MONOKEI Standard keyboard review: A gateway to mechanical obsession

Over the final three years, an increasing number of individuals have found the multi-sensory pleasure of typing on a mechanical keyboard. What as soon as was a distinct segment interest that befell in distant message boards on-line has turn out to be a multibillion-dollar enterprise. 

This means you don’t have to be a full-on fanatic to have a greater typing or gaming expertise. Brands like MONOKEI have come out with new keyboards that attraction to newcomers with out horrifying them with tons of customizations. And it really works—the Standard gives an elevated wi-fi typing expertise, stunning aesthetics, and a protracted battery life for an accessible worth. Users would possibly discover in MONOKEI’s first absolutely constructed board what they had been lacking from these low cost keyboard/mouse bundles. More skilled customers could discover themselves wanting slightly extra. 

Overview

• The Standard is MONOKEI’s try to democratize the mechanical keyboard and make it extra accessible to these with out the know-how to construct their very own or the cash to splurge on a custom-made system. 
• This keyboard is all about simplicity—its design is modern and clear, making it an ideal selection for individuals who prioritize desktop aesthetics as a lot as efficiency. 
• The Standard’s doubleshot PBT keycaps present an opulent typing expertise that lacks alternative for personalisation.

Pros

• Good worth ($110) for an entry-level mechanical keyboard
• Beautiful design in 4 colours
• Great battery life
• Delicious typing sound 
• Textured and wear-resistant keycaps
• Hot-swappable
• Compatible with USB-C
• Supports all main working methods and multiple-device connections (up to 4)

Cons

• No background gentle
• Not suitable with keymapping apps like VIA
• Extremely light-weight physique can inhibit total really feel
• Innovative however considerably complicated custom-designed legends

Verdict

MONOKEI’s Standard is precisely what it was designed to be: an entry-level mechanical keyboard that gives simply sufficient customization potentialities for newbies or extra informal keyboard lovers. If your laptop computer’s membrane keyboard is under you, however you’re not prepared to learn the way to lube your stabilizers, the Standard is an ideal manner to check the waters. 

The MONOKEI’s design

The very first thing that strikes you about MONOKEI’s Standard is its design. Its assortment of excessive and angular keys can remind you of a traditional IBM Model M keyboard, however the total impact doesn’t really feel classic in any respect. 

The Standard is a TKL or 80-percent-sized system (it doesn’t embody a quantity pad) that is available in 4 shade combos: Classic White (white physique and keycaps), Blush Pink (pink physique, white keycaps), Suave Blue (deep blue physique, white keycaps), and Dream Lilac (purple physique, white keycaps). All the variations of the Standard include three units of various coloured accent keys you’ll be able to simply swap to match your aesthetics and working system as quickly as you open the field. If the minimalistic white keycaps should not your factor, you can even purchase one among MONOKEI’s superb and colourful keycap units. 

Other than the enjoyable array of colours it is available in, the Standard stands out for its legends (the characters printed on the keys), which had been designed particularly for this keyboard by MONOKEI. You’ll see some comprehensible however noticeable variations within the Control and Command keys, for instance, however issues begin getting a bit bizarre with the Fn key and the whole set of buttons above the arrows on the precise. Those keys are outfitted with fully new legends—some are simple to work out, others not a lot. 

The caps really feel glorious to the contact. They’re the corporate’s personal Series 1 doubleshot PBT keycaps, which have a textured end that guarantees to be resistant to your corrosive and oily digits. They additionally sound nice in opposition to the board’s polycarbonate plate. 

The Standard’s case could be its least likable function. The ABS plastic enclosure is sturdy sufficient, however it feels low cost and lacks sturdiness. On the opposite hand, this additionally makes the keyboard light-weight, which could be precisely what you need if you happen to plan on continuously altering areas. However, our largest criticism with the Standard’s case is its typing angle, which, mixed with tall keys, forces your wrists to bend to a considerably uncomfortable diploma. You can simply remedy this downside with a wrist relaxation, however for a keyboard that places a lot emphasis on aesthetics, it doesn’t make quite a lot of sense to compromise the keyboard’s look with an exterior accent that may not do it justice. 

MONOKEI put quite a lot of thought into the acoustics of the Standard, which includes a polycarbonate plate and silencing foams. That, paired up with Cherry MX switches in your selection of reds, silent reds, and browns, leads to typing sounds which might be nice and crisp. 

The MONOKEI’s efficiency 

Before TikTok exploded with ASMR movies of individuals typing on mechanical keyboards, these gadgets had discovered a loyal viewers in avid gamers, who often respect devices with RBG lights to match their aesthetic. This might be why we’ve come to anticipate mechanical keyboards to have some RBG function—even when they’re not marketed for gaming.

But the Standard doesn’t have any of that—no customizable RBG lights, nor even a easy white backlight to use your keyboard at nighttime. In truth, the one gentle you’ll discover on the Standard is a set of two tiny dots that briefly gentle up if you flip it on, pair it, or want to plug it in. This could be a dealbreaker for you, however it provides the Standard a 30-day battery life when used over Bluetooth. And if you happen to favor your peripherals to be plugged, this system has a ravishing USB-C nylon-wrapped cable that matches the colours of your keyboard in order that it gained’t smash your desktop aesthetic. 

So, who should purchase the MONOKEI Standard Keyboard?

The Standard can also be not suitable with VIA or different comparable packages on the market. This signifies that you gained’t have the option to add layers to your keymap or create personalised shortcuts like with different absolutely customizable keyboards. If you’re searching for a really distinctive expertise otherwise you’re an influence consumer that depends on particular key combos to management your machine, possibly MONOKEI’s first absolutely assembled keyboard will not be for you. If, however, you’re simply looking for ASMR-worth typing sounds and a nice-looking addition to your desktop setup, the Standard is a superb selection, and probably a gateway to extra fine-tuned peripheral experiences sooner or later.