FL Esports OG98 Tri-Mode Mechanical Keyboard Review

Introduction

FL Esports may not be a brand you have heard of thus far, yet this Chinese peripheral brand has been around for over 20 years now. This makes FL Esports one of the oldest keyboard brands in particular, to the point where a lot of eSports organizations and tournaments in Asia use their products to this day. I’ve seen some of their keyboards at Computex over the years, yet the brand seemed happy to not partake in global sales until now. One of my contacts from another keyboard brand reached out saying they have secured global market rights for FL Esports keyboards, and have even opened a new website that’s far easier to navigate than the mess the original one is. The email also inquired whether I’d be interested in taking a look at one of the FL Esports keyboards—especially given this is one of very, very few keyboard brands to have in-house design, R&D, and manufacturing facilities.

If you search “FL Esports OG98,” chances are you will come across a few different versions. Indeed, there’s a wired-only version which may also come in non-backlit or RGB options. Then there’s the tri-mode version that I have here, offering hybrid wireless connectivity (Bluetooth + 2.4 GHz) in addition to a standard wired connection. This version is also seemingly available in two color schemes and two switch options, although the FL Esports global store currently carries a single OG98 SKU at this time to keep things simple. This is a full-size keyboard adopting a 96% form factor, and goes for a decidedly retro theme with the design and keycaps to match. There’s also RGB lighting on offer, and FL Esports is also large enough to work with Kailh on having custom switches made that are used here. Let’s see how the OG98 fares in our testing, as we begin our review with a look at the product specifications in the table below. Thanks to FL Esports for providing a review sample to TechPowerUp!

Specifications