Zebronics Max mechanical keyboard review: Back to the future!

If, like me, you are old enough to have used the manual typewriter, you will long for the satisfying thump and tactile feed of its keyboard. This became extinct around 1990, when computer keyboards reduced cost (and durability) by creating the current design based on plastic membranes and rubber-domed electrical switches beneath every key. Press a key and the rubber switch pushed through a hole to connect top and bottom membranes to complete the circuit. This had its advantage — spilled coffee on the keyboard did not damage it. The downside was oldies like me missed the physical feel of a key stroke.

So I am thrilled that enough of us old fogies, have persuaded makers to go back to the future and revive the solid mechanical keyboard of the early days of computing. Pressing a key, presses an actual physical key underneath — and results in an audible click and feel. And these mechanical switches are much more durable than the flimsy silicone membranes — so typically a mechanical keyboard is good for some 10 million, rather than 3-4 million key strokes of your vanilla keyboard.

While going retro and mechanical, the Zebronics Max keyboard, adds some cool modernity: the keys are backlit with LEDs, one colour for one row, which makes it great for use in a darkened room. (You can adjust the intensity of the lights or turn them altogether). The function keys have some useful additional controls — mostly pertaining to the multimedia player.

The keyboard is mounted on a sturdy metal body with good rubber grips -- the whole thing weighs just over 1kg. At Rs 2,424, the Max costs about three times the asking price of the average membrane based keyboard. But it is likely to outlast your PC — and for power typists and serial gamers, it will be money well spent.

—IndiaTechOnline