Computer mouse brand Finalmouse is taking personalization to a wacky level by revealing a new keyboard with an interactive screen beneath a layer of transparent keys and switches. And the results are quite amazing.
Customizing mechanical keyboards mostly comes down to changing the keys or choosing a new color pattern for the RGB LEDs. But with the Finalmouse Centerpiece, as it’s called, you can make your screen show a moving cityscape at sunset, a space shuttle taking off, or some abstract 3D animation. looking at the announcement video (opens in a new tab), these skins can be exchanged at any time. Some, as mentioned above, are interactive. The koi fish skin, for example, causes the onscreen water effect to ripple every time you press one key, while another causes sparks to fly as you type.
The interesting thing about these masks is that they work with unreal engine 5 (opens in a new tab), a free to download 3D graphics creation tool that has been used in a ton of video games. Finalmouse claims that artists will be able to create and upload their own skins to the Centerpiece screen or submit them to the Freethinker Portal app on Steam when it launches. You will be able to download up to three skins on the keyboard and switch between them with the side buttons.
The video states that artists can monetize their creations or trade them with friends. It’s unknown how monetization will work, but Finalmouse hints at some sort of in-app store.
internal features
The interior of the keyboard is just as fascinating. The Centerpiece has its own CPU and GPU, so it won’t consume any computer resources. And it looks like you’ll be able to play games on the keyboard itself. A scene from the ad shows someone controlling a running lion with the arrow keys on the keyboard.
Speaking of which, the keys aren’t made of plastic, but rather a type of proprietary tempered glass called a Laminated Display Circuit Glass (LDGS) stack encased in an aluminum chassis. If you’re worried about brittleness, Finalmouse claims that LDGS is “able to take some heavy abuse…” if you apparently feel like hitting the centerpiece in anger (don’t do that).
Competitive gamers will enjoy the custom mechanical switches on the keycaps. They were developed together with the notable Gateron brand of keyboard switches to ensure fast response times. There will also be another Centerpiece model that comes with hall effect (opens in a new tab) sensors in their switches for users who want a little more speed.
lingering questions
Despite all this information, there are still many open questions. For starters, how can people type on this keyboard when it’s all blank? A text style skin, perhaps? We also don’t know the size of the keyboard, how bright the screen is (although it looks like it can be dimmed), its refresh rate, or even the resolution. Finalmouse Centerpiece launches in early 2023 for $349. Hopefully we’ll get more information before then.
Until then, be sure to check out TechRadar’s recent update. list of best gaming keyboards for next year. While none of them are quite as glitzy as the Centerpiece, they’re certainly worth checking out.