Keyboard Review: Yunzii AL68 - Reaching the upper limits of entry-level prebuilt keyboards

We're now almost hitting the ten-keyboard mark. Well, if I counted all the keyboards before I got into this hobby, then I would definitely have hit the 20th mark by now, but let's focus on me and my journey through the hobby.

After a brief conversation with several folks in the Thocc Exchange channel (shout out to PyroBunny, ADM, and andy from the ThoccExchange Discord community), it's been agreed roughly that there's a tier-structure to the mechanical keyboard hobby, and it looks something like this:

Yeah, my tier listing basically goes:

<100 = entry level (for prebuilts, really)
<200 is budget customs
200-400 is the general pricing for good-quality customs
>400 is where you start getting into the fancier, boutique stuff

That's been copied and pasted from PyroBunny's message on Discord – another thing that makes the hobby awesome is its Discord community! That's a tale for another time, but do check out the Discord community.

Okay, now that we have that out of the way, today we're talking about something that's more on the upper end of entry-level boards, and it comes from the brand Yunzii, and specifically it's their AL68 keyboard. Here's a quick rundown of the specs of the particular unit that I have:

• Brand: Yunzii
• Model: AL68
• MSRP: $124.95 (according to the Yunzii website)
• Layout: ANSI 65% (66-key and knob)
• Colour: Spray-coated Black
• Build: Aluminium with Mirror Weight
• Switch: Gateron Zero Linear
• Mounting: Gasket
• Battery: 6,000 mAh
• Connectivity: Tri-mode (Bluetooth/2.4g) & Wired
• Weight: 1.2 kg
• Keycaps: Doubleshot PBT Cherry-Profile

Now that's a decent spec sheet for something that costs nearing $80 – don't mind the SRP; apparently these companies never sell at the SRP anyway – and I bought the keyboard during a sale on Amazon for just over £50.

One of the best things about the board is the way it sounds, and I think that a huge part of that is thanks to the Gateron Zero Linear switches. It's hard to believe, but this board helped open up my ears to the clacky sound profile. There was something about that high-pitched profile that resonated within me. At the start I wasn't happy, but I gave it time and found myself gravitating towards the sound profile.

Just like each keyboard review, I am typing this on the actual keyboard itself, and I'm enjoying it. The weight of the switches is just right. I love each deep clack when I go through the alphas. It's got a comfortable typing angle, and the keycaps all make a wonderful rounded package. I highly recommend this board! - But that's only if you can find it near the price of what I got it for. 

At the £50 price point, you're still going to be seeing mostly PLASTIC boards – and there's nothing wrong with plastic. But the AL68 has an aluminium case and a mirror weight. It feels very premium compared to the other plastic boards. It feels well-built and is a joy to carry and especially to use.

I've been singing its praises so far, so let's get into the negatives. Well, there's one and a half negatives. Okay, the first one, it's not really even a negative – it's the knob. The knob is...okay? I've got a black keyboard, and the knob is...silver. That is such an odd choice. Other than the colour, it's a decent knob. Firm, rigid, and stepped, and it functions as a mute button when pressed.

Silver knob on a black keyboard. It doesn't work for me on this occasion.

Another negative would be that you have to load a JSON to configure it in VIA. A bit of a niggle, and would be something that folks new to the whole customisation scene might find troublesome. But on this point, let's get back on the positives, and it's a big one – VIA compatibility!

Yes, you can use the gold standard for configuring keyboards, VIA.

AL68 VIA Configuration Screen

This review was not going to be a deep dive. The long and short of it is that if you're looking to gift someone, and they had no clue about mechanical keyboards, and they're looking for something they can enjoy using (and they don't mind a loud and proud clacky keyboard), AND you have a budget of around £50, then this is one of the best options you can go for. Great keyboard, great sound, great build.

But knowing what I know now, and if I had £50 to spend? That honour will have to go to the SwagKeys EAVE65, and that's going to be a conversation for another day, as that's further down the line in my journey.

Before we close, I'll leave you with a typing test so you can hear what I mean about this keyboard's deep clacky sound profile.

I hope you found this review useful. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for reading!

PS. Like the deskmat that I used in the photos? Grab one for yourself over at ProtoTypist: Ouchkick 2 x Space Deskmat (non-affiliate link)

About the Author

Hi there, my name's Alan and I'm the creator of UK Tech Blog (UKTB), a UK-based technology website covering smartphones, gadgets, computing, mechanical keyboards, and the digital world that surrounds us all.

This blog is a place where I share my thoughts and journey through tech. I do this through hands-on reviews, commentary, and practical experiences.

Alongside my passion for tech and photography, I'm also an advocate for autism awareness and accessibility. I draw from personal experience as a parent. I believe technology should be inclusive, useful, and empowering for everyone.

Outside of tech, I enjoy photography, gaming, and music ranging from atmospheric black metal to post-rock.

UKTB was created as a space for my honest opinions, curiosity, and enthusiasm for modern technology without the unnecessary hype.