After almost a month of use, the NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL keyboard alongside the Lift 2 Ergo mouse, this keyboard was like an onion. I had to peel back the many layers and features it offered. I enjoyed my experience with it overall—from the gaming and typing aspect. It was easy to plug and use right out of the box. There was not any software to preload, other than having to additionally download the NZXT CAM app. From its predecessor to this one, this TKL has evolved tenfold.
The tenkeyless form factor has grown on me through the years; I always thought I needed the number pad to run calculations or generally input numbers more easily. However, over the years, it is carefully-crafted TKLs like this one that have won me over. Out of the box, the heft of the keyboard could be felt. This makes a lot of sense because the NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL keyboard uses 5000 series aluminum for its main body structure—weighing in at 1.58 lbs.
One of the best parts of this keyboard is that it has hot-swappable switches—it also includes keycap and switch puller tools. Another great addition out of the box is that it comes with two extra switch types with different actuation focus (4 x 35g and 4 x 45g). This is awesome to tailor to a wider range of users’ playstyle and typing experience.
“Out of the box, the heft of the keyboard could be felt. This makes a lot of sense because the NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL keyboard uses 5000 series aluminum for its main body structure—weighing in at 1.58 lbs.”
The original Function MiniTKL and full form factor Function keyboard also contained hot-swappable switches, which used the Gateron Linear Red switches. Now, the NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL uses its own patented switches: the NZXT Swift optical switches. These are pre-lubricated switches that combine the plate-mounted stabilizers to guarantee smooth, quiet keystrokes—which I can attest, it does hold up its end of the bargain. Being optical switches, they are a lot easier to swap as well. The best part of optical switches is they last longer because they do not have the wear and tear on the metal leaf when a key is pressed down.
The optical switches are known to have a linear, lightweight feel. This one has a 0.2 ms response time and is said to have a 100-million key press guarantee. It also has an adjustable actuation setting between 1 mm and 1.5 mm; this can be chosen with the CAM app. I found this was great for switching between a better gaming feel and a better typing feel.
This TKL also has an 8,000 Hz polling rate transmitting input signals 8x faster than most gaming keyboards. What this means is that jiggle-peeking or jump-peeking in any FPS game like Valorant or Counter-Strike 2 is a lot smoother with a more swift responsiveness. The same could be said for bunny-hopping around the map in Fortnite to be a harder target to hit while scanning for enemies.
The keycaps for this keyboard utilize double-shot PBT keycaps that come with two layers of plastic to prevent fading of the symbols over time. There is also a dual layer of sound-dampening foam to enhance the acoustics by absorbing pinging noises that could typically be heard after a keypress bottoms out.
“Now, the NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL uses its own patented switches: the NZXT Swift optical switches.”
The last additional feature on the chassis is that it is built with tape-enhanced PCB (what NZXT calls “tape mod”) that reduces hollowness for a better sounding profile. Many keyboards that do not account for this leave a lot of reverberating noise with each keystroke, which can leave the user’s fingers numb over extended use of time—speaking from countless experiences using many cheaper, non-user-friendly keyboards.
As with many gaming keyboards, the NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL comes with RGB lighting! After tinkering with various colour schemes and styles, it was flawless, with no backlighting gaps behind any of the keys. Again, like most gaming keyboards, the NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL contains N-key rollover and anti-ghosting, ensuring there are no misclicks when the user is trying to clutch up a 1 vs 5 situation in Rainbow Six Siege.
The media keys on the left side carried over from the predecessor’s build. It felt like many users appreciated this style of the roller on the side versus the knob. I agree with the placement and the choice of its design because it means less space is wasted. The same could be said about the mute, WinKey lock and brightness buttons. Personally, I would have liked a Pause/Play button here, maybe, for easier access to listen to music, but that is just me.
I was a little baffled that the TKL form factor did not come with a wrist rest, so maybe that could be a nice touch for the next generation. Additionally, I would have loved the option for this keyboard to have another version that uses mechanical switches for even more custom options. I feel like the market for optical switches is still in its early stages, but this could be a good thing for the future. NZXT has not said if there will be other colourways coming out to choose from, for the whole board. I would like to see them go bolder with their colour designs on their next evolution of the Function series keyboards.
Otherwise, the NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL was phenomenal. While it is very much a gamer’s keyboard—much like the Lift 2 Symm is a gamer’s mouse—it also had a nice typing experience for long bouts of writing—making it a great choice for professionals as well. For $129.99, it was a significant improvement from the last iteration of this keyboard—not sure how they will top this one. It worked great out of the box and just got better to use over time. I will definitely be using the NZXT Function 2 MiniTKL more often, but I will be using a wrist rest I already have for the best experience.
- NZXT Swift Optical Switches have a linear, lightweight feel with a 0.2 ms response time, 100-million key press guarantee, and 1 mm or 1.5 mm adjustable actuation.
- MiniTKL form factor packs every key of a traditional tenkeyless keyboard into the smallest footprint possible to maximize space.
