14 DAY TRIAL // One thing about the high-end market is that it is full of consumers willing to pay for extra functionality and convenience, a fact that QPAD seems to have been well aware of when it designed the MK-80 keyboard.
Gamers and enthusiasts are known for their voracious appetite for anything that can add enjoyment to their time spent at the PC.
This includes not just the best and most recent hardware parts, but also aesthetically-pleasing cases and peripherals.
Speaking of peripherals, there are loads of specially-designed keyboard and mice, with ergonomic designs or (for the former), extra, programmable buttons.
This once, QPAD is the company behind the creation of a certain keyboard known as MK-80.
Essentially, it is a mechanical keyboard, meaning that each key has its very own, mechanical switch that boosts accuracy (Cherry MX blue mechanical switch technology).
“Unlike your average keyboard, that functions through rubber domes, forcing you to press each key all the way down in order for the stroke register, the MK-80 sports true mechanical switches with unmatched accuracy and feel,” says the company's press release.
“No more pressing cheap plastic bits with full-force in order to activate the keys. The QPAD keyboard will respond to your every move in an instant.”
Each key should be able to withstand 50 million strokes and is individually lit by LED (light emitting diode). Four backlight intensity levels exist.
Additionally, there are media keys for skipping music tracks, playing, pausing and volume control.
What's more, the newcomer connects to a host PC via a 1.8-meter long cable and PS/2 connectivity, though USB can also be used. In fact, the two USB 2.0 ports built into the keyboard itself let it act as a hub.
Other specifications include 3.5mm headphone and audio jacks (gold-plated) and a detachable wrist pad, plus 4 extra orange key caps and key cap puller.
All in all, the newcomer weighs 1.27 kilograms and should start selling in May, though its price is not known as of yet.