Typing on my laptop keyboard got a bit boring. As I was looking for something different, I ended up at my favorite brand, Blitzwolf, who just released this mechanical keyboard, the BlitzWolf BW-KB1. Without a doubt, I requested one to review and probably use myself after the review in>stead of selling it for charity (I will, however, make a donation for the missed donation.) Can this be the daily driver that I will bring to work? Let’s find out!

Introduction & Specifications

Yes, it has been a long time when I had a mechanical keyboard. Finally, there is one that I can use and it is in a great portable size. The RGB effects are great, the keys are easily replaceable, and it just works. I feel this keyboard can make a lot of people happy. There is BlitzWolf software available to configure the BlitzWolf BW-KB1, connecting it via Bluetooth is easy and with USB-C support you can use the charger cable of your phone to connect it on the go. Looking at the specifications, I’m really excited! Let’s dive into this portable, mechanical masterpiece.

Specifications
Brand:	BlitzWolf
Model:	BW-KB1
Layout:	63 Keys
Connector:	USB-C
Battery Capacity:	1900mAh
Bluetooth:	Bluetooth 5.0
Key Cap:	ABS Double Shot
Back Light Effect:	Full RGB
Mechanical Switch:	Gateron (Red/Brown/Blue Switch)
Supported Systems:	Windows 7/8/10, Android, iOS, Mac
Size:	11.4x3.9x1.5in / 290x100x39mm
Package Content:	1x Keyboard, 1x USB-C Cable, 1x Key Puller, 1x User Manual

Unboxing

Well, the packing is no surprise anymore. The model name, BW-KB1, is on the front with the green details and logo as well. On the back, we find all the specifications this time. Inside, the first thing we see is the BlitzWolf BW-KB1. A lovely, portable, mechanical keyboard. Underneath the keyboard, we find the USB-C cable, a key puller, and the manual That’s it! Again, no waste of plastic or excessive use of materials.

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Hardware & Design

Taking the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 out of the box, I felt that it got some good weight to it. Not too much, it is still handy and portable, but it is not a cheap and lightweight keyboard. This is actually a good thing. Feeling the keys, they have a more cheap feeling to hem. They are made out of plastic and it does not give me a real premium feeling. On the other hand, the keyboard stand feels very solid.

The Gateron switches feel good and they work well. With the Key Puller, you can easily take out a key and replace it. Really handy and I just love to type away my reviews on this keyboard.

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Battery Life

With the USB-C charging port, you can easily charge it with the cables of modern Android phones, like the Doogee S95 Pro. There is a 1900mAh battery inside that is completely charged in around 3 hours. After that, the battery life is pretty good. If you use the RGB LED effects, you can use the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 around 18 to 20 hours. That is could be higher, but it is not bad at all! You can work a complete day, wirelessly, and just charge it during lunch. If you use the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 without RGB effects, the battery life is around 10 days! Lovely to use the keyboard for a week without charging it. You do miss the RGB effects though… I love those!

Switch to a mechanical, portable, and wireless keyboard, with the BlitzWolf BW-KB1. Click Here to get yours now!

Software/Driver Download

In order to really make the RGB effects personal or set up macro’s, you need to use the BlitzWolf KB1 software. On the product page of the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 or on the BangGood website, it is not clear where the software can be downloaded. Well, here at Techrvw, you can! I found the software and via this link below you can download it.

CLICK HERE to download the BlitzWolf KB1 software.

The software itself is in Chinese (or another Asian language) when you download it. When you want to open the program, you have to make sure that the keyboard is in Wired mode and connected with the cable, otherwise, the software will not open. Once it is open and you want to change the language, you have to click on the gear icon in the top right corner. In the settings field, the second drop-down menu is the Application Language. Switch it to English and everything will be understandable again for me.

Within the BlitzWolf KB1 program, you can make custom profiles with different RGB effects, modify effects, and make macros. You can turn the color off, set single color, or customize the actions on certain keys. A really handy and powerful tool to make the keyboard do what you want.

Here are some screenshots of the BlitzWolf KB1 software:

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Switch to a mechanical, portable, and wireless keyboard, with the BlitzWolf BW-KB1. Click Here to get yours now!

How To Connect?

If you want to connect with the wire, it is fairly easy. Plugin the USB end of the USB-C cable into the computer and the USB-C end into the BlitzWolf BW-KB1. Make sure the keyboard is set to the Wired mode (Fn + Tab) and give it a few seconds to make the connection. Once it is done, you are good to go!

Connecting it via Bluetooth is a bit harder and took me some time to figure out. Take out the USB-C/ cable (if charged) and turn on the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 with the switch at the back. Once it is turned on, make sure to hold the Fn key and press one of the following keys for 3 seconds: Q/W/E/R/T. Now, the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 will start flashing and the pressed down key too. Go to the Bluetooth settings of your device now and look for the “BlitzWolf KB1”. Click on it and the connection is made. If you know it, it is simple!

Feature

There is more to the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 that meets the eye. There are multiple RGB effects, you can set up different macro’s using the software, the function key is very powerful (and you actually need to know some of them to switch to a Mac or from wireless to wired), and it has an IP rating! Let’s wait no longer and dive into the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 and find out what it has to offer.

Function Key

Just typing is not enough. With the Function Key, you can actually do a lot. In the manual, all the Function Key functions are written down, and I made it into a table for you. Below, you see how you can change the RGB effect with the Function Key Shortcut, change to a Mac system, or change from Wired to Wireless. (This is needed to use the software).

Some of these shortcuts are really handy, like the Wired/Wireless switching, Mac/Windows switching, or how to change the RGB effects. Just keep my review in mind if you ever forget them.

Function Key	Functions
Fn + Tab	Wired / Bluetooth Mode
Fn + Y/U/I	Print Screen / Scroll Lock / Pause Break
Fn + ]}/[{	Back light effect brightness increase / decrease
Fn + \|	19 groups of back light effect switching
Fn + H/J/K	Insert / Home / Page Up
Fn + N/M/,<	DEL / End / Page Down
Fn + ;:/'"	Backlight effect speed increase and decrease, five gears with memory
Fn + ↓	APP key, the right mouse key
Fn + .>	Cut back light effect color
Fn + ←	ALT-R
Fn + →	CRTL+R
Fn + WIN + L	Lock Windows
Fn + Spacebar	Reset, long-press for 3s keyboard to restore the factory settings
Fn + CRTL + L	Function key switch
Fn + Enter + L	Change direction key, Change "Up, Down, Left, and Right" to "/?, ALT-R, APP, CRTL-R"
Fn + A/S	Windows system / Mac System

Switch to a mechanical, portable, and wireless keyboard, with the BlitzWolf BW-KB1. Click Here to get yours now!

Gateron Switches

There are a few different brands of mechanical switches, like Cherry, Outemu, and Gateron for example. I can go on and write a lot about the difference between the switches. The most popular are the Cherry switches, but those are not installed in the BlitzWolf BW-KB1. I found this very handy compare review of the Cherry and Gateron switches online. You can read more about it via this link.

Here are some features of the Gateron switches:

Gateron Switch Features
	Actuation Force	Pre-travel	Travel Distance	Behavior	Sound Level	Suitable For
Red Switch	45 ±15gf	2 ±0.6mm	4 ±0.6mm	Linear	Quiet	Gaming/Office
Blue Switch	60 ±15gf	2.3 ±0.6mm	4 ±0.6mm	Clicky	Clicky	Typist
Brown Switch	55 ±15gf	2 ±0.6mm	4 ±0.6mm	Tactile	Gentle	Gaming/Office
Yellow Switch	50 ±15gf	2 ±0.6mm	4 ±0.6mm	Linear	Quiet	Gaming/Office

Macro Key’s

Using macros can be handy for some people and with the BlitzWolf BW-KB1, you can set up and create your own. You have to download the software from above and in the Macro tab, you can create your own macros. Not having physical Macro buttons can be a pain, since that makes it even easier to start your macro, but with the software and the way you can customize it, I feel this is a pretty good feature. Well done, BlitzWolf!

Wired/Wireless

You can use the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 wired and without a wire. This makes it an even more portable keyboard as you can just throw it in your backpack without taking a USB-C cable with you. You can connect it via Bluetooth to any computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux). This makes it a very portable and accessible keyboard. You can take it to work, home, or a cafe and use just Bluetooth to connect to all your machines.

What you need to know is that you need to change the mode of the keyboard with the function key. How? You have to press Fn+Tab to switch between Wired and Wireless mode. If you are in the wrong mode, you can not use the software for example. Keep this shortcut in mind.

Switch to a mechanical, portable, and wireless keyboard, with the BlitzWolf BW-KB1. Click Here to get yours now!

RGB Programs

Change the RGB effect so that it fits your current mood. You can also turn it off if you want to save battery and type with it longer. How? How need the Function key again! If you press Fn+\| you switch instantly to a new program. The first and default program is the full RGB slow-flowing program. From there, keep pressing the Fn+\| combination to find your most suiting RGB program. In total, there are 19 RGB programs to play with. Lovely to play around with or use a different one every week or every day.

IP Rating

A keyboard with an IP rating? The last time I saw that was with a roll-up keyboard that was fully waterproof. That is not the case with the BlitzWolf BW-KB1, but it has an IP rating of IPX4. The BlitzWolf BW-KB1 can not go underwater or handle a full glass of coffee, it is, however, protected against splashing water.

This is the requirement to get the IPX4 rating according to Wikipedia:
Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect, utilizing either:
a) an oscillating fixture or b) A spray nozzle with no shield. Test a) is conducted for 10 minutes. b) is conducted (without shield) for 5 minutes minimum.

Conclusion

The materials used, besides the Gateron switches, give a bit of a plastic feeling. Personally, it is no big deal, especially seen the price of the BlitzWolf BW-KB1. Also, the battery life with RGB effects is a bit short. I hope they are able to extend it even further so that you can use it for 2 or maybe 3 days without charging it. Without RGB effects (10 days of battery life) it is more than fine.

My last mechanical keyboard was the Alfawise V2. I loved it, but after selling it, I honestly never reviewed another mechanical keyboard. My eye just caught the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 on the Banggood.com website and I had to review it.

Once I received it, I couldn’t wait to get started! It is so easy to connect it with the Bluetooth or with the cable (you just have to know the shortcut for switching modes). Changing the RGB effects is so much fun! I try to pick a different one every day. The Gateron switches are great and I just love the way they type. I can easily use this keyboard for the entire day due to the ergonomic design.

With the software, you can customize the BlitzWolf BW-KB1 even further, which is a great addition.