The Montech MKey TKL at first glance may seem related to a lot of such keyboards coming out of Asia now with a very similar feature set. Indeed, 2022 saw the rise of the dedicated volume knob on keyboards and 2023 cemented this with gasket mounts everywhere. Many of these keyboards are also offering hybrid wireless connectivity, some add an OLED display, and a few go with different themes and colorways to try and distinguish their offerings. Montech doesn't have it easy considering these are the very first keyboards from the brand, which is only just building a name for itself. As such, knowing this is wired-only, there had to be very few cons to make this a worthy contender for your money.

I will say right off the bat that you do not need to use the software drivers, but that it is bug-free if you do partake. I found the software best to complement the good onboard controls and pre-programmed functions. The Fn key row, for example, has useful shortcuts to improve the user's quality of life. Then there's the handy multi-function wheel which does more than just volume control. That does not change the part where I want to see things improve on the software front next time though, if not soon for this very product via updates. Not having clicky switches can be somewhat mitigated by the use of hot-swappable switch sockets here and the three switches on offer are quite good. Using opaque keycaps ends up being a design choice here to fit into a theme, so you have to decide whether this is a deal breaker or not. Keep in mind that the lighter "Freedom" color version ends up brighter overall. As for the availability of wireless keyboards at the same cost, this is again a personal choice—if you want to use a keyboard on your desk without wires then this is simply not the keyboard for you.

What you get in return is a fairly solid typing experience with features that used to be in the $200 price range not that long ago. The gasket mount isn't perfect but works well enough. The silicone sheets used between the plate and the PCB as well as between the PCB and the case are customized to the keyboard and do a nice job in dampening keystrokes. Then there are the two color versions with provided novelty keycaps that allow you to make this feel more like a custom built keyboard than a standard black pre-built unit. The tipping point for me was the cost where $90 is just about where I can see this working, especially given the wider availability on Amazon and Newegg—at least in the USA. There's enough here to attract attention for those looking for a well-priced, feature-rich keyboard. Indeed, the comments on our news post about this keyboard's launch suggested as much. Now to see how Montech builds its peripherals portfolio further, as the MKey TKL is a good debut entry.