The G-Lab Keyz Elite 300 GRW Review: Compact Wireless Keyboard

The G-Lab's Keyz Elite 300 GRW is a compact wireless mechanical keyboard priced at €89.99, and after several weeks of daily use it proves a well-balanced option for both gaming and writing. Its main flaw is the customisation software.

The tester came from a Wooting 80HE, a magnetic-switch keyboard sold for around €220. Moving to a conventional mechanical board means giving up adjustable actuation, but it brings wireless, which the Wooting lacks. The Keyz Elite 300 GRW connects via Bluetooth, a 2.4 GHz dongle or USB, and uses pre-lubricated linear switches plus a multimedia knob.

Note the near-identical names: this is the Keyz Elite 300 GRW, not the Keyz Elite 300 HE GRW, which is a separate magnetic, wired-only model.

A 75% layout that leaves room for the mouse

The 75% format drops the numeric keypad but keeps arrow keys, the F1 to F12 row and several navigation keys. That frees up desk space for wide mouse movements while keeping useful shortcuts at hand when switching from a game to writing. The white and grey finish suits light desks, and legends are printed on the front face of the keycaps, which keeps the top clean. The reviewer got used to this quickly.

Keycaps are PBT, with moulded legends. Switches are hot-swappable, so they can be replaced without soldering, and the board uses a five-layer gasket mount, according to The G-Lab. The company does not state the switch manufacturer or actuation force in its documentation.

Good typing, weak software and battery trade-offs

Typing feel is convincing and the sound is not overly metallic. However, there is no adjustable actuation point and no Rapid Trigger, as expected from a mechanical keyboard.

The software is the biggest drawback. Customising lighting or macros requires downloading a ZIP archive, extracting it and installing a program with an outdated interface, while The G-Lab's magnetic Elite HE models offer browser-based settings. RGB lighting also sharply reduces the advertised battery life, and legends are hard to read without backlighting, especially on the bottom row.

For gaming, the 2.4 GHz receiver is the mode to use for the lowest latency, while Bluetooth suits work.