The Chilkey ND014 is a solidly built mechanical keyboard that also has a display and a high level of customization for Mac users, but expensive for what you get.
Chilkey makes keyboards and mice with a focus on clean designs and assembly for both work and play. For its latest model, Chilkey made the decision to enter the world of crowdfunding, using Kickstarter as its testing ground for its next keyboard release.
Bringing the Chilkey ND014 to consumers this way lets the company see how much demand there is for its newest product, as well as raising funds to get it made in the first place.
The ND014 is a full-size mechanical keyboard with interesting design choices, and Chilkey sent one over for me to put through its paces.
Chilkey ND104 Review: Unboxing
The ND014 arrives in one of the coolest product box designs I have ever seen, with silver and black graphics and excellent graphic design. The keyboard and components are incredibly well-packaged with foam padding and individual baggies for components.
Chilkey ND104 review: The box is surprisingly well designed.
Inside the box:
- ND014 keyboard
- Elastic bar mount
- 2.4Ghz receiver
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- Gasket mounts
The ND104 is compatible with macOS and Windows. However, Chilkey does not include Mac-specific keycaps with the ND104.
This is such a small detail, but an important one. When a company produces a high-end product and claims to support macOS, this is not a glowing recommendation for its commitment to macOS users.
Chilkey ND104 Review: Specs
- Case: Anodized aluminum
- Dimensions: 437x34x20mm
- Weight: 4.9 lbs.
- Lights: South-facing dynamic RGB
- Plate: FR4
- Battery: 4000mAh
- PCB: FR4 flex cut
- NKRO supported
- Stabilizers: Plate mounted stabs
- Cable: USB-A to USB-C
- Connectivity: USB wired / Bluetooth / 2.4Ghz
Chilkey ND104 Review: Build Quality and Features
The ND104 is a full-size mechanical keyboard with an amazing build quality. It also has a clean, minimalist presentation on the heavy aluminum case and keycaps.
Mechanical keyboards from other companies are usually weighty and solid. But the 4.9 pounds of the ND104 looks like a keyboard created with the intention of stopping an artillery shell if the need arises. The ND104 is heavy.
Chilkey ND104 review: One end of the keyboard.
Every component of the ND104 feels custom and more than durable enough to withstand extensive daily use. I look for this quality in every mechanical keyboard, and the ND104 feels like the most durable keyboard I have ever used.
The color choices for the ND104 are directly linked to the crowdfunding reward tier selected. The Lite and Ultra models of the ND104 are identical, with the exception of black being available only at the Ultra reward tier and the addition of more case texture and metal finish to the Ultra keycaps.
As of this writing, the Chilkey Kickstarter page offers the ND104 in two models with two color configurations:
- Ultra Model: Available exclusively in black at the Ultra tier with metal finish grey keycaps
- Lite Model: Available in white, grey, pink, yellow, and blue with PBT keycaps
Both models ship with either WS Breeze or WS Silent Linear Switches, based on your preference for softer clacky keystrokes or soft, quiet keystrokes.
The Kickstarter page for the ND104 states that model colors and switches are chosen via backer survey once the campaign ends.
Chilkey provided a Lite model in white for testing. I can confirm the WS Breeze keycaps are satisfying, but they are not quiet.
The ND104 includes RGB backlighting with brilliant color options.
The RGB lights are very bright and pretty, and thankfully, adjustable to be as bold or as subdued as you prefer.
The center back of the keyboard has a single USB-C port for charging or using the keyboard in wired mode.
The ND104 includes a customizable knob, a large radial button. It also has an LCD screen that can be customized to display a wide variety of controls, such as time, weather, and personalized displays.
I am a fan of tactile controls on a keyboard. The novel integration of this approach makes me very happy, and I used it often during my days of testing.
Chilkey ND104 Review: Customization
Like many keyboard and peripheral manufacturers, Chilkey offers a web-based hub for device configuration and customization through the Chilkey website.
While I prefer offline drivers and software for customizations, the Chilkey hub works well with the ND104. The level of customization for the ND104 is impressive.
In addition to buttons and setting custom macros, the Chilkey hub allows users to customize the RGB light settings deeper than the numerous preset options. The RGB presets are robust by default, but it is wonderful to allow this added level of customization.
Chilkey ND104 review: RGB on show.
However, the online hub does not cooperate with the Safari browser. I had to pivot to Google Chrome to utilize the full customization features.
The internal layers system of the ND104 and default buttons allows for specific function keys to work. But you will need to use the charts in the instruction manual for the function plus button combinations if you opt to skip the online Chilkey hub method.
Chilkey ND104 Review: In use
I used the ND104 for a month, and it is a solid mechanical keyboard.
Out of the box, setting up the ND104 and pairing it with my Mac Studio via Bluetooth took a few minutes, and utilizing the Chilkey online hub to customize a few keys put my total setup time at ten minutes (with the option for much more if I opted to be meticulous in the process).
The ND104 offers tri-mode connectivity via a connected USB-C cable, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz. I tested all three and experienced zero issues connecting to my Mac Studio and gaming PC.
Testing as many keyboards as I have for AppleInsider, I’ve come to appreciate clean user manuals and setup guides. The instructions need to be clear for every level of experience, and thankfully, the ND104 manual and online hub is easy to follow.
Chilkey ND104 review: The top right corner has a configurable display.
The intent with the ND104 is to deliver a mechanical keyboard that delivers full-size features and an obsessive level of detail with construction and durability. All while maintaining a pleasing design aesthetic.
With the ND104, it is successful in its goals.
The approach works, and I enjoyed my working experience with the ND104, even though I prefer low-profile keyboards with quiet switches and keycaps.
The chunky clack of the WS Breeze switches is satisfying. I am very curious how the ND104 would feel with a swap of switches to a quiet model and a few colorful keycaps for added personal flair.
Chilkey ND104 Review: Crowd Funding
Chilkey is running its first Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of the ND104.
Kickstarter has a reputation of being unpredictable when it comes to the funding and delivery of tech products. It is the nature of Kickstarter and smaller, inexperienced companies taking their first steps.
Missteps and outright failures can (and do) happen.
Chilkey is a fully established company with a large catalog of products, and this is its first Kickstarter campaign. At the time of writing, the project is fully funded, Chilkey is communicating with backers, and everything appears to be on track for production and fulfillment in December 2025.
The cost-benefit for purchasing the ND104 through Kickstarter is a discount off the MSRP.
Chilkey ND104 review: It’s all quite bright on the desk.
The cost of entry for the ND104 is in the range I would expect for a top-end, full-size mechanical keyboard, with an MSRP of $189 for the Lite model and $209 for the Ultra model. Early bird reward tiers bring the costs of the ND104 through the Kickstarter down to as low as 15% off MSRP.
Ultimately, it comes down to individual budgets and specific features to drive sales of the ND104. At $189-$209, the ND104 is not a casual purchase.
The ND104 is a good keyboard, but the lack of an offline driver for customization and the inherent risks that come with tech-driven Kickstarter campaigns are valid concerns.
Chilkey ND104 Pros
- Excellent build quality
- Compatible with macOS, Windows, and Linux
- Clever features like the dials and LCD screen
- Solid customization hub (despite being web-based)
Chilkey ND104 Cons
- Even the best Kickstarter campaigns can be risky
- Fulfillment is not immediate
- Not priced for casual purchase
Rating 3.5 out of 5
Where to buy the Chilkey ND104
The Chilkey ND104 is available through the Chilkey Kickstarter for a base price of $189 for the Lite reward package and $209 for the Ultra reward package. It’s not clear what the keyboard will cost at retail if it ever makes it there.
As part of the review, we’ve also incorporated the fact that it’s a crowdfunded project. As a crowdfunded project, there is always the risk of the product not shipping as promised — or at all.
Because of this, AppleInsider doesn’t cover the majority of crowdfunding efforts as a rule, unless hardware is available and after an assessment of the team behind the effort and its previous releases, if any.
