AULA F87 Pro V2 Review: The 8K Wireless TKL That Skips Hall Effect and Still Feels Like a Gaming Upgrade
đź”— Amazon (best price usually): https://amzn.to/46ggMCP
đź”— Mechlands direct (use code TRISTANPOPE for 5% off): https://www.mechlands.com/products/aula-f87-pro-v2?sca_ref=10463380.m02xoUqZX2
AULA has quietly become one of my favorite “I need something affordable that doesn’t sound like a hollow lunchbox” brands. They’ve been consistently good at the stuff that actually matters for most people: decent stock tuning, solid stabilizers for the price, fun designs, and that sweet spot where a keyboard is light enough to travel with but still has enough heft to not feel like a toy.
The AULA F87 Pro V2 is a perfect example of that. It’s a TKL layout, it’s tri-mode, it pushes a genuinely impressive 8K polling rate on 2.4GHz, and it somehow also crams in a 10,000mAh battery like it’s trying to become a portable power station. And no, it’s not Hall Effect.
That’s actually the point.
A lot of people want “gaming features” without the Hall Effect feel, without the Hall Effect sound, and without the constant mental spiral of “am I going to spend three hours tweaking actuation curves tonight instead of enjoying my life?” This keyboard is basically AULA saying: you can still have speed and modern gaming tools, while keeping that familiar mechanical switch feel.
Quick Specs and the stuff you’ll actually notice
Layout: TKL (F-row, arrows, navigation cluster, no numpad)
Connectivity: Bluetooth + 2.4GHz + USB-C
Wireless gaming mode: 2.4GHz with 8K polling
Battery: 10,000mAh (yes, that number is real)
RGB: South-facing, very bright
Hot-swappable: Yes
Extras: Spare switches, keycap puller, braided USB cable
Fun factor: Dot matrix screen + lighting bar + audio visualizer
Right away, the form factor is doing the work. TKL is still the best middle ground for a lot of people because it saves desk space for your mouse, but you still get the keys you actually use for work. Programming, editing, gaming, general life. It’s all there.
And because it’s lightweight, this is also a very real “throw it in a bag” board. The only reason it still feels substantial is because of that battery. You pick it up and it’s light, but it’s not cheap-feeling.
The dongle compartment is both genius and slightly dangerous
One of my favorite little details is the spring-loaded magnetic dongle slot. It’s satisfying, it’s clean, and it makes the board feel more premium than it costs.
The only problem is also obvious: it’s a magnet-based system. If you are the type of person who loses dongles, this keyboard is going to tempt fate. I’d love to see a slightly more “locked in” solution long term, but I also can’t lie, this is fun. It’s playful. It’s the kind of little design choice that makes a budget board feel like it has personality.
The screen and the dot matrix bar are pure keyboard candy
The dot matrix display and the lighting bar are exactly the kind of thing I want on affordable keyboards. Not because it’s necessary, but because it makes the board feel alive.
It also has an audio sensor visualizer mode, which is one of those features that is completely unnecessary until you turn it on and then suddenly you’re like… ok yeah this is staying on forever.
More importantly, the lighting is bright enough that the legends stay readable and the overall look is clean. The board has that “it looks expensive from a distance” effect, especially if you like RGB setups.
Sound profile: clacky keys, thocky modifiers
Here’s the most honest way to describe the sound:
- Alphas lean clacky
- Modifiers lean a bit more thocky / chunky
- Stabilizers are solid for the price
- The board does not sound like a hollow plastic cave
Some people will love the contrast because it makes the sound feel dynamic. Other people want everything to be consistent across the board and this can bug them. Personally, I think it’s still very good for the price, but it’s worth calling out because sound is emotional. If you’re super sensitive to inconsistency, you’ll notice it.
The big win is that it sounds good stock. That is still rare.
Gaming features without Hall Effect
This is where the F87 Pro V2 gets interesting. It’s not Hall Effect, but it still offers some of the “competitive gaming behavior” people chase, like SOCD style features and advanced key behavior options.
If you hate the Hall Effect feel, or you hate the Hall Effect sound, this keyboard makes a strong argument: you can get a fast, modern gaming experience while sticking to classic mechanical.
That’s also why this board makes sense as an “everyday” keyboard. You can game on it. You can work on it. You can switch devices. You can use it on Mac and PC. It’s a practical board that also has a bit of flair.
Software: functional, fast, but the UI needs help
The web driver is actually nice in concept. No sketchy downloads, no heavy install, and changes apply quickly. That responsiveness matters more than people realize. When a keyboard’s software is laggy, it makes the whole product feel worse.
Functionality-wise, it does what you need:
- remaps
- macros
- lighting
- advanced key behavior
- dot matrix customization
My one big critique is readability. The interface feels small and not properly scalable. If AULA brings in someone with UI experience and makes the software resize cleanly, it instantly becomes a much more premium experience.
This is not a dealbreaker, but it’s the clearest area for improvement.
Pros
- Excellent value, especially at the Amazon pricing
- 8K polling on 2.4GHz is wild for this price tier
- Tri-mode connectivity makes it usable everywhere
- 10,000mAh battery is borderline ridiculous (in the best way)
- Dot matrix screen + audio visualizer adds real fun
- Hot-swappable and includes spare switches
- Stock sound is legitimately good for a plastic board
- TKL layout is perfect for gaming and productivity
Cons
- Software UI needs better scaling and readability
- Mixed sound profile (clacky keys, thockier modifiers) may bother consistency lovers
- Magnetic dongle storage is fun but could be easier to lose than a locked slot
Should you buy the AULA F87 Pro V2?
If you want a budget TKL that actually sounds good, has real gaming performance, and gives you modern perks like tri-mode, a screen, and an absurdly large battery, this is an easy recommendation.
If you want Hall Effect specifically, this isn’t that. But if you want the benefits of speed and features without the Hall Effect feel and sound, the F87 Pro V2 is one of the more interesting options in this price range right now.
And that’s kind of the whole story here: AULA made a board that feels like a gaming upgrade without forcing you into the Hall Effect rabbit hole.
