Review: NZXT Function 2 Mechanical Keyboard

When I tried gaming PC giant NZXT’s first foray into the mechanical keyboard space, the Function (8/10, WIRED Recommends), I was impressed at how thoughtful and beginner-friendly it was. It had useful features that left a good impression as a first product in the space. Its successor, the Function 2, is all about refining the rough edges for the enthusiast.

At first glance, the Function 2 looks almost identical to the original. It has the same left-side volume roller I loved on the original and the same convenient physical buttons along the left side, and comes with the same tools for swapping every switch and keycap on the board. The big changes are mostly under the hood: NZXT has bumped the polling rate from 1,000 Hz to 8,000 Hz, swapped to using new linear optical switches, and added extra sound dampening for a substantially quieter experience. It's a more luxurious and customizable experience all around.

Soft Simplicity

If you like your keyboards to click and clack like a dark and stormy night, the Function 2 might be a bit of a disappointment, but for my tastes it’s an excellent improvement. The new optical switches are softer and quieter, even before accounting for the added sound-dampening layers in the base.

Where more traditional switches have metal contacts that are connected by a plate on the bottom of the keys, optical switches instead contain a small beam of light. When you press down on the keycap, the light is broken, which activates the key. This method is just a hair more responsive, meaning there’s less time between when you press a key and when your computer registers it.

In my experience, though, the more noticeable effect came from the keyboard's customizable actuation point. In the NZXT CAM software, you can set whether the switches actuate at 1 mm or 1.5 mm. It might not sound like a lot, but that extra .5 mm makes a world of difference when it comes to accidental key presses.

I have somewhat twitchy fingers, particularly when I’m playing high-octane games like Overwatch 2. By swapping to the 1.5-mm actuation point, those little twitches were considerably less likely to accidentally trigger a keystroke. And when the ability I need to escape from danger is on an eight-second cooldown, that extra half-millimeter of buffer suddenly becomes a lifesaver.

Convenient Customization

The Function 2 comes with a pack of eight replacement switches and tools to remove both the keycaps and switches. All the default switches in the Function 2 have an actuation force of 40 grams, while four of the replacement switches (with a yellow color) require 35 grams, and the other four (red switches) require 45 grams.

For the math nerds in the audience, that’s about a 12.5 percent difference in pressure in either direction. If you feel like a particular key is activating a bit too easily—or, conversely, if you want a particular key to be a bit more responsive—you can swap out the switch for just that key. While the actuation point toggle in the software is a global change, these switches let you have control over specific keys.

The first thing I did was replace the switch under my Q key with the firmer 45-gram switch. There’s nothing more embarrassing in Overwatch 2 than fat-fingering your ultimate, so I wanted to have to put a little bit of extra effort into pressing that button. Conversely, the left Shift key is often bound to an escape ability, so I swapped it out for the 35-gram switch so it’s easier to slam it down in an emergency.

I felt the NZXT Function 2 was conforming to my exact needs. I was delighted. The mechanical keyboard space can be daunting, with a lot of complex jargon to learn and a lot of work required to get started.

The first NZXT Function was a boon for people who wanted to get into the mechanical keyboard without being overwhelmed. The Function 2 improves on its predecessor with a lot more useful tools for tweaking the keyboard. And if it accomplishes nothing else than saving my ultimate in Overwatch 2 for that clutch play, it’s worth the $140 asking price.