Rei Ayanami Keyboards: MelGeek CENTAURI80 vs Flydigi FS68

The Flydigi FS68 and MelGeek CENTAURI80 have different ways of winning over a Rei fan. The FS68 puts Rei's eyes on the Enter key and wraps them in a compact blue-and-white design. The CENTAURI80 adds a screen for your favorite images and GIFs, with character artwork waiting underneath when you turn the keyboard over.

If you like both, start with how you'll use your Rei Ayanami keyboard. From daytime emails to evening games, it's something you'll use every day. The design and the layout both need to feel right for your desk.

For a distinctive Rei keyboard with plenty of gaming features at a more accessible price, our first pick is the FS68. It leaves more space for your mouse and puts its tuning options where shooter players spend most of their time: the movement keys.

If you want the keyboard to be the centerpiece of an Evangelion setup, the CENTAURI80 is worth the extra budget. Its aluminum case, dedicated function row, OLED touchscreen, and character details give it the appeal of both a daily keyboard and a collectible.

Here's where that price difference shows up in everyday use.

FS68 vs CENTAURI80: key differences

What matters to you	Flydigi FS68 Rei Edition	MelGeek CENTAURI80 Rei Edition
Budget	Better value when you're budgeting for a whole desk setup	A higher price for the case, controls, and collector details
Layout and width	68 keys; 318 mm wide, leaving more room for a mouse	83 keys; approximately 375 mm wide, with a dedicated F1–F12 row
Gaming adjustments	Adjustable actuation, Rapid Trigger, and Pre-RT on WASD	Adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger, with screen access to some settings
Construction	Aluminum alloy top cover and honeycomb cushioning	Aluminum alloy case, FR4 plate, and spring gasket mounting
Controls	Upper-right roller and lighting strip	OLED touchscreen, knob, and red action button
Rei details	Translucent blue-and-white keycaps and Rei's eyes on Enter	Keycap and case artwork, EVA-00 markings, an identity plate, underside engraving, and a customizable screen

Both use a wired USB connection, retain arrow keys, and support up to 8,000 Hz polling and 0.01 mm Rapid Trigger adjustment. With those core magnetic-keyboard features covered, the more useful differences are the layout, tuning options, and design you want to live with.

Flydigi FS68: a Rei keyboard for a tighter budget

Flydigi built its name on gaming controllers, and the FS68 is its first magnetic keyboard. That background shows in its focus on fine-tuning finger movements, particularly on the WASD keys used throughout PC shooters.

The design fits an everyday desk well, too. Translucent blue-and-white keycaps suit Rei's cool color palette, while the eyes on Enter give the character a recognizable place on the board. The compact 68-key layout leaves room for a mouse, a controller, or a favorite figure beside it.

Pre-RT focuses on the moment you let go

In a shooter, pressing a movement key is only half the action. Releasing it at the right moment matters just as much when you're practicing stops and direction changes. That's the part of the movement the FS68's Pre-RT focuses on.

Standard Rapid Trigger resets a key based on its upward travel. Pre-RT uses changes in finger pressure to predict the release. In Flydigi's published laboratory testing, it registered release 5–10 milliseconds earlier than traditional RT. For players who spend time practicing movement and quick stops, this is the FS68 feature most worth exploring.

The sensing layout follows the same priorities: two Hall sensors on the standard keys and four on WASD, concentrating more sensing hardware on the keys you use most for movement.

If you enjoy fine-tuning stops and directional control, the FS68 puts your budget toward exactly that. Pre-RT is optional, so you can start with familiar RT settings and then experiment until the release behavior suits your fingers.

MelGeek CENTAURI80: the centerpiece of a Rei setup

The CENTAURI80's appeal comes from the whole keyboard.

The aluminum case, silver knob, red action button, and character details around the screen give it a natural place at the center of an EVA desk. EVA-00 markings, a Rei identity plate, and an engraved portrait underneath carry the theme well beyond the keycaps.

You won't see the underside artwork every day, but details like that are part of the pleasure of owning a collaboration piece. Turning the board over and finding more character artwork is a nice touch for fans who care about how thoroughly a design follows its theme.

An OLED screen you can make your own

The 1.78-inch OLED touchscreen is one of the CENTAURI80's most recognizable features. It handles settings such as RT and lighting, and you can upload images and GIFs through MelGeek HIVE.

Put a favorite Rei image on the screen and match it with your keycaps, desk mat, and wallpaper. If you're already building an Evangelion setup, choosing that last detail yourself gives you more room to make it personal.

The screen is useful for adjustments, too. Some settings are right beside your hands, without a trip back to the computer's configuration interface. Between changes, your chosen image stays on the keyboard.

A function row for work and evening games

The 83-key layout keeps F1–F12 in a dedicated row. If you use function-key shortcuts, debugging tools, or game bindings regularly, those keys are right where you expect them.

Inside, an FR4 plate, spring gasket mounting, and multiple layers of damping material support and cushion each keypress while shaping the keyboard's sound.

The function row handles everyday shortcuts; the aluminum case and customizable screen add the construction and design details you may want from a board you'll keep. If those features are already on your list for a main keyboard, the CENTAURI80 gives you clear reasons to spend more.

Gaming and everyday use: layout, feel, and settings

Desk space and function keys

The FS68 is about 57 mm narrower than the CENTAURI80, a difference of roughly 2.2 inches. If you make wide mouse movements in FPS games, that space is useful: you can position the keyboard comfortably without pushing your mouse toward the edge of the desk.

For a small desk, low-sensitivity mouse settings, or a setup that also needs space for a controller, we'd choose the FS68.

If you have a larger desk and use F-key shortcuts every day, the CENTAURI80 earns its extra width. Direct access saves repeated key combinations, which can matter more than a smaller footprint when the same keyboard handles work and games.

Typing feel and sound

Magnetic sensitivity and the physical feel of a keypress are different things. A shallower actuation point registers input sooner. Spring resistance, cushioning at the bottom of the stroke, and the return of the key determine what your fingers feel.

If you type with a light touch, finding a comfortable actuation setting is more useful than starting with the smallest number. If you often press keys all the way down, the cushioning and mounting deserve more attention.

For a deep, solid typing sound, our pick is the CENTAURI80. Its sound is tuned toward a deeper, more refined tone, with an FR4 plate, spring gasket mounting, and layered acoustic damping. If you enjoy the rhythm of typing in a quiet room, that sound and construction are worth making room for in your budget.

If you mainly game with headphones and typing sound isn't a priority, the FS68 is the better-value choice. Its honeycomb cushioning and internal damping also address bottom-out impact and hollow resonance. Putting more of your budget toward movement-key tuning and a compact layout makes sense for that use.

Switching between gaming and typing profiles

It's tempting to turn sensitivity all the way up when you get a magnetic keyboard. But settings that suit quick movement can leave you correcting accidental inputs when you sit down to write an email.

A better starting point is to save a dependable typing profile, then tune WASD separately for your favorite game. Give your fingers some room when typing; for games, gradually shorten the actuation and reset distances. Change one setting at a time and repeat the same movement drill so you can tell which adjustment actually helps.

The FS68 manages multiple onboard profiles through Flydigi Space Station. The CENTAURI80 saves settings through MelGeek HIVE and adds screen controls. The FS68 is a good fit if you like experimenting with movement keys; the CENTAURI80 makes frequently used controls easier to reach.

Ready to choose your Rei Ayanami keyboard?

Choose the FS68 if you have a firm budget or gaming comes first. It keeps the Rei design recognizable, while its compact layout and Pre-RT give it a clear gaming identity. The savings can go toward a mouse, desk mat, or another part of your setup.

Choose the CENTAURI80 if you want your main keyboard to feel like a piece of your collection, too. If you already want an aluminum case, use a dedicated function row, and have plans for the OLED screen, the extra budget has somewhere specific to go.

Both work as everyday keyboards and have a place in a Rei fan's collection. Choose the features you'll use, and the one you'll still enjoy looking at every time you sit down.

If you're also considering EVA-01 or Asuka, explore our MelGeek Evangelion keyboard comparison, or browse the Evangelion collection for gear to go with your keyboard.

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