Bloody B820R RGB Gaming Keyboard Review

By David Shields

Manufacturer: A4Tech / Bloody Division
Product Name: Bloody B820R Light Strike RGB Animation Gaming Keyboard
UPC: 4711421926928
Price As Tested: $129.99 (Amazon)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by A4TECH.

The “Bloody” gaming brand is owned and operated by A4Tech, a relatively unknown PC gaming hardware company until more recently. With gaming peripherals becoming a very popular part of the DIY PC market, everyone is looking to innovate and stand out from the rest of the crowd. Bloody produces peripherals with a unique “Lightstrike” switch technology, such as this B820R.

“Lightstrike” is different from traditional switches in that it doesn’t utilize metal contact points that close an electrical circuit when pressed. Instead, Bloody’s mechanical switches use infrared LEDs and photosensors, which functions when the switch interrupts the infrared beam to the photosensor. Bloody claims their switches are faster, more reliable, and more durable.

“Innovative LK Optic Switch technology uses optic switch to react at lightening speed with extreme 0.2ms key response, always one step ahead than your enemies, creates more passionate for gamers.”

But does it? In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we’ll take a closer look at the Bloody B820R Light Strike RGB Animation Gaming Keyboard, and determine if this latest offering has what it takes to set itself apart from the rest of the mechanical keyboard market.

Features & Specifications

• VConnector: USB
• Key Style: Optic switch
• Key Response：0.2ms
• Anti-Ghosting Key：100% Anti-ghosting key
• Gaming Keycaps：8 convex silicon keys
• Hotkey：Multimedia Hotkey
• Backlit：Customize RGB Animation
• Backlit Brightness: Adjustable
• Space-Bar: Screw enhanced space-bar
• Memory Backlight: 6 Free driver RGB lighting modes
• Key Lifetime: Up 100 million keystrokes
• Report Rate: 1000Hz/1ms

B820R Light Strike RGB Animation Gaming Keyboard Overview

Upon removing the keyboard from the box, it was immediately apparent how well put together this keyboard is. A hefty aluminum top plate is it’s defining feature, with an excellent brushed paint job. I don’t have any trouble believing this keyboard will stand up the wear and tear Bloody Gaming believes it will. Now, I didn’t actually pour water onto the keyboard to test the nano-coating and “smart water flow” system, but if anyone has, let us know!

Concerning the RGB led’s, I was please to find them to be quite bright and attractive. By default, you have six presets built into the keyboard you can toggle between using the FN+F12 keys, including chroma, RGB (wave, breathe, random animations), and static RGB. Installing the KeyDominator 1 software will grant another 10 presets plus the ability to customize your own. Possibly my favorite feature is that the LEDs are not hidden in the switch or key – they actually rest on the surface of the board. This, coupled with the raised keys and reflective surfaces creates very nice effect across the whole board. Look at the photo below to get a better idea of what I mean, even if it honestly doesn’t do it justice.

Pressing any key produces what Bloody calls an “Exclusive Long Lasting Typing Sound.” We obviously can’t test this keyboard for several years to see if it retains the sound, but it is audibly similar to that of a Cherry Blue or even Cherry Green switch.

Finally, eight orange replacement caps are included if you want them (although I will say they don’t work well with the LED effects).

In the next section, we’ll take a brief look at Bloody Gaming’s KeyDominator utility and the RGB editing options.

KeyDominator 1 Software

The KeyDominator 1 software can be used to assign macros to any key as well as modify the lighting effects. Because David Ramsey has already extensively covered the macros in his reviews of the Bloody Gaming B830 and B840 keyboards, I’ll just briefly go over the RGB customization options.

The KeyDominator software was less than intuitive to use, and Bloody Gaming does not provide any sort of manual with the keyboard or online. If you’ve never customized your keyboard before or programmed macros, I would recommend a more usual friendly brand.

The B820R can be set up to use any color in the RGB spectrum, as well as a number of animations. Animations for the full keyboard include a breathing effect, static (no animation), a wave, and a random pattern. For individual keys, it is possible to have keys change color when pressed, create a “meteor” effect (LEDs light sequentially in a row) and a ripple effect.

It is possible to change the color of each individual key, but you cannot change the color of each individual key when pressed (it applys to all) and the meteor and ripple effects just cycle through all the RGB colors. All things considered, this was a bit of a letdown, and it honestly limits the customization possibilities. You can set your own custom presets and bind them to FN+1 through FN+0 keys.

Gaming Keyboard Final Thoughts

As an RGB gaming keyboard, the B820R is a strong product. What holds it back most is the price point. At $129.99, it’s a lot more expensive than other models that offer more for less. I think the B820R’s price point is less about the features offered and more for build quality and longevity. The question is, who is willing to give up the features many gamers deem necessary for a higher price and better construction? My current keyboard (GAMDIAS Hermes Essential with MX Black) is chugging along happily after two years of heavy use, and it only retails for $70.00!

B820R Light Strike RGB Animation Gaming Keyboard Conclusion

The B820R boasts gaming performance as good as anything else I’ve had. That being said, I wouldn’t rate it as BETTER than anyone of them. It does what any gamer would need, and thats all. I will note that the N-key rollover works very well, picking up multiple keys without fail.

As far as appearance goes, this might just be my favorite keyboard to date. Vibrant, elegant, and well thought out, this keyboard will definitely turn heads at your gaming convention. That being said, it’s a pity the customization is limited to mainly individual colors and a few animations.

Again, construction is top notch out of the box, with the aluminum top plate and think plastic keys. Ultimately, only with long-term use will we be able tell as to whether or not it will pass the test of time.

Price and functionality go hand-in-hand with the B820R, because the B820R simply lacks a number of features generally considered essential for any keyboard, to say nothing of one at the $129.99 price point (Amazon). It has no dedicated media keys (note that you can program keys to act as media with FN). I’m also not a fan of the size, as its a bit cramped for my liking. Finally, the software is clunky and doesn’t provide as much customization as would hope for.

The B820R defintely sThe B820R is still a solid product that sets itself apart from the competition, with excellent aesthetics, construction, and gaming attributes. While its price and functionality leaves something to be desired, I still have no problem the Bloody Gaming B820R Light Strike RGB Gaming Keyboard our Recomended Product award.

Pros:

+ Sturdy construction.
+ Metal top plate.
+ Vibrant RGB color.

Cons:

– No dedicated media or utility keys (without software and FN)
– Price for features ratio feels off.

Ratings:

• Performance: 9.00
• Appearance: 8.75
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 7.75
• Value: 7.75

Final Score: 8.5 out of 10.

Recommended: Benchmark Reviews Seal of Approval.