Finalmouse Centerpiece is the first keyboard with a screen under the keys – and it looks epic
Who needs a monitor anyways?
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Finalmouse has officially unveiled its next product, the Finalmouse Centerpiece. The Centerpiece will be the company’s first foray into the mechanical keyboard market and in classic Finalmouse style, they are making quite the statement with this one, as it has a screen inside, visible through transparent switches and keycaps
Finalmouse has been known to the gaming mouse community for producing very custom gaming mice that appreciate in value so well that they’re a genuinely reliable investment.
The gaming mice themselves are generally well-received and can be found on the desks of some of the most notable esports players out there when they decide to take a break from the G Pro X Superlight, at least.
Speaking of which, Finalmouse made managed to snag $7m in revenue in one day when they released their collab with noted CS:GO and Valorant player, TenZ.
Finalmouse Centerpiece release date prediction
The Finalmouse Centerpiece release date window has been confirmed as ‘Early 2023‘. There is nothing more specific yet, but this means Q1, so January, February, or March, and we really can’t wait.
Finalmouse Centerpiece specs
In a refreshing turn of events, Finalmouse confirmed a number of features and specs straight out of the gate during their dramatic reveal trailer, which was honestly closer to a short film than an ad for a gaming keyboard. You can watch the trailer for yourself here.
- Transparent key switches, codeveloped with Gateron, based on their inky black switches
- 65% size
- Patented LDGS screen, gasket mounted below the switches
- low-profile, side-printed transparent keycaps (Likely ABS instead of PBT for clearer optics)
- USB Type-C cable
- Anodized aluminum case
The unique selling point is a screen mounted directly underneath the keys, known as the Laminated DisplayCircuit Glass Stack or LDGS, which is the result of two patents and ‘years of R&D’.
This screen will be able to display animations and clips created in Unreal Engine 5. These skins will be distributed through a special Steam app and can be monetized if the creator chooses to. Additionally, the keyboard has its own CPU and GPU, so these decadent animations won’t tank your PC.
You’ll be able to load up to three different skins onto the Finalmouse Centerpiece at a time and switch between them with buttons on the side. There’s also a scroll wheel that adjusts brightness, in case you want to concentrate on the screen instead of marveling at your keyboard.
For those of you worried about the tactile implications of a screen inside the keyboard, Finalmouse has taken the precaution of isolating the screen within a gasket mount. According to finalmouse, this will result in a sound and feel like “soft marble raindrops”. If the sound in the trailer is real, then we find it hard to argue with that description.
Additionally, the trailer describes the Finalmouse Centerpiece as ‘completely gamer proof’. Which was of course a worry when we heard about a keyboard with a screen below the keys.
The Finalmouse Centerpiece will ship with ‘custom autolubed’ linear mechanical switches that were co-developed with the famed switch maker, Gateron. We aren’t really sure what ‘autolubed’ means, but pre-lubed switches are a good thing that we wish were more common.
There will also be a second version with hall effect analog switches, which allow the user to pick and choose the actuation point of each key individually.
Finalmouse Centerpiece price
With all this talk of autolubed switches, patents, and LDGSs, you’ll be shocked to discover that the Finalmouse Centerpiece price is ‘only’ $349. This might sound like a lot at first glance, but custom keyboards regularly go for more than $1000, and they don’t usually have screens.
Given Finalmouse’s proclivity for limited runs and vast resell value, the FInalmouse Centerpiece might be a pretty secure investment, just like their gaming mice.
