The IQUNIX F97 is a wireless mechanical keyboard and a successor to the IQUNIX F96. This keyboard has a Compact (96%) form factor and comes in various color options and several TTC or Cherry MX switch options. This updated keyboard has several new features, including a longer advertised battery life, updated Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, and a hot-swappable PCB, which lets you easily change the switches.
Our Verdict
The IQUNIX F97 keyboard is great for casual gaming, but the latency is somewhat higher than recommended for playing fast-paced or competitive games. That said, its build quality is excellent, and the Cherry MX Brown switches on the unit we bought and tested have low pre-travel and a light but satisfying tactile bump, providing a responsive-feeling experience in-game. This keyboard is also available in a range of other TTC or Cherry MX switch types and has a hot-swappable PCB, so you can easily change the stock switches for another switch type if you prefer.
- Excellent build quality.
- Hot-swappable PCB.
- High quality PBT keycaps.
- Latency is only satisfactory.
- Fairly tall profile, no included wrist rest.
The IQUNIX F97 keyboard is decent for office work. It has excellent, premium-feeling build quality, and the Cherry MX Brown switch on the unit we tested provides a satisfying, tactile typing quality that isn't too loud for work environments. This keyboard is also available in a range of other TTC or Cherry MX switch types, and it has a hot-swappable PCB, so you can easily replace the stock switches for another switch type of your choosing. You can use this keyboard wired or wirelessly, either with its USB receiver or via Bluetooth paired with a maximum of up to three devices.
- Excellent build quality.
- Hot-swappable PCB.
- High quality PBT keycaps.
- Multi-device pairing with up to three devices via Bluetooth.
- Fairly tall profile, no included wrist rest.
The IQUNIX F97 is adequate for mobile and tablet use, but it's fairly large and bulky and considerably heavier than other keyboards designed specifically for use with mobile devices. That said, it feels well-built and has good wireless versatility, including the ability to pair wirelessly with up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth.
- Excellent build quality.
- Multi-device pairing with up to three devices via Bluetooth.
- Not very portable due to its size.
- Heavy.
The IQUNIX F97 keyboard is great for programming. It has excellent build quality and feels very premium. The Cherry MX Brown switch on the unit we bought and tested provides amazing typing quality out of the box, but you can also buy this keyboard with various TTC or Cherry MX switches pre-installed, depending on the color variant you choose. Or, if you prefer, you can replace the stock switches thanks to the hot-swappable PCB. You can connect this keyboard wirelessly with its USB receiver or pair it with up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, there aren't any dedicated macro keys, and while it feels great to type on, it has a high profile, fixed incline, and it doesn't include a wrist rest, so it may get tiring to type on for long periods.
- Excellent build quality.
- Hot-swappable PCB.
- High quality PBT keycaps.
- No dedicated macro keys.
- Fairly tall profile, no included wrist rest.
The IQUNIX F97 is acceptable for entertainment and home theater PC setups. It feels very well-built and is available in a full RGB backlighting configuration so you can see the legends on the keys in a darker room. It also offers good wireless versatility and the ability to pair with up to three devices via Bluetooth. That said, this keyboard is fairly bulky and heavy, which makes it awkward to use from a couch. Also, it doesn't have any dedicated media keys. Instead, there are media hotkey combinations that aren't labeled on the keycaps but are listed in the user manual.
- Excellent build quality.
- Non-dedicated media keys.
- Heavy.
This keyboard offers very good overall raw performance, with full N-Key rollover and an effective polling rate of 1000Hz. It also has good single-key and satisfactory multi-key latency, but it doesn't perform as well as most of the more gaming-focused options at this price point and is best suited for casual rather than competitive gaming.
- Excellent build quality.
Changelog
- Updated Apr 26, 2024: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed REALFORCE R2 in the Switches section of this review.
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've added a link to the newly-reviewed ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless in the Single Key Latency section of this review.
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3.1, which adds a new estimated PCB latency test to the Single-Key Latency section and a new Analog test to the Switches section of this review. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Aug 30, 2023: We've added text to this review for the new tests added in TBU 1.3.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The IQUNIX F97 is available in various colorways, with or without RGB backlighting, and with various TTC or Cherry MX switches. Information on the various configurations is displayed in the table below. We bought and tested the IQUNIX F97 in the Dark Side colorway with RGB backlighting and Cherry MX Brown switches. Typically we provide an image of the keyboard's label, but this keyboard doesn't have one.
We expect our test results to apply to the following products.
| Name / Colorway | Backlighting | Available Switches |
|---|---|---|
| Coral Sea | Non-backlit/RGB |
TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE, Holy Panda |
| Graffiti Diary | Non-backlit/RGB |
TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, Holy Panda |
| Hitchhiker | Non-backlit/RGB |
TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE, Holy Panda |
| Dark Side | Non-backlit/RGB |
TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE, Holy Panda |
| Black Tangerine | Non-backlit/RGB | TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, Holy Panda Cherry MX Switches: Brown |
| Happy Ape | Non-backlit/RGB |
TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, Holy Panda |
| Lavandin | Non-backlit/RGB | TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE, Holy Panda Cherry MX Switches: Red, Brown, Blue |
| Wreck Diving | Non-backlit/RGB | TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE, Holy Panda Cherry MX Switches: Red, Brown, Blue |
| Camping | Non-backlit/RGB | TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE, Holy Panda Cherry MX Switches: Red, Brown, Blue |
| Wintertide | Non-backlit/RGB | TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE, Holy Panda Cherry MX Switches: Red, Brown, Blue |
| Cosmic Traveller | Non-backlit/RGB | TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE, Holy Panda Cherry MX Switches: Red, Brown, Blue |
| Variable X | Non-backlit/RGB | TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE, Holy Panda Cherry MX Switches: Red, Brown, Blue |
| Typinglab | Non-backlit/RGB |
TTC Switches: Gold Pink, Speed Silver, ACE, Holy Panda |
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The IQUNIX F97 keyboard is a high-end wireless keyboard and a successor to the IQUNIX's F96. This update adds several new features, including longer advertised battery life, updated Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, and a hot-swappable PCB, which allows you to easily change the stock switches on the keyboard. Overall, this keyboard provides a similarly high level of build quality and typing experience as other popular 'custom' style keyboards like the Keychron Q5, the GLORIOUS GMMK 2, or the Ducky One 3 keyboards. However, the IQUNIX F97 board isn't designed to be as customizable overall. While it feels very premium and is available in a wide range of eye-catching colorways, it's more expensive.
For more recommendations, see our picks for the best keyboards, the best mechanical keyboards, and the best keyboards for typing.
The Ducky One 3 and the IQUNIX F97 are mechanical keyboards available in a wide range of expressive colorways. The Ducky is a wired-only model with much lower latency, making it a better pick for gaming. It's also designed to be easier to customize overall. While the unit we bought and tested is a full-size model, several smaller models are also available. On the other hand, the IQUNIX F97 has a compact (96%) form factor. This keyboard is a wireless model you can pair with up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth.
The IQUNIX F97 and the GLORIOUS GMMK 2 are mechanical keyboards with Compact (96%) form factors. The IQUNIX is a wireless model that lets you connect via Bluetooth with up to three devices simultaneously or with a USB receiver. On the other hand, the GLORIOUS is a wired-only model that you can purchase as a pre-built keyboard or as a barebones kit. It has better latency, making it more suitable for competitive gaming. It's also designed more with hardware customizability in mind.
The IQUNIX F97 and the Keychron Q5 are mechanical keyboards with Compact (96%) form factors. The IQUNIX F97 is a wireless model that you can connect with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth with up to three devices simultaneously. On the other hand, the Keychron is wired-only and designed with more hardware customizability in mind. It also offers a slightly better typing experience due to its premium-feeling gasket-mounted design. The Keychron has several smaller variants in its Q Series lineup, while the IQUNIX is only available as a compact (96%) model.
The IQUNIX F97 and the Keychron Q6 are mechanical keyboards with different form factors. The IQUNIX F97 is a wireless, compact (96%) keyboard that allows you to connect with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth with up to three devices simultaneously. On the other hand, the Keychron Q6 is a wired-only, full-size keyboard that's considerably larger and heavier than the IQUNIX F97. It's designed to be more readily customizable and offers a better overall typing experience thanks to its cushioned gasket-mounted design. The Keychron also has several smaller-sized variants available in the same Q Series lineup, while the IQUNIX is only available in a single form factor.
Test Results
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