These mechanical keyboards are two very different sides of the same beautifully made coin

Most mechanical keyboards are great these days, with colorful looks and satisfying typing sounds — even in budget-friendly ranges. But every so often, one stops me dead in my tracks. In this case, two of them.

I’ve been testing a pair of jaw-droppingly lovely keyboards that launched late last year: the Evoworks Evo75, a compact 75-percent layout with loud, low-pitched typing sounds, and the Dry Studio ATM 98, an 1800-layout / 98-percent layout with silent switches and a design that’s anything but quiet — complete with an enormous RGB-ified rotary dial. They are easily two of the nicest keyboards I’ve ever seen, heard, and used. And they’re not terribly expensive, either, with the Evo75 running about $170 and the ATM 98 costing $259 (each comes prebuilt with switches and keycaps). But what’s so fun about using both these keyboards is how these small works of art couldn’t be more different and how they’ll easily appeal to different people.

The Evo75 in this nebula color wants to be heard but not easily noticed. It’s a simple black keyboard with splashes of color on its keycaps, but closely examine the chassis, and you notice it has a subtle glittery effect in its spray-coated finish — hence the nebula name. (Other, more attention-grabby versions of the Evo75 come in purple, blue, sage green, and more.) Meanwhile, the ATM 98 wants to be seen but not heard. Its keys are very quiet, to the point that it should remain stealthy on calls or livestreams (unless your mic is very hot). But its silent tone still manages a touch of that raindrops-on-a-window-type sound. And, meanwhile, its translucent top half and large dial with bright RGB light is loud enough to turn anyone’s head.

Like many keyboard debates in our current mech golden age, there is no wrong answer. Both keyboards use hot-swappable switches and are tri-mode: compatible with wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz connections. They each use internal gasket mounted designs (with additional leaf springs on the Evo75) and are filled with foam layers to shape the sound and give a slightly bouncy typing feel. But really, both of these boards are exquisite.

If I had to pick one for myself, it’d likely be the Evo75. I never mind a slightly louder board, since I work from home, and I’m partial to the 75-percent layout (sharpen your pitchforks all you want, but I don’t need a number pad). But the sound of the Evo75, like its slightly larger and equally lovely Evo80 brethren, is just so intoxicating. The linear Keygeek Neo Rye switches matched with an internal polypropylene plate maximizes the Evo75’s deep “thocky” sound. A symphony of these keystrokes is like a bag of marbles bouncing around, just downtuned an octave. That sound resonates with me — I do dabble in bass guitar, after all. And it makes hammering away at the keys during long typing sessions feel absolutely indulgent. Like the Evo80, it blows me away that you can get a keyboard that sounds this nice, feels this excellent, and looks this unique right out of the box.

While there are 10 color combos to pick from for the Evo75, I love the nebula black. It’s the nicest painted finish I’ve encountered on a keyboard, especially when the light hits it at just the right angle — showcasing those tiny flecks of color on the surface. And the shiny weight beneath the Evo75’s plinth of a base is another touch of class. If I’m reaching, my only complaints about the Evo75 are that it lacks a spot to store its USB dongle like the larger Evo80 has — there’s just physically no space under the ball-catch release cover of this smaller keyboard. And the three-position switch for toggling wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz modes is a little floaty. Otherwise, this thing is nearly perfect.

As for the Dry Studio ATM 98, it’s the best silent keyboard I’ve used. The linear Bsun Light Sakura switches that come preinstalled are even quieter than the Kailh Box Deep Sea Islet Pro switches I put into my personal Meletrix Zoom75 board. But they also sound a bit velvety, raindrop-like, and overall pleasant. They’re stealthy enough to allow confident typing while you’re on a call, and their dulcet tones shouldn’t bother anyone in even the quietest office. The look of the ATM 98, on the other hand, especially in this frost whisper color scheme, definitely calls for attention.

Whatever color you choose — there’s misty dusk (gray) or night ink (black with a translucent top) — there’s no ignoring the giant rotary dial in the corner of the ATM 98. Even if you turn down the RGB lights or switch them off entirely, almost anyone will wonder what on Earth that mini Colosseum above your number pad is. As silly as this oversize knob is, I love it. It has nice, audible detents that feel and sound satisfying to turn in either direction. By default, the dial adjusts your system volume, but using Dry Studio’s browser-based configuration tool, you can customize it with up to four functions to flip between on the fly. In addition to volume, I used it for Page Up and Page Down (another default layer), previous and next tracks, and rotating between Windows virtual desktops. I’m sure some will look at the giant ring as an eyesore, but I find it fun and useful.

Couple the ATM 98’s quiet yet bouncy typing feel with its slick translucent looks and handy dial, and you’ve got a great keyboard with all manner of sensory satisfaction. If you don’t like how loud mechanical keyboards like the Evo75 (or even noisier models) can get, the ATM 98 is worth considering.

Like all mechanical keyboards, much of what makes a board uniquely special comes down to personal preferences — especially when you’re slightly deeper in the enthusiast space with boards like these. Whether you prefer a big sound and impressive build quality or silent typing with unique looks, either the Evoworks Evo75 or the Dry Studio ATM 98 could make an amazing upgrade to your desk setup. Hold the headphones, enjoy the typing.

Update, June 16th: Added audio typing samples for each keyboard.