Chronos G-68 Review — Syntech’s Aluminum Debut in the Magnetic League

Syntech makes its first move into the keyboard scene with the Chronos 68 Aluminum — a magnetic board that aims to balance build quality and pricing. It’s a modest but confident debut, showing that the company is testing the waters carefully. No flashy gimmicks here, just a straightforward design that suggests Syntech knows where to start.

This product was sent out to me by Syntech, but they did not influence the review.

Specs and Features

• Layout: 65% compact, 68 keys, ANSI.
• Case/frame: Aluminum alloy construction.
• Connectivity: Wired (USB-C) only.
• Polling rate: Up to 8,000 Hz.
• Adjustable actuation/travel: Switch actuation point from ~0.1 mm to ~3.5 mm (varies by switch)
• Switch types: Hall-effect/magnetic switch options (e.g., Outemu Magnetic Sealed Switch, Gateron Magnetic Jade Pro are defaults)
• Keycaps: Double-shot PBT, translucent legends for RGB lighting.

• Stabilizers: Plate-mounted by default
• Acoustic/internal build: Includes foam layers (Poron, IXPE) and pre-lubed (or at least factory-lubed) switches to reduce ping/echo.
• Layout angle & form: Typing angle ~6.5°, tray-mounted design, not gasket-mounted.
• Weight/dimensions: Approx ~860 g; dimensions ~310×155×18–29 mm
• Included accessories: Wrist rest, braided USB-C cable, dust cover, keycap/switch puller, cleaning brush, spare switches
• Software/firmware: Custom driver + web-based configuration (“Keyboard Labs” or equivalent) supporting macros, actuation tuning, SnapTap / DKS / MT / TGL features.

In the Box

• Chronos G-68 Aluminum Magnetic Keyboard
• wrist rest
• Quick-start guide
• dust cover
• USB-A to C braided cable
• extra Outemu Magnetic Sealed switches (four)
• brush
• keycap/switch puller

Bottom line? Great unboxing, great accessories, fantastic wrist rest, but the keycap/switch puller is still cheap.

Unboxing

Just watch the video linked above; they give you a lot, and I really enjoyed the unboxing experience.

Sound Test

Typing on Chronos G-68 is a delightful experience — it is one of those that makes you wonder whether it’s a gasket-mount or not (it’s not in this case). It is on the quieter side, and the built-in solution for switching profiles (Fn+Space) lets you swap profiles on the go.

Mind you, if your 0–9 keycaps don’t work, make sure you’re using the correct profile.

A few poron foams make it sound really good, something that is not obvious for a magnetic keyboard (some still sound like crap). The stabilizers are plate-mounted and lubed, the switches are lubed, and almost everything is fine. Almost, because my space bar sound was a bit… inconsistent, especially on the left side of it.

Bottom line? Really enjoyable sound, not loud. Spacebar sound is a bit inconsistent in my copy.

Design and Build Quality

Syntech decided to go with a really clean and pretty look for Chronos G-68. The aluminum case looks quite beautiful and very neat, making the whole aesthetic striking in the case of the white/yellow colorways. In my opinion, these two options really stand out from the black version. The typing angle is fixed at 6.5 degrees, and there are also 4 rubber feet at the back of the keyboard.

The keyboard is only wired, but that’s not bad; it makes it less portable, but it’s a gaming keyboard, and other things are more important than that. An interesting thing is that Syntech decided to make the cable go deeper into the case to avoid accidental unplugs.

The 65% ANSI layout features arrow keys and four additional navigation keys, and it’s all packed in the non-exploded layout, so the arrow keys are really close to the Enter and Shift, so mind that.

Syntech really designed the keycaps well. I really like the atomic accents on them to make it look even cooler. The north-facing RGB shines really beautifully and makes this design complete. The overall build quality is commendable, only the spacebar sound is a bit off, as I’ve said before.

Bottom line — aluminum gives a bit of a premium; they also designed this board really well.

Switches and Keycaps

The Chronos G-68 comes fitted with the Outemu Magnetic Sealed switches/Gateron Jades (Outemu switches in my copy) and pretty Cherry-profile double-shot PBT keycaps. The switches are pre-lubed out of the box and feel fine — nothing amazing, but very usable, and they perform well. They’re not too stiff or too light, which makes them decent for both gaming and everyday typing. They’re not my favorite, but since the board supports hot-swapping, you can easily swap them out for something like TTC Koms or probably a few other compatible options — I’ve tested Akko’s Astrolink switches and WS Flux switches. Both work well and can be customized/calibrated easily, but they are not recognized by the software, at least not yet.

If you’re wondering whether you should buy Gateron Jade at the additional cost, I’d not recommend it. The Jades have slightly more wobble, and the cost is not justified these days.

The double-shot PBT keycaps feature translucent legends and a refined texture that resists oil buildup and wear, at least according to the manufacturer. They feel nice under the fingers and match the board’s overall look, even adding some extra taste to it. The grip is solid, but they do start to get that expected shiny look; it’s not too disturbing. Still, they’re comfortable and look great when new.

The RGB on this board looks really quite nice; the switches don’t let additional light through, which prevents any unnecessary tint, and the legends are so vibrant that everything clicks well together. Visually, the board has a really clean look, with just the right amount of atomic accents to feel premium without being too flashy; however, it is a gaming keyboard, and it shows.

Bottom line — solid Outemu switches let you forget about the overpriced Jades, and keycaps are absolutely cool too.

Software

Let’s talk about good things first. Take a look at the image below:

Out of the box, the Chronos G-68 has that nice feature that lets you switch between the Gaming and Typing profiles on the fly. I was a bit shocked to see that my 0–9 keys were not working at first, but it turned out that I accidentally switched to the other profile. You can also visit the web-based software with just one click.

And that’s about it — the rest is either average or just bad.

First of all, the worst thing about the software is that it’s not really a web-based solution — weirdly, you need to download an .exe file to make the web driver even fire up in your browser. Why is that? Akko and Monsgeek also had a very similar solution, but they have resolved that lately with the latest upgrade of their driver, and that’s the direction Syntech must also follow in the near future. Because right now, what we get is just contradictory to the web-based driver. And not everyone is willing to install some .exe file from the internet.

Secondly, this is a very well-known and overcopied OEM software that is present in many keyboards, but in my opinion, if you’re aiming to be a top contender, you need to create your own, like Wooting, Melgeek, Nuphy, or Chilkey. This one is just a copy of something that is not too intuitive or well-explained to a rookie user. Of course, if you are familiar with it or have some experience in the magnetic keyboard industry, you will be fine, but it is not something a new user will like.

Thirdly, it is a hot-swappable board, but right now, only three switch types are supported by the software. Don’t get me wrong — I have tested a few third-party solutions and all worked well, but they were not present in the software as if they were illegal aliens in the software. But they calibrated at least and worked ok.

However, if you can live with these hiccups, the software should work fine for you. All new settings like DKS, SOCD, Mod Tap, etc, are here. The actuation and Rapid Trigger settings work very well, the 8k polling is here (and it’s stable), and the profiles and macros are present. So you either live with that or wait for another update, which I hope is coming soon.

Bottom line — software is the weak point in this keyboard, not intuitive, and is not real web software.

Latency and Performance

When you’re gaming, the Chronos G-68 holds its own. I found it delivers a pretty smooth experience, which is crucial for quick reactions in games. From my time using it, the keyboard felt consistently fast and responsive; there was no weird behaviour, and never did the SOCD block my movement. I never noticed any frustrating lag or strange cut-offs that would mess up my gameplay again.

The Outemu Magnetic Sealed switches that come with it are very decent right out of the box and are smoother than the Outemu Peach ones that I tested before in a few keyboards. They’ll get the job done for most players. But if you’re serious about getting the most out of this keyboard, swapping them for third-party switches — like the TTC Koms, for example — is absolutely possible but unnecessary, I’d say.

Now, the brand claims a super-low 0.776 ms latency. That sounds impressive, right? But honestly, we don’t know the exact conditions they tested it under, so it’s hard to tell if that’s a consistent reality or more of a marketing highlight. And I suppose it applies to the overall reaction of the whole grid, not a single press/release time, because that one is also pretty low, around 0.17ms per key press (most responsive and sensitive RT settings at 8k polling rate in my testing).

They also state it has an 8,000Hz polling rate, and that rate holds in my testing as well. I am not sure what the MCU and PCB are here, but it doesn’t seem to be a budget after all.

All in all, the most important thing is how the keyboard feels during actual use. And in that regard, the Chronos G-68 felt very responsive and incredibly fast. It kept up with everything I threw at it. Considering its mid-range price tag, that level of responsiveness is more than enough to satisfy most gamers. It’s a very fast performer for the cost.

Bottom line — one of the fastest keyboards I’ve tested lately.

Summary

Right off the bat, the Chronos G-68 makes a great impression with its striking colors and design, as well as solid construction. You’re looking at a body primarily made from high-quality aluminum, paired with an array of great-looking keycaps, and this gaming vibe that glitters with wonderful colors. It’s very robust and truly feels well-built for its price point.

When it comes to actually typing, it’s pretty distinct. The pre-lubed, box-mounted switches and decent stabilizers provide a stable keypress. While there’s a slight inconsistency in the space bar (my copy) and the sound leans a bit uneven, it’s still a generally very satisfying feel.

The software… well, needs a lot of work. But it can be fixed and fully web-based, as Akko and Monsgeek just proved.

But in gaming, this board shines. It’s very responsive, there’s basically nothing I can complain about. It shines well, it feels well, it plays well, it doesn’t disappoint where it matters — in gaming. That’s what it was designed for, and for the first foray into the gaming territory, I can openly say that Syntech comes away almost unscathed. I am curious what they will bring to us next.

Bullet Points

• beautiful and clean design
• premium aluminum build
• pleasant sound experience
• great unboxing
• The cable goes deep into the case to avoid accidental unplugs
• very nice accessories (brush, great wrist rest, but still a cheap switch/keycap puller)
• Enjoyable typing experience, not loud, despite the tray-mounted design
• Good overall switches (Outemu), no need to pay more for Gateron Jades
• Very nice PBT keycaps

• pretty RGB
• stable 8k polling
• in-built profile switching
• great at gaming
• very low latency
• Spacebar sound is inconsistent
• hot-swappable with 3rd party switches, but they are not recognized in the software, but they work
• clunky software that is not really web-based and needs a lot of work…
• … and still requires you to install a driver even if you are using the web-based solution, why?

Get Chronos G-68 from Syntech and use code “SYNTECH5” for discount

Disclaimer

This review is not a paid endorsement. I want to ensure transparency and let you know that I am not receiving any compensation, monetary or otherwise, for evaluating or discussing this tech product.