The Varmilo Sword 2 Mechanical Keyboard – Gorgeous, But Not Linux-friendly

📅 December 29, 2022
A superbly fine keyboard but with a serious drawback.

I had the opportunity to use undoubtedly the best keyboard I have ever had the joy of typing on so far: the Varmilo Sword 2 mechanical keyboard.

Yes, the Ducky One 2, Ducky One 3, DROP Alt, and Akko keyboards are very good, but the build quality of this particular metal masterpiece is an awe to behold in person. It oozes quality and luxury fresh out of the box.

But how does it perform with Linux? It is a keyboard, after all, so how hard can that be? While this keyboard impresses, I found a few issues from my personal usage that others might want to be aware of.

Given the dearth of information about this keyboard, here are my thoughts regarding this fantastic typing marvel in an effort to assist others using Linux.

Akko 5108S Pac-Man Themed Keyboard

📅 December 24, 2022
Wakka, wakka, wakka!

Now, here is a glorious find of arcade delight! Completely unexpected, I chanced upon the Akko Pac-Man themed mechanical keyboard and had the opportunity to give it a try.

Does it work with Linux? Is it just a cheap gimmick? Can it be used for serious typing?

Here are my thoughts.

The Silicon Power 1TB A60 NVMe with Linux

📅 December 23, 2022
I needed a low-cost, high-capacity NVMe for a small Linux project, and the Silicon Power A60 filled the need better than expected.

Having experienced good success and perfect Linux compatibility with the Silicon Power NVMe brand 512GB and 2TB A60 in the past, how does the 1TB compare?

Here are my results.

MeLE Quieter3Q and Linux – A Faster Silent Mini PC

📅 December 5, 2022
“If you liked the Quieter2Q, then the Quieter3Q is…faster.”

The Quieter2Q is a decent, fanless, low-power, 100% silent mini PC that can be used as a standalone Linux/Windows computer or for dedicated tasks, such as Batocera, Pi-Hole, Proxmox, NAS, or whatever your imagination can conjure where a mini PC will excel.

The Quieter3Q is pretty much the same as the 2Q, but the 3Q uses a faster N5105 CPU compared to the J4125 CPU of the 2Q.

How do the two compare? Can we run some Linux benchmarks for testing? Here are my thoughts.

Akko Cream Blue Tactile Switches for Mechanical Keyboards

📅 December 4, 2022
“Cream Blue? Is that a confectionery?”

With so many keyboard switches named after fruits and desserts, Akko continues the tradition with a new line of switches.

One tactile set from this flavorful series is named Cream Blue, I wanted to try it out to see if it was any better than the previous tactile Jelly Blue. Is there anything special about it? How does it compare to the Akko Jelly Blue? What is typing like?

Here are my thoughts.