Back in May, we first reported on the Lofree Flow Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard, and to our delight, it was the best sounding, best feeling low profile keyboard we have ever used. The company completed its Kickstarter, quadrupling its funding goal by earning $1,646,998 HK (about $211,000 USD). Since then, it’s moved over to IndieGoGo to continue collecting pre-orders ahead of production, and the team sent us the alternate version to the one we tested before so we could try tactile switches. While much is the same, I loved the original enough that the opportunity to try an even more typing-friendly version was something I couldn’t miss.
If you missed that original review, I highly recommend you head over and take a look. With its compilation of Apple-inspired and Mac-friendly design, PBT keycaps, outstanding Kailh POM switches, and foam-filled gasket-mounted design, it’s simply the best low profile keyboard available today. In this article, I’ll be giving an overview of what makes it so good, and which switches are better (linear or tactile).
Lofree was also sent over its Lofree Touch PBT Mouse which is unlike anything we’ve seen before, so we’ll be taking a look to see exactly what makes it so different from other mice available today. Spoiler alert: It uses keycaps.
Specifications
Lofree Flow
- Current Price: Starting at $129 (IndieGoGo)
- Case: Aluminum chassis
- Case Thickness: 10mm
- Typing Angle: 3.9 degrees
- Switches: Kailh POM Ghost (Linear), POM Phantom (Tactile), POM Wizard (Clicky)
- Hot-swappable: Yes
- Keycaps: PBT, Dye Sublimated
- Mounting Structure: Gasket Mount
- Dampening/Tuning: Silicone plate foam, PE switch foam, PORON case foam
- Backlighting: Per-key white backlight, RGB side-lighting
- Connectivity: Wired, Bluetooth
- Battery Life: 40 hours
- Charging Time: 3 hours
- Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Mobile
- Weight: 568 grams
Lofree Touch
- Current Price: $69.99 (Lofree)
- Sensor: PAW3805
- DPI Range: 800/1600/2400/3200/4000/Custom Mode (adjustable every 200 DPI)
- Polling Rate: 500Hz
- Battery: 650mAh
- Working Time: 75 hours continue using time on a single charge
- Autosleep: without operation in 1 minute
- Material: PBT/ABS/PC
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0/Wireless 2.4G/Type C
- Weight: 105g
- Dimension: 108 x 68.5 x 42.5 mm
Lofree Flow - What Is It?
The Lofree Flow is a low-profile wireless mechanical keyboard that’s Mac-compatible straight out of the box. It also happens to be one of the most uniquely built keyboards of its kind, using a gasket mount structure and layers of sound-dampening, keystroke softening foam. This is a design that’s common in the world of full-size custom mechanical keyboards but in the low profile world, no one else has added so much, so well.
With a fully aluminum case that stands only 10mm high and uniform, flat keycaps, the Flow is perfect Apple Magic Keyboard fans and laptop aficionados. The design is minimalist and elegant. While the linear version we tested used white keycaps, those on our tactile sampel were black. Both look very good with simple white legends and orange Mac commands along the function row. The case is bead blasted aluminum giving it a reflective, yet matte finish, and a great bit of contrast when viewed from the top.
I wrote this in my original review, and it remains the same here:
Everything, and I mean everything, feels well-considered and intentional. The way the hex screws are placed around the exterior, causing gentle glints of light; the singular LED strip on the bottom edge; even the feet, which are separate pieces of rose gold aluminum precisely bent to match the angle of the bottom case, feels designed with elegance in mind. This is the kind of keyboard you could see Apple itself producing.
Its biggest competitor is the Keychron S1 and, on paper at least, the two keyboards are very similar. They both use doubleshot PBT keycaps (also uncommon in low-profile mechanical keyboards). They both offer hot-swappable switches and moddable stabilizers. They both incorporate sound dampening into their design and each works with Mac right out of the box.
But the Flow wins — and by so much, it’s not even really a competition. It uses a gasket-based mounting structure that dampens typing sounds and provides extra softness when typing compared to the S1’s tray mount. It also uses a layer of silicone between the plate and PCB, PORON at the bottom of the case, and PE foam beneath the switches, while the S1 offers a single layer of foam at the bottom. The foam configuration isn’t just for softness and isolation, it’s also for tuning the typing sound (and it’s the best in the business). Despite these additional layers, there’s even a bit of flex when typing or pushing down on the keys.
The Flow also supports wired and wireless connectivity over Bluetooth with up to three devices. The battery life is pretty good at 40 hours and recharges completely in just three hours. Disable the backlighting completely and you’re likely to extend that further.
What really sets the keyboard apart, however, is its sound and feel. Lofree’s use of 100% POM switches alongside the gasket mount, foam enhanced build structure, gives this keyboard a light, poppy sound that’s soft under the fingers and oh-so-satisfying to use. Most low profile keyboards sound the same: the switches are usually very similar and there isn’t much room inside the case to work with to enhance it. But the Lofree Flow has done it: it sounds better than most full-size keyboards and leaves every other low profile keyboard in its dust. If the sound and feel of your keys matter to you, it’s no contest: Get the Lofree Flow.
Lofree Flow - Linear, Tactile, or Clicky?
So which is best? That depends greatly on your own preferences and how you plan to use it, but over my years of testing keyboards, I’ve learned that low profile keyboards are almost always best with tactile switches. Things aren’t so cut and dry here, but for most users, the Phantom switches are going to be the safest bet.
The biggest reason for this is that the reduced travel distance of the keys makes it easier to typo. A tactile bump compensates for the travel distance. Lofree’s Phantom Tactile switches have a prominent tactile bump that also gives them a slightly more crisp sound profile compared to the Ghost Linears.
I say that it’s not so cut and dry because the Ghost Linear switches are actually heavier than traditional linear switches, like Cherry MX Reds, with an actuation force of 50 grams. That alone dissuades typos as you’re learning to use it (though certainly not as much as a genuine tactile bump). So, they usual concern about low profile linears is naturally reduced here. The lack of tactile bump with the Ghost Linears also gives them a smoother sound that I prefer to the tactiles. They’re both very good, mind you, and are both enhancements to every other low profile keyboard available today, but the linears highlight the construction a bit more, rather than the sitches alone.
I wasn’t able to test the clicky switch variant, as they’re only available as an add-on purchase. If the tactile and linear versions are anything to go by, I’m sure they’ll be great for fans of clicky switches. With that said, the clicky is likely to mask some of the natural sound of the keyboard itself, so I’m glad they’re available as add-ons, so you can go back to linears or tactiles if you wind up preferring them.
Lofree Touch PBT Wireless Mouse
Along with the tactile version of the Flow, Lofree also sent along its unique Touch PBT Wireless Mouse. It’s a mouse unlike anything I’ve encountered before and for one good reason…
It uses keycaps! Instead of traditional buttons, left and right click are topped with PBT keycaps similar to what you’d find on a mechanical keyboard. These keycaps can also be swapped out for custom sets that Lofree sells in bundles on the official product page. It looks strange at first, but it’s unique and customizable in a way that mice generally aren’t.
I have to admit, at first, I wasn’t sold on the design. It’s so far removed from a traditional mouse, I wasn’t sure that it would be comfortable. But it is. Surprisingly so, in fact. The keycap design doesn’t impact usability or comfort at all, so you can make the switch without fear of buying in and then not liking how it feels in your hand.
And for productivity, it performs very well. Its specs aren’t designed for gaming (it uses a mid-tier sensor, a max DPI of 4000, and a polling rate of 500Hz), but for working in the Adobe suite, it’s perfectly fine. It also uses a wireless dongle, so you won’t need to plug it in even if your PC doesn’t support Bluetooth or doesn’t have reliable connectivity. It also has a built-in OLED display, so if you need to adjust your DPI (customizable in 200 DPI intervals), you can do so right onboard without any kind of software.
The Lofree Touch PBT Wireless Mouse really embodies what Lofree is all about: unique designs, artistic inspiration, and challenging convention.
Final Thoughts
The Lofree Flow is absolutely exceptional no matter which version you choose. If you’re looking for a low profile keyboard and want the absolutely best typing experience available today, look no further. You’ve found it. Find out more on IndieGoGo.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
