Anne Pro 2 Mechanical Keyboard Review

If you’re looking for a wireless mechanical keyboard with RGB backlighting, then this Anne Pro 2 review is just what you’ve been looking for.

Not only is the Anne Pro 2 capable of connecting wirelessly with any device that has Bluetooth, it also has an extremely small footprint. Scroll down to learn more about its build, features, and that sweet RGB lighting.

Design

The Anne Pro 2 comes in a TKL (Tenkeyless) layout, so if you can’t stand a 60% layout keyboard then this keyboard is definitely not for you. There are a lot of advantages when it comes to TKL keyboards. The largest advantage is that it frees up a lot of desk space with its extremely small footprint. Another advantage is that it requires less hand movement while having all the features available in a TKL layout.

Apart from that, with a width of just 11.5″ (29.2 cm) and a weight of just 1.4 lbs (0.64 kg), the Anne Pro 2 is extremely easy to carry around with you. You shouldn’t worry about damaging the keyboard while carrying it around because the Anne Pro 2 is definitely built to last. Even though the frame is made of ABS plastic, its still very sturdy and it shows absolutely no sign of flex.

Obinslab opted for double-shot ABS keycaps so that the RGB lighting can pass through. The keycaps have a matte finish and apart from looking great, they also feel great. There are Fn features printed on the side of the keycaps, to make the Fn features easier to use. The Fn features are features that required the Fn key and the feature key pressed together to use. One of the Fn features is pressing the Fn key and the A key together. This is equivalent to using the left arrow key on a full-layout keyboard.

The ergonomics of the Anne Pro 2 are pretty average. Unfortunately, the Anne Pro 2 doesn’t have adjustable feet to adjust the incline of the keyboard. Apart from that, the keyboard stands quite tall so using it without a wrist rest may be uncomfortable. The box does not include a wrist rest unfortunately.

Switches

There are multiple mechanical switches to choose from when purchasing the Anne Pro 2. This mechanical keyboard is available in Gateron Red, Gateron Blue, Gateron Brown, Kailh Box Red, Kailh Box Brown, and Kailh Box White switches. For this Anne Pro 2 review, we are testing out an Anne Pro 2 with Gateron Brown switches. They feel very similar to Cherry MX Brown, and they are quite comfortable to type with.

Choosing the right mechanical switch for you may be quite a challenge. You can purchase a switch tester keyboard to test them out without purchasing multiple keyboards.

Features

This 60% mechanical keyboard is loaded with features. They’re all easy to use and adjust with the use of the ObinsKit software. A lot of keyboard manufacturers nowadays are offering software to control your keyboards, but the features in the downloadable software are usually minimal. However, this is not the case with the ObinsKit software. You can use the ObinsKit to practically change and adjust every feature of the Anne Pro 2. Apart from that, you can also use the software to update the firmware on the keyboard. This is something that I have never seen before in a keyboard software.

Two Layers of Customization

You may be thinking that getting a 60% keyboard will make it harder to use the arrow keys and page function keys such as the Page-Up and Page-Down keys. However, a 60% keyboard actually makes it even easier to use them since they are all easier to reach. Apart from that, the two layer customization feature in the Anne Pro 2 is a game changer. This feature makes the Anne Pro 2 the most customizable keyboard on the market hands down.

The majority of mechanical keyboards have only one layer of customization, and some of them have no customization at all. With the F1 and F2 keys available, the Anne Pro 2 provides two layers of customization! It may sound confusing to have two layers of customization, but once set up its one of the best features you will ever use in any 60% keyboard. With the help of the ObinsKit, you’ll be able to map each key on each layer to whatever you want it to.

You can have the W key to act as the up arrow key on the F1 layer, and then have the W key act as Page Up on the F2 layer. Each layer can be activated by holding down the respective layer key, F1 and F2. In this case, the W+F1 will act as the up arrow key and W+F2 will act as the Page-Up button.

To make it even better, once you’re ready setting the two layers on the ObinsKit, you can download them and update the keyboard’s firmware with a click of a button on the ObinsKit software. This will apply the changes to the keyboard’s firmware. Even if you connect it with another device, the two customized layers will still be available.

Tap Feature

When setting up the previously mentioned two layers of customization on the ObinsKit software, you’ll see another layer called Tap. The Tap feature in the Anne Pro 2 is simple, but it can be quite powerful. The Tap feature allows you to program a key to act in one way when pressed alone, and act another way when its pressed with another key. For example, by default the Right-Shift key on the Anne Pro 2 is programmed to act as an up arrow key when pressed alone, but acts as a Right-Shift key when pressed along with another key. The Tap feature can be customized however you’d like. And it can also be turned off if you don’t like it.

Bluetooth

Having a wireless keyboard that connects with Bluetooth is great, because you can connect it with almost any device. However, connecting via Bluetooth can sometimes cause input lag. Unfortunately, the Bluetooth connectivity in the Anne Pro 2 can be quite annoying. When connecting it wirelessly to a laptop, there was a lot of input lag and some keys were also being double pressed. When connecting it wirelessly to a PC, no issues occurred whatsoever. This is probably due to the fact that the PC used for testing has a dedicated Bluetooth antenna. But it really shouldn’t make a difference because we never had this issue when connecting other device via Bluetooth.

Some of the Bluetooth issues seem to be fixed when updating the keyboard’s firmware, but it still had some input lag. Having said that, switching to different devices via Bluetooth is extremely easy thanks to the Bluetooth profiles. The Anne Pro 2 has 4 different Bluetooth profiles. Switching the Bluetooth profile can be done by pressing the F2 button along with a number key (1, 2, 3 or 4).

Lighting

The lighting in the Anne Pro 2 is spectacular. This mechanical gaming keyboard has full RGB lighting with individually lit keys. Using the ObinsKit software, you can set up lighting profiles and download them to the keyboard. Once this is done, you can switch between lighting profiles by using the keyboard itself, even if its connected to another device.

When setting up the lighting profiles, there are various lighting modes to choose from. Apart from that, you can also customize each key to light up in any color you’d like. You can have the Anne Pro 2 act as a disco, or a single-color backlit keyboard. If you don’t like RGB lighting, you can also set it to white or completely turn it off.

Final Thoughts

It will be hard to find another 60% keyboard that is as good as the Anne Pro 2. Apart from being packed with features, the Anne Pro 2 is also extremely small and fairly light, which makes it super easy to carry it around. It is built extraordinarily well and is great for gaming and also office use.