QPAD MK-85 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

We were impressed with the QPAD MK80 so how do you improve on that? Join us as we take a look at QPAD’s flagship keyboard, the MK-85.

Product on Review : QPAD MK-85 Mechanical Pro Gaming Mechanical Keyboard
Manufacturer and Sponsor : QPAD
Street Price: £134.27 inc. VAT (GBP)

QPAD’s previous mechanical gaming keyboard was very impressive but QPAD have not sat back to bask in the glory of the MK-80. Instead they have recently introduced the MK-85 Pro gaming keyboard; a top of the line product that on paper at least features everything you could want from a gaming keyboard. Backlit, programmable macro capability, mechanical switches, N-key rollover all backed up by a two year warranty. Apart from the macro capability, the MK-85 doesn’t appear to have added much more to the MK-80 keyboard we reviewed HERE but there is more to this piece of hardware than meets the eye.

One of my criticisms of the MK-80 was the implementation of Cherry Blue MX switches which are tactile in nature and noisy. While some may prefer Cherry Blue switches, the majority of gamers prefer the linear nature of either Cherry MX Red or Black. Coupled with the rarity of Cherry Red MX switches, most mechanical gaming keyboards use the Cherry Black MX configuration. The black switches were very popular among pro gamers but these switches are quite heavy in use requiring 33% more force to operate (60g) as opposed to the Cherry Red MX switches. The latter switches are now making a comeback and as we saw with the Tt-eSports and most recently, the Corsair K60, Cherry Red Switches appear to be flavour of the moment. QPAD have also opted to use Cherry Red MX switches but have kept the same award winning design of the MK-80. There are other differences that we will cover later in the review but for now let’s hear what QPAD had to say about their flagship mechanical gaming keyboard:

Unlike your average keyboard, that functions through rubber domes, forcing you to press each key all the way down in order for the stroke to register, the MK-85 feature true mechanical switches with unmatched accuracy and feel. No more pressing with full-force in order to activate the keys. The QPAD keyboard will respond to your every stroke in an instant.

Other boards normally have a short life span and wear out quickly, resulting in unresponsiveness, delays and a dull, clunky feel to the keys. The key switches on MK-85 are built to last 50 million strokes, and the QPAD mechanical key technology provides distinct feedback and puts you in absolute control. The travel distance of the keys is set to 4mm with an actuation point at 2mm.

For gamers, it’s all about the feel and functionality and that is where the QPAD MK-85 truly shines. With a full size keyboard layout in 3 sections, gaming profiles, macro recording, mechanical key switches, media keys and full N-Key roll over via USB, it’s the perfect gaming keyboard. Nuff said…

Specification

Key Switch: Cherry MX mechanical switch technology

N Key Roll over: N-Key roll over via USB with up to 64 simultaneous key presses

Key strokes: 50 Million

Lighting: Individual LED backlight on every key for enhanced visuals

Lighting features: Four levels of brigthness allow you to locate keys easily

Connectors: Gold plated USB connectors for extremly low latency

Media keys: Media keys for volume control, play, pause and skip tracks

USB Hub: Two high speed USB 2.0 ports

Audio ports: 3.5mm headphone-out and microphone-in jacks

Cable: 1.8 meter braided cable

Extras: 4 extra orange key caps and key cap pulle

Dimensions: Keyboard: 44,8 x 14,9 x 3,5 cm (17,6 x 5,8 x 1,37 inch)

Wrist pad: 44,8 x 6,6 x 1,7 cm (17,6 x 2,48 x 0,66 inch)

Weight: 1.27 Kg (2.8 LBS)

Warranty: 2 year

Software: Customizable profiles, programmable keys and macro recording
5 profiles and 50 macro keys with 128Kb onboard memory
Instant 5 profiles shift keys

Packaging & First Look

Box Front

The outer packaging comprises of a sturdy box with the main features printed to the left alongside the main close-up photo of the QPAD MK-85 key set.

Box Rear

Flipping the box over we find the item is identified as Cherry Red MX with a UK keyboard layout. There is a full feature set in multiple languages along with an introduction to the keyboard and a paragraph explaining QPAD’s grassroots commitment.

Inner Packaging

Removing the outer sleeve, we are presented with a plain black cardboard box with a flip up lid. Inside is a well packed keyboard held firmly in place by Styrofoam and protected from dust by a plastic bag. Beneath the keyboard are the product accessories and manuals

Accessories

Like the QPAD MK-80, the MK-85 also has a spare orange/red keyset and with a key pull to replace any keys you desire and I suspect WSAD or the arrow keys will be the most likely substituted however as the spare keys are blanked out, the choice is yours. Unlike the MK-80, a driver/software CD is included which includes the QPAD software suite for configuring the macro settings. A small instruction manual is also included and wrapped inside polythene is a full length wrist-rest which rounds off a very good accessory list.

First Look

At first glance you would be hard pushed to identify the difference between this keyboard and it’s older brother, the MK-85. Both keyboards are the same size and have almost identical features. There are however some markings on the QPAD MK-85 that do not appear on the MK-80 which hints at the performance hidden beneath.

Let’s take a closer look at the keyboard…

Closer Look

Keyboard Rear

The rear of the keyboard is nothing too special with just two legs and slots for the wrist rest towards the front of the keyboard. Worthy of note is the absence of rubber feet towards the rear of the keyboard. Hopefully the front two rubber feet will hold the keyboard firmly in place during our testing.

Keyboard Legs

The legs click firmly into place in either raised or lowered position and are thick enough to prevent all but the hardest of strikes to the keyboard.

Wrist Rest Attached

The wrist-rest clips are of the same design as the MK-80 which is a shame as they are not the thickest type we have encountered. I would perhaps like to see a better implementation of attaching the wrist rest as I can imagine some people inadvertently breaking the small tabs which are used to attach the wrist-rest to the keyboard. Luckily for us, ours held up to the brute force of snapping the wrist rest into position.

Textured Plastics

The photos in this review do not do the keyboard textures justice I’m afraid. Rather than using basic, rigid plastic the whole keyboard frame, including the wrist-rest is adorned in a velvety rubber like coating which feels extremely nice and much more appealing than the cheaper plastics often found on keyboard surrounds.

USB/Audio Hub

Like the MK-80, the MK-85 makes use of an audio pass through allowing you to attach your headset/mic to the keyboard assuming the keyboard is plugged into the audio/mic ports. Despite the ports and plugs being gold plated there was still a defined drop in audio quality. It’s a nice feature to have for gamers which will keep a headset’s cables out of the way but audiophiles would do well to avoid using them. As expected, there were no complaints about the USB connectivity. I could charge my iPhone as well as plug my DSLR into the keyboard to transfer photos which saved me hunting around the back of the test rig.

It is worth stating at this point that the MK-85 is the world’s first keyboard capable of full n-key rollover function through a single USB port. Other offerings use either multiple USB ports or more commonly a PS2-USB adaptor. USB has traditionally only been able to support 6KRO (6-key rollover) which means 6 key presses can be detected at once. When you consider that the MK-85 offers full NKRO (every key can be pressed and detected at once) along with backlighting, all through a single USB port then you come to appreciate where that hard earned money has been spent.

Locking Identification

The MK-85 features the same illuminated lock identification plate as the MK-80 only this time the Scroll Lock light has been replaced with a G. The ‘G’ is for gaming which identifies the keyboard is in gaming mode with all of the associated features enabled/disabled.

Let’s fire the keyboard up and see what else it has in store for us…

Closer Look Pt.2

Key pull

As stated previously, the QPAD MK-85 allows the option of replacing up to four keys with blanked out orange/red keys meaning the keys can be replaced anywhere on the keyboard however because of the key profiling, some keys may stand higher than others. A slight tug on the key pull is all that is required to remove the key.

Painted Key Caps

With the key removed we see that QPAD have used translucent keys, sprayed black then etched to allow light to pass through the key. This method results in a very luxurious feel to the keys but I do worry at the longetivity of the keys. With this in mind I tried to scratch some of the paint/dye away but despite my best efforts this could not be done.

Cherry MX Red

Unlike the MK-80 which used Cherry MX Blue switches, the MK-85 has Cherry MX Red switches. The main difference between the two types is that the blues are tactile (clicky) while the reds are linear (non tactile) in operation. Both the blue and red switches have the same travel and actuation points (40mm and 20mm respectively) however the Cherry red switches are a little lighter in operation requiring 40g of force rather than the 45g of the MK-80 so the MK-85 will feel ever so slightly lighter than a Cherry MX blue keyboard and a fair bit lighter than a Cherry MX black equipped keyboard which requires up to 60g of downward force.

LED Lighting

In common with the MK-80 is the inclusion of LED backlighting. This time however and like the switch gear used, QPAD have opted to use Red instead of Blue. Each key is individually lit so the spread of light is even across the keyboard however the secondary functions are noticeably dimmer than the primary due to the positioning of the LED’s.

Brightness Adjust

If you find backlighting tacky you can adjust the level of brightness by five stages, off, low, medium, high or ‘breath’. The breath function sets the light to pulse very slowly through varying levels of brightness.

Media Keys

The media keys make a return to the MK-85 and control volume up/down/mute, along with play, pause, previous and next controls available via pressing the Fn key in conjunction with the corresponding control key. Basic functionality but a nice addition nonetheless. Personally, I prefer a dial to control volume and had hoped this change had been made with the MK-85 as it was one of my criticisms of the MK-80 but with real estate at a premium it is understandable by its absence.

Profile Keys

Moving further along the function keys we see there are five profile keys and the G/PC key. The profile keys store, as you would expect, keyboard profiles (more on this later) with the G/PC key turning the gaming profile on/off.

Lock keys

Again, we find that the caps/num/game lock illumination does not dim in line with the rest of the keyboard instead staying on full brightness regardless of what the backlighting control is set to. Obviously there needs to be some identification of whether caps lock is enabled or not but it would be nice to be given a choice of brightness for this area too.

Software

MK-85 Config Software

The software arrives in a very small package (7mb) on the included CD which may seem like big waste, especially considering the keyboard is plug-and-play on most operating systems so you could perhaps download it easily from the manufacturer’s website. It is however nice to slip the CD in and be up and running in minutes rather than searching for the software yourself online. It is however recommended to check on the QPAD website for the latest software version available should you encounter any incompatibility.

The software suite appears to be very basic at first glance and much less complex than the Logitech G19 interface for example. However I do appreciate the intuitive design as without the needless complexities, it is not daunting to use and very easy to navigate.

Macro Programming

There are 10 available ‘M’ keys to assign a macro too which for most people will be plenty. The great thing about the MK-85 though is that the ‘M’ keys can be assigned to whichever physical key you want rather than being restricted to a certain section of the keyboard. Setting up macros is very easy and not as complex as some other software interfaces I have had the displeasure to use. Not all of the usual macro settings are available though such as keystroke holding, multiple macro execution and such like although this could easily be implemented in future software updates.

Key Assignment

There are also pre-configured settings which act as the most commonly used windows short cuts such as cut, paste, print etc. The keyboard also has the function to disable any keys entirely such as the left windows key which is the bane of most gamers.

Overall, setting the keyboard up to my preferences was a cinch to do and was completed without even having to consult the included instruction manual – such is the intuitive design. With your keyboard setup just how you like you will be happy (or not) to know that you can expand the functionality by adding a further four profiles making a total of 50 macros available should you wish!

Overall I would say the software edges towards the more basic operation but what it lacks in functionality it makes up for in design as it is extremely simple to use. If I had to complain about anything it would be that the keyboard on display is blue not red like the MK-85 it is designed to show!

Performance Testing

Using the QPAD MK-85 was a pleasure throughout. I have used many mechanical keyboards recently and feel qualified to pass judgement on what is good and bad about each mechanical keyboard, especially when compared to their rubber domed counterparts.

General Use
I heaped praise on the QPAD MK-80 for its performance in the general use section and I can honestly say that while the MK-85 is a delight to use, the tactile feedback of the MK-80 just edges it for me in this department. That isn’t of course to say the MK-85 is a bad performer as it certainly isn’t, in-fact I would say it comes a very close second. I recently criticised the Corsair Vengeance K60 which uses the same Cherry MX Red switches but thanks to the wrist-rest provided by the MK-85, the Cherry red enabled keyboard on this occasion was a pleasure to use. The light keystrokes required are great, especially for touch typists and while the MX Black switches are also very good, they are a little too heavy for lengthy typing sessions. The Cherry MX Red keys strike a very good balance between the linear Cherry MX Black and the tactile but lighter MX blue. The MX Red’s are neither tactile and they are lighter than the MX blue. Perhaps the ideal typing key would be the Cherry MX Browns however I feel they would not be the best switch to use for a gaming keyboard which this keyboard most certainly is as we will find out next.

Gaming
A keyboard is just a keyboard when gaming right? Wrong! Next to a mouse, a keyboard is the most important weapon you could possibly choose and is therefore worthy of investment. While even your average gamer can make do with a bog standard run-of-the-mill keyboard, you will only ever be just that ‘average’. I’m not saying for one minute that buying this keyboard will turn you into a pro, no peripheral will do that but it will certainly give you the best possible chances. The Devil is in the detail so they say and this is where the MK-85 stands above the crowd. The Cherry MX red keys are ideal for swift double taps and being mechanical keys they are certified to be good for over 50 million presses whereas the rubber domed keyboards will have work out long before then.

Adding macro capability makes this keyboard even more sought after, especially for those that will make use of this feature such as MMO/RTS gamers where macro settings come into their own. Even if you are an FPS gamer, setting up a few valuable macro settings can save you from time wasting and allow you to get on with other things. Imagine switching from your main gun to priming a grenade for 2 clicks, throwing then reloading your main gun with just one key press? The possibilities are endless, especially with up to 50 macro programmable keys over 5 profiles assigned to any key you wish!

Overall then, the performance of the QPAD MK-85 is nigh on perfect. While it just falls short of being a perfect typist’s companion, its gaming performance is unrivalled. Some may still prefer the stiffer Cherry MX Blacks of the SteelSeries 7G or indeed our previous favourite, the Tt-eSports GMEKA but I am officially now a convert to Cherry MX Red keys as they offer excellent general usage performance along with sublime gaming ability.

Conclusion

This keyboard has it all. If I was impressed with the typing ability and comfort of the MK-85 then I am astounded by its gaming abilities. Want macro programmability? Not a problem! 5 profiles? Sure. Adjustable backlighting? You got it. Perhaps the only thing missing from this keyboard is the ability to change the backlighting colour and an LCD screen. For less than the asking price of the MK-85 you could have these features in the Logitech G19, widely regarded as the pinnacle of gaming keyboards. The G19 however does not have mechanical keys and thus pales in comparison to the outright performance of the QPAD MK-85.

Our previous best mechanical keyboard, the Tt-eSports GMEKA has the stiffer Cherry MX Black keys which may appeal to some but if you get the chance you really should try the Cherry MX-red keys. They are much better for typing with and while the Corsair K60 also made use of Cherry MX Red keys, it fell short in terms of comfort due to not having a full range wrist rest. The SteelSeries 7G while impressing with its size lacks the refined feel of the QPAD range. So that just leaves the Ozone Strike and QPAD’s own MK-80. The Ozone Strike is a basic no frills gaming keyboard, much the same as the SteelSeries and QPAD’s own MK-50 keyboard and while that is no bad thing, they cannot really be compared to the MK-85 as the MK-85 offers more frills, useful frills that is. So it’s the old vs. new; MK-80 vs MK-85.

The MK-80 was a great looking keyboard of that there can be no doubts. The luxurious feel of the keyboard surround and backlit key set put most other keyboards in the shade (literally). However, there were two issues which prevented MK-80 from being our top mechanical keyboard – no macro functionality and the use of Cherry MX Blue keys. Guess what QPAD have gone and done? The MK-85 now has macro capability and has the much better (for gaming at least) Cherry MX red switches. With this in mind I’m going to be true to my word and put the MK-85 in number one spot in the hotly contested mechanical gaming keyboard market. It is a deserved winner of not only our esteemed Platinum award but also gets the rarely given Elite award simply for being the very best there is to offer in this segment, regardless of its high asking price. If the girl from the L’Oreal advert was worth it, then the QPAD MK-85 most certainly is.

*NOTE* There appears to be a problem with the QPAD MK-85 and BIOS control. QPAD have been contacted as we are unsure if this is just our sample or a problem with the MK-85. This does NOT affect it’s performance in an operating system environment. We will keep you posted of further developments – w3bbo

Pros
+ Cherry MX Red Mechanical Switches
+ Perfect for gaming/very comfortable for typing
+ USB & Audio Hub
+ Expensive plastics
+ Optional replacement keys
+ Adjustable backlight
+ Macro capability
+ Full NKRO through a single USB

Cons
– Expensive
– No Key lock LED brightness adjustment