Closer Examination

The Montech MKey TKL, as the name suggests, is a mechanical keyboard in the TKL form factor. In a standard US ANSI layout, that would mean a total of 87 keys. While this keyboard has a very similar key distribution, the number of mechanical switches used is 84 as a result of Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause/Break not being present. Instead, we have indicator LEDs and a multi-function wheel on the top right corner, with the wheel getting an anodized aluminium knob that has a knurled finish on the side. The keyboard uses a two-piece ABS plastic case well, in that both sections are different colors that are complemented by the tri-tone keycaps. The "Freedom" color version goes with lighter colors compared to the more fittingly named "Darkness" version, and both sets use keycaps that remind me of other standalone keycap sets. Interestingly, this also means the colorway chosen is not consistent across both colors. For example, the Darkness version has the third color (red) base keycaps on Escape and Enter only whereas it's clearly not so on the Freedom set. The legends are exactly the same on both though, and we see a fairly clean font with good contrast and a large enough size for easy visibility. Don't worry about where the legends are placed here since the keycaps themselves are opaque! Bezels are average in size and the only branding is on the side facing away from the user where it says "MKey TKL."


Turning the keyboard around, we see the brand name etched into the plastic which itself is a different color depending on which version you go with. There is a metal badge underneath that has the serial number and the usual certification info on it. There are four long rubber pads on the top and bottom to prevent the keyboard from sliding around on your desk and we see these are colored differently to better contrast against the background too. The same goes for the two sets of keyboard feet at the top, each with their own rubberized bottoms, allowing for a total of three case elevations (3/6/9°) to choose from.


Above the Montech branding on the back is a large cutout which has a specifically shaped opening to accommodate the provided keyboard cable into the Type-C port present here. Low profile aftermarket cables should still fit although this stock one helps prevent the cable from accidentally coming loose if someone mistakenly tugs on it—feels unnecessary to me though! The black cable fits the Darkness version better color-wise. It is a braided cable that is slightly longer than the usual 6' in length and goes to an available USB Type-A port on your PC where USB 2.0 will suffice for power and data alike. The case has three cable routing channels built in so you can orient the cable away from, say, a mouse cable while also allowing for better cable management if your PC is placed underneath the desk.


A look from the side shows the built-in elevation of the keyboard, which I would still classify as medium profile even without the feet in use. The keyboard can benefit from a wrist rest if you are not used to touch typing with hands hovering over the keys at all times. The side view also confirms the use of the rarely seen MDA keycap profile with the six rows sculpted and contoured accordingly—they are rounded on the top and direct your fingers naturally to the center to minimize wobble compared to the more common OEM profile. The keycaps are non-floating in design courtesy the two-piece case design. The provided keycap puller works well to help extract some of the keycaps for closer examination as well as for cleaning the keyboard itself. We get thick PBT plastic keycaps (average wall thickness 1.35 mm) with dye-sublimed legends throughout, which is good for longevity and won't develop a shine from finger oils over time. But this does mean the keycaps are opaque as mentioned above and the LEDs used on the keyboard will be mostly for accent lighting only.


There are three switch options for the Montech MKey TKL in the form of the Gateron G Pro 2.0 Red, Yellow, or Brown switch. My sample has the Brown switch here which are installed in a south-facing configuration for increased keycap compatibility—good news for those who might want to use different keycaps for whatever reason. The keyboard uses a steel plate given a white powder-coated finish to better reflect light from the LEDs. The larger keycaps use plate mounted stabilizers which come lightly lubed this time round to help mitigate the mushy feeling they could otherwise have. We can also see a thick silicone sheet used between the plate and the PCB to dampen keystrokes.


The switch remover tool is handy to remove the hot-swappable switches off the PCB and to also provide a good look at the hot-swap socket complete with the SMD LED here, allowing for 3/5-pin Cherry MX-style switches to be used on the keyboard easily. The Gateron G Pro 2.0 Brown switch is a 3-pin tactile feedback switch that is characterized by its brown cross-point stem. It's based off the Cherry MX Brown and has undergone several iterations to get to this newer version. This RGB switch has a clear top housing with an integrated lens—this means no surface mounted LED support—to better diffuse light from the LED underneath. The bottom housing is opaque white and contains the metal contacts.


Here we see a look at the Montech MKey TKL is both color versions and with the provided replacement keycaps installed. The 2.25u keycap can be used on L.Shift or Enter, as seen above, and it gives a slight theme to the keyboard that may be to your liking or come off as too busy, depending on your preference.