The best gaming keyboards may have RGB effects, but this insane gaming keyboard from Finalmouse includes an actual display behind its transparent keys. Thanks to transparent keycaps and switches, users can outfit the mechanical keyboard with a variety of interactive visuals, from koi fish swimming in and out of frame that swims away when you tap a key to a space rocket launch.
Surprisingly, the gaming keyboard includes its CPU and GPU, which means it will not consume any of your PC’s resources while displaying video clips or interactive animations. In addition, when a user inputs something, these “interactive skins” react. Explosions, for example, erupt wherever you press, and there looks to be an interactive game right on the keyboard.
The keycaps are difficult to see in Finalmouse’s promotional video. However, from what we can determine, this keyboard has a 65% layout, as it lacks a function row and Numpad. The keycaps look to be a little flat, with legends printed on the shaft of each key, which faces the user. If you can’t type without glancing at your keyboard, this product is probably not for you.
While the number of interactive skins is unknown, the Finalmouse Steam app will include a skin marketplace called the Freethinker Portal. Users can submit their customized skins for free or monetize them, allowing for a collection of different animations or video clips to display on the keyboard. The Centerpiece keyboard can hold three skins, and users can switch between them using “dedicated buttons on the side.”
The Finalmouse Centerpiece keyboard has an anodized aluminum shell with CNC carvings around the frame and is connected via a single USB-C port. Furthermore, on the right, there is a “brightness knob” that can be used to turn off the display. According to the unveiling video, the Finalmouse Centerpiece will be available in early 2023 for $349. We’re sure to learn more about it in the weeks leading up to its release, such as how many pre-loaded skins will be accessible and how the Freethinker Portal app will function.