Montech sent out a press release to everyone on November 11, 2024 about the launch and immediate availability of the MKey PRO keyboard. I am not sure this ever happened, and Montech admits there have been some issues with the retail launch that the brand is aiming to resolve as soon as possible. I don't know why I was not informed of this, since I would have just delayed my testing until a later date, so for now you get to read this review of a keyboard that no one can currently buy. I do hope that things are fixed soon though, at least for Montech's sake. This has not been the smoothest product launch thus, and in a market that has really low attention span as a result of dozens of keyboards coming out monthly, the first few months are crucial.

Assuming that the MKey PRO is available by the time you read this review, there are certainly things to consider. Montech seems to have worked with a different keyboard platform for this compared to the older MKey line, and it shows. Gone are the replacement/novelty keycaps, the keycaps are now doubleshot-injected rather than having dye-sublimed legends (still opaque though), the case is a single color now and is missing the cable routing channels, the hot-swap switch sockets are no longer from Kailh, the silicone gaskets are replaced by thin and less effective foam pieces which are also less uniformly distributed, and the stabilizers also are lubed with a different material and not as well as before. I am not sure if this is a different OEM altogether, especially given the open-source hardware used, but there were some shortcuts taken to get the MKey PRO to hit a similar price point as the wired-only MKey TKL we saw before.

The end result is a keyboard with some compromises, yet there are certainly positives too. Hybrid wireless connectivity is always nice, and it works flawlessly here. Montech also has a large battery inside, allowing for a highly respectable battery life even with the LEDs on. The multi-function wheel makes a return, and it works well combined with the other pre-programmed onboard functions. VIA/QMK support is also a nice change from the usual poorly optimized keyboard software, even if you had to initially jump through a hoop to access the JSON file needed—thankfully not anymore. I also appreciate that we get an option of linear or tactile switches here, which again is a welcome change from the usual linear-only keyboards in the market. Also, if the JSON files are anything to go by, Montech seems to have an ISO version planned. The 75% form factor is getting increasingly popular to where I do think the MKey PRO at $90 should at least merit your interest despite everything.

[Update (Dec 20, 2024): Montech has made the MKey Pro keyboard available for purchase on Amazon, the purchase link is added at the top of this page.]