Kestrel Instruments is a six-person workshop making keyboards for people who care. The Kestrel One is our first. We designed it to be precise, beautiful, and built to last—no compromise.
CNC-machined aluminum. Gasket-mounted switches. Hand-tuned stabilizers. Open-source firmware. Every detail has been considered.
Poron gaskets and flex-cut plate for a refined, slightly softer feel on every press.
45 g actuation, factory-lubed, 3.8 mm travel. Smooth. Consistent. Predictable.
South-facing RGB on a hot-swap PCB. Full customization via VIA or QMK.
4000 mAh. 200 hours wireless with lighting off, 40 hours on.
Wired USB-C, 2.4 GHz dongle, or Bluetooth 5.3. Three devices at once.
QMK/VIA compatible firmware. Yours to modify and customize.
Type to hear the Kestrel One's precision sound profile
The Kestrel Linear switches deliver a smooth, linear feel with a satisfying bottom-out. Each keystroke is precisely tuned for comfort during long typing sessions.
Precision keyboard, as intended.
Numbered. Brass. Made for first believers.
90 Kestrel Linear switches.
Shipping: Pre-orders ship in 6–8 weeks worldwide. Free shipping over $200.
Guarantee: 2-year warranty on everything. 30-day no-questions return.
Compatible: macOS, Windows, Linux, iPadOS, Android. Mac and Windows key layouts included.
Yes. The PCB is hot-swap, so you can replace any of the included Kestrel Linear switches with any 3-pin or 5-pin switch. We also sell Kestrel Linear switch packs separately.
The 2.4 GHz connection polls at 1000 Hz, the same as wired, with latency under 1 ms. Bluetooth is suitable for most uses but will have slightly higher latency. For competitive gaming, we recommend wired or 2.4 GHz.
We're currently only shipping the Kestrel One as a complete keyboard. Future modular options may be explored once the initial launch is complete.
Yes. The Kestrel One uses QMK and is VIA compatible. You can reprogram keys, create macros, and update to new firmware versions—all without special hardware.
Full support. The Kestrel One works with Linux over USB-C, and the QMK firmware is Linux-native. Keycaps for Windows layouts are included; Mac keycaps are separate but also included.
2 years on everything: case, switches, PCB, stabilizers, battery. We also offer a 30-day no-questions return if it's not for you.