Lenovo Yoga Angry Meow Keyboard Review: Premium Feel, But Is It Worth It?

Introduction

The Lenovo Yoga Angry Meow keyboard is a curious product. It carries a premium price tag, a well-known brand name, and a design that comes from a niche keyboard company. The question is whether it delivers enough to justify the cost, especially when a nearly identical version exists for less money.

This keyboard is a full-size silent mechanical keyboard with a solid aluminum base and a polycarbonate top. It is heavy, feels premium, and is designed for people who want a quiet typing experience without giving up the number pad. But it also comes with some compromises that are hard to ignore.

Who This Keyboard Is For

This keyboard is aimed at people who want a full-size silent keyboard that feels solid and requires little setup. It is not a keyboard for enthusiasts who want to customize every detail, though it does offer some flexibility. It is for someone who wants a premium typing experience out of the box, with a number pad, a useful rotary knob, and a quiet, pleasant sound profile.

It is also for people who appreciate the design and engineering that goes into a well-built keyboard. The combination of a heavy aluminum bottom and a polycarbonate top gives it a distinctive look and a reassuring weight. If you spend long hours typing and value comfort and quiet, this keyboard is worth considering.

Design and Build Quality

The first thing you notice is the weight. This keyboard is heavy, thanks to a very solid aluminum bottom case and a polycarbonate top. It feels substantial on a desk and does not slide around easily. The materials are high quality, and the overall construction feels premium.

The layout is practical. It keeps the number pad, making it essentially a full-size keyboard without the extra bloat. The keycaps are double-shot plastic with a nice monotone color scheme, and they feel well designed. The space bar is particularly nice, with a clean finish and a solid feel.

The rotary knob on the top right is a standout feature. It has its own ring light that accents the keyboard nicely and gives it a futuristic look. The knob rotates smoothly and supports three programmable modes, so you can switch between volume control, zoom, and timeline scrubbing depending on the task. It is one of the most intuitive uses of a knob on a keyboard, and it works well out of the box.

Typing Experience and Switches

The typing experience is where this keyboard really shines. It uses silent switches with built-in dampeners, which makes it incredibly quiet. The switches are smooth and do not have the mushiness often associated with silent switches. The sound is a pleasant, pillowy thock rather than a sharp clack.

The keyboard also has a hot-swappable PCB, which is a nice addition for anyone who wants to change switches later. The RGB lighting is present but dim, which may disappoint some users, but it is not a dealbreaker for a keyboard focused on quiet typing.

There is also a generous amount of foam inside, which helps with the sound profile, but the keyboard still keeps a bouncy gasket mount. This combination is impressive and contributes to the overall comfortable typing feel. It supports QMK firmware, which is a plus for anyone who wants to reprogram keys or the knob without relying on proprietary software.

Connectivity and Ports

This is where the keyboard stumbles. It is not wireless, despite the cheaper Angry Meow version being wireless. You have to use the included cable, which is very short and has dual USB-C connectors. If your computer only has USB-A ports, you will need an adapter.

The back of the keyboard has a hub with two USB-C ports. This is useful for the cable, but it does not make up for the lack of wireless connectivity. For a keyboard at this price point, the absence of wireless is a significant drawback.

The Angry Meow Connection

The Lenovo Yoga Angry Meow keyboard is essentially the same as the Angry Meow ATM98, which is sold on the Angry Meow website for about $120 less. The main differences are the keycaps and the Lenovo branding. The ATM98 is wireless, while the Lenovo version is not.

This raises a serious question about value. If you can get the same keyboard for less money, with wireless support, why would you buy the Lenovo version? The answer may come down to support and reliability. There are reports of issues with Angry Meow’s Kickstarter fulfillment, including lost shipments and wrong keyboards being sent. Buying from Lenovo may offer more peace of mind, even if it costs more.

Buying Advice

If you are looking for a full-size silent keyboard and want a premium feel, the Lenovo Yoga Angry Meow keyboard is a solid choice. It is well built, quiet, and comfortable to type on. The rotary knob is genuinely useful, and the QMK support is a nice bonus.

However, the price is hard to justify when the Angry Meow ATM98 offers the same experience for less money, plus wireless connectivity. The main reason to choose the Lenovo version is if you value the brand and the potential for better customer support.

Before buying, consider whether you need wireless. If you do, the ATM98 is the better option. If you are willing to pay more for the Lenovo branding and the peace of mind that comes with it, the Yoga Angry Meow keyboard is a capable and enjoyable keyboard.

Conclusion

The Lenovo Yoga Angry Meow keyboard is a well-engineered, premium-feeling keyboard with a great typing experience. It is quiet, solid, and has a useful knob and good layout. But it is also expensive, lacks wireless connectivity, and is essentially a rebranded version of a cheaper keyboard.

For most people, the Angry Meow ATM98 is the smarter buy. But if you prefer the Lenovo brand and want a reliable full-size silent keyboard, this one is worth considering. Just be aware of what you are paying for.