Maverick Quickie-The Bapaco: A Mechanical Keyboard's 39 year Old Coincidence

On February 27 2025, I found this photo on Facebook talking about a mechanical keyboard that somewhat looks like a laptop with a Jerry-Rigged display.

Ladies and Gentleman, this keyboard below is the Bapaco, a Mechanical Keyboard that is also a Jerry-Rigged laptop running Windows 11.

I never made my comment on Facebook about it but the more I look at this photo, the more I realize that this Keyboard reminds me of a certain Laptop from the Mid-1980s.....

Yeah, I could not pass up the opportunity to compare that Mechanical Keyboard to the IBM PC Convertible from 1986.

But I have a few takeaways of that keyboard above compared to the IBM Convertible.

Notice the layout?

This is a 65% Compact Keyboard which omits the function row and relegates the function keys to somewhere else on the keyboard depending on the manufacturer.

I actually don't like when keyboards omit important keys like this because it's not appropriate for a work environment.

And we can all thank the original Macintosh 128k's keyboard for teaching us about the dangers of missing keys.

Another reason I don't like 65 Compact or 40% layouts is because many games have bindings set by default that don't lend themselves very well to said layout.

The 1986 PC Convertible from IBM has a nice pseudo-75% Compact layout that I like because it has all the important Function keys that make navigating and shortcuts essential for your workloads, especially since IBM in the 1980s were all-in on Business, not games,

Unlike their competitors or PC clone manufacturers. 

"Another reason for me not being for games is because my processor is clocked at 4.77MHZ"

Plus, the PC Convertible has a detachable screen so you can opt for an External CGA Monitor of the time period 

And the PC Convertible has it's own printer that you can insert to the Computer

Though the advantage of the Bapaco shown way above and now below you is the fact that it's a full fledged PC.

It runs an Intel Core i5 1235U Processor

Has 32GB of DDR5 Ram,

and a 2TB SSD.

It also has a 5000 mAh Battery with a 6 Hour life on a full charge,

And the key switches are Hot-Swappable, just like my Epomaker Keyboard.

With those specs listed above, I hope the Bapaco is not a gimmick and is the real deal.

Jason Langevin JAYZTWOCENTS did a review of a similar product from MAXFREE back in July 31 2024 and I can recall from seeing  that video he did not like the product due to some issues with connectivity with the screen and the USB-C Cables.

And the MAXFREE keyboard cost $200 when he reviewed it.

Why does the Bapaco cost between $600 to $900?

Because it's a fully fledged computer with Laptop components so it's a given that it costs more because it can do more than just be a Keyboard with a built-in Touchscreen.

As for me, I'm sort of Interested in it since I need to replace my MSI Laptop sometime this year but I mostly will use the Bapaco as my laptop instead of my daily driver keyboard since I need my coveted Function Key row.

My only complaint about the Bapac, aside from the keyboard layout, is that it's running an Intel i5 CPU instead of an AMD Ryzen 5.

Granted the i5 is a 12th Gen instead of 13th, 14th, or 15th Gen CPU but when it comes to CPUs, I'm AMD Ryzen all the way.

All in all. the Bapaco is a solid product.

And yes, I spent a February without any Maverick Quickies which was a relief for me but lo-&-behold, I'm back to the Quickies this month.

No, I'm not suffering writers block,

It's just that I end up finding interesting tech products like the Bapaco since I'm have interest in Computer Hardware since I built Computers for myself and for my friends.

And I just can't help myself when I find interesting

And brace yourselves for more tech goodies that I uncover from the depths of WEB3, aka THE INTERNET.

And yes, I encourage those to back projects like the Bapaco Keyboard.

It's important to support the works of those who create independent projects like keyboards, games, books, and even animation.

If you're interested in the Bapaco, 

Here's the Kickstarter link to said product:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/944362954/bapaco-the-worlds-first-keyboard-with-a-built-in-computer

The product is in limited quantities however so back the project with your money while you can.....

Unless it becomes available on AMAZON.

According to the product timeline, the Launch is expected May 2025.

And pretty excited for this project so let's hope it turns out to be a really good one.