Redragon's newly released Valheim K608 keyboard takes it name from the Valheim video game, which is a survival game inspired by viking culture and one of the most popular steam games with over 1+ million copies sold. Despite its "simplistic" graphics, Valheim is living proof that it's the gameplay that makes the game enjoyable, not the graphics. The same thing can be said about keyboards like the Redragon Valheim K608, which is a simple, yet effective keyboard for typing and gaming.
The Valheim K608 is a full size mechanical keyboard with 104 backlit key switches, which are soldered on to the PCB board; hence the Valheim K608 is not a hot swappable keyboard like the Redragon K630W, which has removable Outemu switches. The Valheim K608 has full n-key rollover support for all 104 keys and 4mm travel actuation with 60G actuation force. The overall feel of the keyboard is "airy", thanks to the floating keycap design and open keybed layout, which also makes removing keycaps and cleaning in-between keys much easier.
The Valheim K608 keyboard uses Redragon's own blue switches, which have a similar performance to other blue switch manufacturers such as Cherry MX blue switches. Being blue switch, the Valheim K608 switches are louder than brown and red switches, although nowhere as loud as IBM's buckling spring switches.
The top plate is made of plastic with a brushed finish while the plastic base panel has three large indentations, as well as rubber pads and two keyboard legs for height adjustment. The top row of keys is naturally higher (4cm high) than the bottom row of keys (3cm high). The keyboard legs provide an extra 1cm elevation. Speaking of rows, the Valheim K608 keyboard has a standard bottom row with standard seven keys and standard spacebar, making it easier to source aftermarket keycaps. The stock keycaps are made of single shot ABS plastic. A keycap removal tool is included, although it isn't as good as the metal removal tool you get with the K585 Diti Elite mini keyboard.
As far as the backlighting, each key switch is individually illuminated with RGB leds. There are nine lighting effects to choose from, as well as nine additional backlighting gaming modes, which light up specific key zones on the keyboard for certain game genres such as real time strategy and first person shooter. There is even a specific gaming lighting mode for Call of Duty, as well as a custom mode for customizing the key lighting to your liking. There is no option for single solid color lighting.
The Valheim K608 keyboard also has 12 virtual media keys, which are accessed by pressing Fn + F1-F12, giving you access to volume control, skipping tracks and other functions (all listed in the user guide). The virtual medial keys cannot be remapped or reprogrammed. The lighting gaming effects, as well as brightness and the speed of the lighting effects are controlled directly from the keyboard without software. The Valheim K608 keyboard weighs 724 grams and measures 43cm long and 13cm wide. You can buy the Redragon Valheim K608 keyboard with either blue, brown or red switches from the Redragon Shop.