The Aorus K1 has a fatal flaw. It’s a simple mechanical keyboard without any signature features, but that’s not the problem. It's the configuration software you use to customize the keyboard. Outdated and unreliable in my testing, Aorus’ software is a huge issue that you won’t see when you compare the K1’s specs to other keyboards, but it can ruin the experience all the same, especially if you like to create custom layouts or lighting. As a result, the K1 is passable. For people who want to simply plug in a keyboard and play, the moment-to-moment typing and gaming experience is fine. Still, there’s more that goes into making a good gaming keyboard, and the Aorus K1 doesn’t deliver the full package.
K101
The Aorus K1 is the very epitome of a basic full-size gaming keyboard in 2020. Measuring 1.63 by 17.38 x 5.22 inches (HWD), its thin, open-ended base has a sleek, uncomplicated look, with only a few small gaming-style accents along the sides. In keeping the top plate as small as possible, it feels compact for a standard, 104-key layout.
The K1 is Aorus’ second keyboard since transitioning to using Cherry MX Red linear mechanical switches, which deliver a consistent, comfortable typing feel. Linear switches like the MX Reds generally have a lighter touch, which makes the keys easy to press quickly and hammer rapidly while playing games. The MX Red's light touch often makes for more typos and mispresses while typing, though, so I primarily recommend the switches for players who prioritize gaming performance over general computing and productivity. That isn’t a knock on the keyboard, but it’s worth noting that the K1’s optimized for a specific kind of user.
Upon closer inspection, I really enjoy some of the little changes Aorus’ made with its keycap design. The keycaps' legends are clean and clear, without appearing blocky. The icons on keys with secondary functions, including volume keys on F1-F3 and the media keys on F5-F7, are as large as the primary legends, which makes them easy to read at a distance. That sounds like a minor concern, but when every keyboard places these functions on different keys, making them easy to find helps you memorize their positions.
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The K1 also, notably, prominently features shortcut controls for functions related to its RGB lighting controls. While these shortcuts are always useful and appreciated—it’s nice to be able to quickly adjust lighting brightness without opening an app—it’s especially nice here, as the K1’s configuration is generally worth avoiding.
A Rusty Engine
Almost everything about the Aorus K1 keyboard itself falls in line with my general expectations for a basic, entry-level mechanical gaming keyboard. Unfortunately, Aorus’ configuration software, used to remap keys, create macros, and configure the keyboard’s RGB lighting, falls far short of what you get with comparison model from other manufacturers.
Aorus split the configuration duties for the K1 across two apps: Aorus Engine and RGBFusion. The former is a remapping tool that handles layouts and macros; the latter lets you configure the keyboard’s RGB lighting. This forces you to spend more time using the software. The keyboard configuration profiles you create in Aorus Engine cannot be linked to the lighting profiles you make in RGBFusion, as it would be on most single-app configuration solutions. Using two apps makes even little changes take longer than they should.
Aorus Engine, the more useful of the two, simply feels out of date. The workflow of pressing a key, then hitting the “key assign” button, then selecting a function, isn’t intuitive and takes too many steps. Additionally, you must keep the “Key Assign” tab open to see what keys have been changed, and the new key functions.
The K1 features onboard memory that lets you create and store up to five custom keymap profiles, That's good for a “basic” keyboard model. However, unlike other programs, Aorus Engine does not let you create additional profiles and save them on your device, so five is the upper limit. That’s enough to cover your favorite genres, but not even close to enough if you plan to make game-specific layouts.
RGBFusion, the lighting app, is more intuitive, but far less useful. On the one hand, it is easy to grasp how you change the colors of each key or common groups of keys, and you can create as many lighting profiles as you please. On the other hand, many of the custom profiles I created failed to save. Sometimes they saved, but would not run when I switched to them. Even after re-installing the app, very few features worked as they should. And it doesn’t help that RGBFusion is incredibly slow, especially at startup, making a process that should be quick and fun feel tiresome and frustrating.
Playing Catch Up
At $99.99, the Aorus K1 falls right into the sweet spot just below the prices for many of the simple mechanical gaming keyboards we’ve reviewed, such as the Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. 4 ($129.99), the Razer BlackWidow ($119.99), and my personal favorite, the HyperX Alloy Origins ($109.99). While it lacks any distinctive features that stand out among the pack, the K1 is comfortable for playing games, which should be enough to make it solid, if middling, pick for people looking to invest in mechanical keys without spending too much money.
But it isn’t. The K1’s software woes far outpace the price gap. Aorus Engine and RGBFusion feel incredibly out of date and, in some ways, plain ol’ janky. With so many more capable alternatives out there, not to mention cheaper hybrid mechanical keyboards like the SteelSeries Apex 5, most people can find a better keyboard that meets their needs and budget.
The Aorus K1 has the makings of a solid entry-level mechanical gaming keyboard, but it's hamstrung by poor, outdated configuration software.
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