ROCCAT Ryos mK FX Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with Per-Key RGB Illumination, Brown Cherry Switch

After three months' use, here is why I like this keyboard.CONSTRUCTION:This thing is solid. Heavy as it is, I can lift the whole thing by pinching the corner of the wrist rest and it stays rigid. Doesn't slide around or give under my sometimes-heavy typing. The dotted texture hides fingerprints nicely.KEYS:The Cherry MX Brown switches can be found on other keyboards, and reviewing those isn't reviewing *this keyboard* per se, but you don’t find Amazon reviews for just Cherry MX Brown, so here's one.A Brown switch is, essentially- if you slowly press down on a key, then halfway down the key slides past a “bump”. It's like slowly sliding a key into a lock. The bump is silent (unlike Cherry MX Blue or Razer green, which makes a “tick” sound). If you go all the way down, it hits bottom much more crisply than a membrane keyboard. I much enjoy the feel; however, the bump doesn't give anywhere near the feel of the Blue or Razer Green and doesn't itself provide that much a typing advantage. After breaking this in, I got slightly faster, about 5 wpm (up from ~140 wpm on a membrane), but my accuracy improved a ton. This is louder than a membrane keyboard, but not obnoxiously so. You can quiet it down even more by typing only halfway down.*Update (July 2017)*: Over the last two months this has given me a problem that is almost enough to knock it down a star. That is, the s pace bar activates at random. (yes, it happened just there) I believe I am pressing it and not knowing, but now that the keyboard is broken in after over half a year, it registers phantom spaces because it's too easy to press. Not that much, maybe every two minutes, but it really annoys me. Been a power user for maybe 10 years and have never had this problem, let alone consistently.*Update (August 2017)*: I tried putting a gas duster/compressed air into it. That seems to have completely fixed the problem; the space bar even feels and sounds different.LIGHTING:The lighting is beautiful, but disappointingly dim. It's like those green glowing nightlights; however, I think I’ve read that Cherry MX Brown switches are harder to light than Black or Red. Color resolution is good- you can tell between RGB 0/255/0 and 0/245/0. Dark colors are pretty accurate, but lighter colors are dark- lime green is more like light emerald, cyan is light turquoise, etc. The effects cannot be customized as much as Corsair or Razer (you cannot animate Pac-Man or lightsabers) but is still more than plenty. There are the usual- rainbow, blinking, fading, etc. but also a “heat map” and a working sound bar equalizer. You can set response to events- for instance, every time you hold the J key, E turns orange and R blinks blue. The thumbster keys and toggle (e.g. Num Lock) are a brighter white than the other keys are, and they cannot be color changed.If you think “who needs lighting, I can just read the keys”, understand this: It's way easier to look for a color than a symbol. I don't have the scroll lock location memorized, and if I'm doing an intense Excel formula that needs lots of focus, then the 5 seconds to find scroll lock will break my concentration (yes, Samuel L. Jackson). Instead I can look for bright yellow out the corner of my eye and quickly hit it.LAYOUT:There are five dedicated macro keys, which were much of why I bought this. The three thumbster keys below the space bar don’t work that well with thumbs, they’re stiff like alarm clock buttons. I would have liked media buttons but there are none. The layout's biggest problem is the Esc and F-keys being too far away. I whiffed the Esc a lot at first. F1-F12 are way too far right, making Alt+F4 literally a pain (see picture of my thumb cramping) to type. F4 on this keyboard is where F5 should be.FUNCTIONALITY:The Easy Shift (“ES” I’ll call it) is one of the greatest keyboard-related inventions ever!ES replaces Caps Lock (who uses that anyway) and can be combined with almost any key (A-Z, 0-9, numpad, symbols, specials like Ctrl, Alt, PgUp, and macro keys) to put up a custom function such as a macro of keystrokes or opening or closing a program. Instead of just five macro keys, the ES combo gives you maybe ninety! I set ES+X to close programs instead of that horrible Alt+F4. Macros execute very quickly and without hesitation no matter what the computer's doing, thanks to the keyboard's internal memory. This keyboard takes one (USB 3.0) or two (USB 2.0) ports, and it does not have pass-thru ports. It does have microphone and headphone jacks. It was shipped with a transparent plastic mould covering the keys; you can use it as a keyboard dust cover.Oh, if you *do* want to seem like a moron on the internet, you *can* still put Caps Lock back on the ES key, though you're taking away one of the best features. (or you can put Caps Lock on the thumbster keys instead)SOFTWARE INTERFACE:Needs some work. For instance, if you click a palette color, it won't show its RGB value. You don't select a macro and delete, you must use the check box. To see special animation features for each key, you always have to scroll down. I only really use one profile, so I cannot say with that feature. Overall, it's powerful but very awkward to use.Overall, this is a great keyboard. The Easy Shift function really takes the cake, but I also love the feel of the switches. Macro keys are good, as is lighting though it is a bit dim.

Honestly love the design & feel of this keyboard, been using it for close to 3 years, and is the best keyboard that I have used so far! Sturdy for everyday use even during intense typing or gaming sessions where you are not so gentle with the keyboard, and multiple macro profiles that you can switch to. Added feature that I love about this is the audio and microphone jack on the top left where you can use earbuds instead of a standard headset which I do to avoid headset hair.Cons:Pretty big and will take up a lot of space, especially the jumbo wrist-rest that's not removableRoccat Software is not the greatest and wouldn't really use or rely on, just set up what you need and close it out at the end, shame for this as its main feature is for MacrosSome additions that are not there but would be nice:Adding 2 USB Passthrough ports on the top right of the keyboard for USB access either for Flashdrives or a headset/microphoneA Dedicated Media scroller for audio or whatnot as Logitech Keyboards have, to control audio & media you have to use the Fn key along with your F Keys on the top by default, you can go to the Roccat Ryos software and bind some of these functions to the M1-M5 keys based on your preference.Overall, this is a good keyboard and worth the money!

First off, I've been using a different Roccat Ryos keyboard, the MK Glow (Non-RGB illumination) for about 2 years & I love it. I bought the MK FX because it's supposed to be a "step up" from the Glow & it has two things the Glow is missing: a braided cable, and Cherry MX Brown Switches. The Glow is only outfitted with Cherry MX Black Switches, a linear switch requiring the most force (60g) to actuate & providing no tactile feedback upon actuation. Here's my experience with the Ryos MK FX RGB keyboard.PROS: First, the lighting is kind of cool, but the main color as bright as the Glow's, but that's because the Glow has one color: BLUE! The FX's range of colors reduces the brilliance of the color output, I guess. There's something to note as well: the FX terminates in 2 USB connectors, which must both be used, and evidently it matters which port they are plugged into. If they are switched, the keyboard is lit red. When they are plugged in correctly, there is a colorful cascading light show sequence on the keyboard going from left to right & up and down before ending with all the keys flashing three times and remaining lit in a cyan color of greenish-blue. It's actually pretty neat. Audio pass through is present, making the braided cable HUGE & the "Cable Management" cutouts on the bottom of the keyboard comically moot. There's no way that fat bastard will fit in that tiny channel!Now the CONS. Strap in:Instead of a step up, it's more like a headfirst trip down the stairs, courtesy of the cumbersome way the SWARM software interfaces with the Ryos FX in order to configure & control the keyboard. This is done, or not accomplished depending on your level of patience, using a bumbling drag and drop design only, rather than utilizing the simple (yet VERY EFFECTIVE) method of drop-down selection of presets with any of your desired unique/individual assignments located within those same drop down "Menus."By contrast, the Ryos Glow has its own dedicated driver program, which is intuitive & simple to use; more importantly, it works! I have more than 5 profiles set up exactly how I want them, with the 5 most frequently used profiles loaded to slots within the Ryos Driver & ready to use at a moments notice. The less frequent profiles are easily loaded because they are saved in the same location as rest of the profiles, as the software has a limit of 5 profile slots available to use at any given time. This is important to note, because I have different macros assigned for different functions/purposes for each individual profile on hand. The main "Desktop Profile" being the most complicated of them, so much so that I've created a separate document which lists them. This took HOURS to set up & perfect for use with my Glow. Naturally, I expected to be able to simply load those profiles to the FX version of the keyboard, thus making for an easy, seamless transition. Alas, no dice. Furthermore, the temperamental drag and drop method is the only means of programming the keyboard, and was met with little success. After 10 minutes of tinkering I was finally able to customize ONE key on the Ryos FX (the M1 key, which is programmed to launch Task Manager) with success. Nothing else. I was unable to program the M2 key to switch tabs, because the program would not allow me to drop it onto the corresponding button after eventually finding it & there is no option to manually input the ALT+TAB command, or any command or keystroke for that matter.You might wonder if it might be user error, as would I if it weren't for that fact that my other peripheral, a Roccat Nyth Modular Gaming Mouse, uses the SWARM software but employs the same simple drop-down menu selection method as the Ryos Glow Driver Software to great success. I have no issues whatsoever with the mouse, I love that peripheral to. And I HATE corded mice in general, have used wireless ones for years. But my Logitech G602 is back in it's box & will serve as backup should the Nyth ever die.The hard wrist rest is the same across the entire Ryos line: it's VERY uncomfortable after any length of time, however I was able to easily remedy it by purchasing a comfortable wrist rest to put on the keyboard. I ensure it doesn't go anywhere with a couple strips of magnetic tape adhered to the keyboard & the underside of the comfy rest. Problem solved.BOTTOM LINE:The dumb-as-Hell configuration method, combined with the inability to import the configurations of ANY of the saved profiles from the Glow keyboard settled it: this keyboard is going back. I'm not going to spend MORE hours of effort on an exercise in frustrating futility. I can live with my Glow's non-braided cable & I've grown accustomed to the Black Switches. Clear Dampening O-Rings quiet down the constant bottoming out that comes with typing on them while allowing the pretty lights to shine through. The RGB color spectrum & Lighting Effects are pointless for me, I don't care if my keyboard doesn't have them. It's illuminated in the color I want it to be (BLUE) and it functions awesome! FYI, the Ryos FX is NOT controllable via the Glow's Software, I tried.If you can live with those shortcomings, by all means, grab the keyboard. But I found the way SWARM interfaces to be about the same as the Corsair CUE software: A Freaking NIGHTMARE!

I was replacing an older Roccat Ryos MK Pro that was having some double-entering problems with certain keys. I would have preferred a non-RGB version as I don't see the point of paying more for something unnecessary like fancy colours but, since that's not an option, it is what it is.Keyboard works as it should. LED colours and brightness are both on point. The braided cable is a noticeable upgrade to the MK Pro. The cherry browns seem noticeably louder than the ones in the old keyboard, but not to a point where it's bothersome.My only complaint is that there seems to be a bit of wobble in the keyboard when it is on my desk almost as though the pads on the front left and back right aren't at the same height.

This is a premium gaming keyboard. EVERY single key can be changed in color, whatever color you wish it to be in! the ROCCAT software is a bit iffy at times, but the keyboard is SOLID and HEAVY and HUGE!!!!The only problem is, at this price, I expect dedicated multimedia keys, especially for a keyboard which is massive in size.The brown keys are excellent, but the lack of ease of use for multimedia is huge issue for me personally

I've been a fan of their mice since the Tyon and now the Nyth but hadn't tried ROCCAT keyboards until this one. It's not click like my razor was but otherwise performs on par with a couple extra perks. I like having the headset jacks on the left so the wires don't interfere with my mouse and the software suite is excellent!

This keyboard is really amazing.Keys: I got the Cherry MX Brown switches.Transport & Packaging: This keyboard comes in a big box almost as big as a 24" monitor box.Installation Experience: Nothing great comes with 2 USB cables to insert & and audio jacks with headphone and mic (as there is a dock for audio in the keyboard). While installation, I faced issues connecting this Keyboard to Swarm for the first time. Apparently I had to unplug the keyboard after the first driver installation otherwise Swarm never detected it. Apart from that didn't face any issues.Keyboard is mostly covered by matte finishes so doesn't get much fingerprints apart from the logo at the bottom and a lining/stripe of glossy black.Performs well. Easy to make Macros. Lacks Macro Sharing from Swarm i.e. I cannot view community created macros which could have been awesome.This keyboard is definitely not portable, Its heavy and has a non removal wrist rest padding. For the price you are paying this keyboard lives up to the expectations.It would have been awesome if Roccat provided a key cap remover also but they didn't.

I use this for gaming, some editing, and day to day whatever. I had a bit of growing pain with it, but I like it a lot. The keys have great action, but it is pretty loud.