[section_title title=”Conclusion”]Conclusion
Gigabyte are new to the mechanical keyboard scene, which is already an incredibly crowded market, however I think that with the Osmium Aivia they have made a very decent first impression. By including features that you’re still not finding in modern keyboards, like the USB3.0, they have helped differentiate themselves from many of the other keyboard companies out there. My cramming in many features into their first keyboard is not always a good idea however, as I have come across many accounts of the firmware failing/becoming corrupted which essentially has killed the keyboards. On Reddit there is even a story where the USB3.0 port almost caught fire! Still, Gigabyte have had time to adjust the Aivia by releasing a second switch type (MX brown), which hopefully will remain a solid keyboard.
It’s hard to really fault the Aivia, as for the now reduced price, it is actually a very good keyboard for the price as you get a lot for your money. The one major gripe I have, is that the keyboard uses some non-standard key caps, which means you would have a hard time finding any suitable alternatives – something is becoming increasingly popular for mechanical keyboards. Another slight niggle I have is the monster of a cable that plugs into the back. It adds a fair bit of weight to the keyboard and in very stiff when trying to force it into the position you need. If this was thinner, or even included the option to reduce the thick cable to just a single USB, that would have been ideal.
At £99, you are getting a full sized keyboard, with additional macro keys, wheels for volume and brightness which are becoming increasingly popular, full backlighting and a whole heap of other features – most of which are useful. With the Osmium Aivia Gigabyte have crammed in as much as possible to capture the interest of as many people as possible all at a great price. It’s surprising that I haven’t seen it around on the market as much as at the right price (which it now is), it would make an ideal first keyboard before then deciding on where you want to go next. Sure it may have some smaller issues, but if they don’t bother you then you have already convinced yourself it’s worth buying. The keyboard is aimed at gamers – with the first version having been released with MX red switches, however with the addition of brown switches it has made it appeal to those that dabble in both gaming and typing. For me the Aivia is a solid first keyboard from Gigabyte – I think it looks pretty slick, albeit a more gamer-orientated design, but visually appealing non-the-less. So, I’m thinking to myself, which award it should have, as whilst it doesn’t really shout WOW to me, it does tick a lot of boxes featurewise and all for a decent price – so for these reasons alone, I’m awarding the Gigabyte Osmium Aivia with the:
