Keyboard Builders' Digest / Review
Kemove TMKB T68-C review
The TMKB T68-C is the first Hall-effect keyboard offered by Kemove. An entry-level 65% magnetic keyboard designed for budget-conscious gamers.
Published January 23, 2025

The TMKB T68-C by Kemove is an affordable 65% magnetic (Hall-effect) keyboard. A relatively compact and portable entry-level board – pre-built, wired, apparently aimed at gamers. Starting at just $63.
TLDR;
With its current $63 price, the TMKB T68-C is the most affordable HE board I've tested so far. Compact layout, easy to travel with. The gamer aesthetics and plastic case is not everyone's cup of tea, but hey, the board is definitely aimed at gamers as its target audience. In addition, the T68-C is a cheap way to try magnetic features even if you're not a gamer yourself or simply don't want to break the bank. This prebuilt wired board is easy to customize: You can always replace the thin stock keycaps (like I did) or switches too, however, they are decent smooth Hall-effect switches. The same goes for features of HE boards: no need to install anything thanks to a web configurator.
Disclaimer
I received this review unit from Kemove. As always, receiving a free sample can introduce various biases (both negative and positive, in my experience) – so please keep this in mind while reading this review! That said, I was not paid to write about this product.
And sorry for the lackluster photos – we’re experiencing real winter weather here, with almost 'polar twilight' conditions and very poor lighting. I may reshoot the photos later. Additionally, likely due to the Chinese New Year recess, some of my questions remain unanswered. I'll update the post once Kemove gets back to me.
Unboxing
In the simple but nice cardboard box there is the fully assembled T68-C, a braided USB-C cable, basic keycap remover tool, and quickstart guide. Nothing fancy. (The coiled cable you see in some of the photos is not part of the bundle.)
I guess TMKB is a sub-brand of Kemove. "Kemove" doesn't appear on the keyboard, but the QR codes on the cardboard box and in the manual take you to a kemove urls.
Features
- 65% layout, 68 keys
- magnetic switches (hotswap by nature)
- per-key RGB
- 8KHz polling rate (haven't tested)
- dimensions: 313x104x42mm (official specs)
- weight: 576g
- web configurator
Layout
The relatively small 65% form factor ensures compactness and portability while retaining an extra column to the right for a partial navigation cluster or macros. You don't have the numpad, nor function keys.
I personally prefer an offset arrow cluster, or at least a small gap on its left, but using Space FN I don't touch arrows too often anyway. (Spoiler alert: SpaceFN doesn't work with this firmware, you have to resort to third-party solutions.)
This black colorway with red accents is the only variant available at the moment.
Keycaps
In all honesty, there are cooler Kemove boards out there. I mean, other Kemove models feature some great caps with awesome colorways. The K87SE comes first to mind. Staring at the meh caps of the T68-C, I'm sure Kemove can do better, it's just about the target audience of this board.
Well, let's be frank, I'm not into gaming and gamer culture in general, and have been always wondering if these characteristic translucent legends of gamer caps appeal to this particular subculture at all. From keyboard enthusiast perspective, they definitely look and sound cheap. The sound of the thin caps is rather rattly, and the only positive is that it's easy to replace. (Seriously, removing and putting them back on is very smooth.)
That said, I had some matching keycaps sets around (from Apos and Aihey Studio's PIXEL), so mounted those, and the result and feel is night and day – despite the new sets being not double-shot but dye-sublimated caps. The neutral black case of the T68-C makes it a good basis for keycaps in various colorways.
Switches
Magnetic switches are the big thing these days. Gateron's main focus is Hall-effect models now, with three out of their four top sellers being magnetic.
That said, the otherwise nice yellow switches residing in the T68-C, called "Golden Magnetic Switch" on the product page, are noname ones. I can't see any branding on them. They feel nice, but are very hard to remove for some reason. Neither my trusty Kemove, nor my new Gateron switch puller worked with them, I had to resort to chip remover style switch pullers.
Here are some specs based on the Kemove site:
- dust-proof POM stem
- PC top housing
- PA66 bottom housing
- NdFeB magnet
- 4mm total travel
- 40gF initial force
- 60gF bottom-out
- 1 billion keystrokes
Disassembly & Structure
One-piece injection molded case, tray-mounted core. For the disassembly, no need to peal off the bumpons, you have to remove the caps first to access the 10 tiny screws.
The core sandwich is made of a seemingly bead-blasted aluminum plate, a thick plate foam, and the nice white PCB.
In the bottom tray there is a thick foam too.
While I like the thick injection molded case even if it's a bit high compared to other similar boards, it has a small design flaw: if you press keys of the top row, the case may rock due to the shape. See the side profile:
Sound and dampening
Despite featuring a plate foam, and also bottom foam, the sound characteristic of the T68-C is not particularly noteworthy.
The plastic case and especially the thin caps ruin every other effort to achieve a decent sound. Replacing the caps for something thicker may help in this regard.
Lights
Per-key RGB with some familiar effects.
If you need visual feedback for some reason, this is when translucent caps shine. Well, literally.
Firmware
Given the many specific magnetic features, you need custom software for Hall-effect boards. No QMK or VIA/Vial.
That said, the T68-C manual directs you to a web-based configurator, so you don't have to install anything.
The interface is usable, however, I would prefer if it would indicate the actual character assigned to the key (it shows the default letter and marks only that it has been changed).
- Custom keymap? Swapping characters? Checked.
- Layer functions? Space FN? No.
There are only two layers: default and FN, but you can't assign any other key or hold function to access the FN layer – which renders it pretty useless.
Magnetic features:
Actually, playing with actuation travel could be interesting not just for gamers but anyone fine-tuning his/her setup. The other features are for gamers I guess, can't really think of any use of them in an office environment.
- 0.1-4mm adjustable actuation
- DKS, MT, TGL, rapid trigger
Pros
- compact form factor, ready for travel
- price
- magnetic features (if you need them)
Cons
- thin keycaps with gamer aesthetics
- case balance: pressing keys in the top row rocks the keyboard
Comparison
A have reviewed plenty of Kemove boards, just like various Hall-effect boards of other vendors.
Kemove offers lots of models in different form factors, styles and colorways, some of them much more visually appealing in my opinion compared to the gamer aesthetics of the T68-C caps. E.g. I find the colorways of the TKL Kemove K87, and especially the K87SE much cooler.
However, if you insist on Hall-effect boards, well, the $63 price tag makes the T68-C an affordable entry level offer when compared to the $100 Luminkey Magger 68 HE or the 75% $200 Akko MOD 007 V3 HE Year of the Dragon. That said, the plastic Kemove can't really be compared to these aluminum boards — they're in a completely different league. The closest feel and quality is maybe the $80 IROK ND75.
Conclusion
Kemove's T68-C is a wired 65% keyboard for gamers on a budget. The magnetic features and distinctive keycaps with transparent legends make the target audience unmistakable. While I'm not a big fan of these thin caps, you can easily replace them. Similarly to the otherwise decent magnetic switches if you'd like, which are inherently hostswap on Hall-effect PCBs. For $63, the T68-C is an entry level board for anyone who'd like to try out magnetic features – not just for gamers.
Availability
The TMKB T68-C is available at Kemove. Use the KBDNEWS coupon code for 5% off in general, but there's also a temporary 10% discount ($70->$63):
- Kemove TMKB T68-C product page at Kemove
Published on Thu 23rd Jan 2025. Featured in KBD #184.