INTRODUCTION

   If you're out in the market for a brand new mechanical keyboard then it should be clear to you by now that it's not an easy feat, not if you're looking for something really good/special to place on your desk. This is not just due to the fact that there are numerous features and specifications one should be aware of but also because of the large number of manufacturers. Personally, i always put durability/endurance above everything else followed by certain features (dedicated media and macro buttons/keys) and yes, even brand name (one i can trust). Viper Gaming (Patriot) hasn't really focused a lot of its resources in the design and development of mechanical keyboards over the years but the few models they have released have won numerous awards all over the world and since somehow their Viper V765 model managed to evade me (fell beneath my radar really) since some of you did ask the time has come to also check it out.

   Viper Gaming is a brand of Patriot Memory, a global leader in performance memory, Solid State Drives (SSD's), and flash storage solutions. Viper Gaming was established in 2007 with the unveiling of the well-known, top-tier line of computer memory. Since then, the Viper Gaming brand has become synonymous with elite performance and reliability among gamers worldwide. In 2015, Viper Gaming decided to expand its product categories to include gaming keyboards, headsets, and mice. Offering entry, mid-level and high-end solutions with rich feature sets. Viper Gaming's award-winning peripherals provide gamers everywhere the best price-for-performance and reliability that enables every Viper Gamer to dominate in their sport.

   The Viper V765 model by Viper Gaming was released in late 2019 and sports a rather interesting list of features including Kailh box white switches (clicky / up to 80 million actuations), IP56 certification (water and dust resistant), RGB illumination (11 effects), aircraft grade aluminum frame, dedicated media keys (including a volume control roller), 100% anti-ghosting with full-key rollover (NKRO), 1000Hz polling rate, 2ms response time and a detachable magnetic ergonomic wrist rest (rubber top for optimal hand stability). Of course, Viper Gaming also offers a very easy to use control software from where you can create macro commands (all 104 keys can be used), control the keyboard's RGB illumination and adjust its performance features. So almost 2 years after its launch is the Viper Gaming V765 Mechanical RGB Gaming Keyboard worth considering?

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A large product picture is located at the front of the box right between the main product features and a small clear plastic opening from where you can see the arrow keys.

The product features are printed in 10 languages at the bottom right next to a few words about Viper Gaming.

Four pictures are located at the rear and are used to showcase all of the features and specifications of the Viper V765.

Packing is pretty much excellent with the keyboard sitting between 4 pieces of black foam and wrapped inside a plastic bag.

Along with the keyboard and its detachable magnetic wrist rest inside the box you'll also find a key puller, two Viper Gaming stickers and the quick start guide.

THE VIPER V765

The Viper V765 keyboard measures no less than 466mm in length, 40mm in height and 167mm in width.

As expected, the V765 follows the typical floating keys design and is thus very easy to clean.

F1 through F5 keys can also be used to record and save custom key configurations (first you will need to press the Fn and F12 keys) and as you can see right above them Viper Gaming has placed the dedicated media buttons (stop, play/pause, previous and next track).

Moving onto the F6-F11 keys you can use that to switch between different RGB effects (radar/spotlight/wave, ripple, vortex/sidewinder, raindrop/reactive, breath and static/spectrum) and as for brightness levels you can use the -/+ keys.

Via the print screen button, you can enable/disable the gaming mode and as for the page up and page down keys you can use them to increase/decrease the speed of some of the RGB effects.

The direction of some of the RGB effects can be controlled from the arrow keys.

The aluminum volume roller is very useful at times so I’m always in favour of manufacturers adding them on their keyboards.

At the base of the keyboard, we find 3 rubber feet and two height adjusters.

These height adjusters can raise the top end of the keyboard roughly 12mm from your desk.

Here you can see the Kailh Box White mechanical switches.

The 1.8 meter long braided cable ends on a gold plated USB plug.

With the wrist rest mounted the V765 now measures roughly 198mm in length.

The wrist rest is mostly made out of rubber at the top for optimal stability and comfort (it does attract dust however).

CONTROL SOFTWARE

Viper Gaming offers a single-page control software (same as with the V770 model) which is very easy to use and allows the end user to map the keys, rotate between 11 RGB effects, set brightness levels and speed for both the keyboard and its palm rest, adjust the response time and report rate, enable/disable Game mode, create macros and save your configurations on several profiles.

Here you can see some of the static colors and available effects of the V765 (maximum brightness level).

The side RGB bars are a nice addition and certainly further improve the overall looks of the keyboard.

AUDIBLE FEEDBACK

Many people ask my opinion on what keyboard they should get for their needs. Some want a “silent” model for use in their living room or even in their bedroom while others ask for a model with good audible feedback for use in the office or for gaming. Because of this I decided to test keyboards by placing our ExTech HD600 vertically over each keyboard (5cm distance) and typing NikKTech a total of 6 times with each (after that the max recorded number - max hold - is placed in the graph). I have to admit that this methodology may not be 100% accurate but it does give a good idea on what you can expect from each model since aside the type of switches used keycaps and keyboard material also matter.

CONCLUSION

   Even though the Viper V765 was released back in late 2019 it’s still a mechanical gaming keyboard worth of your attention. Not only does it feature the Kailh Box White switches which are both dust and water resistant but it’s based around an airplane aluminum grade frame and has RGB LEDs both for its keys and the side bars. Yes, it may not be the most complete mechanical keyboard in the market today (and design-wise it may not be for everyone) but it offers almost everything I would look for in a keyboard. The control software is exactly the same as that of the V770 model so no problems here either (although a redesign would be welcome).

   Right now, the Viper V765 Mechanical RGB Gaming Keyboard by Viper Gaming retails for USD89.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 99.90Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) a price tag which is very balanced for such a keyboard. Of course, being almost 2 year old it’s beginning to show but still there aren’t that many keyboards out there with the specifications and list of features the Viper V765 packs and for that it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Aircraft Aluminum Frame)
- Kailh Box White (80 Million Actuations / IP56 Certified)
- 100% Anti Ghosting With NKey Rollover
- Dedicated Media Buttons
- 11 Illumination Effects
- Detachable Magnetic Wrist Rest
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- 2019 Model
- Only With Kailh Box White Switches
- No USB Passthrough