A keyboard with preinstalled components and ease of use with respect to a programmable interface can definitely prove to be a great option by almost every count. One such great option you would find rather impressive and efficient would be the KC60 mechanical keyboard offered by Massdrop. Believe me, this keyboard is pretty awesome. In fact, this keyboard is excellent as the gamers and other enthusiasts swear by it.
What is KC60 Mechanical Keyboard?
The KC60 is a new mechanical keyboard that Massdrop recently launched. The features and functionalities of the KC60 mechanical keyboard are quite impressive and enhanced in their own right.
The keyboard does provide you access to a very attractive and affordable price tag and then packs in other premium features such as PBT keycaps, and backlighting options, and a fully programmable feature. The excellent price and advanced features can be one of the promising features you would rather find one of the cheapest options among the 60% keyboards. That is exactly why people in the know consider and hail the keyboard that – This keyboard is pretty awesome!
Talking about the sales package, the KC60 mechanical keyboard comes with a mini USB cable and a plastic keycap puller. You will get it with a thin packaging that we have found on most of the Drop branded keyboards.
The KC60 Mechanical Keyboard review – What does this pretty awesome keyboard offers you?
We will analyze the features offered by the KC60 mechanical keyboard in a finer detail. We will check it out based on the key factors.
The Case
The case can be perhaps one of the weakest aspects of the KC60 mechanical keyboard. You will find that it comes with a considerable amount of flex. The case is not something you would find much impressive, especially when you compare it to the 60% keyboards from the brands such as Vortex, TEX, and Ducky.
The keycaps
The keycaps on this cool keyboard are one of the strongest factors on the KC60 mechanical keyboard and you would find it a rewarding experience in the long run. The keycaps are made of PBT and that should be one of the excellent options on the keyboard. The keycap profile has been observed to be at par with the Cherry profile which should be one of the huge advantages. You would find the legends that will never wear off. You also have an option of white or black laser engraved keycaps.
Switches
The KC60 mechanical keyboard does offer you access to two options in terms of the key switches – Cherry MX or Gateron switches. The Gateron switches do provide you an excellent functionality with the best degree of performance as a good Cherry MX counterpart. The Gateron Blue switches provide you the same parameters such as clicky, tactile feel, and 45g actuation force you would find on the Cherry MX Blue switches. We found the Gateron switches a little smoother when compared to the Cherry MX switches.
The keyboard has Costar type stabilizers instead of Cherry stabilizers. This can be one of the reasons you would find rather impressive in every possible manner. In fact, you would find that the Cherry stabilizers tend to come with the mushy feeling that a good number of keyboard users do not appreciate. You would definitely appreciate it as the clickiest keyboard.
The layout
The 60% form factor on the Massdrop KC60 Mechanical keyboard follows the standard ANSI keyboard layout. You should find it quite compatible with any standard aftermarket Cherry MX keycap set. The best part with the keyboard is that it is completely programmable, perhaps making it one of the prime futuristic computer keyboards.
The cool keyboard offers you several customizations from the GUI, a few of the prime examples being:
- Calculator
- LEDs toggles for turning on or off
- LEDs control through dimming and brightening
- Dedicated Media controls such as play, pause, stop, next, and previous
- Home shortcut
- Email shortcut
The Internals
The keyboard does come with a very decent and perfect performance and efficiency when it comes to the benefits offered for the DIY enthusiasts making it one of the best unique computer keyboards. The keyboard is quite easy and simple to dismantle. You just need a simple Philips screwdriver for taking it apart. No special tools are required.
That would make it one of the prime choices for your needs and expectations in terms of the perfect hot-swappable design.
What Makes the KC60 Mechanical Keyboard a Worthy Option?
The keyboard attracts people who keep claiming that this keyboard is pretty awesome, and rightly deserves the enthusiasm of the keyboard critics and fans.
The keyboard is powered by the ATmega32u4 programmable controller chip. This would provide you an enhanced experience for the best programmable layering performance on the 60% layout. The six key rollover functionality can be yet another option that further improve your experience to almost every extent.
The KC60 Mechanical keyboard – The Specs Sheet
The specifications offered by the KC60 mechanical keyboard would include
- NPKC
- 60% layout
- Programmable layers
- 6-key rollover
- PBT dye-sublimated or laser engraved keycaps
- Cherry stabilizers
- Cherry MX or Gateron switches
- Mini USB interface
- Compatible with 60% of cases that work with Poker
- Plate mounted
- ATmega32u4 controller
A Few Pros and Cons Of KC60 Mechanical Keyboard
A product review will not be complete without the mention of the Pros and Cons offered by the KC60 Mechanical keyboard.
- A very affordable price point
- Compatibility with the aftermarket keyboard components such as switches, keycaps, and other components.
- Dedicated media keys
- Compatibility with several platforms such as Windows, Linux, and OS X operating systems
- Dye-sub PBT keycaps
- The plastic case may look a little less preferred from a durability point
- 6 key rollover or No key rollover options
- No onboard programming
The Bottom Line
Well, we indeed found this cool keyboard quite interesting. The highly customizable and hot-swappable nature of the keyboard can further make it one of the excellent choices. We found the affordable price point along with the advanced options available on the keyboard one of the exciting choices by almost all counts.