HAVIT HV-KB395L Overview
At first glance, the HV-KB395L appears to be a pretty standard keyboard. The 104 keys are laid out in a traditional configuration, with the top Function keys performing double duty as both Function keys and on-board lighting controls. The HV-KB395L features a mostly frameless design, with the black aluminum top plate of the keyboard providing a small border around the keys. The edges of the top plate have an angled edge, which has been polished to provide a nice silver outline. The upper right corner of the keyboard is home to the Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock indicators, which have a nice white LED illumination. The only other marking on the HV-KB395L is a HAVIT logo that sits just above the arrow keys.
Where we really begin to see just how unique the HV-KB395L is, is when we take a look at the profile of the keyboard. At just 22.5mm in height, the HAVIT claims that the HV-KB395L is the thinnest 104-key mechanical keyboard, and we are pretty sure they are right. With the legs retracted, the keyboard has a very low side profile, and when the legs are extended, the keys sit at about the same height as most other keyboards with their legs retracted. This side view also shows just how shallow the removable keycaps really are. While not as short as your standard laptop keycaps, the caps found on the HV-KB395L are much shorter than standard mechanical switch keycaps.
Along the top edge of the case, just about 1/3 of the length from the right side of the keyboard, is the keyboard’s Micro USB port. Providing the option to detach the cable from the keyboard makes transportation a breeze. We did however find that the small opening surrounding this port did not allow us to use many of our other Micro USB cables, as their plugs were too large to fit in the opening. The provided cable is 1.5m long, and should be sufficient for most users’ needs, but we do wish there was a bit more room to support longer cables or even replacement cables if the provided one becomes lost.
Taking a look at the bottom of the HV-KB395L reveals a standard keyboard underside, with two legs offering a bit of height and angle adjustment, and rubber pads at each corner to help keep the keyboard in place. One feature we would have liked to see implemented on the bottom of the HV-KB395L is a third leg in the center of the keyboard. As the keyboard is so thin, we did notice a bit of bowing when typing and gaming, and a little bit of extra support in the center would really help solidify things.
As mentioned earlier, the HV-KB395L uses Kalih PG1350 Blue mechanical switches, which produce that familiar audible and tactile click that Blue-sytle switches are known for. With just 3mm of key travel, these switches really make for a quick and responsive typing experience. These switches feature a transparent body that allows the RGB LED at the top of the switch to shine up into the keycaps. The PG1350 switches use a different method of keeping keycaps in place compared to the standard “+” design found on most Cherry-type switches. Two openings on the top of the switch are paired up with two hooked tabs on each keycap to keep them in place. As you can see below, in order to achieve a minimal switch height, the mechanical contacts of the switch have been laid on their side as opposed to being in the vertical orientation found on most other mechanical switches.
