Rosewill RK-9000RE Mechanical Keyboard Review

With Cherry MX red switches and a robust no nonsense design, the Rosewill RK-9000RE seemed to be a match made in heaven. See how it got on in our latest review…

Product on Review: RK-9000RE
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Rosewill
Street Price: $99

IT is fair to say that Rosewill are perhaps not the best known manufacturer amongst the gaming community so we had mixed feelings when we were presented with a mechanical gaming keyboard from across the pond. Rosewill are responsible for creating many peripheral products from PSU’s to PC enclosures so they know a thing or two about PC’s and specifically, the gaming market. We have however seen some big manufacturers fall flat on their faces when venturing into the peripheral market so Rosewill had better tread very carefully here as we don’t suffer poorly made products lightly at Vortez.

The Rosewill RK-9000’s big selling point are the mechanical Cherry Red MX switches which are very light and linear in operation. If they are not to your liking then the same keyboard is also available in Cherry blue, brown or black switches too so whichever your tactile preference, there is a key switch to suit. Another attraction of the Rosewill keyboard is the price as it costs just $99 which is $10 less than the Corsair Vengeance keyboard we reviewed recently. Note I am talking in Dollars here because at present I could not find this anywhere in the U.K due in part to Rosewill being a brand of NewEgg, perhaps the biggest PC component store State side.

If you didn’t know who Rosewill were then here’s a quick breakdown for you:

About Rosewill
Not long ago we had an idea bring quality hardware and affordable prices together. From that idea Rosewill was born. Formed from a top team of hardware professionals, Rosewill is dedicated to our mission to compete and win on price, quality, and service. We work only with the best partners – businesses we know and businesses we trust.

The Rosewill mission
Our vision is to become the leading brand in computer hardware and peripherals. We aim to achieve this goal by creating superior customer satisfaction. We view our customers as our most important assets. Through our integrity, our innovative products, and our excellent customer service, we aim to create lasting customer relationships.

Customer satisfaction
We believe that excellence is a standard. Our customers deserve nothing less than the best. By purchasing a Rosewill product you are choosing exceptional value, unrivaled customer service and top quality hardware. If you are a Rosewill reseller, you can have the comfort of knowing that we at Rosewill value the success of our business partners.

The future
We will soon be introducing a full line of hardware that will encompass the Rosewill commitment to excellence. New product launches are on the way, so check back with us soon.

Specification

Model No.: RK-9000RE
Color: Black
Type: Mechanical Keyboard
Interface: USB and PS/2
Normal Keys: 104
Key Switch: Cherry MX Red Switch
Key Pitch: 19.05mm
Key Stroke: 4.0mm±0.5mm
Total Travel: 4.0mm-0.4mm
Operating Force: 2.0±0.5 oz
Switch Life: 50 x 10^6 Times
Operating Power: 4.0 V
Dimensions: 440(L) X 138(W) X 38(H) mm
Keyboard Weight: 1600g / 3.53 Lbs
Operating System Supported: Microsoft ME/ 2000/ XP/ Vista/ 7
Package Contents:
1 x RK-9000RE Keyboard
1 x USB to Mini USB cable
1 x PS/2 to Mini USB cable
1 x User Manual
Parts: 3 Year limited
Labor: 1 Year limited

Packaging & First Look

The packaging is presented in a neat and tidy if somewhat unimaginative matt black and red printed cardboard box. Strangely, there is no sign of the product title anywhere on the front other than it is a mechanical keyboard.

Flipping the box over we get a well presented and laid out feature list of the RK-9000RE with discreet pictures of each. To the bottom left we see that Rosewill have added a product code sticker to the box which features the product title.

The keyboard is securely packaged by being wrapped in a blanket of foam and held fast in place by cardboard dividers which unfold to reveal the 2 included cable options for the keyboard (PS2 or USB 2.0).

Here we see the braided cables. The cables are a lot thinner than we are used to but this is no bad thing as thinner cables are more flexible, even with quality braiding which we see has been used here.
Rather than include a USB – PS2 adapter for full n-key rollover, Rosewill have opted to allow the end user to decide whether they need this feature or not by choosing which cable to attach.

Here we get a first glimpse of the RK-9000RE mechanical keyboard. The keyboard we have today has the US layout which is to be expected considering its origin. You can see that it is very basic in the looks department and it has to be noted that there is no wrist rest included which may be off putting for some. This appears to be a no-frills ‘exactly what it says on the tin’ product.

Let’s take a closer look shall we?

Closer Look

The keys are cylindrical by design and are very comfortable to use. Each symbol is laser etched so will be durable and shouldn’t wear down in a short space of time. The keys have a light texture rather than being completely smooth too which should ensure accurate, none ‘slippy’ typing.

The LED’s which signify Caps, Scroll and Num lock operation are illuminated Sky blue which is a break from the normal white or red and a welcome change which adds a discreet sense of professionalism to the product.

Here we see the mini-USB port which is located behind the Lock LED’s towards the rear of the keyboard. While the cable connector is gold plated, the actual port is not which perhaps nullifies the use of gold plating in the first place: Either gold plate both connections or none at all. Unless, of course, the gold plating is used for aesthetic purposes!

The keyboard is presented at a slight angle in stock form but as with the majority of keyboards on today’s market, this keyboard can be raised almost a full 10mm at the rear to give a steepr profile.

The leg extensions are nothing special being the same plastic used throughout the keyboard. They were however solid in operation, certainly more so than some keyboards we have tested so shouldn’t break to easy.

Finally we arrive at the main feature of the keyboard, the Cherry MX Red switches. The red switch is both linear and light to use, much lighter than the Cherry blacks which tend to be favoured in mechanical gaming keyboard designs. That said, our favourite mechanical gaming Keyboard to date, the QPAD MK-85 also uses Cherry MX red switches so Rosewill it seems have chosen wisely.

Worthy of note is the red chassis hidden beneath the keyset. While the keyboard is not back lit, it is clearly visible in normal light.

Let’s move on to the performance testing of the Rosewill RK-9000RE…

Performance Testing

General Use
For general typing the Rosewill was a good to use. The Cherry MX Red switches were ultra responsive thanks to the light action required for each key press. tT should be noted that it may take some time to become accustomed to using any mechanical keyboard but with perseverance you will find that a mechanical keyboard can certainly improve your typing skills. Personally, I find the Cherry MX Red switches a little too light for long bouts of typing and often find the keys bottoming out despite the attenuation level being around the halfway mark, such is my heavy typing mannerism. Touch typists will however find the lighter strokes required for Cherry MX red switches perfect. As with all mechanical keyboards, the only way to truly know which switch you prefer is to try them. This however is difficult for most people so I will try and summarise for you:

Most typists would opt for the MX Brown switches (light), most Gamers go for Blacks (stiff). The Cherry Red switches are the go between switch and afford excellent capabilities to both departments. If you want clicky (tactile feedback), light key presses then the Cherry blues are the ones to go for. Simple eh?

Ergonomically, the RK-9000RE is far from perfect because with the omission of a wrist rest, I found typing up this review a bind simply because I felt I had to hover the palms of my hands over the keyboard rather than rest them on the wrist rest. I can appreciate Rosewill are aiming for the value end of the mechanical market but I feel most users would still pay the extra for a wrist rest of some description.

Gaming
My one major gripe with the Rosewill keyboard is that it is not backlit, either full or partial. Many gaming keyboards today are backlit and for good reason because if, like me, you prefer to game in darkness or at least dim light, hitting the right key can be cumbersome if you cannot immediately identify it. While the WSAD keys can be excused as any gamer worth his salt will know precisely where they are, other keys are perhaps a little less familiar and require a quick glance down to recall the precise position. When the keyboard is not lit, precious milliseconds are wasted trying to focus on the right key which could mean the difference between life and death (in game). Another anomaly with the RK-9000RE is the small enter key rather than a blocky inverted L, the enter key is simply the same size and shape as the left SHIFT key. Not so much a problem for gaming but when you are used to the former shape, any diversion from this just doesn’t feel ‘right’.

Other than that, the keyboard worked flawlessly and without looking you would be hard pushed to distinguish it from any other keyboard with Cherry Red switches.

As with all mechanical keyboards, the Rosewill RK9000-RE features full n-key roll-over capabilities with the PS2 cable attached. Alternatively if you do not have a PS2 port, up-to 6 key presses can be detected simultaneously with keyboard using the USB cable.

Overall then the performance of the keyboard was great. I certainly have no major complaints other than those outlined above and if you can live without the wrist rest and back-lighting you are sure to be impressed with the RK-9000RE.

Time to wrap up this review with my closing thoughts…

Conclusion

Rosewill have created a keyboard that is good. Not great, simply good. While many gamers will be deterred by the lack of back-lighting and no macro capability, those who have no need for such luxuries will find the RK-9000RE great value for money. There is one short cut that was perhaps a step too far however and that is there is no included wrist rest. Personally I couldn’t live without one but again, I know of some people who have never taken theirs out of their box so if you fall into this category maybe the Rosewill is the keyboard for you, especially if you are on the lookout for a mechanical keyboard because at £99 it is the cheapest keyboard of its type we have tested to date.

The keyboard feels anything but cheap though with the luxurious Cherry MX Red high performance switches. The keyboard also feels rather heavy which only serves to strengthen my belief that this keyboard will stand the test of time. An area where the Rosewill falls down though is in the aesthetics department. If looks are important for you then the Rosewill is unlikely to attract your attention because at first glance at least, it looks very much like a basic Dell keyboard. Upon closer inspection you will realise that this keyboard is so much more and has a lot to offer.

Sure it looks basic, doesn’t have the razzmatazz of many other gaming keyboards but it packs a punch where it counts most and at a very good price for a mechanical keyboard with anti-ghosting properties. Hopefully it will be available in the U.K soon but for now this is a US only product.

Aesthetics and wrist rest (or lack of) aside, this is a very good keyboard. Because it is the cheapest mechanical keyboard we have reviewed thus far and considering it performed well throughout our testing, it is deserving of our Value and Bronze awards.

Pros
+ Cherry MX Red Switches
+ Full n-Key Roll-over (PS2 required)
+ Red Mid Plate
+ Detachable braided cables
+ Cheap for a mechanical keyboard

Cons
– Basic Looks
– No Wrist Rest
– US Only availability