Mechanical keyboard integrated display screen below the set of glass buttons

Finalmouse is a computer accessories brand known for creating mice with bizarre designs and its products are often sold in limited quantities. This accessory maker is usually after PC gamers who are looking for something unique and give a sense of exclusivity to their gaming corner setup. Now, Finalmouse is announcing its first keyboard, taking its product design to the next level.

Called Centerpiece, this is a mechanical keyboard with its own screen to display animations. And they are displayed through their transparent keycaps and switches.

There are not many details about its size, brightness, resolution or refresh rate yet. However, the display is said to run on an “interactive interface” using Unreal Engine 5. It’s unclear how many skins Centerpiece will launch with, but in its product demo video, Finalmouse showed a lot of it. Illustrations vary from school of koi running away when you press a key with water ripple effect, to lion grazing and even 3D animation.

Mechanical keyboards are some of the most customizable peripherals users can find on the market. But Finalmouse’s production shows it to be quite different.

In the past, some companies have developed mechanical keyboards with screens located near the keys, but the Centerpiece’s screen is located in the center of the device. And to avoid distraction, a dimmer knob on the side of the keyboard allows users to turn off the screen if desired. And yet, Finalmouse says Centerpiece uses its own CPU and GPU, so the system’s resources are separate from the devices it’s connected to.

Finalmouse also claims artists can submit their own custom skins and even have the option to monetize them in the future when other users choose to download them for use.

In addition to the impressive display, the keyboard also uses mechanical switches (switches) based on Gateron’s Black Ink series. This Switch series has a stroke of 4mm and operates with a pressure of 60g.

Returning to the image problem, Centerpiece is said to be based on a technology that Finalmouse calls Laminated Display Circuit Glass Stack, which can be roughly understood as multiple layers of glass and transparent display circuits that are interlaced. Basically, glass is not a commonly used material in mechanical keyboards. It requires careful protection, not to mention durability is questionable.

Of course, Finalmouse claims the keyboard is sturdy enough to withstand use in harsh conditions. Furthermore, the company claims that the glass compartments are clamped by pads that produce “a sound when typing and a feel unlike any other keyboard”. Even the sound of the keyboard is described as “soft raindrops falling on marble”.

However, users will need to verify it for themselves when the product goes on sale early next year for $349.

See Arstechnica, Verge