Be Quiet! Light Mount review – a gaming keyboard to be seen and not heard

The Be Quiet! Mild Mount keyboard focuses on two key areas: numerous RGB lighting and quiet operation. It throws in a handful of additional gaming keys and a multimedia knob, however successfully that is it for total options. So in order for you a keyboard that can dazzle with its lightshow with out distracting with its typing noise, it is doubtlessly the one for you.

This keyboard is one in all two that Be Quiet! simply launched as its entrance into the gaming peripheral area. Its sibling has a intelligent modular design that earned it a spot on our greatest gaming keyboard information, and you may learn extra about that mannequin in our Be Quiet! Darkish Mount assessment. The Mild Mount is worthy of a spot too, primarily based on its gentle present alone, however is there extra to it than only a load of lights? I have been testing it as my each day driver for writing, gaming, and extra for the previous couple of weeks to search out out.

Specs

Options

The Be Quiet! Mild Mount is, in some ways, a fairly easy keyboard. It is solely accessible in a full-size structure – no TKL or 65% choices but – and comes with simply two forms of hot-swappable mechanical switches: Be Quiet!’s personal linear or tactile Cherry MX-style switches. It is also solely accessible as a wired board, with no wi-fi connections included, and lacks any of the additional modular options or programmable OLED buttons of the Darkish Mount.

What’s extra, and maybe most crucially for some avid gamers, it would not use optical or magnetic keyswitches to offer an analog response, and the additional gaming features that may include these switches. Boards such because the Superb GMMK 3, Razer Huntsman V3 Professional, and SteelSeries Apex Professional Mini provide the power to regulate the actuation distance of every key and allow options akin to speedy set off and snap faucet. Should you’re not conversant in these applied sciences, do not recreation competitively, or are on the lookout for a keyboard primarily for typing, you are not going to be too involved, however should you’re on the lookout for cutting-edge gaming options, these boards technically have that benefit.

What this board does embrace, although, are three key options. Firstly, there’s the RGB lighting that ties into the Mild a part of this keyboard’s identify. This comes within the type of full per-key RGB backlighting, plus there is a gentle strip on the high/again and two additional strips on the underside of the left and proper sides. The highest strip has 46 particular person lighting zones, whereas both sides strip has 5.

The board’s second fundamental characteristic is its quiet operation. Contained in the board are three layers of sound-deadening foam to assist uninteresting the din out of your typing. These comprise a layer between the switches and the PCB, one other below the PCB, and a 3rd layer fills the underside housing.

The ultimate fundamental addition is that, down the left aspect of the board, are 5 additional programmable gaming keys – all of the keys are programmable however these are devoted to getting used for non-standard key features – and a above these keys is a quantity knob and mute button management.

The gaming keys, labeled M1-M5, are cleverly topped with keycaps which are shorter than these on the remainder of the board, lowering the chance of you hitting these keys by chance as an alternative of the conventional keys.

Talking of keycaps, those listed here are created from powerful PBT plastic (relatively than ABS) so ought to resist shortly carrying to a shine, plus they’re doubleshot, so the legends (numbers and letters) are fashioned by two layers of plastic relatively than simply being painted onto the keycaps. This successfully means the legends can by no means put on away.

The board makes use of a USB-C connection housed on the again fringe of the board to connect with your PC, and it features a high quality, fairly thick, braided 2m cable within the field. Additionally included is a keycap/swap puller and a nicely-padded, magnetically-attached wrist relaxation. In the meantime, on the underside of the board are a pair of two-stage toes that may be flipped down to lift the again fringe of the board.

Design and RGB

The Mild Mount’s design has an attention-grabbing mixture of fairly plain and utilitarian touches, however then with the addition of all its RGB lighting. The board is simply accessible in black, and its form is kind of straight with few curves, bevels, or different adornments. It is constructed from a plastic base with a reasonably skinny aluminum high plate, which has been given a black coating that seems thicker than a typical anodized end – it is extra of a painted end.

Even with the RGB in full move, then, this keyboard simply would not make that a lot of a design assertion. It is neither fairly as smooth because the Razer Blackwidow V4 or SteelSeries Apex Professional, nor as premium-looking and feeling because the Superb GMMK 3 or Monsgeek M1W SP.

That is mirrored within the weight and rigidity of the board too – it would not have the heft of a premium board. The media knob, as an example, feels a contact wobbly and would not have a satisfying really feel. After all, that’s to be anticipated given it isn’t a premium-priced board, but it surely’s notable given it is from a price range board both.

As to the RGB options, the highest gentle bar specifically actually does look good by way of its brightness and the sleek transition from one shade to a different. Be Quiet! supplies simply 5 default lighting patterns in its IO Middle software program, although: Shade Wave, Twister, Respiration, Reactive, and Matrix. These are such customary patterns, and such a modest choice, that it is somewhat disappointing given the emphasis on RGB with this keyboard.

You’ll be able to, although, program the lighting your self, down to every particular person zone, plus the board helps Home windows Dynamic Lighting. You’ll be able to learn extra about what else is on the market in Be Quiet!’s IO Middle in our Darkish Mount assessment.

The readability of the lighting by means of the keycaps is notably good as properly. Many doubleshot PBT keycaps can have relatively uninteresting, unclear shine-through lighting, however that is not the case right here.

Efficiency

Like its Darkish Mount sibling, in relation to efficiency, the Mild Mount is not making any grand claims. It is simply a regular mechanical keyboard, and that is all many customers want or need.

I examined the linear swap model of the board, and it delivers a really good typing expertise with the switches’ 45gf actuation providing a steadiness of lightness with a still-notable quantity of spring-back. The truth is, they really feel nearly like tactile switches in a approach. They appear to have a barely increased preliminary resistance, then a degree the place the spring buckles extra freely, relatively than having a completely clean motion, which I discovered I significantly favored.

What’s extra, even in aggressive gaming classes, I did not discover the dearth of analog response, adjustable actuation, snap faucet, speedy set off, or a quick polling fee held me again in any approach. Sure video games profit from snap faucet and speedy set off (snap faucet is even banned in CS2), so should you’re actually severe about getting each potential benefit, this merely will not be the board for you. That stated, the benefit of those applied sciences is tiny in comparison with the positive aspects from a sooner body fee or by equipping your self with among the finest gaming mouse or greatest gaming monitor choices.

As for the quietness of these keys, this board is notably nowhere close to as quiet because the Darkish Mount board. That board hovers round 42-44dB, whereas the Mild Mount I measured at round 45-50dB, with the spacebar specifically often triggering as excessive as a 52dB response.

That is noticeable in particular person in addition to utilizing a decibel meter. The Mild Mount has a distinctly extra distinguished, higher-pitched clicking high quality to its typing noise. This is perhaps to do with the Mild Mount solely utilizing foam for its remaining layer of sound deadening, whereas the Darkish Mount makes use of a dense silicone rubber.

That is nonetheless a decently quiet keyboard within the grand scheme of issues, although. The Superb GMKK3 that makes use of related sound-deadening layers measures 48dB, the Corsair K70 Max measures 61dB, and the Monsgeek M1W SP hits a really loud 62dB.

Relating to the additional gaming keys down the left edge, I’ve typically discovered these additional keys on boards such because the Corsair K100 to only get in the way in which, a minimum of when typing relatively than gaming. I consistently go to place my hand by really feel alone over the WASD keys or in the usual typing place, and discover I am hitting one key over to the left – it is significantly dangerous for hitting the Ctrl and Shift keys.

Be Quiet! has tried to restrict this chance by lowering the peak of the M1-M5 keys, however I did not discover it to be overly efficient. I nonetheless often hit M5+X once I went to hit Ctrl+C, or M3+R once I meant to hit Shift+T. Your mileage might fluctuate, however I in the end disabled all these keys to a minimum of cease unintentional hits from inflicting any precise actions, and even went so far as eradicating the M5 key altogether.

Value

The Be Quiet! Mild Mount worth is $169.90 / €169.90 / £169.90, making it a mid-priced keyboard. Extra premium choices, such because the GMMK 3 or the Darkish Mount, push properly above $200, whereas loads of compact gaming-focused choices, such because the Razer Blackwidow V4 75%, and SteelSeries Apex Professional Mini, have the same worth to the Mild Mount. As such, the enchantment of this board actually does come right down to how a lot you worth its additional RGB lighting and quiet operation.

Options

Razer Huntsman V3 Professional

If pure gaming efficiency is your precedence, the Razer Huntsman V3 Professional is a more sensible choice than the Mild Mount, as its analog keyswitches open a world of gaming alternatives. It is costlier at $219, although, and lacks the additional RGB lighting and quiet typing of the Be Quiet! Learn our Razer Huntsman V3 Professional assessment for extra data.

Corsair K55 RGB Professional

For a quiet typing and gaming life with numerous RGB, the Corsair K55 RGB Professional gives all this for a worth that is a 3rd of that of the Be Quiet! Mild Mount. Nonetheless, it’s a price range board that is not nearly as good by each different measure. It is not as quiet, its RGB lighting is not as programmable, and its keys use cheaper membrane switches that put on out faster. For simply $45, although, these would possibly all be compromises you are comfortable to make.

Verdict

The Be Quiet! Mild Mount barely struggles to search out its place within the keyboard world. Its enchantment could be very particular, being geared toward customers who care about quiet typing and many RGB lighting, however who do not look after the game-tweakability of cutting-edge analog keyswitches. It additionally would not attain the heights of the appear and feel of another boards of the same worth.

In some methods, it is the addition of a load of RGB lighting that actually makes this an odd keyboard. If Be Quiet! had saved the identical degree of quiet operation because the Darkish Mount, ditched all its modular options, and charged $30 lower than the Mild Mount is at the moment asking, it might be a straightforward advice for patrons that simply desire a very quiet keyboard.

Nonetheless, the addition of all of the lighting, a discount in sound deadening in comparison with the Darkish Mount, and a worth that’s competing with boards that supply much more in the way in which of gaming options places a pressure on its enchantment. That stated, it is nonetheless one of many quieter keyboards available on the market, and the RGB lighting does look good – plus you possibly can all the time tone down the colours and brightness should you choose a extra chill vibe. As such, should you do need an RGB-filled keyboard that is decently quiet, it is a strong purchase.

For extra methods to develop your gaming setup, why not take a look at our greatest gaming microphone and greatest gaming monitor guides.