Closer Examination

The minute I saw the XPG MAGE, I recognized several aspects I had seen before. Such is the world of OEM factories and parts today that I can probably name five other keyboards employing exactly the same frame, just tweaked slightly for branding. The XPG MAGE version comes out in a gunmetal gray color with a silver-colored XPG logo applique over the arrow keys. The frame is aluminium given the gunmetal gray anodized finish, which is more scratch resistance than the brushed finish a few others have gone with. The beveled edge at the bottom was the telltale sign for me, but makes for a departure from the usual boxy keyboard design if your first entry to the mechanical keyboard world.

This is a good form factor to get into as well, with full-size keyboards still outselling all other keyboard sizes as a whole even among mechanical keyboards. It makes for a longer keyboard you need to allot space to accordingly, and the average-sized bezels on all sides slightly add to the occupied footprint. I have the US ANSI layout, which is the only variant I can guarantee the XPG MAGE will be sold in, and we see indicator LEDs in the usual spot above the numpad to make it easier to transition from a basic office membrane keyboard to the XPG MAGE. Secondary legends are alongside primary ones for all but four keys, which is a weird but understandable move on a couple given the space constraints. The keycaps are white legends on black plastic, making for a generally clean look you can use in an office for work as much as at home for gaming.


Flipping the keyboard around, we see the expected sticker in the middle that has the keyboard name, model and serial numbers, and certification information. Four triangular rubber pads at the corners prevent the keyboard from sliding around on your desk. We also find two large keyboard feet at the top for an added elevation option. These have rubber pads on their contact surfaces.


Only wired connectivity is aboard, and the expected Type-C port is inside a case cutout on the side facing away from the user, closer to the right-hand side instead of the usual left. It still won't tangle with a mouse cable, and the cutout is large enough to accommodate aftermarket cables. The cable itself is black, sleeved well, and the usual 6' long. It goes to an available USB Type-A port on your PC, where USB 2.0 will work if you have nothing else available given the relatively low power-draw requirements.


A look at the side shows a slightly elevated medium-height case profile that can be increased using the two keyboard feet. XPG is using the tried and tested OEM keycaps profile, with the six rows sculpted and contoured accordingly. With the XPG MAGE, you get ABS plastic keycaps—it has actually been a while since I last used a keyboard with ABS plastic keycaps. These are thin and susceptible to finger oil stains, and the laser-etched legends don't do much for longevity, either. There is standard keycap spacing for those who want to replace the stock keycaps, but note that aftermarket keycaps may end up more expensive than the entire keyboard, and you will also lose the keyboard-specific legends on these. These are backlighting-compatible, but the four keycaps with secondary legends below the primary ones will not be lit as well on this north-facing LED keyboard.


The XPG Mage being marketed as a gaming keyboard, I suppose I would have also gone with a medium-force linear switch if the only switch option. XPG has chosen Kailh, and it's the older-style Kailh RGB switch without SMD support and not even from the BOX series. Regardless, it's an excellent choice for the application, and we see the external RGB LED at the north for each switch. The switch housing is translucent, which clearly is not as critical in this case. Given the floating keycaps and external LEDs, I expect a lot of light bleed onto the sides, too. XPG is using plate-mounted stabilizers for the larger keycaps, and there is no lube to seen. The space bar key in particular ends up a rattle-fest.