Having seen mechanical keyboards grow in popularity over the years, I can say with confidence that they are now practically mainstream products. Walk into any IT retail outlet and you'll find them displayed prominently at the peripherals section. It's no surprise, as mechanical keyboards offer a better typing experience — precise and tactile — than rubber dome ones. Mechanical keyboards also last longer, and come in so many varieties that users can pick or customise them to their satisfaction. In short, mechanical keyboards are here to stay. Here then are five models that impressed us.
Iqunix L80 Mechanical Keyboard
Few keyboards draw the eye like the Iqunix L80, which comes in a white case with white, red and grey keycaps made of PBT plastic. It offers both wired and wireless modes. The battery life is also pretty good if you choose the latter. More importantly, you can choose between most Cherry MX and Gateron key switches, so you have a good selection whether you like clicky, tactile or linear switches.
Logitech G413 TKL SE
If you don't need the frills, such as RGB lighting, the S$99 Logitech G413 TKL SE is a solid and affordable option. While you won't get any macros or software software, the Logitech does the basics well enough. You'll get white backlighting, 6-key rollover, and even durable PBT keycaps on a solid aluminium frame.
Mountain Everest Max
Alternatively, if you have the budget, the S$399 Mountain Everest Max offers a crazy amount of modularity, albeit at a price. It consists of three components, a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard, a media dock with a rotating LCD dial, and a number pad with four customisable display keys. So you can choose to use all three, or just have the TKL keyboard, for example, if you're heading to a LAN party.
Razer Pro Type Ultra
Designed for office users, the Razer Pro Type Ultra has a more muted design than the brand's usual gaming products. In addition, this full-sized keyboard has relatively quiet mechanical keys and offers three connectivity modes (wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz). Battery life is also excellent — it should last up over a week without charging.
Supersolid Dreamtype DT-001
The Supersolid Dreamtype DT-001 is another affordable mechanical keyboard to consider. This no-frills tenkeyless model offers hot-swappable Kailh BOX White (clicky), Brown (Tactile), or Red (Linear) switches, as well as more durable PBT keycaps. It also has customisable RGB modes, a detachable USB-C cable, and a gaming mode. Not too shabby for S$129.
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