AZIO perhaps thought it had a whole new market to itself, however niche it was, when they announced the MK Retro with its typewriter-style keycaps at a price point where the entire keyboard costs less than the keycap set from Datamancer. But then Nanoxia announced a backlit keyboard with very similar keycaps, and very recently, Adesso released a keyboard that looks nearly the same as the MK Retro. The pie is getting smaller and smaller, but AZIO must be given credit for getting their fork in earlier.

It is a simple matter then - if you fancy the aesthetics of the MK Retro, go for it. At $99.99, it is the least expensive of the typewriter-style keyboards from the three companies mentioned above. The clone switches are also one of the better ones, and the included microfiber cloth and wrist rest add to the experience positively. The pillar-style feet work well, and build quality is solid with no complaints inside or out.

But if the aesthetics are not a major selling point, there are better options for the money - be it in terms of build quality, stock keycaps, backlighting, or more productivity features, including dedicated media buttons, key assignment, and macro recording. It does not help either that the keycaps on this typewriter-inspired keyboard do not contribute positively to the typing experience, and perhaps it is to the typewriter inspiration where the fault lies - I never was comfortable with a typewriter in the few days I used one out of curiosity anyway. Perhaps this is subjective, but as with most things in a keyboard review, I can only mention what I felt. Overall, the bottom line is the same as above - if the looks of the MK Retro tickle your wallet lining, I recommend it, and that is what the award below is for.