I got a little carried away on Prime Day and ended up getting the new 8BitDo Mechanical 18 Numpad to go with my 8BitDo C64 keyboard. It was the one item that I regretted checking out with even tried canceling it to no avail.
At first glance, it seemed silly for the price tag of $44.99. 8BitDo makes great stuff (check out this mini controller article). Now that it has arrived, is it worth it or not?
Meet the 8BitDo Retro 18 Mechanical Numpad
What even is this thing? Well, it’s a number pad that you can also use as a calculator. You can connect it with Windows 10+ or Android 9+ with Bluetooth. Since they have a model that matches all of their keyboards, it would go great to pair with those like I chose to do.
Packaging from Amazon
This number pad runs off a 1000mAh Li-on battery that is rechargeable. The website says it has a battery life of 160 hours off of a 4-hour charge. That counts as promising!
How Is It?
To start things off, I am not an expert in keyboards. This 8BitDo keyboard is the first one I have ever bought, so I won’t be able to compare it too much. I also haven’t been able to hook it up and use it in a real-world case, but have messed with it for the calculator and general operation.
Numpad Next to the C64 Keyboard
The build quality of this feels really great. It has a good weight to it and it looks perfect next to my matching C64 keyboard. The button presses feel the same as well so it is a great consistent presence across your desk.
Speaking of button presses… they feel and sound so good! It has a great clicky-clack sound and feels very tactile while you are typing. It just feels right all together. I can’t wait to grade papers and enter grades with it.
It is very easy to switch the knob on the top for Bluetooth connection. There is also a nice calculator button that immediately turns the device into a calculator with a nice LED screen on the top. I included a demo video below of the calculator in use.
Verdict
Is this thing worth the $44.99 price tag? Well, it depends. Do you want a number pad to use that feels good? Do you need a retro-style calculator to bring into the office? Then, yes it is for you and you should get it.
In the end, it is a really niche product that isn’t going to appeal to everyone. To the people it does appeal to though, it is really for them. For me, I think I am going to keep it because I never realized how much I use a number pad until I was without one. It is just so much fun to use and feels so great too.
Purchase your own at the link below. It also comes in NES, Famicom, and Model M. Each matches its respective keyboard. Get a C64 keyboard here.
8BitDo Retro 18 Mechanical Numpad
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