Tag Keycaps

The Monsgeek M1 which was launched recently has been very well received and has gotten a lot of positive reviews. Offering a solid set of features like a premium build quality, south-facing switches and QMK/VIA support for a competitive price. Now the sister brand of Akko is releasing it’s second keyboard; the Monsgeek M2. The M2 is a 1800 style, or 96% keyboard.

Why choose a DIY mechanical keyboard?

Mechanical keyboards, in general, have many advantages over commonly seen “standard” keyboards which use rubber dome switches or scissor switches. Among these advantages are a longer lifespan, responsive feeling and overall a better typing and gaming experience. The downsides of a mechanical keyboard will mostly be their price and sound which is often a bit louder then you get with a traditional rubber dome keyboard.

Monsgeek is one of the brands that aims to give more people acces to highly adjustable and customizable mechanical keyboards. So if you want a mechanical keyboard without a loud sound, you can put in some extra sound dampening foam in your keyboard and choose some silent switches like the Akko Silent Pink. You cand the review of these silent switches here. If you are a person on the other hand who likes to let the world know they are typing you can get some loud, clicky switches like Cherry Blue or Box White’s from Kailh.

Luckily as mechanical keyboards are becoming more mainstream, prices are coming down as well. The goal of Monsgeek is exactly this; providing more people acces to affordable, high quality and highly customizable keyboards. They let you choose your switches and keycaps, change the sound profile by adding or removing sound dampening material without the need of soldering.

Almost Full-size

The Monsgeek M2 is a keyboard which has an almost full size layout while being a roughly as wide as a TKL keyboard. This is great for people who like to use a numpad but don’t want a keyboard to take up all the desk-space. You will have to sacrifice some keys ofcourse but being a VIA compatible keyboard this won’t be a big problem since you can always move keys and functions. With a compact form factor that eliminates unnecessary keys, a 96% keyboard can help minimize desk clutter and reduce strain on the wrists and hands during extended typing sessions. Another benefit regarding ergonomics is that the reduce width will also keep your mouse arm from over stretching.

What you get when buying the Monsgeek M2

The Monsgeek M2 comes in a similar package as the Monsgeek M1 did. The Packaging is mostly black with some branding. Inside the pre-assembled keyboard is covered by packaging foam, a plastic cover and a protective cover. Also included are a manual and an optional sheet of tape for modding the sound profile. Next to the keyboard a cutout has been made where you will find the accessories like a coiled cable, screws, sound dampening teflon stickers and screw-in stabs. The keyboard comes assembled together but you will need to open it in order to put in the screw in stabs. These come pre-clipped and can be lubed by the user to bring out the best feeling. While the Monsgeek M1 models all had golden colored side bars, only the silver edition has kept this color, all the others have silver colored sidebars now. The Monsgeek Logo has also been engraved inside the bottom casing now, a very nice touch.

Building the board

Before opening up the keyboard I lubed the housing of the screw-in stabs with Krytox 205g0 and used dielectric grease on the wires. I disassembled the keyboard, put the teflon stickers under on the pcb where the stabs go, placed and screwed them and put the keyboard back together. I chose to use all, the provided foam layers and to not include the optional sheet of painters tape. You can check out some tips for lubing here.

Switches

For my build I used the Akko Snow blue grey switches together with the Jelly Purple‘s for the Numpad. I liked the idea of having some tactile feedback when using the numpad. I lubed both the switches, the Snow Blue Grey‘s with Krytox 205g0 and the Jelly purple‘s with Trybosis 3203, which is less thick. The Jelly purples tend to have a bit less wobble thanks to the dust covers they use. Both switches are semi-loud in use.

Monsgeek M2 and keycap compatibility

The Monsgeek M2 requires two functions keys on R1 in 1.5u size. It is important to check if your keycap set includes these. If you order keycaps from the Akko website you can choose MDA or SAL keycap sets which include the needed keycaps. I used the Ocean Star keycaps for this keyboard which uses the SAL profile. The SAL profile is a bit larger then the ASA profile most Akko keycaps have and the standard rows are all flattened out apart from the F and J keys which are slightly curved to help your fingers find their way. Personally though I think a different set of keycaps would have fit the silver option better like a white on black keycap set.

Impressions and conclusion

Like the Monsgeek M1, the Monsgeek M2 makes a solid impression. Building the board was, again easy enough. There are no squeaks or rattling sounds. There is a ping when not using the teflon stickers, but adding this between the two halves removes this issue. The board is, even without the addition of foam a bit on the stiffer side. For me this is fine, I don’t care that much for the overly bouncy gasket-style. Personally I used all the foam because I like a more dampened board. What I like less is the limitation in keycap compatibility because of the need of the 1.5 function keys in R1. Ofcourse most respectable premium keycap sets from brands like GMMK come with these keys and Akko also has the SAL and MDA keycap sets which offer these. I was told though that that a successor in the future will not have this limitation.

Would I recommend this keyboard? If you are looking for a 1800 or 96% style keyboard, then yes this is a very solid option. You get a premium build keyboard, great software and lots of customizability. Just make sure you buy the international version if you want VIA/QMK. You can order this version directly from Akkogear.de

Be sure to use coupon CLICKSMASHSTUFF to get 10% off (Limited time offer).

What I liked about the Monsgeek M2

• Solid build quality
• Screw in stabs included
• QMK/VIA support
• Coiled cable included
• Engraved logo on the back is a nice premium addition

What I didn’t like

• Somewhat limited keycap compatibility
• Price difference in Europe vs US (but no import and custom fees)

Akko kicks of the 3rd series of their switches with the release of the V3 Cream Yellow and V3 Cream Blue. As those familiar with switches probadly guessed; the blue ones are tactile and the yellow of the linear kind. We are taking a look at the linear version today, provided for review by Akkogear.de.

Packaging

Just like the Snow Blue Grey switches these come with a new art style on the box wrapper. In the box it is still the same trusted and nice packaging Akko has provided with their other switches in. Every switch is individually placed in a plastic box which can easily be opened. The benefit of this packaging is that the risk of getting bend pins is reduced to almost zero. Storage and sortage of switches is also easy with these boxes as they are small and colored differently for each type of switch.

V3 Cream Yellow up close

You might have guessed the switches have a mostly yellow color to them, they remind me of these sweet banana candys. The bottom is made of PA, the housing a semi-transparant PC material and the stem is made out of POM. All of these parts have a yellow color scheme. Akko has used one of their extension springs here which is 18mm in lenght.

• Type: Linear
• Operating Force: 50 ± 5gf
• Total Travel: 3.5±0.3mm
• Pre-Travel: 1.9±0.3mm
• Tactile Position: N/A
• End Force: 58gf ± 5gf

Testing time!

I used the switches in a Monsgeek M1 keyboard, which was reviewed as well, and paired these with the MARRS keycaps from Akko. These keycaps have a cherry profile and had no compatiblity issues with these switches thanks to the extended pole used on the stem. I used the switches together with the Akko Jelly blacks which have a comparible operating force.

Typing experience

The Cream Yellow switches are pretty similair to Gateron Yellow in specs and are in the same ball park of Akko’s Jelly Blacks when it comes to the operating force of the switch. They do feel different to type on compared to the blacks though. The feeling is indeed buttery creamy mainly thanks to the different housing material. There is just a little bit amount of scratching when you listen up close but overall they are very consistent. Wobbling is minimal to none. From what I have heard from others, these are an improved Matcha Green feeling wise. I personally haven’t used the Matcha Greens though. Compared to the Gateron Yellow the Cream Yellows feel more consistant.

Sound

The Cream Yellow’s provide a nice creamy, clacky sound which appeals to me personally. Like feeling and feedback of switches this tends to be a personal thing. The material of the keyboard used is also a factor in this.

Gaming with the V3 Cream Yellow

The V3 cream yellow is a pleasant switch to use for gaming. It is a bit heavier then something like a Cherry Red which a lot of gamers use. I wouldn’t recommend these for people who want the fastest response while playing CS-GO. However If you are looking for a good overall switch with a smooth feedback and a little bit of resistance this might be a very balanced switch for you. I am not a heavy e-sports FPS gamer and I personally had a very good time using these switches while playing Hitman 3 and Atomic heart among other games.

Switch tester

Having a hard time deciding which type of switch you would like to use or compare some type of switches against one another? One option is to use a switch tester. The Akko x Monsgeek switch tester lets you try out 16 different switches from Akko, TTC and Cherry. The include the V3 creal Yellow and V3 Cream blue but also the Classic Cherry Red and the poplair Jelly Black and Purple switches. You can order the switch tester directly from Akkogear.de for €7,99 (ex.VAT). It’s a cost effective way to try out some of the most popular Akko switches without having to buy a whole package.

Value and conclusion

The price of these switches are very competitive at €8,99/$8,99 (ex. tax) for 45 switches. For this price you are getting very smooth switches straight out of the box which get even better after lubing. I can recommend these switches to people looking for a nice, smooth switch for mixed usage. These strike a nice balance between price and performance. They are not the heaviest, not the lightest switch and will probably appeal to most people sound-wise. These are perfect for people who use their keyboard for mixed usage like gaming and other everyday tasks.

I have covered various Akko keyboards on this website and have been mostly satisfied with them. Akko offers keyboards in various price ranges and designs. The top of the line products are their DIY models which offer premium materials. There were two things missing from these boards though; a south-facing layout and the compatibility with VIA/QMK software. Akko introduced a south-facing layout in their latest version of the MOD series, the MOD007s V2 (review). Well the last hurdle is finally taken. Meet the MonsGeek M1.

Akko or MonsGeek?

MonsGeek is a new company launched as a sister brand to Akko. MonsGeek intends to provide high quality products at an affordable price. The name is combination of the word Monster and Geek. With the experience and expertise of Akko behind it MonsGeek is able to offer high quality materials and focus more on a select range of products for enthusiasts. My guess is Akko will keep focusing more on its colorful products and collaborations with populair anime shows and themed keycaps whereas MonsGeek will keep things more simple and focus on materials vs price. The MonsGeek M1 is the first of a range of upcoming products.

“Inspired by a combination of the sheer power of a Monster and the technological prowess of a Geek; MonsGeek has shaped its own way by connecting our streamlined supply chains, which has allowed us to reduce manufacturing costs and be able to offer quality products at an accessible price for everyone.

Quality peripherals should be accessible to all, not only to a select few…

Monsgeek invests in innovation in order to propel the future of peripherals, while filling a gap in the industry and raising the bar for all.“

Letting the Monster out

The Keyboard comes in a nice bog black box which a carton wrapper around it. Inside the Keyboard is covered by protective material and a dustcover while sitting nice and firm in a thick foam package. Next to the keyboard a coiled USB-C to USB-A cable can be found. This Cabe is rubberized and gets the job done. Ofcourse there are nice looking cables around but to be honest one should not expect a premium aviator style cable in this price-range. The keyboard is pre-assembled but cannot be used yet. You will first need to add some stabilizers. The keyboard supports plate mounted as well as screw-in stabilizers, the latter being included. These don’t come pre-assembled because most enthusiasts will want to lube these first. There are also some stabilizer pads and a sheet of painters tape included for optional mods. The board itself is very heavy and sturdy and has some nice details with the gold colored metal bars on both sides.

Assembling the Monsgeek M1

The first thing I did after taking the board apart was lubing the stabilizers. I used some G205g0 for the housing and Dielectric grease for the wires. I didn’t do a Holee Mod though. I figured I could always do this later if I would experience any serious rattling. I did use the included stabilizer pads. After assembling the stabilizers I decided to use the included foams and let the sheet of painters tape for what it is. This is all personal and you might like to include or discard these parts as you like. I ended up using some of the stabilizer pads near the screw holes of the keyboard to avoid that annoying ping that metal on metal can cause. An optional sheet of transparent plastic material is included which should help avoid any risks of damage by shortcuts. You can see it in the image below. It is already pre-cut so the connection wire will have no issues getting where it needs to go.

Switches

Akko send me their new custom made Snow Blue Grey switch. This switch is a linear switch with an operating force of 43 grams, a total travel distance of around 4 mm and a pre travel of around 1.9 mm. These switches are made of a POM stem, a PC top and PA bottom. The spring is an 18mm extended spring. These switches feel very nice out of the box but would benefit from lubing. The thing that gives these switches the most appeal is the colorway. They will not be a replacement for my beloved Jelly Black switches though, which feel smoother to me. Switches are very personal though. I can definitely recommend these switches if you are looking for a nice linear switch to complement your themed build. Lubing will get the most of these though.

Putting some keycaps in the Monsgeek M1

What is a keyboard without keycaps? This time I used a set of ABS keycaps. I usually go with double shot PBT keycaps but I wanted to try out some of Akko’s double shot ABS kits for a while. These Ocean Star keycaps look very nice in a white casing. The first thing I noticed was that these ABS keys don’t come in the same premium box with magnets like their more expensive PBT brothers and sisters. But they still come well packed in plastic covers and each layer comes with a protective sheet of foam. The keycaps feel a bit lighter then the PBT caps but not flimsy or cheap. I could not find any faults in the paintjob or shape and the package is really complete. You get all the standard keycaps but the set also comes with various types of spacebar sizes, mac-keys and ofcourse some nice novelty keycaps.

The Ocean star keycaps are made with the SAL profile which is a bit larger then the ASA profile most Akko keycaps have and the standard rows are all flattened out apart from the F and J keys which are slightly curved in to help your fingers find their way. The keycaps felt pleasant and adjusting wasn’t hard for me.

Software

One of the things people complained about with the Akko brand was the lack of VIA/QMK support. Luckily the first keyboard from their sister company MonsGeek comes with VIA support! I downloaded the via software for the board (here) and the board was instantly recognized. While the Akko cloud software was not the worst I have experienced this is definitely a step up. With VIA its incredibly easy to tune the keyboard to your own liking. You can assign keys, macro’s, change to split keyboards and ISO layout and test your keys. You can also tune the RGB settings of your keyboard in VIA and I noticed the RGB looked a bit better then it does on my MOD007 keyboard. The latter seemed to have a bit of a strobing effect sometimes which isn’t present here.

Final thoughts

The MonsGeek M1 is a solid debut for the brand. It is build like a tank and borrows a lot of its design from the popular MOD007 series. Small improvements have been made like finetuning the knob and adding some extra’s like screw in stabs, stabilizer pads and a sheet for tape mods. Ofcourse Monsgeek made sure the keyboard has a south-facing layout so compatibility is not an issue with any keycaps. The real game changer here is the inclusion of VIA support which was something people requested for a long time on Akko products. If MonsGeek is able to build forward from this solid entry and keep the price competitive brands like Keychron should be worried. While Keychron makes very nice and solid keyboards MonsGeek has the supply chains from Akko behind it with a lot of choice between keycaps and switches. If MonsGeek wants to really be competitive they would be wise to offer some complete kits as well for a small increase in price as an option.

Pricing and availability

The MonsGeek M1 retails for $99,- or €129,99 in Europe without taxes. Citizens in the U.S. can order from Monsgeek.com while people in Europe can order from Akkogear.de

Get 10% off limited time only

For a limited time only you can get 10% off the Monsgeek M1 on Akkogear.de using the coupon CLICKSMASHSTUFF on checkout or using this link. Akkogear.de ships worldwide.

Akko has a wide variety of keycap sets. One of these is the Los Angeles set; a keycap set inspired by the famous basketball team from LA. This is a beautiful set of keycaps. Weather you are a fan of the Lakers or you are just looking for something different then your average black on white set.

Packaging

The outside box

Akko sells the Los Angeles keycaps in a nice box which shows an image of the keycaps in full color. Upfront there is the Akko logo. The profile, which is ASA and the keycap material; PBT can be seen on the right side. Up front is the name of the set which comes in handy if you are like me and have different Akko sets stacked on a shelf. On the back there is some contact info.

The keycap storage box

The storage box for the keycaps comes in a vibrant yellow color with a big Akko logo on it. On the left are hinges and it closes with magnets. This ensures the storage box is secure but still easy enough to open when needed.

The keycaps

Opening up the storage box you are greeted by a beautiful assortment of keycaps. An assortment of white and yellow keycaps for standard layouts whit a nice purple print on them. Purple variants of keys are included, as well as different sizes for special layouts and a few novelty keys.

If you want to get serious about matching your keycaps with your switches check out the Lavender Purple, Jelly white or limited edition Spongebob switches!

ASA profile

The keycaps are of the ASA profile type. They have a large font, placed in the center of the keys. Being flat and having a large surface area, they are easy to find for your fingers. The ASA profile’s height sits in between the Cherry and OEM profile.

Different layouts

The Los Angeles keycap set comes with a total of 158 keys. Included are keycaps in different sizes for layouts such as 60, 65, 75 and 96 percent.

Storage box

You can store the keycaps you replace with these safe and sound in this box. The keycaps are secured by a cross shaped placeholder for each individual keycap. This can make them a bit harder to take out though. Fortunately Akko also provides a nice keycap puller with the set.

Build

Here’s how the keycaps look in my Akko 3098B keyboard. (review here). I think they look really nice with the black. I bet they will look even better on a white keyboard though! I ‘m curious what you think. Let me know in the comments!

Where to buy

You can check at Akkogear.de for international shipping here If you want to get 10% off on any purchase on Akkogear.de just use coupon CLICKSMASHSTUFF or use this link.

Back when I had my first computer a keyboard was a keyboard. Never would I have thought about a mechanical keyboard or things like different switches. It was just Something that just came with the computer my parents bought in the store. I personally didn’t pay much attention to it. I remember it being this big clunky creamy-white thing with green indication lights on it. All I cared about was playing games on it (Red alert and Magic carpet were the first games I had on the PC)

About 10 years ago I accidently dropped my laptop and my wife said to me: why don’t you try to build your own computer instead of buying a new laptop? At first I thought to myself: no way I can build a computer. Why not just get one from the store? I decided to go online anyway and put Google and YouTube to work. After diving into the world of computer parts, visiting forums and watching YouTube videos I started the adventure of building my first rig.

I didn’t pay much attention to my mouse and keyboard. I just grabbed a set from the local store and went with it. It was a simple set from Logitech, it got the job done. After a while I started thinking what I could do to “perfect” my build. Well as we all know, that is the first step into an endless loop. After changing my gpu a couple of times, I started reading more and more posts about people using mechanical keyboards and I started to get interested.

I started reading about different switches, of which at the time most mainstream boards had a selection of brown, blue and red. I watched and read reviews and opinions on these types of switches and after a while I bought my first mechanical keyboard. It was a Coolermaster Masterkeys with Cherry brown switches. I was instantly in love! The sound, the weight, the looks, never did a keyboard genuinely got me enthusiastic.

Two years or so went by until disaster struck; My cat decided it was time to puke over my beloved mech! After plugging in my old membrane board I immediately knew this was a relationship that wouldn’t last. I went online, thinking I would just order the current version of my beloved mech. Then I saw already a lot had changed. Mechanical keyboards where getting even more populair and more and more brands were pumping out boards. Brands like Razer, Logitech, Corsair, Cooler master and many others were offering all kinds of cool boards.

My previous board had red lights in it which I thought was really cool but man Unicorns were starting to puke all over these things! Eventually I bought a newer version of my trusted board instead a little less bulky and R&B lights (yes no G!).

A year or two ago I started looking at boards again. And this time the landscape had once again changed drastically in my eyes. People were getting more and more serious about mechs. Apart from the usual suspects brands like Leopold, Hyperx, Akko, Glorious, Ducky and many more were pumping out beautiful and many different keyboards. No longer was it just about looks. Things like size, colors, feeling, Hot-swap, low profile and colored keycaps were a thing now. All this was already happening in the enthousiast scene but now it started to get the attention of the average consumer as well.

After a whiIe bought myself a Glorious TKL board which really launched my enthusiasm for the mechanical keyboard hobby. Then I began experimenting with different switches, keycaps, lubing, modding. At first I started with small stuff like cheap keycaps on sites like Ali Express and Soon I found myself getting deeper and deeper in the rabbit hole…