Retro R8 Mouse and Keyboard review
Image: 8BitDo

Now, you'll most likely have seen the 8BitDo Retro range of keyboards doing the rounds over the past few months, as the company has been pumping out fantastic variations on the core mechanical board that take in the likes of Nintendo, the Commodore 64 and, in this case, the original Xbox console in all of its "black green" glory.

If, like us, you're a ravenous Xbox fan who immediately comes down like a Kinect peripheral on anything that's not quite right in these sorts of tributary ventures, you'll likely be a little concerned with the colour straight out of the gate, too. The Xbox had a very specific and unique look to it, it's imperative that 8BitDo gets this part right! Luckily, upon unboxing, they've only gone and nailed it, with an exact match for 2001's shade of green that's left us reeling. We have been smashed squarely in the jaw, face and arms with the old nostalgia hammer, and we love it.

Pair this slick keyboard, which I'll dive into the particulars of in just a mo, with the equally slick and stylish Retro M8 wireless mouse, to complete your Xbox set, you understand, and you've got a seriously good-looking way to play all your Xbox Game Pass PC titles. But do these two pieces of themed equipment work as well as they look? Well, let's find out.

Review: 8BitDo Retro 87 Keyboard & Retro R8 Mouse

8BitDo Retro 87 Keyboard

Let's kick off with the US/International layout keyboard, then, and the first thing to note is that whilst it's a mechanical keyboard, and a very good one at that, this isn't within the realms of the real top-notch, competitive, and way more expensive mechanical boards. Don't go in expecting this sort of high-end clobber and you'll be very pleasantly surprised, especially for the price. That's not faint praise either, I expected a much lesser board - and would have been OK with it - at this price point.

The reality is, since I've had the keyboard up and running on my main gaming PC for a few months now (a proper test, this was) it's become a favourite. Indeed, this writer has swapped out his beloved Razer Huntsman, as the keys on this 8BitDo board are just much nicer for typing and gaming over longer sessions, and I don't feel like writing, in particular, becomes annoying or uncomfortable over time, as it can do on some of the more serious keyboards of this type.

Of course, something to note right off the bat, too, is that there is no numpad here, making for a smallish overall frame, which I like. Sorry for those who can't do without the numbers, but it's no biggie for me personally. Starting at the top left side of the keyboard, you've got some lovely little black switches that toggle in a very satisfying way between Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4ghz wireless modes. This is also how you switch off after a session, and control volume on Windows via your keyboard.

Next to these switches, we've got three circular symbol buttons consisting of a pairing button, a fast-key mapping button, and a profile changing button. It's a little disappointing that these symbols are the same across all versions of the Retro keyboard, as it does feel like there was more room for console-specific nods here. A minor niggle, but a niggle nevertheless.

On the far side of the top of the keyboard, you've got a lovely big Xbox button that lights up and lets you access your Windows Game Bar, which is appreciated. Then, down beside the right-side ALT button, you've got fully-programmable A and B buttons. Oh, and I should mention here that this is the first of these keyboard designs that features full RGB lighting, so the whole thing can light up bright green in eight different styles, with lots of fun wavey patterns, and even one where it remembers the last key you pressed to keep it lit up momentarily, which is very Billie-Jean-music-video-cool.

Add to all of this the yellow, blue, green and red arrow keys - which have been cast in the same shiny plastic as the OG Xbox controller's buttons (that's double-layered crystal plastic to you, pal), and the translucent green effect of the board, and you've got plenty to play with and look at.

On the flip side, I'm a little disappointed there's no kickstand (a little personal preference on that one) but besides this, it's a very sturdy and expensive-feeling board that seems as though it should be hard-wearing. Also on the base, you've also got a hidden compartment with a dongle for connecting in wireless mode. However, I've got to say, I love the green cable on this keyboard so much I've just kept it plugged in, like a massive nerd.

Now, of course, this keyboard also comes with two delightfully silly "Super Buttons", just like all other versions, which are, well, just two silly big programmable buttons that hook up via the four auxiliary ports labelled "A,X,Y,B" on the back of the keyboard. Yes, that's right, you can hook up four of these huge buttons if you want to, baby, you're free now! You can then get silly and creative - even without software - to program functions into said buttons.

A good example, copy and pasting by bashing two great big buttons works for me. However, you could even play some rhythm games were you to set these bad boys up for it. Is there a real need for the super buttons? No, friends, there is not, and that's why I love them. Pure fun. Speaking of fun, you also get one free month of PC Game Pass in the pack here, so that's also quite nice.

Let's get a fraction more technical now, by talking about the innards of the keyboard, and in particular the keys, which revolve around tactile Kailh Jellyfish X switches, which come with double-layered ABS keycaps. These keys really do feel great, they're super smooth and responsive and, for me, and this is the main reason it's my go-to board right now, because I love the lower profile that's been adopted. The keys are 'MDA-Like' height, according to the specs, meaning the profile is shorter, resulting in that increased comfort over long sessions.

There's been no skimping here, no cheapness, this feels and performs like a high quality keyboard, that also happens to look absolutely cracking. Especially when you hook up the Super Buttons and your M8 mouse to complete the look.

Other tech stuff that you'll likely find interesting! It's a fairly dinky size, as mentioned, coming in at 376.6 x169.6 x46.8mm, and weighing a neat 1100g. Oh, and you'll need a Windows 10/Android 9.0 or above system to avoid issues. As dinky as it is, it's also very robust-feeling. This is a keyboard that will take some knocks, for sure.

8BitDo has also said that the battery, which takes around 4-6 hours to charge up fully, lasts for 200 hours on a single charge. Now, I've had the keyboard for a few months and have had it plugged in for the entire time (damn those sexy Xbox green cables) so I can't tell you as a 100% fact this is the case, but I have no reason to doubt, given the spot-on quality of everything else.

The 8BitDo Retro 87 Keyboard, importantly, also plays nice with 8BitDo Ultimate Software on PC, so you can get stuck into mapping and macros and all that good stuff.

8BitDo Retro R8 Mouse

Now, onto the mouse and, as cool as it does look, I have to say I'm a little less in love with this part of the overall package than I am with the keyboard.

As with the keyboard, the finish and attention to detail is of the highest order, with a perfect match for the board in terms of that translucent 2001 green - which has aged spectacularly well, I might add. They need to make consoles look like this again.

The most striking feature of this wireless mouse at first glance is the uniquely-shaped charging stand that it comes with. This swish stand acts as a charger and a handy magnetic base that you can flip your mouse up onto when you're done doing...whatever it was you were doing.

However, honestly, as cool as it does look, and as satisfying as the magnetic attachment is to use, it does feel a little like style over substance. Indeed, in terms of the mouse itself, a little more bending to the whims of human comfort wouldn't have gone amiss.

The stand can charge your mouse up, obviously, and it stores away your USB adapter in a compartment on its base. It also boosts your mouse signal, so it earns its place on your desk, and you can pretend it's Boba Fett's spaceship (no, I don't know it's name) for extra cool points. The mouse itself, though, is main sticking point. It's just too squared off and small.

8BitDo has gone with two long pointed mouse buttons, which helps as you can click with any part of your finger that's rested on them, but there's still a lack of grip, and the squared top accentuates this. I'd much prefer something chunkier personally, especially for gaming.

I do love the four Xbox-themed buttons (again with that fancy shiny finish) in their functionality and design, but again it's comfort that suffers, as I find them a little harder to locate and push than they really need to be. They're a little small, you see. I get why they went with round buttons here, to ape the Duke controller, but something easier to get at, especially on the left side of the mouse for me (left-handed) would be a substantial improvement.

Taken as a gaming mouse, as a result of these issues, I'm gonna pass on this one. However, for office use, it's still pretty great, and it really does look the business. Oh, and you get another of these amazingly nice Xbox green USB charging cables (I won't stop talking about the cables) and a free month of Xbox Game Pass is also thrown into the box, alongside a few stickers. Deal sweetened.

Do The 8bitDo Retro 87 Keyboard & Retro R8 Mouse Work With Xbox Consoles?

Now, another important aspect of these two beautiful peripherals, of course, is whether or not they work to any extent with actual Xbox consoles. After all, there are loads of Xbox games that support mouse and keyboard on console.

As stated at the top of our review, these are designed primarily for Windows 10/Android 9.0, however, using the supplied USB cable (have I mentioned these amazingly stylish green cables?) you can hook the keyboard up successfully to your console. This is the good news.

Through testing though, I'm afraid to say that compatibility issues mean none of the special features or toggles work on the console. So, yes, it will function as a basic keyboard, but you lose all those extras.

In terms of the R8 Mouse, again it hooks up fine, and you'll find it registered in the devices menu, however again you are losing functionality as it isn't supported by many, if any apps.

Overall then, the keyboard is a belting bit of hardware. It looks great, it has all the functions I need, and the lower profile on the keys has made it this writer's current go-to mechanical keyboard for comfort. It also looks amazing, it really does. 8BitDo has smashed the stylings on both of these. It may not be a pro-level gaming board, fair enough, but for the price point, and with the style and comfort combined, this is just a very nice bit of gear.

It's a shame, then, that the mouse is a little square, and a little small to be comfortable for me, it makes those flashy side buttons a bit too tricksy to get to, but again, it's a superb piece of kit to look at, and works fine as an office mouse, rather than a gaming one.

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Have you bought either of these? What do you think of them? Tell us in the comments down below.