See full bio

Huzaifa Haroon

Being a keyboard enthusiast, I specialize in reviewing, modding, and critiquing them for the people. If you’re a Razer fanboy, my only goal is to convert you to the dark side 😈.

See full bio

The Ajazz AK820 Max is one fascinating keyboard because it’s actually two. Yes, there are two different, albeit similar-looking, keyboards named the AK820 Max. One has a screen and a slightly less sophisticated design, while the other is simpler and has an F13 key in place of said screen. Both of these are priced similarly but feature different internals, like switches.

We received our unit from Epomaker, which is the screen-less version, but a quick Google search will show you mixed results of this one and another with the screen. Even on AliExpress, both models are seemingly intertwined within the listings, though in some places, it’s called the AK820 Max “Plus”. Regardless of the confusion, let’s take a look at this budget offering from Ajazz.

Key Takeaways

• The Ajazz AK820 is a solid keyboard with good performance across the board, but it doesn’t really stand out in this competitive market. 
• Buy the AK820 Max if you’re a fan of RGB and want a keyboard that utilizes its lighting to its maximum potential with side-printed keycaps.
• Avoid the AK820 Max if you want software support along with a better value proposition offering more for your money.

Here are the key specs of the keyboard:

What Makes The Ajazz AK820 Max Different?

There is nothing that makes the AK820 Max stand out from the crowd apart from its availability. In some situations where boards like the Aula F75 might be out of stock, the AK820 Max steps up nicely as a similar-quality alternative, often for the same price. The board has all the basics nailed down, so you can’t go wrong with it as your first choice, either.

Unboxing Experience

The AK820 Max comes in an unassuming black box with red accents. The Ajazz logo is plastered across the front with no picture or even the name of the keyboard. I genuinely forgot for a second what model I was reviewing before opening the box. Speaking of which, there is a single tab in the middle to get inside.

In the box you’ll find the board wrapped in plastic with a dust cover on top. There’s a manual underneath the package and some accessories tucked above it. You don’t get much with this keyboard and I haven’t seen extras this bare in a while. The keycap and switch pullers are old-school instead of the combined one you actually should use.

Here’s everything you get in the box: 

• 1x Ajazz AK820 Max
• 1x USB-C cable 
• 1x Switch Puller
• 1x Keycap Puller
• 1x Manual

Design & Build 

Unlike the AK820 and AK820 Pro, the Max model takes on a much more ergonomic design with rounded corners and a two-tone aesthetic creeping up the sides. Similar to the Aula F75, the board has chamfered bezels that create a separation between the top and bottom cases, such that it looks like the walls of the bottom come up till the top surface.

This creates for a more sophisticated look than the simple boxy shape that the AK820s of the past had. That being said, the knob is still the same. You get a metallic rotary encoder that controls volume. It has satisfying clicks and ratchets perfectly to provide smooth rotation. 

Toward the back, we see more of the same repeating. There’re a couple flip-out feet for height adjustment and some rubber pads to prevent the board from sliding around. A sticker has been added to the middle as well with the board’s name. This is one area of the board I wished Ajazz improved to differentiate from its predecessors as it looks too bare.

More importantly, Ajazz has found a great way to store the wireless dongle on the board itself. Below the right flip-out foot there’s an extra slot with magnets inside so you can neatly tuck away the dongle in there when not in use. This slot is baked into the cutout of the feet seamlessly, so it doesn’t stand out either.  

The side profile is interesting, too. It starts off level with the bottom case but has a slant that cuts the thickness in half, giving it a different look than most. The connection mode switch is located right next to the USB port, along with a toggle for Windows and Mac. There’s also an Ajazz logo below the arrow key cluster.

Lastly, the board has a standard 20mm front height with a 5-degree typing angle and weighs almost a kilogram. It’s made out of plastic but doesn’t feel cheap. In fact, I prefer the fit and finish of this Max over the Aula F75 Max, which is more expensive. Unfortunately, it does flex a little if you apply pressure and I heard a weird ticking noise coming from the left side, too.

Layout & Features

The Ajazz AK820 Max is very aptly named as it has exactly 82 keys. Technically speaking, it’s an exploded 75% layout which means the arrow keys and the nav cluster are separated from the alphas and mods. Ajazz has put 3 indicator LEDs besides the nav keys for Caps Lock, Win Lock and charging. 

Like most modern prebuilts, the AK820 is fully wireless with support for 2.4Ghz radio and Bluetooth connections. It’s gasket-mounted with silicone nobs all around the plate, which is made out of FR4 and has flex cuts. There’s plenty of foam inside as well for sound dampening with a thick piece of silicone at the bottom that also adds some weight.

The AK820 Max is fully hotswap with 5-pin south-facing sockets and per-key RGB. This helps in providing unique RGB as the keycaps are side-lit. The PCB is only 1.2mm thick and features flex cuts. There is no support for screw-in stabs or additional layouts either. One thing to note is that the retro colorway of this board has a different polycarbonate plate.

The Fundamentals

Keycaps

Ajazz doesn’t specify what keycaps they’ve used on the AK820 Max but they look and feel like PBT. They’re rocking a Cherry profile with blank tops because they have side-printed legends. This is where the south-facing RGB comes into play as it shines nicely through the bottom of these keycaps to give a stealthy aesthetic.

Turning them around, you see a thin translucent layer of plastic underneath which makes them doubleshot. They aren’t thick and don’t look as high quality as your typical doubleshot PBT set. There are no egregious molding marks, and the stems are tight enough, however. As for the legends themselves, they get the job done.

I found the lighting to be mostly consistent with even the longer keys doing just fine. The font is not aggressive, and the modifiers have shortened characters which helps with the RGB. Compared to the Aula F75 Max, these look better. If you get the retro colorway of the AK820 Max, you get higher-quality doubleshot PBT keycaps with normal legends instead.

Switches

There are two different switches you can get with the AK820 Max: Epomaker Sea Salt and Flying Fish–both linears. We have the Seal Salt in our unit, as that’s the only choice you get with the side-printed version. These are 50g linears that come prelubed from the factory with a total travel distance of 3.5mm. 

Therefore, these feel heavy to type on. I’m used to 45g linears and I definitely noticed the extra pressure needed to press these (all the way). Interestingly enough, the Sea Salt switches are 3-pin but that didn’t affect their stability whatsoever. They feel smooth and the factory lube job is consistent. There is slight stem wobble but nothing that’s not manageable. 

Stabilizers

The AK820 Max comes with standard plate-mount stabilizers with no support for screw-in stabs, but you won’t need that. Out of the box, these stabs are factory-lubed with precision … for the most part. The spacebar, unfortunately, does rattle toward the right side and you’ll notice it if you hit it from your right hand. The rest of the batch is virtually perfect.

The Stabilizers

1 of 2

Connectivity & Performance

As mentioned earlier, the AK820 Max is a wireless keyboard; it has Bluetooth and 2.4Ghz radio support which helps make it a contender for wireless competitive gaming. In my experience, I noticed no lag or connection dropouts. The performance was nearly flawless with only the most hectic situations unearthed the latency of this board. I’d suggest plugging in for those sessions.

There’s a 4000mAh cell inside the AK820 Max but you get a whopping 8000mAh battery in the retro colorway for some reason. I found the battery life to be excellent with the board lasting 2 days with RGB on. It has a pretty aggressive energy saving system where it’ll turn off every minute of nonuse, but this time can be adjusted in the software.

Never once did it miss any inputs while in standby mode which is something rare among budget keyboards all around. That being said, if you try to wake up the board with the volume knob, it won’t. You need to first press a key that’ll turn on the RGB and then the volume knob works. This was a little frustrating when watching movies or YouTube videos where you wouldn’t touch the board and may want to just adjust the volume directly.

Typing Experience

I had a very pleasant typing experience on the Ajazz AK820 Max. While the board doesn’t necessarily have any character, it sounds inoffensive, and any beginner would love the overall package. It feels satisfying to type on with a lower-pitched signature but enough volume to ensure you hear what you hit. 

I didn’t have an issue with the ticking spacebar either because I’m used to hitting it with my left thumb, where it’s solid. Even though the switches are heavier than I’d like, that’s down to personal preference and I still didn’t mind them. They almost felt robust; structurally sound. The board is firm but if you apply enough pressure the plate and PCB gives in to some flex. 

The Software

The Ajazz AK820 Max has no dedicated software. Most keyboards in this bracket do have some sort of software support with DIY kits even having VIA sometimes, but the AK820 Max offers nothing. You use the Fn key shortcuts to control the RGB and that’s about it. The board does have really vibrant lighting that looks beautiful paired with the side-lit keycaps. 

Should You Buy It?

Buy It If:

✅ You like RGB as the side-printed keycaps really accentuate the already bright and vivid lighting this board has to offer.

✅ You’re looking for a good keyboard that does everything right without breaking the bank and is readily available. 

✅ You want a volume knob as the AK820 Max has a solid rotary encoder without any gimmicks. It’s made out of metal and feels satisfying to use.

Don’t Buy It If:

❌ You’re looking for the best value in budget keyboards as the Aula F75 (when priced right) is still better and other options like the Cidoo QK61 exist.

❌ You’re fond of the extras because the AK820 Max has none. It doesn’t even come with high-quality keycap or switch pullers.

❌ You need software support as the AK820 Max relies on Fn key shortcuts to adjust everything with no dedicated software.

My Thoughts

The Ajazz AK820 Max is a good keyboard that doesn’t miss out on anything. It keeps a back-to-basics approach focusing on the fundamentals of a keyboard. While it nails the build quality, switches, and keycaps, the stabs leave a little to be desired because of the inconsistent stab. The lack of software support might be strange, but I actually consider it a plus and very in character for a board that has no frills.

Unfortunately, at its price point the AK820 Max does nothing extraordinary that earns my recommendation. The fact that it’s so simple actually hinders its appeal because there are other keyboards at this price already established as safe options. At the same time, if it had gimmicks, then the board wouldn’t be as mature. It’s a double-edged sword but the blade just isn’t sharp enough either way.