8BitDo has opened preorders for its new retro mechanical keyboard, inspired by the iconic transparent green edition of the original Xbox console. Designed in collaboration with Xbox, the 8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard—Xbox Edition features a stunning transparent green design similar to the vintage console, but with the addition of modern gaming features. The new Xbox version is available to pre-order now on Amazon, along with a matching Retro R8 Mouse, and is expected to ship on January 16, 2025.
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The 8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard is our favorite retro mechanical keyboard, and it comes in a variety of versions inspired by vintage video game consoles, including the NES and Famicom. It’s more than just a retro-looking keyboard; the old-school knobs and classic red power button truly make you feel like you’re using a device from the ’80s. The latest addition, the Xbox Edition, brings those retro vibes to Xbox fans, and it might just be the best-looking retro keyboard yet.
8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard – Xbox Edition
The Xbox Edition isn’t an entirely new keyboard, but rather a re-skin of the 8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard to match Microsoft’s first-ever gaming console. Everything from the jadeite, transparent green shell and keycaps, to smaller design touches — like the red, blue, yellow, and green arrow keys reminiscent of the iconic Xbox controller’s face buttons — has been designed to stir up those nostalgic memories of the original Xbox era. You’ll also find a special Xbox button that brings up the Game Bar in Windows.
8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard—Xbox Edition
The 8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard—Xbox Edition features a classic transparent green design like the OG Xbox. It offers the perfect marriage of retro Xbox vibes and modern gaming features to offer the perfect gaming keyboard for Xbox gamers. Pre-order now on Amazon.
- Form factor
- TKL
- Switch options
- Kailh Box White
- Backlight
- No
- Keycaps
- Dye-sub PBT
- Hot-swappable
- Yes
- Battery capacity
- 2000mAh
- Connectivity
- Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
- Dimensions
- 16.18 x 7.91 x 3.5 inches
- Number of Keys
- 87
- Num Pad
- No
The keyboard features a hot-swappable PCB with Kailh Jellyfish X switches and RGB backlighting. It offers versatile connectivity with Bluetooth (up to 300 hours of battery life), 2.4G wireless, and wired modes. Like its predecessors, it features old-school knobs for changing the connection mode and volume, along with the two comically over-sized buttons. While it is an impressive gaming keyboard in its own right, it’s not without its flaws. Although designed with Xbox engineers, this keyboard is only compatible with Windows and Android, not Xbox consoles. How ironic!
8BitDo Retro R8 Mouse – Xbox Edition
8BitDo is also accepting pre-orders for its Xbox-themed retro gaming mouse. The new Retro R8 Mouse features the same transparent green design as the Retro 87 keyboard, making it perfect for those who want a fully Xbox-themed retro gaming setup. Boasting an adjustable DPI of up to 26,000 and an impressive 8,000 MHz polling rate, it delivers excellent speed and precision ideal for FPS gamers. Like the keyboard, it has four extra buttons in the same iconic colors as the Xbox controller face buttons. It supports both wired and wireless connections, with a convenient charging dock included.
Both the keyboard and mouse are up for pre-order on Amazon. The 8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard – Xbox Edition, with its TKL 87-key layout, is priced at $120. While 8BitDo recently released a full-size version for its NES and Famicom editions, the Xbox edition is currently only available in a TKL layout. The Xbox-themed 8BitDo Retro R8 will set you back $60, which is a decent price, considering its unique design and excellent specs. If you’re a Nintendo fan, check out the NES and Fami editions of the 8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard.
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