The ultimate first mechanical keyboard is just ?61 on Amazon

Akko is a brand that's made a bit of a name for themselves in the enthusiast mechanical keyboard space, as they make some some fantastic custom-style keyboards that cost far less than you'd expect. Their 3087 Horizon TKL keyboard is a shining example of this, offering high-quality components including PBT keycaps and a coloured chassis for just £61 for a TKL or £66 for a full-size 108-key board, representing a 20 percent markdown from their UK RRPs. These are also the board's first price drops on Amazon according to our records, making this even more of an enticing prospect.

There's no doubt these are good-looking boards, with a fetching blue and yellow colour scheme that Akko says is designed to offer a view similar to that of a rising sun over the sea, hence the 'Horizon' moniker. (If you prefer something a bit different, there are gorgeous 'Silent' and '9009 Retro' colourways available too.) That's reflected with the PBT keycaps that the 3087 features, which offer a better feel and significantly better durability than standard ABS keys.

As mentioned above, the keyboard also comes in either a full-size 108-key layout or a smaller Tenkeyless (TKL) 87-key layout that drops the numpad to provide more desk space and more comfortable ergonomics. Both boards adhere to the ANSI/US standard, making it significantly easier to find custom keycaps than for EU/ISO boards, and of course you still have access to British £ symbols and so on by pressing the usual keys. The full-size board even includes four extra keys above the numpad to allow for volume controls and quick access to the calculator.

Underneath its blue and yellow exterior, the 3087 features Akko's CS Rose Red switches. These, as the colour might suggest, are akin to MX Reds in terms of their light and snappy switch feeling, which means you should be able to write or game with ease. These switches are also relatively quiet for a mechanical keyboard, lacking a loud click or tactile bump, so they're a better bet than many alternatives for shared spaces. (If you prefer some tactility to your keyboards, a full-size Orange Tactile option is also available.)

Even if this isn't being marketed as a gaming keyboard, the light 45g weighting of the Rose switches also lends the 3087 to be a useful gaming candidate too. It also outperforms many gaming keyboards by recognising any number of keys pressed down at once - something that budget gaming boards still struggle with even in 2022.

If you so wish, you can also program macros on-the-fly with the 3087 to allow important functions to be at a finger's length.

All in all, these are incredible boards for the money, and based on our experiences with Akko's creations in the past we're happy to give them a warm DF recommendation.