The Durgod Fusion is the latest keyboard release that comes in a nostalgic retro design. The keyboard is packed into a tight 65% layout with Cherry MX switches, wireless connectivity, doubleshot PBT keycaps, and much more.
There are a ton of other awesome features that come with the Fusion not many people know about, so we’ll talk about some of the “hidden” features.
Let’s dig into the review.
Introducing the Durgod Fusion
Durgod’s latest release succeeds at plastering us with nostalgia and making us want a keyboard we didn’t know we needed to have.
The retro design of the Durgod Fusion brings back memories of the early days of the Original Nintendo and simpler times.
The Durgod Fusion is a compact 65% keyboard coming in a plastic case with a solid metal backplate. The keyboard feels firm with a slight flex to it and has carefully designed keycaps with an option for wireless connectivity through Bluetooth or a dongle.
The design of the keyboard is well thought-out with a two-color keycap design in Cherry profile produced with the double-shot manufacturing technique.
There is a some really awesome features to this keyboard, which we’ll go over.
Should You Get the Durgod Fusion?
The Durgod Fusion is a great keyboard that has a supreme typing experience. The keyboard has the best stabilizers I’ve ever felt out of the box, the keycaps come in the ideal profile and shape, and the 65% layout balances space-saving and comfort perfectly.
Not to mention the keyboard has Bluetooth, wired, and 2.4g connectivity.
There are a few minor drawbacks to the keyboard, such as a high final price point, hard to configure software, and a lack of secondary media keys.
We highly recommend this keyboard to anyone who wants a keyboard with an excellent typing experience that is also a reminder of the good ole’ days.
Pros of the Durgod Fusion
- 65% layout, a great balance of size and comfort. Smallest size with arrow keys.
- Classic retro design that brings back feelings of simpler times.
- Two power cables in different types for easy usage on new laptops with only USB-C ports (such as Mac).
- Awesome stabilizers that are excellent out of the box which make typing feel like a dream.
- Cherry MX switches with a wide variety available to really custom the feel and sound.
- Doubleshot PBT Cherry profile keycaps which come in the perfect shape and material type for excellent durability and awesome typing experience.
Cons of the Durgod Fusion
- High final price point. Price continuously goes up on the Kickstarter as more keyboards are sold.
- Space between the keys which allow dust and junk to fall in easier.
- Hard to configure, the instructions are difficult to follow.
- Lack of secondary media functions, only have few options.
- Recessed power port which can make it difficult to connect custom USB-C cable.
- No software, currently.
- Not hot-swappable. You’ll need to solder/desolder the switches to change them out.
You can find the Durgod Fusion on Kickstarter right now. As more people purchase the keyboard, the price will continue to go up, so get in now while you can.
At its final price point, the Durgod Fusion is not worth it, but if you get in before the price raises it can be an awesome keyboard for a good price.
In the Box: Lots of Add-Ins
- USB-C to USB-C cable
- USB-C to USB-A cable
- Keycap puller
- Plastic dust cover
- Durgod sticker
- Cable routing helper
The keyboard comes with a few add-ins that make opening the box quite exciting.
Two power cables in different types come with the keyboard, USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A.
These different USB heads are perfect for those who have a new computer that doesn’t come with the normal USB-A port, such as the latest Mac laptops.
The power cable is pretty normal, not braided or soft, which is standard for a keyboard.
There is a keycap puller thrown in as well for easy removal and replacement of the keycaps if you want to try out a different set.
A plastic dust cover is also included to keep dust, hair, and other miscellanious junk from falling between the keycaps when you’re not typing.
There is also a Durgod sticker thrown in, so you can rep the brand with a stylish blue and white colors.
Build Quality: Firm but Flexible
The Durgod Fusion comes in a few different case colors with nice grooves on top to match the classic Nintendo look and feel.
The case can either come in blue, white, or gray depending on which aesthetic you decided to go with.
There is a metal plate in the case to improve the structural rigidity, but overall, the case feels firm. However, if you really try to twist the case, there is some flex to it, which is normal for a plastic keyboard.
There is little ping when typing, which is a good sign and the metal plate doesn’t vibrate much.
The ping is mainly a result of the brand-new Cherry MX switches that come in the keyboard, which is pretty common.
The back of the case has a kickstand in one adjustment setting, which is a little disappointing, because it’s standard nowadays to have two kickstand settings.
The Keycaps: Ideal Profile, Material, and Style
The keycaps are an aspect of the Fusion the Kickstarter page didn’t mention enough, in my opinion. They come in a two-color design with a Cherry profile, and are made through doubleshot injection.
The Cherry profile is super exciting, as most pre-built keyboard come in OEM profile. Cherry profile is considered superior because it’s slightly lower and the keycaps are more angled, so your fingers need to stretch less when gaming and typing.
Cherry profile is the best for gaming and typing in my opinion. You can read more about Cherry vs OEM profile here.
The keycaps are doubleshot PBT, which means the legends are made from another layer of plastic and will never fade. In addition, the bright legends pop more on a dark background.
PBT keycaps are also longer lasting and more durable than the normal ABS keycaps, which really improve the lifespan and feel.
There are a few different designs you can choose from as well, whether its:
- Navigator: Blue, white, and yellow.
- Original: Orange, white, and grey.
- Steam: Black, red, and grey.
Overall, the keycaps are super durable, look great, and feel awesome to use. The Durgod Fusion really separates itself from the pack when it comes to this aspect of the keyboard.
The Stabilizers: Smooth as Butter
The Durgod Fusion has some of the best stabilizers on a pre-built keyboard I’ve ever felt. The stabilizers are Cherry style, plate-mounted, and are pre-lubed.
Pressing the spacebar and other larger keys feels great and produce an awesome sound. There is no rattle and make a “thocc” sound on impact.
The stabilizers make typing on this keyboard incredibly enjoyable and satisfying.
Usually we recommend people to lube and mod their stabilizers, but this keyboard doesn’t need it. Excellent out of the box.
The Switches: Cherry MX All the Way
The Durgod Fusion comes with your pick of the litter from the Cherry MX lineup. You get to choose between:
- Cherry MX Black
- Cherry MX Blue
- Cherry MX Red
- Cherry MX Brown
- Cherry MX Speed Silver
- Cherry MX Silent Black
- Cherry MX Silent Red
We opted for the Silent Red switches, as most manufacturers typically only let you choose between the Big 3: Blue, Brown and Red.
The Silent Red, Silent Black, and Speed Silver all cost a little bit extra, but can be worth it if you’re looking for a super stealthy switch or something handcrafted for better gaming performance.
Cherry MX switches are typically only on mid to higher-end keyboards, so it’s nice seeing that Durgod is willing to put high-quality switches into the keyboard.
Wireless Connection: Bluetooth and 2.4G
The Durgod Fusion comes with a few different ways to connect wirelessly through Bluetooth and 2.4G.
2.4G lets you connect through a dongle, which is great to use with computers that don’t have Bluetooth already built in.
The dongle is seamlessly built into the keyboard and is hidden underneath the logo. Honestly, this part of the design is pretty genius and shows how Durgod is willing to try some new stuff out.
The only downside to the Bluetooth and 2.4G is it was pretty hard to configure, even with the instruction manual. The sliding tab on the top of the keyboard isn’t very clear and the instructions are difficult to follow.
However, once we got everything up and running, the keyboard was working fine.
The Community Response to the Durgod Fusion
At the moment the Fusion has only been released to creators, primarily YouTubers, no actual customers have been able to lay their hands on the keyboard yet.
The overall response from the keyboard community has been positive overall. It’s nice to see keyboard manufacturers try something new and build a unique retro design.
Once the keyboard hits the public, it should be interesting to see if the Fusion lives up to the expectations created in the Kickstarter.
From our experience with the keyboard, we we’re quite surprised by how enjoyable the Fusion is to use and type on.
The Kickstarter smashed through its original funding goal and has been climbing consistently the whole time.
Alternatives to the Durgod Fusion
I would say there are no real alternatives to the Durgod Fusion at this point, as there are no other Retro keyboards in this form factor, but if we had to choose a couple similar recommendations, we would choose the Keychron K6 and the Epomaker GK68XS.
The Keychron K6 is another 65% keyboard with wireless connectivity, except it comes with hot-swappable switches, which is great for those who want to be able to change out their switches without desoldering. The K6 is way more affordable than the Fusion and it is easily compatible with both Windows and Mac OS. If you want to check it out, you can find it here on Amazon.
The Epomaker GK68XS is a keyboard that recently made it through the Kickstarter process, it comes in a 65% layout with hot-swappable switches and wireless connectivity. In addition, you can choose between aluminum or plastic cases in several different colorways. You can check it out here on Kickstarter.
If you’re interested in other 65% keyboard layouts, you can check out our list of favorite 65% keyboards.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a compact keyboard with a super unique retro design, you can’t beat the Durgod Fusion. The keyboard has some of the best keycaps and stabilizers out of the box and an excellent typing experience.
The different options for wireless connectivity really show how much Durgod cares out the customer experience with the keyboard.
There are a ton of different colorways and switch options available, so there is a version out there for everybody.
The Fusion has a couple downsides such as a lack of secondary media keys and a high final price point, but if you get in on the Kickstarter soon, you can snag the keyboard before the prices raises.
Overall, we we’re really surprised by how enjoyable the keyboard is to use and the fact that the keycaps come in a doubleshot PBT Cherry profile is also quite exciting.
You can check out all of the cool colors and designs of the Durgod Fusion on Kickstarter.
Happy typing!