The AKASO Keychain 2 is one of the latest contenders in the action camera market, offering the consumers what is essentially a “barebones” alternative.
What Am I Looking At?
So, the Keychain 2 presents itself with rectangular body, rather than a more uniformed square design that its rival, GoPro, uses. To go through the specifications of it quickly, the action camera has a 1.3-inch touchscreen, and a sensor to capture videos at 4K30fps and shoot stills at 20MP resolution. That said, you will need a high-speed microSD card for this.
The Keychain 2 is powered by a 1,050mAh battery that provides up to 180 minutes of recording time, and has an IPX6 rating, but it does come with a waterproof casing capable of diving up to 30 metres.
Charging is done via USB-C, and it supports storage up to 256GB via the microSD card slot. Off the shelf, the Keychain 2 retails at RM799.
What’s Good About It?
While the Keychain 2 can record at 4K30fps, I personally found it more than sufficient to record my travails with at FHD60fps. That 6-axis image stabilisation? It works a treat, even when it’s clipped to directly to the strap of my bags, especially if I’m running or rushing to get to my next stop.
At RM799, you get an action camera that is capable of performing a variety of different scenarios, including time lapse, hyperlapse, slow motion, and more. The touchscreen itself is fairly rudimentary, which is a bit of a double-edged sword but ultimately, it’s a simple choice between recording or snapping a still image.
On that note, the Keychain 2 is controlled primarily by the main button at the front of the camera. One tap turns the camera on, and depending on your mode, you either snap a picture or start recording your videos.
What’s The Catch?
While the Keychain 2’s 86g doesn’t feel much on its own, it’s the little things, or rather, its accessories that add up to its overall weight. Just the basic housing clip that I used throughout my testing period with it brings it closer to about half the typical weight of a restaurant-served steak. That’s 200g pre-cooked, for those of you wondering about acceptable market size.
The Keychain 2 also gets quite toasty over prolong periods, although that’s to be expected. On that note, and to state the obvious, while 180 minutes worth of recording time is ample, it is likely that you’re going to be taking breaks in between to recharge the camera, particularly if your storage capacity exceeds the action camera’s battery life.
Should I Buy It?
While not significantly cheaper than what GoPro has to offer, at RM799, the AKASO Keychain 2 is still a more affordable alternative to the masses. It’s lightweight enough that it won’t weigh you down but durable enough that you don’t have to worry about the occasional knocks it will undoubtedly receive, as I experienced in my reviewing of the product.
If this has piqued your interest, you can purchase the Keychain 2 via AKASO’s official online stores on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok.
Photography by John Law.
