Pre-order 8BitDo’s “Retro 18” Mechanical Numpad
If you adored 8BitDo’s line of retro mechanical keyboards I wrote about last August — which has since expanded to include Commodore– and IBM-inspired models in addition to the NES and Famicom ones — then you’re gonna love their upcoming series of matching numpads.
Dubbed the Retro 18 Numpad, each of these gizmos acts as both a numpad and a standalone calculator (with 9-digit 7-segment LED display), with connectivity to Windows 10+ and Android 9.0+ devices via your choice of USB cable, Bluetooth 5.0, or using the included 2.4GHz wireless adapter that magnetically tucks into a hidden compartment underneath.
These mechanical numpads make use of the same satisfyingly clicky Kailh BOX V2 White Switches and hot-swappable PCB as their keyboard counterparts, and along the top row you’ll find controls for wireless connectivity, the built-in calculator mode, and a shortcut button for the Windows calculator app.
Each numpad is powered by a 1,000mAh Li-on battery, with up to 160 use-hours and a recharge time of 4 hours.
The numpads are set to ship on July 15th, 2024 and can be pre-ordered for $45 on Amazon in one of four variants:
- “N” edition (modeled after the NES console) — Dye-sub PBT keycaps
- “Fami” edition (modeled after the Famicom console) — Dye-sub PBT keycaps
- “M” edition (modeled after the IBM Model M keyboard) — Dye-sub PBT keycaps
- “C64” edition (modeled after the Commodore 64 computer) — Double-shot ABS keycaps