German switch maker Cherry officially announced their MX Low Profile RGB switches at CES 2018 a few days ago. Ducky Channel also seized this opportunity to promote their upcoming Ducky Blade Air mechanical keyboard which features the new low profile switches. Thanks to the slim design, the Ducky Blade Air stands just 22 mm tall, but boasts a full feature set that includes various RGB lighting modes, customizable LED zones, USB N-key rollover support, floating keycap design, Doubleshot keycaps, and macro support. The Ducky Blade Air allows consumers to connect the keyboard to their computers using an old-school USB cable or via a wireless Bluetooth connection. The keyboard works in a Windows or Mac environment, as well as with Android and iOS mobile devices.

Thermaltake, a leading brand in eSport gaming peripherals, today announced a new addition to its keyboard line, the X1 RGB Cherry MX Silver Speed/Blue Switch Mechanical Gaming Keyboard at the Venetian Hotel Veronese 2402 Suite from January 9th (Tue) to 12th (Fri). The new product equipped with the latest Cherry MX Speed Silver Switch, offers gamers super short reaction times; furthermore, it packed with features like pre-configured FPS1, FPS2, RTS, MMO, MOBA lighting zones, full anti-ghosting, n-key rollover, on-the-fly macro recording, audio and USB pass through, that offers maximum customization to suit the ever demanding needs of today's enthusiasts.

For comfort level, X1 RGB Cherry MX Mechanical Gaming Keyboard features a detachable magnetic wrist rest for maximum ergonomic comfort during periods of long play. Other than powerful functions, the new keyboard delivers 16.8 million of true RGB color illumination with 12 dynamic, including sound and system temperature control lighting effects for a truly enhanced gaming atmosphere. Best yet, it is fully TT RGB Sync compatible, meaning users will be able to sync all RGB colors seamlessly to all Thermaltake compatible product lines for even greater color coordination. Finally, the X1 RGB comes with a unique smartphone/tablet app that features unique Voice Recognition Command for lighting functions, in-app light and macro setting adjustment. The app also features an exclusively patented designed (VGC) Virtual Game Controller for a truly astounding mobile gaming experience.

HyperX gave the Alloy Elite mechanical gaming keyboard it launched last July, the RGB LED treatment, with the new HyperX Alloy Elite RGB. The keyboards retain the feature-set of the original Alloy Elite, but come with RGB LED-illuminated Cherry MX Red, MX Brown, or MX Blue switches. The RGB LED illumination, along with macros, is controlled via the new HyperX NGenuity software. Available from a little later this week, the new HyperX Alloy Elite RGB is priced at USD $169.99.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, introduced a newly improved Razer BlackWidow Ultimate mechanical gaming keyboard to its best-selling keyboard line-up today. Augmented with water and dust resistant features, the latest Razer BlackWidow Ultimate is redesigned to be the most resilient gaming keyboard to date. With an IP54 rating, the keyboard has been tested to protect against accidental water spillage and harmful dust particles.

"We've never stopped making improvements to our gaming keyboards," says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder, and CEO. "The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate is now more durable than ever and our first mechanical keyboard to incorporate water and dust resistant features."

The MantisTek GK2 is a popular 104-key mechanical keyboard that costs around $49.99. It has all the bells and whistles that you would expect from a keyboard aimed at gamers. It even comes with a keylogger, free of charge. Our colleagues from Tom's Hardware reported a rather disturbing story around this particular model. With the amount of stuff you can do on gaming keyboards nowadays, the majority comes with some kind of software for user customization. The MantisTek GK2 is no different. However, there have been multiple reports from owners claiming that the keyboard's software is actually a front to steal your valuable information.

Apparently, the keyboard's "Cloud Driver" is the culprit responsible for sending user information to a pair of IP addresses linked to Alibaba servers. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean Alibaba is stealing your data. Since the company also sells cloud services, it's quite possible that someone is using Alibaba servers to pull off the heist. After analyzing the software's online activity, users have discovered that the data being sent also included key presses. If you're one of the unlucky owners, it's recommended that you uninstall the software entirely. Make sure you block the CMS.exe executable and MantisTek Cloud Driver with your firewall as well.

Drevo, the peripherals and hardware company that started as an eBay store, has recently announced the Vrangr keyboard, a 2.4 GHz wireless, slim-profile mechanical keyboard. The Vrangr features a 96-key layout, with double-shot ABS caps and "custom" switches based on the Kailh Blue design. There's LED backlight to ensure you know which keys you're hitting in the dark, and the 1000 mAh battery should last just enough so as not to be frustrating.

The Drevo Vrangr measures 343 mm x 124 mm and is 21 mm tall, and features an aluminum body for durability and reduced mass (which sits at 540 g).
Expect the Drevo Vrangr to be available toward the end of the year, at slightly more than its already announced Bluetooth-infused brother, the Joyeuse, which will retail for $69.99.

Sharkoon expands their range of flat, mechanical keyboards and introduces with the PureWriter, a low-profile keyboard with number block and dedicated multimedia keys. Recently released was the Sharkoon PureWriter TKL, the little brother in 2-block layout. Like with the TKL version, Sharkoon again uses flat, mechanical switches from the company Kailh. The Sharkoon PureWriter, in a 3-block layout, is now available with either red or blue switches.

With the PureWriter, Sharkoon now presents a flat, mechanical keyboard for lovers of the number block. It also offers separate multimedia keys for volume control, play/pause or to simply launch the preferred media player. The PureWriter is large at 436 mm long and 127 mm wide, and again frameless, compact and flat. The aluminium alloy top cover improves the stability of the keyboard. Technically, the keyboard is equipped with n-key rollover, anti-ghosting keys and a polling rate of 1,000 Hz, making it state of the art.

i-rocks, a Taiwanese manufacturer of PC peripherals, has released K60M PLUS, a rock-solid RGB backlit mechanical keyboard for dedicated gamers. The K60M PLUS is a keyboard with sleek, frameless aluminum design. It offers genuine Cherry MX switches, per-key LED backlight radiating over 16.7 million colors, durable keycaps, on-the-fly macro system, anti-ghosting function and an intuitive software configurator.

The K60M PLUS features dual layer PCB and genuine Cherry MX switches capable of withstanding up to 50 million keystrokes. Double-shot keycaps and laser-etched secondary function legends ensure every character on the keyboard won't wear out after years of service, even if you're a hardcore gamer or heavy typist. Non-slip rubber feet stands keep the keyboard firm and steady during intense gaming session.

ASUS today rolled out the Republic of Gamers (ROG) Horus GK2000 RGB mechanical gaming keyboard. A revision of the Horus GK2000 the company launched back in early-2016 with red LED lighting, the Horus GK2000 RGB, as its name suggests, updates the original with RGB LED lighting. The lighting can be controlled by ASUS Aura Sync RGB software, with which you can set color, brightness, and lighting patterns for each individual key. The keyboard features Cherry MX RGB series switches, with 16.8 million-color RGB diodes. ASUS bumped up the keyboard's onboard storage to 8 MB, to locally store not just your macros, but also your lighting settings. Available now, the ASUS ROG Horus GK2000 RGB is expected to be priced at USD $199.

Kinesis is a company with over 25 years of experience developing and selling ergonomic peripherals such as their Advantage keyboard and partnering with others such as DXT and Evoluent for mice. Their products have been predominantly on the higher end of the price range for keyboards, and they do not offer a keyboard with features that the gaming keyboard market tends to look at- until now. Kinesis have now announced an update to their Freestyle series of split keyboards that aims to appeal to both the gamer and the typing professional alike in the form of the new Freestyle Edge.

The Freestyle Edge introduces genuine Cherry MX mechanical switches to the Freestyle series, a change from the membrane switches before. Customers can choose between Cherry MX Red, Brown or Blue switches, and the keyboard has blue backlighting added as well now. In addition, there is an 8-key macro bank to make use of a fully programmable keyboard with some preset functions pre-programmed included multimedia control and lighting control.

Sharkoon expands their range of mechanical keyboards and introduces the PureWriter TKL, an innovative mechanical keyboard with low-profile switches from the micro-switch Asian specialist Kailh. These innovative, flat mechanical switches enable the compact and flat design of the Sharkoon PureWriter: TKL stands for tenkeyless - the keyboard comes without a number block. The PureWriter TKL is currently available with red and blue switches; brown switches will follow shortly.

With the PureWriter TKL, Sharkoon presents a purist keyboard for all occasions, which, in addition to its light and compact construction, stands out through its innovative mechanical switches in ultra-flat design. Thanks to the missing number block, the frameless keyboard measures a compact 355 mm in length, 127 mm wide and only 23 mm in height when the feet are folded-in, making it as flat as possible. It weighs only 503 grams. It also offers all the technical essentials with n-key rollover, anti-ghosting keys and a polling rate of 1,000 Hz. The PureWriter TKL Blue offers the usual characteristics of the same mechanical switches or rather an acoustic, tactile feedback with a detectable switching point. The distance to actuation point is only 1.5 mm and an operating force of 55 grams.

CHERRY, the specialist for computer input devices, introduces the MX Board 5.0. This new, high-end mechanical keyboard distinguishes itself with excellent and customizable ergonomics. Equipped with reliable, high-precision MX switches and modern features, this product has been designed to meets the highest demands. The MX Board 5.0 also features an exclusive font which was created in cooperation with experienced specialists.

One of the highlights of the MX Board 5.0 is the patented ergonomic solution in the form of its extra-large and individually adjustable palm rest. Together with the specially developed feet, the keyboard offers eight different positions to achieve the greatest possible comfort. Long, fatigue-free writing and gaming sessions are no problem with the MX Board 5.0.

HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today introduced two new additions to its award winning lineup of gaming keyboards used by eSports athletes worldwide - the HyperX Alloy FPS Mechanical Pro Gaming Keyboard and Alloy Elite Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. HyperX delivers all the components needed for the best competitive gaming set up, and the new HyperX Alloy Keyboards boasts Cherry MX Mechanical switches, lighting effects, 100 percent anti-ghosting, and solid-steel frames for the tactile feedback and performance gamers expect from HyperX gear.

"Further raising the bar for personalization and comfort, HyperX is excited to reveal the new Alloy Elite Keyboard with Cherry MX Mechanical switches, detachable palm rest and custom lighting features. For TKL keyboard fans, the new Alloy FPS Pro was designed in our HyperX labs specifically for them," said Marcus Hermann, senior business manager, HyperX. "Ensuring that gamers connect and play immediately, keyboard customization options can be accessed without the assistance of software via keyboard functions."

Cooler Master, a leader in design and manufacturing computer components and peripherals today announced the launch of two new keyboards, the MasterKeys S and MasterKeys L. Both additions come fully equipped with Genuine Cherry MX switches, on-the-fly- adjustment capabilities, iconic minimalistic bezel design, and PBT keycaps.

The MasterKeys PBT series is everything you like about the MasterKeys line, enhanced for a superior typing experience. It has the build-in hybrid N-key rollover, and genuine German Cherry MX switches we all know and love for their durability, accuracy, and tactile satisfaction. Cooler Master has added extra thick 1.5mm PBT keycaps, the king of all keycaps. Wear and tear, smoothing, or fading of keys are a thing of the past thanks to these durable PBT keycaps. And for the gamers out there, there is a pack of 7 extra red keycaps included to accent the 'gaming' keys. Additionally, with Cooler Master's exclusive on-the-fly system, you can switch layouts, from QWERTY, Dvorak or Wokrman and even switchable OS Modifiers from Windows, Mac or Linux. All through the use of simple On-the-Fly key shortcuts that do not require supplemental software.

Rapoo expanded its VPRO line of gaming peripherals with the new VPRO V720S mechanical gaming keyboard. The company's flagship keyboard, the V720S features a standard layout with 12 macro keys. The keyboard features a premium metal finish top. Handling the business end of things are mechanical switches with RGB LEDs, which can make up 16.7 million colors. The included software lets you set macros and color for each individual key, besides lighting schemes, which are then stored locally on the keyboard's internal memory. The electronics offer anti-ghosting and 1000 Hz polling rate. Available now, the VPRO V720S is priced at 99€.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is announcing the release of the RIPJAWS KM560 MX mechanical gaming keyboard. This new addition of the compact tenkeyless mechanical keyboard is designed for gamers and users who require a smaller keyboard footprint without compromising keyswitch and build quality.

Compact Keyboard Footprint: More Room for Everything Else
Perfect for anyone with limited desk space or wanting larger space for their mousepads, the ideal keyboard solution is a compact 87-key layout. The KM560 MX series shaves off 8cm (3.15in) from the KM570 series, a full-size mechanical keyboard, gives users more space to configure and choose gaming tools for each specific needs.

Patriot Memory announced its latest flagship gaming keyboard, the Viper V760 RGB. This full-size keyboard with a detachable soft-touch palm-rest features a standard 104-keyset with Kailh Brown mechanical switches, and 16.7 million-color RGB illumination. The keyboard's electronics offer N-key rollover and anti-ghosting. The included software lets you set macro functions and illumination color for each of the keys. The keyboard measures 510 mm x 200 mm x 72 mm, weighing about 1.6 kg. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Logitech G, a brand of Logitech, today announced the launch of an addition to its mechanical gaming keyboard lineup with the Logitech G413 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. Engineered for precision and performance, the keyboard delivers unrivaled performance in a thoughtfully balanced, modern design. The Logitech G413 features Logitech's exclusive Romer-G mechanical switches, offering 25 percent faster actuation than standard mechanical keys, as well as a brushed anodized aircraft-grade aluminum top case, USB passthrough port and precision key backlighting for an affordable price. The Logitech G413 comes in two versions - the Logitech G413 Carbon featuring elemental red backlighting and the Logitech G413 Silver featuring iconic white backlighting, sold exclusively at Best Buy.

"We spent a lot of time carefully designing and engineering this keyboard to deliver advanced performance with just the right feature set, at the right price point," said Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager of Logitech G. "We created this keyboard with features like USB passthrough, backlit keys and a metal finish. With the G413 we believe we've achieved the perfect balance of high-performance features and attractive design."

CORSAIR, a world leader in enthusiast memory, PC components and high-performance gaming hardware today announced the new K63 mechanical gaming keyboard. Continuing the CORSAIR legacy of top-quality, high-performance gaming keyboards, the K63 combines tenkeyless design, precision CHERRY MX Red mechanical keyswitches, a full complement of media keys and per-key red LED illumination. What's more, K63 offers all this at a price that puts mechanical performance within reach of gamers wanting to step up their game to the next level. The result is a perfect combination of mechanical precision, advanced gaming features and a space-saving design that makes it ideal for compact desktops or gamers on-the-go.

Packing the best of CORSAIR keyboards into a new compact size, the K63 boasts a host of features ready to match the most demanding games. Beneath its sleek exterior and gold-contact CHERRY MX Red key switches, per-key red LED backlighting vibrantly illuminates each key. With the power of CORSAIR Utility Engine (CUE) software, every key's lighting can be controlled individually, allowing for virtually unlimited lighting customization and control. CUE software also allows for near endless programmability, with every key individually reprogrammable with alternative commands, custom macros or dynamic lighting effects.

Zalman today introduced the ZM-K900M White Edition mechanical gaming keyboard. Based on the same platform as the original ZM-K900M, this keyboard features Kailh Brown mechanical switches, compared to the Kailh Blue switches the original comes with; and a white-colored front bezel. Kailh Brown switches offer a soft and bumpy tactile feedback. The Zalman ZM-K900M White Edition also features RGB LED illumination with on-the-fly settings, an onboard memory to store macro maps, N-key rollover, and 1 ms response time. Backed by a 1-year warranty, the keyboard is priced at USD $99.99, although from its 24th March launch, it can be had on Newegg at a special price of $79.99, until stocks last.

Adesso Inc., a leading manufacturer of computer input peripherals, announces the release of the AKB-636UB Mechanical Keyboard which offers users a new style of advanced ergonomic input device with multifunctional browsing features.The MSRP for the 636 is $99.99 available for purchase at www.adesso.com.

The Adesso AKB-636UB Desktop Mechanical Typewriter Keyboard is the perfect keyboard for users that love efficiency with a "retro" design. This sturdy keyboard features silver colored crisp mechanical keys for increased productivity, N-Key Rollover allowing up to 6 keys to be pressed at the same time, multi-functional hotkeys that give you quick access to your media player tools. With the smooth action of the mechanical keys you can type faster than you imagined, handling up to 50 million keystrokes.

Adding to its mechanical keyboard line-up, Rosewill has just announced availability of the RK-9300 Mechanical Keyboard, which sports two choices of Cherry MX Blue or Brown switches to sate your particular tastes. The RK-9300 has a more subdued look than most other recent mechanical keyboards we've seen, and sheds full RGB lighting for a more professional look, as well as additional cost-savings for the customer. However, that isn't to say it doesn't sport some sort of lighting: it features blue LEDs, with three lighting modes available (full keyboard, with a breathing mode and four variable levels of brightness; numerical pad only; WASD and arrow keys only).

The keyboard features an all-black design, with an aluminum top panel that extends out and down at a slight angle. The upper right side of the keyboard features the usual notification lights, and the F keys double as media and volume controls, including brightness, Windows lock, and more. It also features n-key rollover, though there is no macro support (and no accompanying software). The two versions of the RK-9300 list for $99, but both are available for $85 on Amazon (Blue switches and Brown switches) and Newegg (Blue switches and Brown switches).

HyperX, a division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced two new HyperX Alloy FPS Mechanical Gaming Keyboards with Cherry MX Red or Cherry MX Brown Mechanical Switches are now shipping in UK, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. HyperX Alloy FPS Mechanical Gaming Keyboards feature a minimalistic, compact design that's ideal for CS:GO and FPS gameplay, with a solid steel frame built for long-lasting durability and stability. Cherry MX switches provide the tactile feedback and performance gamers have come to expect from HyperX gaming keyboards.

The HyperX Alloy FPS keyboard family now includes three versions: with either Cherry MX Blue, Red or Brown mechanical switches. The ultra-portable, HyperX Alloy FPS comes complete with a high-quality mesh travel pouch to store and protect the keyboard and accessories for tournaments, LAN events, wherever gaming takes you. A convenient USB port is available for charging a phone. Keys are backlit with red LEDs and have six preset LED settings, including a custom mode. The keyboard also offers Game Mode to easily disable the Windows key to prevent game play interruptions, along with 100-percent anti-ghosting and full N-Key rollover functionality. The keys are guaranteed for 50 million key strokes per key.

Building on the success of their BlackWidow Chroma mechanical keyboard, Razer has definitely gone towards the "if it isn't broken, don't touch it" kind of approach, with some evolutionary yet welcome changes taking place with their revised version. First up, there's the addition of a magnetic (and thus attachable and removable at will) wrist rest. Second, the addition of a new switch option: the new Razer Yellow, which promises a silent, linear design, with a shorter travel distance when compared to Razer's Orange and Green switches. These yellow switches carry a 45 g actuation force, being rated for up to 80 million keystrokes.

Looking to extend its reach from its other product lines, Mushkin has now extended its product tendrils towards the mechanical keyboard spectrum, with the launch of the Carbon KB-001. Mushkin is apparently positioning the Carbon KB-001 as a high-end offering, boasting the usage of CNC'd and aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminum, with the PCB being touted as a double fiberglass design. The aircraft-grade components are otherwise reflected on the coloring and overall accents of the keyboard, with the lateral red exhaust grills being (we suspect) reminiscent of those found in fighter jets.

The Carbon KB-001 offers RGB lighting and standard Kailh Brown switches, with other switch options' availability remaining unclear. Mushkin also mentioned a full-size 104-key keyboard with n-key rollover, a Windows key lock, anti-ghosting technologies, and a braided fiber cable, with pricing being reported at around the $70 mark.