Quick Answer: The YUNZII AL80 ($109.99 on YUNZII’s store, November 11, 2026, compare-at $139) is one of the cheapest ways to get a CNC aluminum 75% keyboard with gasket mount, hot-swap sockets, QMK/VIA, a knob and a small screen. Its listing averaged 4.76 out of 5 from 135 reviews. Buy it if you use Windows and want a heavy metal board (1,438.5 g, per YUNZII). Skip it if you’re on a Mac, because there’s no right Alt key and so no right Command key. Skip it too if you play competitive shooters (1,000Hz, no rapid trigger) or need a long return window: YUNZII allows 7 days and charges a 35% restocking fee.
The AL80 is YUNZII’s only 75% aluminum keyboard still in stock on its US store. The rest of the AL line (AL65, AL66, AL68, AL71, AL75) has sold out, as we noted in our best YUNZII keyboard guide. That makes the AL80 the board people land on when they search for a “YUNZII aluminum keyboard”. We didn’t test it ourselves. Instead, we went through YUNZII’s store listing and spec table, the AL80 manual (version 241209), YUNZII’s software and refund-policy pages, and four published reviews: Parkablogs, Pokde, Notebookcheck and DayOne. The goal was to pin down what you get for $109.99 and where the sources disagree.
YUNZII AL80 at a glance
| Spec | YUNZII AL80 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $109.99 (compare-at $139); barebone kit $89.99, sold out | yunzii.com, Nov 11, 2026 |
| Layout | 75%, 80 keys + knob (the manual says 79 keys) | Store spec table / AL80 manual |
| Screen | "LCD" on the store page, "OLED" in the manual; shows time, battery, mode, images and GIFs | Store page / manual |
| Case and mount | CNC anodized aluminum, gasket mount, back weight | Store spec table |
| Plate | Not listed by YUNZII. Notebookcheck's image caption says metal; TechX Reviews says polycarbonate | Conflicting |
| Connection | USB-C wired, 2.4GHz dongle, Bluetooth (3 channels), up to 5 devices | Store page / manual |
| Polling rate | 1,000Hz | Store page |
| Battery | 6,000mAh; about 36 h with lighting / 96 h without (launch spec quoted by reviewers) | Store page; Parkablogs, Pokde, Notebookcheck |
| Switches | YUNZII Cocoa Cream V2 or Gateron Zero (both linear, pre-lubed, 5-pin), hot-swap 3/5-pin | Store page |
| Keycaps | Double-shot PBT, Cherry profile | Store spec table |
| Size and weight | 314.45 x 137.7 x 41.1 mm; 1,438.5 g (3.17 lb) | Store spec table / manual |
| Software | VIA (browser, wired only); screen via YUNZII's Windows app or web tool | AL80 manual, software page |
| In the box | USB-C cable, 2.4GHz dongle, switch and keycap puller, 2 spare switches, 7 extra keycaps | AL80 manual |
| Warranty | 1 year (keyboard), 3 months (battery) | YUNZII refund policy |
By the numbers: On November 11, 2026, YUNZII listed the AL80 at $109.99, 21% below its $139 compare-at price. 3 of its 6 variants were in stock: Silver with either switch and Black with Cocoa Cream V2. Every Beige variant and Black with Gateron Zero were sold out, as were all 3 colors of the $89.99 barebone kit. The listing’s Judge.me widget showed 4.76 out of 5 from 135 reviews. At 1,438.5 g, the AL80 weighs about 45% more than YUNZII’s plastic B75 PRO MAX (993 g) and close to twice the Keychron V1 Max (770 g).
Which AL80 versions you can buy
| Variant | Switch | Price (yunzii.com, Nov 11) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | YUNZII Cocoa Cream V2 | $109.99 | In stock |
| Silver | Gateron Zero | $109.99 | In stock |
| Black | YUNZII Cocoa Cream V2 | $109.99 | In stock |
| Black | Gateron Zero | $109.99 | Sold out |
| Beige | YUNZII Cocoa Cream V2 | $109.99 | Sold out |
| Beige | Gateron Zero | $109.99 | Sold out |
| Barebone kit (Silver, Black, Beige) | None (no switches or keycaps) | $89.99 (compare-at $104.99) | All sold out |
The price hasn’t moved since launch. Notebookcheck reported $110 when the AL80 launched in March 2025, and Parkablogs and Pokde both quote $109 to $109.99. DayOne reported a 20%-off sale price of $87.91 in July 2025, so the AL80 does go on sale.
The AL80 in detail
YUNZII AL80
- CNC anodized-aluminum case with a back weight and a gasket-mounted PCB, plus several layers of sound-absorbing material, per YUNZII's listing. Parkablogs describes a reflective tinted-mirror back panel, hex screws and four rubber feet.
- Pre-lubed linear switches in hot-swap 3-pin/5-pin sockets. You can choose YUNZII Cocoa Cream V2 (50 ± 10 gf, 3.3 mm total travel) or Gateron Zero (45 ± 15 gf, 3.6 mm). Double-shot PBT keycaps in Cherry profile.
- A small screen under the knob shows the time, battery, connection mode, a picture or a GIF. You switch views with Fn + 8, 9 and 10, per the manual. The metal knob controls volume by default and can be remapped in VIA.
- Tri-mode wireless with 3 Bluetooth channels, a 2.4GHz dongle that stores in a slot in the board, and USB-C. YUNZII rates it at 1,000Hz polling and lists a 6,000mAh battery.
The published reviews agree on the basics. Pokde gave the AL80 its Gold Pokdeward and called it “one of the strongest 75% keyboards in its price range”. Its reviewer said “it’s really hard to find a mechanical keyboard that’s as well built as this one at this price range, and it’s wireless too.” Parkablogs’ reviewer, who daily-drives YUNZII’s plastic B75 Pro, called the build “extremely solid”. They said typing on the Cocoa Cream V2 switches was “wonderful”, while their B75 Pro with Milk switches “sounds thin by comparison”. TechX Reviews singled out the pre-lubed stabilizers but said “a drop of lube would quiet them further”.
What $109.99 buys is the combination. Most aluminum 75% boards at this price are barebone kits with no switches or keycaps. YUNZII’s own barebone AL80 kit was listed at $89.99, so the assembled board adds switches, PBT keycaps and the screen for $20 more. That kit was sold out in all three colors on November 11.
The catches: what to know before you buy
| Issue | What the source says | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| No right Alt key | Right side has Ctrl only, so Mac mode has no right Command key (Parkablogs: "a deal breaker for Mac users") | Mac users who use right-hand shortcuts |
| Screen not customizable in VIA | Manual: "The VIA cannot customize the OLED screen". Parkablogs and Pokde found the screen app Windows-only; YUNZII's software page now also lists a Win/Mac web tool (yunzii-game.com) | Mac and Linux users who want custom images |
| 4-minute sleep timer | Manual: lights off after 4 min idle on wireless, deep sleep and disconnect after 30 min. DayOne: "the first 5 letters I type just do not register" | Anyone who pauses often, e.g. while watching video |
| VIA needs a cable | Manual: VIA works only in wired mode and only on recent Chrome, Edge or Opera | Anyone remapping keys |
| Knob next to Delete | Parkablogs: "Hitting the Delete key usually hits the dial" | Heavy Delete-key users |
| US ANSI only | Notebookcheck: no German layout, so no direct umlauts. YUNZII's store has no ISO version of the AL80 | ISO-layout typists |
| Weight | 1,438.5 g. Pokde: heavier than a Dell XPS 13 | Anyone who moves the board around or travels |
| Fewer layers than the AL65 | Pokde: "fewer firmware layers than its predecessor" | Power users with many VIA profiles |
The Mac problem is the big one. Parkablogs found that without a right Alt there’s no right Command key in Mac mode, so one-handed shortcuts like Command + O no longer work with the right hand. The manual also warns not to use Win-lock when switching to macOS (Fn + A), because the Win and Alt keys swap roles. VIA can reassign any key, so you could turn right Ctrl into Command. But that needs a cable and a Chromium browser, and Parkablogs’ reviewer didn’t manage it. If you’re mainly on a Mac, our best keyboard for Mac guide covers boards that ship with Mac keycaps and a full right-hand modifier row.
The screen needs YUNZII’s own software. The AL80 manual says VIA can’t change the screen. YUNZII’s software page lists three routes: “LCD Software - Windows”, an “LCD Website - Win&Mac” at yunzii-game.com, and the VIA JSON file (current version AL80_QMK_V0106, dated December 19, 2025). Parkablogs and Pokde both reviewed the board when only the Windows app was available. The web tool didn’t respond when we tried to open it on November 11, 2026, so treat Mac support for the screen as unconfirmed.
The sleep timer can be changed, but only by flashing firmware. The 4-minute light-off timer comes from the manual. After 30 minutes the board disconnects completely. Pokde first listed “no option to adjust” as a con, then added an update: YUNZII’s software page offers a 10-minute and a 20-minute sleep firmware. The page doesn’t offer an “off” option.
Spec-sheet inconsistencies
YUNZII’s own documents don’t always agree with each other. None of these are deal breakers, but they explain why reviews quote different numbers:
- Key count: the store spec table says 80 keys plus the knob. The AL80 manual (241209) says 79 keys.
- Screen type: the store calls it an LCD, while the manual and the screen-settings page call it an OLED.
- RGB colors: the assembled AL80 listing says 1.68 million colors, while the barebone kit listing says 16.8 million.
- Battery runtime: the 36/96-hour figures quoted by Parkablogs, Pokde and Notebookcheck are not in YUNZII’s current spec table or manual. TechX Reviews claims “over 100 hours” with the lights off and a 3 to 4 hour recharge, while Pokde says charging takes about 12 hours.
- Switch type: TechX Reviews describes the Cocoa Cream V2 as tactile. YUNZII’s switch listing, Notebookcheck and Pokde all call it linear.
Warranty, returns and shipping
These come from YUNZII’s refund and shipping policies (checked November 11, 2026). They matter more than usual here, because YUNZII’s terms are stricter than most keyboard brands’:
| Term | YUNZII policy | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Change-of-mind returns | 7 days from receipt; sealed, unused, original packaging | The product page's generic FAQ block says 30 days. The written policy is the stricter one |
| Restocking fee | 35% of retail value; 65% refunded. Also applies to opened boards that still work | About $38.50 on a $109.99 AL80 |
| Sale items | "Sales products" are excluded from the 7-day return policy | The AL80 is shown at $109.99 against a $139 compare-at. Ask YUNZII whether that counts before you buy |
| Damaged or faulty on arrival | Report within 7 days of delivery with photo or video proof | YUNZII "may cover the shipping cost according to the agreed amount" |
| Warranty | 1 year for keyboards and kits; 3 months for batteries | The refund policy promises a replacement unit. The manual says YUNZII will send parts, not replace the entire keyboard |
| Shipping | Free standard shipping over $45; expedited $25; in-stock orders ship within 3 working days | Standard delivery "about 2-3 weeks" after shipping. The product page's FAQ block says 3 to 5 days |
| Lost parcel | After 3+ months in transit, orders above $45 get a 50% refund | On a $109.99 board, the $25 expedited option is cheap insurance |
The 35% restocking fee is the term to plan around. It applies even to opened boards that work fine, so if you aren’t sure about the weight or the missing right Alt, decide before you open the box.
Cocoa Cream V2 vs Gateron Zero
| Switch | Type | Operating force | Pre-travel | Total travel | Rated life | 70-pack (yunzii.com) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YUNZII Cocoa Cream V2 | Linear, pre-lubed, 5-pin | 50 ± 10 gf | 2.0 ± 0.5 mm | 3.3 mm max | Not listed | $26.99 |
| YUNZII x Gateron Zero | Linear, pre-lubed, 5-pin, LED diffuser | 45 ± 15 gf | 2.0 ± 0.6 mm | 3.6 mm | 80 million keystrokes | $26.99 |
Both are linear. The Cocoa Cream V2 has the shorter 3.3 mm total travel, so it bottoms out sooner. Parkablogs’ reviewer described it as giving a “thic-thoc” sound. The Gateron Zero is lighter on paper and has a diffuser for more even RGB. In practice, stock decides it: on November 11 the only Gateron Zero AL80 you could buy was Silver. Either switch can be swapped later, because the sockets are hot-swap. For the wider field, see our best linear switches guide.
YUNZII AL80 vs the alternatives
| Keyboard | Price (maker store) | Case | Layout | Screen | Battery | Weight | Polling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YUNZII AL80 | $109.99 | Aluminum | 75%, knob | Yes | 6,000mAh | 1,438.5 g | 1,000Hz |
| YUNZII B75 PRO MAX | $84.99 | Plastic, 2-stage kickstand | 75%, 81 keys, knob | TFT, 160 x 96 px | 8,000mAh | 993 g | Not listed |
| YUNZII AL98 PRO Dual-8K | $139.99 | Aluminum | 96%, knob | No | 8,000mAh | 1,800 ± 50 g | 8,000Hz |
| Keychron V1 Max | $114.99 | ABS plastic, PC plate | 75%, knob | No | 4,000mAh (up to 190 h) | 770 g | 1,000Hz |
| Wobkey Rainy 75 Standard / Pro | $139.99 / $159.99 | Aluminum | 75% | No | 3,500 / 7,000mAh | 1.8 / 2 kg | 1,000Hz |
Prices are from each maker’s US store on November 11, 2026. Weights and batteries are from each maker’s spec table.
- Same features, less money, no metal: the B75 PRO MAX ($84.99) has a screen, a knob, QMK/VIA and a bigger 8,000mAh battery for $25 less. It also has adjustable feet, which the AL80’s spec table doesn’t list. Its case is plastic. YUNZII says its screen is customized through an online website.
- Want a numpad or 8K polling: the AL98 PRO ($139.99) is YUNZII’s other in-stock aluminum board. It’s a 96% layout with dual 8,000Hz polling and comes with a silicone wrist rest.
- Need Mac keycaps and wide retail support: the Keychron V1 Max ($114.99) is plastic and lighter, but ships with Mac and Windows keycaps and lists up to 190 hours of battery. On November 11, the Gateron Jupiter Brown and Banana versions were in stock, while Red was sold out. Our Keychron Q1 Max vs V1 Max comparison covers it in detail.
- Want the heavier aluminum board reviewers rate highest: the Wobkey Rainy 75 Pro ($159.99) costs $50 more, adds an FR4 plate and a 7,000mAh battery, and drops the screen and knob. See our Wobkey Rainy 75 review.
For more metal-case options, see our best aluminum keyboard and best 75% keyboard guides. If the knob is the feature you care about, our best keyboard with knob roundup compares more boards with one.
Who should buy the YUNZII AL80
- Buy it if you’re on Windows, want an aluminum, gasket-mount 75% board with a screen and knob, and don’t want to assemble a kit. At $109.99 it undercuts most assembled aluminum boards.
- Buy it if you want QMK/VIA without paying Keychron Q-series prices. An assembled Keychron Q1 Max is $229.99 on Keychron’s store.
- Skip it if you’re mainly on a Mac and use the right-hand Command key.
- Skip it if you play competitive shooters. Look at a hall-effect keyboard instead.
- Skip it if you carry your keyboard around. At 1,438.5 g, the plastic B75 PRO MAX (993 g) is the lighter YUNZII with the same screen-and-knob idea.
- Skip it if you need easy returns. YUNZII’s 7-day window and 35% restocking fee leave little room to change your mind.
The bottom line
The YUNZII AL80 ($109.99) is a well-reviewed aluminum 75% keyboard with gasket mount, hot-swap sockets, QMK/VIA, a knob and a screen, priced about where most metal boards are still bare kits. Its listing shows 4.76 out of 5 from 135 reviews, and Pokde gave it a Gold award. The trade-offs are specific rather than general. There’s no right Alt key, so Mac users lose the right Command key. The screen needs YUNZII’s own software, the board sleeps after 4 minutes unless you flash longer-sleep firmware, and YUNZII’s 7-day, 35%-restocking-fee return policy leaves little room to change your mind. If none of those apply to you, it’s the YUNZII board to buy for a metal case. If the metal doesn’t matter, the B75 PRO MAX gives you the same screen-and-knob layout for $84.99.
Sources (checked November 11, 2026): YUNZII’s US store catalog and AL80 product page (price, variants, stock, Judge.me rating, spec table), the AL80 barebone kit listing, YUNZII’s Cocoa Cream V2 and Gateron Zero switch listings, YUNZII’s software page (VIA JSON AL80_QMK_V0106, Windows screen app, web tool, 10/20-minute sleep firmware), the YUNZII AL80 manual (version 241209), YUNZII’s refund and shipping policies, the B75 PRO MAX and AL98 PRO listings, Keychron’s V1 Max and Q1 Max listings, and Wobkey’s Rainy 75 listing. Reviews: Parkablogs, Pokde (Gold Pokdeward), Notebookcheck (Silvio Werner, March 8, 2025), DayOne (Jesse Norris, July 7, 2025) and TechX Reviews. We did not test the AL80 ourselves. YUNZII changes stock often, so check the live listing before you buy.