iBUYPOWER's MK9 Pro Mechanical Keyboard

Brilliant.

I had the chance to try out iBUYPOWER’s new MK9 Pro Mechanical Keyboard and within minutes, I was really taken with it. This 98 key, 96% layout keyboard is visually pleasing with a click to its keys that is nothing short of addictive. Its translucent body is enhanced by several color settings, and its USB cable, yes, this is a wired keyboard, is so slick that you often forget it’s plugged in. Given its cheap price, you simply can’t go wrong.

Fittingly enough, this review is written via this very keyboard, as my cat is mysteriously drawn to the tapping of these very clicky keys as I type away. This keyboard is extremely portable and even features the number pad to the right, something that can often be neglected in a smaller format.

First things first, the packaging. The box itself is very thin on presentation, and the packaging itself is extremely basic. The keyboard is wrapped in fairly thin bubble wrap, with the fold of the box below it housing a keycap remover and the USB cord. Part of the cheaper price is due to the packaging being anything but fancy, leaving the presentation of the whole package to be solely built around the product. Last but not least is the small compact manual that is under the keyboard. 

I’ve always enjoyed illuminated keyboards. It allows the keyboard to match your setup, especially if you have devoted a lot of money to a good streaming rig. Thankfully, despite the twenty-six different presets, you can use the HYTE Nexus software to customize the lighting theme that mimics onscreen palettes. It really attempts to bring the big-boy features of much more expensive keyboards to this smaller budget purchase. 

The MK9 Pro keyboard is very sturdy, with exceptional build quality. It has a solid weight to it and avoids that cheap light-weight approach you often find with keyboards of this price range. You can twist the frame a bit, given the quality of the materials, but under normal use and interaction, you’ll rarely find the build quality to be poor or feel cheap in any regard. 

What I really love about the MK9 Pro is the multifunction volume dial found in the top right corner. This allows for a quick spin of the dial to lower or raise the volume instead of having to make adjustments in-game via the mouse. It also allows for adjusting your LCD lighting as well, making it truly multi-functional.

Typing with the keycaps provided is extremely good, with a nice clear mechanical click that had both my roommate and my cat obsessed. The default setup here are linear mechanical switches with next to no latency. Overall, the feel of the keys is very sound, and the spacing of the whole keyboard doesn't feel too compact and allows for your reach of any key on the board to be as simple as ever. 

The MK9 Pro is a wise investment for someone looking for a great entry level mechanical keyboard that isn't going to break the bank. While it does lack the ability to save profiles, the pros greatly outweigh anything that could be considered a con, especially for the price. All in all, I greatly enjoy using this keyboard, its addictive clicks, and the ability to customize the glow and exposure of its onboard lighting. 

A keyboard was sent to the reviewer from iBUYPOWER for the purpose of this review.