Among keyboard enthusiasts, the Wobkey Rainy 75 mechanical keyboard recently gained a deserved reputation as a rock-solid budget-to-mid-priced option. The 75% layout keeb for Mac or Windows combines premium materials, customizable features and impressive performance in a package that punches above its price point. This hands-on Wobkey Rainy 75 mechanical keyboard review will cover the bases to help potential buyers make an informed decision.
Wobkey Rainy 75 mechanical keyboard review
With their old-school tactile and audible feedback harkening back to technical and office work in the 1970s, mechanical keyboards continue rise in popularity in the context of modern computer setups. Gamers took them up big-time, especially for their responsiveness and because mechanical switches can register even simultaneous key presses better than traditional membrane keyboards. Popularity led to increasing competition and dropping prices, which in turn led to further popularity. Incredible durability and tons of customization options added to the fun. And now niche players like Wobkey do battle with relative giants like Keychron, and more people than ever geek out on mechanical keebs.
The Wobkey Rainy 75 keyboard comes in three variants: Lite ($99-$129), Standard ($109-$139) and Pro ($159-$169), each with different features and specifications. After spending a week or so using the Rainy 75 Silver Pro Mechanical Keyboard with Kailh Cocoa switches, I can say it delivers impressive performance and features for its price. And in some ways, it makes at least a couple of my other seemingly respectable keyboards feel like cheap toys.
Table of contents: Wobkey Rainy 75 review
- Rock solid build quality
- Keycaps and switches
- Performance and features
- Connectivity options
- Battery life
- Pros and cons
- Wobkey Rainy 75 mechanical keyboard review: bottom line
Rock solid build quality
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
This Mac, Windows and Linux-compatible CNC aluminum mechanical keeb feels solid and sturdy and offers great typing sounds. It features triple-mode connectivity, RGB lighting and VIA/QMK customization.
- Solid build quality, premium feel and sound
- 3 connectivity modes
- Customizable (RGB lighting and key mapping)
- It's hefty; not very portable
- VIA/QMK customization can be tricky
- No Mac keycaps
The first thing I noticed when unboxing the Rainy 75 is its substantial weight, at just under 4.5 pounds. It feels incredibly premium and sturdy. The case consists of two large pieces of CNC-milled aluminum with a steel weight embedded in the back, giving it remarkable density and stability on any desk surface. The Pro model features an electrophoretic coating that provides a durable finish with good color accuracy. My test model’s silver finish resisted fingerprints really well.
The solid construction extends throughout. As the keyboard ramps up toward the back, it’s not because I extended little feet on its underside. It slants up at an angle from the thickness of the body alone. And on the low side, down by the space bar, it’s nearly an inch tall, so a wrist rest is highly recommended.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
The internal construction is equally impressive, using a gasket-mounted design with 14 small rubber gaskets that isolate the PCB and plate from the case, according to the specs. That design choice reduces typing noise and creates a more comfortable, slightly bouncy typing experience.
The keyboard includes “flex cuts” around each switch, allowing for subtle downward flex when keys are pressed, further enhancing the premium feel. As I typed on this thing, I thought, wait — have I even used a keyboard made for grownups before?
Some spare parts are included in the box, like a few switches, along with a Wi-Fi dongle and a keycap/switch-pulling tool. If I were more of a hardcore DIY guy, I might be more disappointed about the lack of included spare gaskets. The tiny components are easy to lose during disassembly, and replacement options can be pretty limited.
Keycaps and switches
Photo: Wobkey
The Rainy 75 comes with double-shot PBT keycaps, which are significantly more durable than standard ABS plastic. The double-shot manufacturing process means the legends will never wear away, and the PBT material resists the shine that develops on ABS keycaps after extended use. The keycaps have a smooth, matte finish with clean, precisely printed legends and use a Cherry profile (slightly lower than traditional OEM keycaps).
All keycaps are standard size, making them easily replaceable with aftermarket options if desired. One bummer for Mac users is the keeb comes with Windows keys, not Mac ones. You can easily follow directions to use Mac mode and you can map keys in different ways, but if you want keys printed with OPT and CMD, you’ll have to get your own to install.
As far as the switches under the keycaps, they vary by model:
- Lite/Standard: HMX Violet linear switches
- Pro: Kailh Cocoa linear switches
The pre-installed switches come factory lubed and deliver a smooth typing experience. The Kailh Cocoa linears in the Pro model offer a pronounced “thock” sound with minimal spring ping and a medium actuation force that works well for typing and probably gaming (not my bag).
The hot-swap sockets mean you can easily replace the switches without soldering if you prefer different switch types. It’s worth noting that all stock options are linear switches, with no tactile or clicky alternatives offered. As mentioned, the keyboard comes with a keycap/switch-pulling tool to help you make the swaps.
Performance and features
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
It seems my basic keebs have kept me from knowing what I was missing when it comes to typing feel and sound. The Rainy 75’s combination of quality switches, gasket mounting and flex cuts creates an outstanding typing experience. Keystrokes feel crisp yet cushioned, with excellent stability and minimal if any wobble. The sound profile will most likely please aficionados of these things. To them, a deep and satisfying “thock” without being overly loud or distracting is perfection. To me, however, it’s mostly loud and distracting.
So despite my love for mechanical things and my resulting appreciation for mechanical keyboards, I have kind of a thing about sound. Even my own typing noise can get to me a little bit. I don’t think I’m ever going to joyously celebrate noisy keebs as much as a lot of people do.
Anyway, during extended typing sessions, the ergonomics and key feel remained comfortable for me. I didn’t get to a point of fatigue in my hands. And the 75% layout offered a good balance between compactness and functionality. It retains dedicated arrow keys and a function row. But with a keyboard this solid and heavy, it’s not like I need it to be super-compact. No way am I bringing it anywhere.
For gamers, the Rainy 75 Pro sports a 10,000Hz polling rate, which should mean extremely responsive inputs with virtually no latency. Linear switches provide smooth, consistent actuation without a tactile bump, which some gamers apparently find distracting. I find that difference subtle but interesting. And even I could tell the keyboard handles rapid keypresses and complex combinations well, without much double-typing or needing to press repeatedly to get it to register. After all, that’s a critical element for mechanical keebs versus membrane — in the latter, simultaneous key presses cancel each other out, along with your desired command.
Connectivity options
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
Like so many quality keyboards these days, Rainy 75’s Standard and Pro models offer tri-mode connectivity that comes in handy in different situations.
Connectivity choices with latency noted in milliseconds, according to Wobkey:
- USB-C wired connection (2ms)
- 2.4GHz wireless via included dongle (3ms)
- Bluetooth wireless (7ms)
I found all connection methods worked reliably, with quick switching between devices. The wireless performance showed no noticeable latency compared to wired mode, though the technical difference ranges from one to five milliseconds, according to specs.
Battery life and RGB lighting
With the Rainy 75, battery life varies by model. The Lite version lacks a battery, as its wired only. In the Standard one, you get a 3,500mAh battery. And the Pro model gives you two batteries totaling 7,000mAh.
I found the Pro model still going strong after a week, even with RBG lighting effects turned on from time to time. You can set the lighting to simple, basic colors or gentle actions, like a breathing effect. Or you can select something more distracting, if that’s your thing.
However, the RGB implementation on the Rainy 75, while bright and vibrant, isn’t necessarily that distracting. Its south-facing LEDs provide even illumination. And the lighting shines through the switches rather than the keycaps (non-shine-through). That creates a subtle under-glow effect more than it does a carnival midway light show more familiar from the more audacious backlighting in some keyboards.
Software and customization
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
You can customize lighting through VIA/QMK software, with numerous effects available including static, breathing, rainbow wave and reactive typing. But of course that same software helps you remap the keys and create macros if you like. Theoretically, VIA and QMK firmware/software support offers extensive customization options. But this where I ran into some problems with the keyboard.
It’s the type of situation where I end up wondering, is it me, or is it the product? In this case, connectivity with the VIA software seemed inconsistent. The keyboard sometimes only connected to VIA when using the wireless dongle, but not under wired connection. But then, after retrying and starting over, it would connect. And when it did, the customization options seemed to work as expected. Hard to say how big a problem that might be, and it seems possible firmware updates could improve matters.
Wobkey Rainy 75 mechanical keyboard review: Pros and cons
Biggish positives:
- Exceptional build quality and sound for the price
- Hot-swap sockets for easy switch customization
- Gasket mount design with flex cuts for premium typing feel
- Tri-mode connectivity (wired/2.4GHz/Bluetooth)
- South-facing RGB for compatibility with Cherry profile keycaps
Smallish drawbacks:
- Power switch location under the Caps Lock key (requires removing keycap)
- Variable QMK/VIA functionality in some connection modes
- No Mac keys included
- Only linear switch options offered stock
- No spare gaskets included
Wobkey Rainy 75 mechanical keyboard review: Bottom line
The Wobkey Rainy 75 is a very impressive budget mechanical keyboard. Despite some firmware quirks and minor design oddities, it delivers a premium typing and gaming experience that rivals keyboards costing significantly more. And it’s build quality and sturdiness are amazing.
For enthusiasts looking to step up from a basic mechanical keyboard without venturing deeply into pricier custom keyboard territory, the Rainy 75 represents an excellent value. The combination of solid aluminum construction, gasket mounting, quality switches and hot-swap capability makes it both a great out-of-box experience and a solid platform for future customization.
The Standard model offers a good balance of features for most users, while the Pro model, which I tried, is worth considering if you want the larger battery and prefer the Kailh Cocoa switches. The Lite model could suit those who don’t need wireless connectivity.
This Mac, Windows and Linux-compatible CNC aluminum mechanical keeb feels solid and sturdy and offers great typing sounds. It features triple-mode connectivity, RGB lighting and VIA/QMK customization.
- Solid build quality, premium feel and sound
- 3 connectivity modes
- Customizable (RGB lighting and key mapping)
- It's hefty; not very portable
- VIA/QMK customization can be tricky
- No Mac keycaps
Buy from: Amazon
★★★★☆
Wobkey provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out other in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
