Featured Keyboard: Athena 75 — A 75% Aluminum Kit with Four Plate Choices
Introduction
This week's featured keyboard is the KBDfans Athena 75. It is a 75% aluminum kit that follows the 98-key Athena 1800.
Few in-depth reviews from major review sites are out yet, so this article uses KeyLab DB data and the retailer product pages (KBDfans and Divinikey) to explain how it is built and who it suits.
Athena
The Short Answer
| If you… | Fit |
|---|---|
| Want a heavy aluminum 75% and enjoy tuning the sound yourself | Good fit. Four plates and two mounting styles let you change the typing feel |
| Care about how the board looks | Good fit. Owl feather texture on the bottom case and a GIF display |
| Like the Athena 1800 design but want more desk space | Good fit. Same series, about 86mm narrower |
| Need wireless | Not a fit. Wired USB-C only |
| Want to carry it around | Not a fit. About 2.2–2.3kg (a carrying case is included) |
| Want to use it straight out of the box | Kit is not a fit. Switches and keycaps are extra; built sets are available |
Specifications
Based on KeyLab DB data and the KBDfans and Divinikey product pages, as of October 17, 2026.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Layout | 75% (80 keys, ANSI) |
| Case | CNC-machined 6063 aluminum, stainless steel weight |
| Finishes | Anodized / E-coating / Raw (uncoated, tool marks remain) |
| Mount | Top mount / PCB gasket (plateless) |
| Plates | Aluminum / FR4 / PC / Carbon fiber |
| PCB | 1.6mm, no flex cuts. Hot-swap / RGB hot-swap / solder |
| Keymapping | VIA and VIAL |
| Connection | USB-C (wired only) |
| Display | HD screen (up to 5 custom GIFs) |
| Button | Button with LED above the arrow keys, RGB light bar |
| Typing angle | 9° |
| Size | 314mm W × 139mm D × 39mm H (KeyLab DB) |
| Weight | About 2.3kg (KeyLab DB) / about 2.2kg built (Divinikey) |
The box includes a carrying case, keyboard cover, stabilizers, T6/T8/T10 screwdrivers, and a USB cable. Foams (Poron, IXPE, PET) come in a separate foam kit.
Key Features
Two Mounting Styles
The Athena 75 supports top mount, where the plate is fixed to the top case, and a plateless PCB gasket build, where silicone gaskets hold the PCB. According to the retailers, the top mount points are placed away from the spacebar area to reduce spacebar resonance, and silicone dampeners sit between the plate and the top case.
In general, top mount tends to feel firm, while a plateless gasket build tends to feel softer with more flex. The same switches can feel quite different depending on which you choose.
Four Plates
You can pick an aluminum, FR4, PC, or carbon fiber plate. As a general rule, aluminum feels stiff and sounds higher, PC flexes more and sounds softer, and FR4 and carbon fall in between. In a top mount build, the plate material is one of the biggest factors in the typing feel.
Owl Design and Display
The bottom case has a CNC-machined owl feather texture, and the back carries an engraved owl. The case also has a built-in HD screen that can store up to five custom GIFs. These details carry over from the Athena 1800 and define the series.
Athena 75 vs. Athena 1800
Based on KeyLab DB data (Athena 1800 values are for the fully assembled model).
| Item | Athena 75 | Athena 1800 |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | 75% (80 keys) | 1800 (98 keys, with numpad) |
| W × D | 314mm × 139mm | 400mm × 138mm |
| Weight | About 2.3kg | About 2.5kg |
| Plates | Alu / FR4 / PC / Carbon | Alu / FR4 / PC / Carbon |
| Keymapping | VIA and VIAL | VIAL |
| Connection | USB-C (wired) | USB-C (wired) |
If you need a numpad, get the Athena 1800. If you want to keep the arrow keys and function row while saving width, the Athena 75 is the better choice.
Athena
Before You Buy
- Ship dates vary by color. Divinikey lists December 2026 as the estimated arrival for its preorder colors (Deep Purple and Light Purple).
- Raw finishes show tool marks. Since they are not coated, small marks are expected.
- A solder PCB makes switch swaps harder. If you want to try different switches later, choose a hot-swap PCB.
Summary
The Athena 75 is a board for people who enjoy shaping the sound and feel through the build, not for those who want convenience. A heavy aluminum case, two mounting styles, and four plates give you plenty of ways to change how it types. On the other hand, it has no wireless, it is heavy, and you need your own switches and keycaps. If you want to compare 75% boards more broadly first, see our Rainy75 lineup comparison and our thocky keyboard picks.
Explore More
References
FAQ
- Is the Athena 75 top mount or gasket mount?
- Both. According to the retailers, it is top mount by default, and it can also be built plateless with the PCB held by silicone gaskets. The top mount points are placed away from the spacebar area. KeyLab DB lists its mount type as top mount.
- Can I use it wirelessly?
- No. The only connection listed in the retailer specs is wired USB-C. If you want a wireless 75%, see our Rainy75 lineup comparison.
- Does it come with switches and keycaps?
- The base product is a kit without switches or keycaps. You choose from three PCBs: hot-swap, RGB hot-swap, or solder. KBDfans also sells built sets that pair the board with PBTfans keycaps.
- How is it different from the Athena 1800?
- Mainly in size. In KeyLab DB, the Athena 1800 has 98 keys and is about 400mm wide, while the Athena 75 has 80 keys and is about 314mm wide. Both share the owl-themed design, the display, and the four plate options.
