QPAD MK-80 Keyboard Review

We’ve reviewed a couple of mechanical gaming keyboards recently. This one is a little bit special as it builds on past success by adding a few features of its own…

Product on Review : QPAD MK-80 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Manufacturer and Sponsor : QPAD
Street Price: £99 inc. VAT (GBP)

QPAD are widely regarded to be at the forefront for gaming peripherals. Their mouse mats are some of the best around and are used by professionals and gaming enthusiasts alike, such is their quality. Today, we have for review the QPAD MK-80 mechanical gaming keyboard which hopes to build on that great reputation.

The popularity of mechanical keyboards has risen sharply of late thanks to the precise, robust feel they afford. However, because of the design of mechanical switches and thus the keyboard itself, luxuries such as backlighting are often omitted. This can have a detrimental effect to the gamer that prefers to apply his trade in dim light or darkness. While any gamer worth their salt would know where the WSAD or arrow keys are, other keys can sometimes be hard to find. Logitech and the ilk, who themselves produce gaming peripherals, saw fit to add backlighting to their own design to counter this and thus the manufacturers involved in the keyboard market followed suit to stay with the competition.

Alas, those with mechanical keyboards have suffered…until today.

The MK-80 full mechanical keyboard not only has the same features we have come to know and love with the current run of mechanical keyboards but something I have been begging manufacturers for, backlighting. This of course isn’t the only feature of the QPAD MK-80 as there are a few other items that set this keyboard apart from the ever increasing crowd. Rather than stick with the tried and tested Cherry MX Black switches, the QPAD MK-80 has opted for the much more tactile Cherry Blue switches which is certainly an interesting proposition given that they are very different (as different as keyboard switches can be) from the Cherry MX Black switches. How this transfers to the performance of the keyboard we shall investigate later in the review.

About QPAD

QPAD built its success on a grassroots commitment to the gaming community. Like you, we thrive in the madness of competition and embrace the free spirit of gaming. Our sponsorship of the Q Tour, communities, cups, tournaments, teams and LAN parties reflects this commitment. The knowledge we’ve gained has fed into our development of high quality products that have a great performance and given many a winning edge.

Let’s take a look at a full breakdown of the QPAD MK-80’s features…

Features

• Key switch: Cherry MX blue mechanical switch technology

Cherry MX Blue switches are mechanical switches that are tactile in operation. They are also audible in operation, giving off a ‘click’ when pressed ensuring the user knows for sure the key has been operated. They require an actuation force of 60g (50g to point of actuation) meaning they will be much stiffer than a standard rubber domed key switch and have a 2mm travel distance to actuation (4mm to bottom).

• N Key Rollover: Gaming cluster with anti ghosting capability
NKRO is the capability to have every single key press detected at once (PS2 connectivity required).

• Key strokes: 50 million
With 50 million key strokes, this keyboard shouldn’t break anytime soon thanks to the mechanical key switches.

• Lightning: Individual LED backlight
Each key has its own LED rather than the base of the keypad being illuminated at random points.

• Lightning features: Four levels of brightness
The LED backlighting can be adjusted to four levels of intensity.

• Connectors: Gold plated connectors for extremely low latency
Low latency (polling rate) is everything for a mouse. Why not a keyboard?

• Media keys: Media keys for volume control, play, pause and skip tracks
Access multimedia controls using the Fn key + F keys simultaneously

• USB Hub: Two high speed USB 2.0 ports
Add additional USB peripherals to the keyboards USB hub

• Audio ports: 3.5mm Headphone-out and microphone-in jacks
No more fiddling around the back of the PC in the dark. Just plug your headset straight into the keyboard.

• Cable: 1.8 meter extra thick cable

• Extras: 4 extra orange key caps and key cap puller
For durability and even easier identification, QPAD have included an additional four keys in bright orange.

• Dimensions: Keyboard 44.45 x 14.48 x 2.54 cm (17.5 x 5.7 x 1 inch), Wrist pad
44.45 x 6.1 x 1.4 cm (17.5 x 2.4 x 0.55 inch)

• Weight: 1.27 kg (2.8LBS)

• Warranty: 2 year

Let’s take a look at the product packaging…

Packaging & First Look

Package front

The QPAD MK-80 arrives in a glossy black sleeve with a picture of the illuminated keyboard. To the left is a brief rundown of the main product features. The side of the box has a few photographs of the keyboard in detail and expands on the features mentioned on the front of the box.

Package Rear

Flipping the box over we have the feature list broken down into six languages with the main European languages catered for along with Chinese. There is also a short introduction from QPAD details their Grassroots commitment to the gaming fraternity.

Box Open

Upon removing the outer sleeve and opening the stiff box with the folded flip lid we are greeted with the keyboard itself which is held fast in stiff foam at either end of the box. Beneath the bagged keyboard are the accessories and keyboard cable.

Accessories

For the accessories, you get four spare bright orange keys, a key pull ring, a PS2 to USB adapter and a manual. I will cover the spare key set later in the review but suffice to say this accessory list is brief yet more than sufficient considering that a driver and thus a CD is not required as it is a plug and play device.

Wrist Rest

A rubber coated wrist rest is also included which can be a little tricky to attach (read the instructions!). While not very wide, it is very sturdy and should be able to handle moderate abuse.

QPAD MK-80

Finally, we get a first glimpse of the keyboard itself. While not much bigger than a standard Dell affair we are all familiar with, it is much heavier thanks to the switches used. I would go so far to say it is the heaviest keyboard we have reviewed thus far. Heavy keyboards, while obviously more laborious to transport to LAN parties, are not normally moved once in-situ and I much prefer a little weight to a product due to the fact it gives you confidence in operation rather than fearing it will fall apart after a few weeks use.

Let’s get to grips with the keyboard itself…

Closer Look

Keyboard Back

The back of the keyboard is fairly unremarkable given that there is no guide for the cable. The keyboard has 2 small textured rubber inserts at either end of the base that serve to hold the keyboard in place.

Keyboard Leg

The keyboard feels comfortable when flat but as with most keyboards can be raised using two legs which will give the keyboard an elevated, angled position. As with most keyboards the legs are not the sturdiest, being made of rigid plastic but they do click into position and unless you are the clumsiest of people, should last the test of time.

Lock identification

Rather than settle for LED’s poking through the motherboard frame, the Key lock identification module is much nicer to look at (albeit bright when illuminated) thanks to the area being backlit depending on which lock is operated. The textured appearance matches the wrist rest and the rubberised effect of the whole keyboard is a pleasure to touch which is worlds apart from the cheaper plastics used by other brands.

Connectivity

The MK-80 offers identical connectivity of other mechanical keyboards we reviewed recently in that a twin USB 2.0 Hub is in place coupled with audio out and mic functionality courtesy of 3.5mm ports.

Connections

The keyboard has audio, mic, USB (power) and PS2 (input) plugs. As with our previous reviews of hardware of this nature I fail to see the point of Gold plated connections. Sure it is pretty to look at and as other manufacturers are utilising the same selling point, QPAD cannot be criticised either but I very much doubt having Gold plated connectors is going to make or break a keyboards appeal. Certainly I have never noticed a difference using gold plated connectors. Even the use of gold plating audio plugs is a topic of debate, one which is perhaps better served on another day.

PS2 Adapter

The PS2-USB adapter is there for anyone whose motherboard does not have a PS2 port. PS2 is required for full N-Key rollover function as USB does not have the necessary bandwidth available. The MK-80 has full NKRO capability and also anti-ghosting for perfect keyboard operation.

Media Keys

Given that this is a pro gaming keyboard, the multimedia functionality is sparse but adequate. There is the usual mute, volume up/down, play/pause, next and previous keys. For the most part I find them useable but during gaming it would certainly be useful were a volume nob rather than button being more useful.

Profile

The keys on the QPAD MK-80 are a little less curved than those of the competitors. The cylindrical type used here still offers good grip for prolonged gaming but has the added benefit of being less pronounced which is perfect for typing.

Let’s take a closer look at the functionality of the keyboard…

Closer Look Pt.2

Key Removal

The key removal system is very simple, just click the key-pull into place and a gentle tug is enough to remove the key. Replacement is simply a reversal. I would have liked a satisfying ‘click’ to ensure the key is securely snapped into position rather than pressing it down with my finger but that said, it’s an easy process and hardly rocket science.

Key Paint

Here we see the removed key which shows that this key has undergone a transformation from translucent white to black at some point in its life. This in itself may not be an issue but I hope that the paint will not rub off, only continued and prolonged use can give you that information but upon investigating, I am yet to encounter anyone who has had any such problems. This process is required to allow the LED to shine through the key as if it was sold black and laser etched, the lettering would not be illuminated, only the key surrounding.

Cherry MX Blue Switches

This is perhaps the biggest reason you will consider the QPAD MK-80 and is perhaps its most defining feature – the use of Cherry MX blue switches. It’s a strange choice for a keyboard that touts itself as Pro gaming as most gamers I have spoken to prefer the Cherry MX Black variant. The blue differs from the black in that it has an audible ‘click’. There is also a tactile bump when the key is pressed shortly after the click so both your sense of touch and hearing are alerted to every key press. Whether that’s a good or bad thing, only you can decide. It is certainly a break from the norm given that the QPAD’s competitors all prefer the Cherry MX Black switches.

Replacement Keys

The replacement keys, as you can see, have no lettering. I was puzzled at this bizarre choice at first as I saw little point in replacing a worn out key with one which was ‘pre-worn’. There is however method to the madness in that these keys will inherently be used for either WSAD or arrow key setups depending on your preference. Ergo, if you have a preference, you have no need to know which key is which as these keys are second nature to a gamer thus no lettering is required. Simple!

LED Control

The LED’s have four levels of brightness and this is controlled via the use of the Fn key and the appropriate Up-arrow (brightness increase) or Down-arrow (brightness decrease). Personally I found that once the level you prefer is attained, you have little need to adjust again but the option is there should you wish.

LED Backlight

Unfortunately you are restricted to just one colour of backlight – blue. The LED’s can be a little too bright on the highest setting; fine in daylight but too bright at night. However, because each key is individually lit, the backlight is uniform throughout and certainly adds aesthetical and functional appeal. I have been asking for a back lit mechanical keyboard for a while now and I am pleased to report, QPAD’s effort works brilliantly and is perhaps the best looking of all the mechanical keyboards we have tested thus far!

Key lock Light

While the key lock lights look very good when illuminated, they do not dim with the rest of the keyboard. I am perhaps being a little unfair for criticising QPAD for not dimming the key lock LEDs with the rest of the keyboard but would it really have been so difficult to place the LED’s on the same relay? The offset to this of course is that should you choose not to have the backlight on, then the key lock lights would also cease to function. A dimmer switch would however be useful as the lights in this area can be a little distracting when they don’t match the effect of the rest of the keyboard.

It’s time to put the keyboard to the test now as I give it the gaming treatment…

Performance Testing

General Use
The key (excuse the pun) feature of the QPAD MK-80 is that it uses Cherry MX Blue switches. For a gaming keyboard this is an odd choice as they are tactile and also make quite a noise. However I can see some of the reasoning behind this in that for general use, I found the Cherry MX blue ‘click’ satisfying to use. The tactile bump and the ‘clickity click’ as you are typing works very well. So much so that I decided to write this review with the keyboard as perhaps there is no finer test that to type long prose.

Those who are used to standard rubber-domed’ type keyboards will find that the QPAD is a noisy beast and because it is mechanical will feel very odd initially. Given time though and the keyboard feels both natural and comfortable to use. Sure, the keyboard clicks take a little getting used to but after a short time I found that I quite liked the sound. I wouldn’t say it improved my typing too much as I have become familiar with the feel of mechanical switches however I would say there is a benefit to having Cherry MX Blue switches over MX Blacks thanks to the tactile feel. The key presses are more precise than blacks and thus are more suited to typists than the gaming Cherry MX Black switches.

Gaming
Touted as a ‘Pro Gaming keyboard’, the QPAD MX-80 had to perform in this are otherwise it would have received some very heavy criticism. I am happy to report it did indeed perform extremely well. The backlight was not intrusive (when toned down using the provided controls) and thanks to the bright orange gaming keys I could press the familiar movement controls without prudence because there is nothing to rub off the keys! The tactile feel of the Cherry MX Blue didn’t feel as natural to use in a gaming environment when compared to the Black MX keys though. They felt good, but I found myself listening for the clicks more often than not which were a little distracting. Obviously this won’t be an issue while wearing a headset but nonetheless, I don’t like to hear my keyboard while gaming. Because the release point (the point where the key press is no longer detected) is slightly above the actuation point, I occasionally found issues where strafing was a little ‘jittery’ and not as smooth. Perhaps that is great for those who don’t want prediction in such movements but personally I found it a little odd yet not intrusively so.

Unfortunately, even though labelled as a wrist rest, I doubt an Oompa-Lumpa would make use of it due to its size. I would describe it more as a palm rest. The good news though is that the ‘wrist-rest’ is made of the same plush plastic as the rest of the keyboard and does feel good rather than cheap under the palm of the hand. If only it were a little bigger like the SteelSeries 7G or extendable like the Saitek Eclipse then people with larger appendages would be content!

Audio
As with most gaming peripherals, the audio signal was not great from using the keyboards audio port. When you add in connections performance will suffer ever so slightly and this is true of the QPAD MK-80. Gaming was barely noticeable but the degradation in music clarity was a little more pronounced. Audiophiles would certainly baulk at using such a crude device but then your everyday Joe might not notice.

Multimedia Keys
The multimedia keys worked as they should but I’m still not sold on using two keys to perform a single operation. While it is great that QPAD have integrated some form of media control, like the other mechanical keyboards we have tested, it appears to have been more of an afterthought than anything else.

Overall, the performance of the QPAD MK-80 is nothing short of great. Adding more features to a keyboard is always going to be tricky and certainly the use of Cherry MX Blue switches is a debatable one however it did feel like a more rounded product than others we have tested.

Let’s wrap things up as I pass judgement in the conclusion…

Conclusion

Depending on which side of the fence you are, QPAD MK-80 could be labelled an evolution of mechanical keyboards or the bastard love child two totally separate entities. Either way there can be no doubting that aesthetically at least, the keyboard is a good looker and not the Quasimodo it could have been.

The LED lighting works very well with each key illuminated strongly giving a faint afterglow to the surrounding area. While the controls of LED’s are basic, they function enough to deliver individual appeal whatever your preference. My one criticism in this area is the key lock lighting which could have been better thought out.

The plush, rubberised effect plastic used on the QPAD is very nice to the touch, certainly more so than the cheap brittle plastics used in the previous mechanical keyboards we have tested. This plastic is also used in the wrist rest which while small, is functional as a palm-rest unless you have childlike hands. The replacement orange keys are in total contrast with the rest of the keyboard and thus work very well, even though they have no lettering which makes them truly modular. So, overall I believe aesthetically, QPAD have created a very neat, good looking keyboard.

I keep lingering on the usage of Cherry MX Blue switches and for good reason. Those who have never used a mechanical keyboard will certainly find it odd but because there is no basis for comparison to other keyboards, will no doubt appreciate the tactile feel. The mechanical clicks of each keystroke will either be a love it or hate it scenario. Personally I quite liked the sound, especially while typing which brings me on to the feel of the keyboard. For gaming it did not feel quite as nice to use as a Cherry MX Black equipped keyboard. The keys did not feel anywhere near as linear and like the rubber domed keyboards, had a slight ‘wobble’ effect to them. This is fine if you are typing but after experiencing the precision offered by MX Blacks, I feel a little short changed.

Should you have the opportunity to try both MX Black and MX blue keyboards (and I do recommend you do try both) then you may well prefer the tactile feel of the blues. Certainly for long typing they felt better than the blacks but for raw gaming, the MX black key switches appealed more to my tastes. In short, QPAD have set out to create a keyboard that has wider appeal than those who only cater for gamers. For the most part, they have succeeded in their remit.

Personal preferences aside, the decision to go with MX Black or blue switches will depend on whether you want an all-round keyboard that not only looks the part but is great to use in all scenarios or a keyboard that is built solely for one purpose, gaming and to hell with everything else. If it is the former then the QPAD MK-80 is an excellent choice that will give you years of high performance along with long, reliable service and for that reason deserves our Silver and Vortez Approved awards.

Pros
+ Cherry MX Blue Mechanical Switches
+ Robust Keyset
+ Clicky, tactile key strokes
+ USB & Audio Hub
+ Expensive plastics
+ Optional replacement keys
+ Adjustable backlight

Cons
– No Key lock LED brightness adjustment
– No macro capability
– Cherry MX Blue switches may not appeal to some gamers