build is as good as the last gen Surface Pro 3 keyboard. No seriously it is, it uses exactly the same materials as the original Microsoft one on the top and bottom. An a similar trackpad (Type cover 3 size), which by the way feels good and looks to be one of the more useable trackpads I’ve tried in a while. With hardware left and right mouse buttons are within the touchpad. It also supports Windows gestures and can be disabled with Fn + F11.
I’m really impressed with this keyboard considering the price of $63.85 I paid when it was on special. Much better than the rip off $110 I remember seeing on Aliexpress. (Sorry, I got it wrong in the video and said it was $46.)
My i9 keyboard order. Got this from GearBest this time around because they were the first to stock it after Aliexpress.
Key travel is good, and I’ve typed this out on it with few errors. And the keyboard flex and bounce is exactly the same as my type cover 4. Hell, this keyboard even smells just like the Surface Type covers are they are made by the same ODM? Has to be. It even has two little status LEDs for caps and number lock instead of in the keys itself like the Surface one.
The only thing it lacks is backlit keys, but for the price, I’m not complaining. This premium keyboard definitely compliments the Cube i9 and completes the tablet, it’s now the closest Chinese tablet to a Surface Pro 3/4 I have seen to date.
Keyboard link for those interested: http://www.gearbest.com/tablet-accessories/pp_329452.html
Cube i9 keyboard / type cover images:
