ROCCAT Ryos MK Review

👤by Tim Harmer Comments 📅08-11-13
Conclusion

ROCCAT’s Ryos MK is a study in contrasting impressions. Perhaps that’s a consequence of its cost-conscious design, or simply the newness of the keyboard, but the dichotomy between hardware and software is pronounced.

The choice of Cherry MX Black switches adds yet more choice to the mechanical keyboard market in the UK, where MX Reds were swiftly becoming the de facto standard switch. However that would be for naught were the build quality not so good as it evidently is, resulting in a keyboard which will be a pleasure to use for the vast majority of gamers and professionals canny enough to pick it up. Having used them, we wouldn’t hesitate in recommending the MX Black’s over the more lightweight MX Reds for anyone not actively disadvantaged by stiffer switches.

For some the lack of a backlight will be a deal-breaker. It will very much depend on your own gaming habits, but frankly the Ryos MK will always be a poor choice for low-light conditions. The MK Glow is due soon, but at a premium of £30 over the standard variant that’s quite a mark up. On the other hand lighting will also improve other aspects of the keyboard, most notably profile identification, so it may be valuable enough to sway you. If ROCCAT follow through on the groundwork laid the MK Glow should be very good indeed.

Less likely to be a sticking point in purchasing, but still a disappointment, is the software. Manufacturers are now surpassing ROCCAT in what they offer, and whilst ROCCAT Talk redresses the balance somewhat there’s much more that could be done. It’s quite possible that the configuration utility is simply immature right now and much more is planned, but they need to get back ahead of the game rather than be mid-pack. That said, it’s still a highly polished utility that doesn’t actively interfere with any aspect of the Ryos MK's function.



Of course Macro keys and the additional Thumbster buttons are exceptional additions at this price point for a mechanical board; and if the Thumbster buttons are a little stiff, that should ease with time. Most noteworthy is some of the best NKRO behavior we’ve seen, especially in the way the main keyset interacts with macro keys, blowing away some keyboards well above this asking price. Once again your own use patterns will determine how significant this is, but for an MMO gamer it should not be underestimated.

Overall the ROCCAT Ryos MK represents excellent value at the <£90 price point. An impressive on-board feature set, comparable to many motherboards priced far more extravagantly, are built on the fundamental strength of Cherry MX Black switches and great build quality. Equally suitable for MMOs and FPS games, the only downsides will be underdeveloped software-enabled features and the lack of a backlight. Absolute out of the box functionality and quality nets it a Vortez Silver Award, whilst the price point makes it a Amazing Value Award a stone cold certainty.

Pros
+ Mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Black switches
+ 8 Macro Keys
+ 5 Profiles
+ Easy-Shift[+] functionality doubles available keybinds
+ ROCCAT Talk allows greater synergy with other ROCCAT peripherals
+ Excellent NKRO
+ Very competitive price

Cons
+ No illumination
+ Software functionality surpassed by competition

Tips
= Pair with a ROCCAT mouse for even greater flexibility.





Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
Our thanks go to ROCCAT for providing this review sample.


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