Mountain Everest Max Keyboard

[VSG]

Mountain wants to take us to the top of the keyboard world with the Everest Max, a highly customizable TKL keyboard with an add-on numpad in either direction and a media dock. Featuring four LCD display keys and a larger LCD dial, it can be just as useful for gaming as for content creation.

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[TheLostSwede]

Genesys Logic makes the worst USB chips out there. Cheap crap that seems to cause no end of problems. Not what you expect in a $270+ keyboard, but then again, Gigabyte uses their USB 2.0 hubs on their $300+ motherboards too so...

 

[VSG]

Genesys Logic makes the worst USB chips out there. Cheap crap that seems to cause no end of problems. Not what you expect in a $270+ keyboard, but then again, Gigabyte uses their USB 2.0 hubs on their $300+ motherboards too so...

One day I will sit you down and get you to make a tier list of all chips for various applications

 

[Airisom]

Maybe one day TPU will include input latency measurements in their peripheral testing methodology

 

[VSG]

Maybe one day TPU will include input latency measurements in their peripheral testing methodology

I had mentioned this before in another comment section, but I tried a few options within my budget and none of those were reliable enough. For mechanical keyboards you need a surface analyzer to first plot out the force-travel diagram, measure the actual point of actuation, and then use a high speed camera to capture the time from the actuation point to the keystroke on the display. RTings has the budget, sadly I do not. On the plus side, I make up for it in covering more brands and products than anyone else in the world, and in detail elsewhere too

 

[bug]

Given the customizability and price, I would say the absence of MX low profile is also a con. I know it would need difference keycaps, but we're looking at $300 here (incl. tax).

 

[VSG]

Given the customizability and price, I would say the absence of MX low profile is also a con. I know it would need difference keycaps, but we're looking at $300 here (incl. tax).

I would rather have them include a SKU with the barebones version of both the keyboard and numpad but with the media dock, so people can then add in switches and keycaps they like. This has a 3-pin hot-swappable switch socket after all.

 

[Airisom]

I had mentioned this before in another comment section, but I tried a few options within my budget and none of those were reliable enough. For mechanical keyboards you need a surface analyzer to first plot out the force-travel diagram, measure the actual point of actuation, and then use a high speed camera to capture the time from the actuation point to the keystroke on the display. RTings has the budget, sadly I do not. On the plus side, I make up for it in covering more brands and products than anyone else in the world, and in detail elsewhere too

Would something like this be adequate?

Edit: He has some other videos on his channel as well that could be a good reference.

 

[VSG]

Spoiler

Would something like this be adequate?

Edit: He has some other videos on his channel as well that could be a good reference.

Spoiler

Yes, except again it requires tools I don't have (NVIDIA LDAT). Also, it's much harder to connect those clips to optical switches or even soldered mechanical switches where the solder points are tiny.

 

[Airisom]

Ah, well at least you gave it some thought bud. Your work is appreciated

 

[VSG]

Ah, well at least you gave it some thought bud. Your work is appreciated

Thank you again for taking the time to provide potential solutions though, you never know if it will be handy in the future!

 

[bug]

Yes, except again it requires tools I don't have (NVIDIA LDAT). Also, it's much harder to connect those clips to optical switches or even soldered mechanical switches where the solder points are tiny.

Can't you instead just look? Like really, really concentrate, while counting Mississippis?

 

[Nash]

Thank you again for taking the time to provide potential solutions though, you never know if it will be handy in the future!

LDAT is secured on Nvidia's developer site, I have the zip file and can put it on google drive if you want a copy. The license is standard screed, but it's only licensed for 90 days eval then "delete". Installs and uninstall are fast via Powershell.
It's just a USB emulation driver.

 

[TechLurker]

I do like that Mountain has gone the extra mile with foam padding, respectable customizability, and some layout options. The RGB quality is a bit disappointing, but only because I do use RGB to note what layer I'm using. Per key lighting would be useful in extending that visual cue to lighting up the core keys for gameplay purposes and darkening the rest. Sort of like a spiritual RGB successor to the Steelseries SHIFT with its hot-swappable keys (using RGB colors to set for movement keys, targeting keys, menus, etc as opposed to physically replacing the keys with a custom set just for one game).

-----

Tangent wish rambling:

I would love Mountain if they beat ZSA to making a Customizable, Split, Ergonomic Keyboard that includes a separately purchasable modular thumb stick + thumb key option (preferably a true joystick, rather than an 8-way D-pad with a stick) to allow the Left half to act like a fancier, customizable Razer Tartarus Pro or the HORI equivalent. Basically, a better version of the ZSA Moonlander Mk1, with much of the same thought and care put into it as they did with the Everest Max.

• Heck, go one further, and similar to their Core and Barebones variant, have the option to sell the halves separately, with the Left half pre-configured for gamepad duty (including both a standard programmable thumb key set module, and the "thumb stick module"). The Right half can be bought later if users decide they want to fully ditch their default keyboard.
• Extra points if they would shift the programmable pinky keys down by half a key to 1 key compared to the Moonlander, to allow the pinkies to reach the top row of the extra keys more easily.
• Bonus points if a theoretical Pro/Peak/Summit variant had the programmable keys (the extra pinky keys and index finger keys on the Moonlander) with the same LCD keys as the Elgato StreamDeck or the Everest Max Numpad. If not both halves due to cost, then at least the left half, keeping with the gamepad potential.
• Dream mode; given the focus on modularity, and Mountain supposedly planning to offer separate purchase of the media bar and numpad later on, allowing for a theoretical Ergonomic Split Keyboard to optionally mirror each other and sold separately as well as together. As in, for those who use mice with the left and game with the right, allowing the Right half to also have its own thumb stick module and LCD programmable keys. That's on top of having a USB-C port for the Media Bar and using a USB-C cable to connect the numpad to either half.

Yeah, it'll cost a heck of a lot more, but that would be my dream keyboard, while allowing me to declutter my desk some.

 

[Viperl0]

I had mentioned this before in another comment section, but I tried a few options within my budget and none of those were reliable enough. For mechanical keyboards you need a surface analyzer to first plot out the force-travel diagram, measure the actual point of actuation, and then use a high speed camera to capture the time from the actuation point to the keystroke on the display. RTings has the budget, sadly I do not. On the plus side, I make up for it in covering more brands and products than anyone else in the world, and in detail elsewhere too

Just knock test them with the bloody software. It's not ideal and won't give you the total latency. But it will at least give some comparison information. Most of, if not all of OCN's mouse click latency spreadsheet was compiled by knock testing. I've done it myself for keyboards and it works just fine. Logitech and Razer seem to be within 1-2 ms of each other consistently. (G Pro Keyboards vs Huntsman). Where as I've tested Varmilo, Durgod, Ducky and Anne Pro to be between 15-30 ms slower.

 

[VSG]

Just knock test them with the bloody software. It's not ideal and won't give you the total latency. But it will at least give some comparison information. Most of, if not all of OCN's mouse click latency spreadsheet was compiled by knock testing. I've done it myself for keyboards and it works just fine. Logitech and Razer seem to be within 1-2 ms of each other consistently. (G Pro Keyboards vs Huntsman). Where as I've tested Varmilo, Durgod, Ducky and Anne Pro to be between 15-30 ms slower.

Haha I had initially used the Bloody software and kept getting comments about unreliability and useless data. I can try again and see if things are better.

 

[Viperl0]

I really hope you do. It gives surprisingly consistent results. I think it's far from useless data. I would've done it myself if I had access to all those boards. Nobody wants to see a 5 board spreadsheet. I don't understand why the mouse community accepts it as gospel, but the the keyboard community doesn't. The majority of the keyboard community doesn't even acknowledge latency as a factor in gaming. One argument I see far too frequently is. "Well human reaction time is far slower than your keyboard latency. So it doesn't matter" What some cant seem to fathom is the latency of your keyboard is added to your human reaction time. I've been downvoted to oblivion for making this argument on r/mechanicalkeyboards. Maybe they're butthurt that their $400 board has 30x the latency of $80 Razer/Logitech. Say what you want about gaming keyboards. They do get a lot of things wrong, QC especially. But one thing they get right is latency.
Sorry for the rant.

 

[bug]

I really hope you do. It gives surprisingly consistent results. I think it's far from useless data. I would've done it myself if I had access to all those boards. Nobody wants to see a 5 board spreadsheet. I don't understand why the mouse community accepts it as gospel, but the the keyboard community doesn't. The majority of the keyboard community doesn't even acknowledge latency as a factor in gaming. One argument I see far too frequently is. "Well human reaction time is far slower than your keyboard latency. So it doesn't matter" What some cant seem to fathom is the latency of your keyboard is added to your human reaction time. I've been downvoted to oblivion for making this argument on r/mechanicalkeyboards. Maybe they're butthurt that their $400 board has 30x the latency of $80 Razer/Logitech. Say what you want about gaming keyboards. They do get a lot of things wrong, QC especially. But one thing they get right is latency.
Sorry for the rant.

It depends on the added latency. Human reaction latency is ~250ms. If you're of the right age and specially trained, maybe you can get that down to 200ms. Adding 20-25ms on top may start to be noticeable. Adding 2ms may not.

And then it depends what you do. If you play some open world RPG, latency doesn't matter much. But if you're one of those Street Fighter players that can tell the number of frames of each move otoh, you absolutely live and die by the latency. (I know, bad example, SF pros don't play using a keyboard.)

 

[Viperl0]

Haha I had initially used the Bloody software and kept getting comments about unreliability and useless data. I can try again and see if things are better.

It depends on the added latency. Human reaction latency is ~250ms. If you're of the right age and specially trained, maybe you can get that down to 200ms. Adding 20-25ms on top may start to be noticeable. Adding 2ms may not.

And then it depends what you do. If you play some open world RPG, latency doesn't matter much. But if you're one of those Street Fighter players that can tell the number of frames of each move otoh, you absolutely live and die by the latency. (I know, bad example, SF pros don't play using a keyboard.)

I absolutely agree. I accept even for the majority of gamers it is of little to no concern. I've just tried get others accept, that in some specific instances of competitive gaming it can make a difference.

 

[billyx]

Hello,

I'm not a gamer but a software developer and bought today this keyboard. I'm quite satisfied, but there are some minor software issues to improve:
- I'm not able to change the background light of all keys in custom mode: CAPS-LOCK stays dark, ROLL stays dark, NUM LOCK stays white
- Changing the color of the lights on the right side of the keyboard and the left side of the num pad is really difficult (click on NUM first and then fast click on the icon for the lamp to change)
- Changing the key binding of the mute, prev track and next track is not working. I assigned the same shortcut SHIFT + ALT +M to D4 and Mute. Pressing D4 does mute on the application with the global key binding for SHIFT + ALT +M but pressing mute does the default system action (Global mute).
- I was not able to setup the display that way, that it is displaying the CPU as screensaver but turning volume up and down when turning the wheel (as a default action).
- The directory selected to install base camp is ignored

One additional thing - I think it the default with these types of caps but you have to be aware of it: The caps for all characters are the same size (as far as I can see), but the caps for the number row (especially also ? and `) are bigger. So if you want to move ? and ` somewhere else then you have two higher keys next to the characters and two lower ones next to the numbers.

I really like my new keyboard and hope that the Mountain is fixing thes small software glitches in a future version.

EDIT: I just saw that the USB-C connectors are not intended to be used for connecting something different than the Num-Pad and Media-Control. That's really poor especially because there is only one USB port (USB-A).

 

[Grzywa]

Hi !

Hugh, last post from Nov last year. Really, no follow-ups since purchase ? That's interesting, either it's so good that no one is looking for solutions/support and everyone is enjoying their keyboards.... or nobody actually bought it ? ;]

Anyway, here are my comments after about 6 months of using it (not much - limited time spent @home due to various reasons in this period):
1. Generally no issues with build quality and stability. It works.

2. I don't like cables they give you they are too stiff - to the point that numpad when on cable can't be positioned freely if -> if you bend it it to put numpad closer to keyboard it will push it back, rise it etc. Basically you can put it only with cable straight more or less far away from keyboard.
3. This one is weird - after 6 months I still can't get used to it. I keep making more tying errors that with my previous keyboard. I don't get it...
4. The screen buttons are badly designed. -> a. click is not good, not tactile and clicky as it should and screen at viewing normal potion is pale, no colors terrible. But from top is great. It make's no sense to put nice color screen with descent resolution to not enjoy it from normal usage position 2.
5. Scroll wheel (knob) on main screen is slippery it's far from perfect. At beginning didn't feel like an issue - but in time it bothers me a little bit.

And last but not least software:

I don't know if anyone else noticed that - but for me it's an obvious function that we are missing.
When your screen is set to display static information - like logo or even better - clock ! You can't do anything. To change the volume you have to click 50 times to get to the volume menu.

Wouldn't it be great if we could choose on what screen (if they are not using rotating knob for any function - Clock, Logo, etc) we can have knob working as volume/sound dial ?
It seems to be like obvious function - basic even.
Imagine you are displaying the time and date always. And each time you want to adjust volume - double click to exit time display, look for volume menu, enter adjust volume, double click to go back to menu find clock screen click it. -> all this while knob does nothing while displaying time..... Wasted opportunity.


What do you think about this volume "issue" ?

 

[billyx]

It is the same thing I said - my point nr 4.

Have anyone found replacment caps with all of the same hight?

 

[Grzywa]

It is the same thing I said - my point nr 4.

Yes, exactly. It's good to know I'm not alone. It's weird as it seems so obvious (at least on fixed screens like screensaver, clock...)

What is your opinion about cable stiffness ? I have found alternative solution that worked for me(for numpad) with 180 degrees connector on one side:

It's flexible so I can reposition numpad however I want. 180 connector allows me to put numpad close to main keyboard as there is no huge long connector sticking out...

 

[billyx]

Did never use it disconnected.