For a living room PC or even a streaming device such as an Android TV box, a home theatre PC (HTPC) keyboard is a must-have. While a full-sized keyboard works well and can be great for gaming, a small keyboard is more coffee table-friendly while being easy to use with one hand. The Rii i8+ is a fantastic mini HTPC keyboard that offers a good feature and works with a slew of different devices, making it the best home theater PC keyboard on the planet.
What is the Rii i8+ – Rii i8+ Specs and More
The Rii i8+ mini wireless keyboard is a palm-sized HTPC keyboard. Despite its small form factor, the Rii mini i8+ boasts a full QWERTY keyboard layout. It sports a game controller design with two round sections where the joysticks on a gamepad would be, along with a flared bottom edge. As such, the i8 mini keyboard is as comfortable for one-handed use as it is wielding it with both hands. A whopping 92 keys provide access to numbers, multimedia controls, function buttons, and more. The built-in touchpad features gesture control.
A backlight makes use in the dark simple which is perfect for movie watching. There’s cross-platform support for Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android. What’s more, the Rii i8+ functions flawlessly with game consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. The battery is built-in and rechargeable via the included min USB to USB cable. Wireless connectivity comes via a 2.4GHz USB dongle that slots neatly into the back of the keyboard when not in use. Helpfully, the bundled micro USB charging cable features a USB Type-A female slot so that there’s still a free USB port available even while the Rii i8+ is plugged in and charging.
Rii i8+ specs:
- 2.4GHz wireless communicaiton
- Rechargeable 450mAh polymer lithium-ion battery (non-removable)
- Weight: 109g
- Dimensions: 148mm x 97mm x18.5mm
- Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
- Backlight
- micro-USB charging
- Six color options: Black, Blue, White, Orange, Green, Red
- Dedicated media buttons for pausing, playing, rewinding, fast-forwarding, and volume control
Rii i8+ Wireless Keyboard Review – Controls and Layout
Sporting a full-fledged QWERTY keyboard, typing on the Rii i8+ is a treat. The keys are small enough so that the remote itself is palm-sized, yet not so tiny as to make for frequent typos. Above the QWERTY keys sits a row of number keys with function keys on the top row. Commonly-used keys such as Esc, Tab, Shift, and CTRL benefit from dedicated buttons.
There’s a set of media playback buttons for fast-forwarding, rewinding, pausing, and playing media as well as offering volume control. You’ll find a mute button too, and left/right mouse click buttons in multiple locations. What’s more, the Rii i8+ includes a fantastic touchpad. The trackpad feels wonderful to touch with a smooth finish. Gestures such as a single tap for the left mouse, double-tap for the right mouse, and double finger drag to roll the screen simplify navigation. The backlight can be toggled on and off quickly with a hotkey to the left of the touchpad.
Rii i8+ HTPC Keyboard Review – Compatibility
Although the Rii i8+ is marketed as a keyboard for computers and Android TV boxes, its broad compatibility with a slew of operating systems (OSes) makes it a solid multi-purpose mini wireless keyboard. I tested out the Rii i8+ on my Windows 10 and Linux PCs, Android TV boxes including an Nvidia Shield TV and WeTek Play 2, plus the OSMC Vero 4K. With its cross-platform OS support, the Rii i8+ performed perfectly. Additionally, the Rii i8+ wireless mini keyboard is my go-to when using my Raspberry Pi running RetroPie and OSMC.
When using a Kodi box like the Vero 4K, the Rii is a stellar keyboard. All keys functioned as they should including the media playback controls. Official Android TV devices such as the Nvidia Shield TV work perfectly with input devices such as game controllers and remotes with apps optimized for a ten-foot interface. However, unofficial Android TV boxes that run a tablet-optimized version of Android are difficult to navigate with a remote. But the Rii i8+ alleviated any difficulties. Both my WeTek Play 2 and my MeCool BB2 Pro which run touch-optimized Android OSes were a breeze to operate with the Rii i8+ wireless mini keyboard. Instead of having to toggle on the mouse mode found on each device’s respective remote, I was able to scroll around and interact with apps as easily as if I were using a touchscreen.
In addition to its support for Linux, Windows, macOS, and Android, the Rii i8+ mini keyboard is a good companion for game consoles. Plugging the included 2.4GHz wireless USB dongle into a free USB port on my PlayStation 3. For game consoles and streaming devices, the Rii i8+ boasts a physical QWERTY keyboard that’s far easier to use than on-screen keyboards. Typing in usernames and passwords is a lot faster with the Rii i8+ wireless keyboard.
Hands-on With the Rii i8+ Mini Wireless Keyboard
The Rii i8+ strikes a solid balance of size and functionality. It’s small and lightweight for wonderful everyday use. With a stylish form factor and lots of color options, the i8+ mini keyboard looks fantastic on a coffee table alongside a collection of remotes. Dedicated media playback and volume controls provide fast multimedia operation. The onboard multimedia controls worked well with most apps including VLC media player for watching DVDs, Blu-rays, and digitized DVD rips as well as streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Paramount+.
Various features such as a backlight make using the Rii i8+ HTPC keyboard an absolute pleasure. Since there keypad is backlit, operation in the dark while watching a movie is simple. What’s more, the backlight automatically times out after a period of time for battery conservation. Likewise, the keyboard itself turns off to save battery power. Unfortunately, the battery is not replaceable. However, battery life is extremely long-lasting, and I rarely find myself having to recharge the i8+.
While versatile and boasting cross-platform support for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and even game consoles, the Rii i8+ isn’t ideal for certain applications. Typing proves far more natural on the i8+ wireless HTPC mini keyboard than on-screen keyboards, but you wouldn’t want to write an essay or an article using the Rii. The keys are well-spaced, yet for those like myself with larger hands, it may at times feel cramped. Although you can use the Rii i8+ for gaming, it’s not ideal for PC gaming. Still, you could fire up a role-playing game (RPG) or real-time strategy (RTS) title and play in a pinch no problem.
Final Thoughts – Should You Buy the Rii i8+ Mini Wireless HTPC Keyboard?
Overall, the Rii i8+ is the ultimate HTPC keyboard. It’s affordable, small, well-built, and works with virtually any hardware and software you throw at it. Various features such as a backlight, physical multimedia and volume controls, as well as a phenomenal trackpad chisel the Rii i8+ into a magnificent wireless mini keyboard that’s suitable for a lot of different situations. Deserving a prime spot on the living room coffee table, the Rii i8+ is the best wireless mini keyboard and touchpad for most people.
Rii i8+
Pros
- Excellent battery life, rechargeable battery
- Great build quality and fantastic touchpad
- Backlit
- Dedicated media playback and volume controls
- Full-fledged QWERTY keyboard
Cons
- Keys are small and may be awkward for big hands
- Not ideal for gaming
- Non-removable battery
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