Comparison of entry-level mechanical keyboards within 200 yuan: MSI VS Rapoo VS Mechanic VS Darwin

The mechanical keyboards at this stage, whether it is appearance, configuration or price, are crazy "rolling", and the configuration of entry-level mechanical keyboards has also changed from the previous single male model, pure black or pure white color, ABS-like The standard of skinned keycaps, matte or monochromatic light has been upgraded several gears. The current entry-level mechanical keyboard not only has a very attractive appearance, but some keycaps have also been upgraded to PBT material, and RGB elements have been added to the backlight. The configuration can be described as very rich and comprehensive, and the cost performance is also quite high.

Below, let us take a look at the comparison of the four keyboards that are selling well among the current entry-level mechanical keyboards. They are: MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard, Rapoo V500PRO blue yellow tide mechanical keyboard, mechanical keyboard Division K500-94 wired mechanical keyboard, Dalyou ek815 mechanical alloy mechanical keyboard.

Appearance comparison:

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

The shapes of these four mechanical keyboards are all simple designs, and the color schemes also have their own characteristics. In addition to the 60-degree gray color scheme shown in this article, the MSI GK50Z PIXEL mechanical keyboard also has 40-degree gray, pink toot, and white toot; the Rapoo V500PRO mechanical keyboard also has the same rich color scheme, except for the blue and yellow tide shown in this article. In addition to color matching, there are strawberry milk, ice cream powder, clear purple and blue and white blue; the Mechanic K500-94 wired mechanical keyboard has a gray-based color matching besides the white shown in this article; Daryou ek815 mechanical keyboard The color matching of the alloy version of the mechanical keyboard is relatively fresh. In addition to the white and blue color matching shown in this article, there are also blue and white, white and pink, pink and white, and white and green. It can be said that these four keyboards have made great efforts in color matching, and strive to cater to the preferences of young users. There are not only calm colors suitable for boys, but also fresh colors suitable for girls.

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

As an entry-level mechanical keyboard, most of the keyboard configurations will choose a more conventional design. After all, it will take some time for users to adapt to changing the configuration that is not commonly used. Therefore, both MSI and Rapoo keyboards use conventional 104 keys. Arrangement, Dareu added 4 additional multimedia keys, which became a 108-key arrangement, but the mechanic did not take the usual way, and adopted a very compact 94-key arrangement. Although this design can save a little space for the desktop, but like the direction Keys and small numeric keypads are too compact and it takes a while for users to get used to it.

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

MSI and Machinist both adopt a more beautiful embedded design, while Rapoo and Dareu adopt a suspension bare shaft design that is more conducive to cleaning. I wonder which design you would prefer? Due to the different designs, their materials and workmanship are also different. The keyboard shell with embedded design is made of ABS material. MSI’s shell feels more delicate and comfortable to the touch, while the mechanic’s shell has a strong matte feel, which appears to be sun-patterned. slightly lower. Both Rapoo and Dareu with suspended bare shafts have aluminum alloy panels and ABS bottom shells. From the perspective of overall materials and craftsmanship, Rapoo's performance is better among these two keyboards.

Detail comparison:

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

Product recognition is also very important. MSI has a dragon logo and model name above the arrow keys and on the top shell, which is very pleasing to players who have a soft spot for the MSI brand. Rapoo's LOGO is relatively low-key in comparison, it is designed next to the indicator light on the right, but it can also light up the white backlight at the same time after turning on the backlight. The brand name and model design of the mechanic still continue its consistent style and are designed in the lower left and upper right positions of the case. Dareu's LOGO adopts laser engraving technology and is designed on the top of the arrow keys, and there is no brand text or letters exposed, which is quite low-key.

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

These four keyboards are all ergonomically designed. Not only do they have adjustable support feet, but the height of the OEM stepped keycaps is also very convenient for hands-on use. From the side design point of view, I prefer MSI's design. After all, for entry-level keyboards, the RGB light strip on the side is still very rare. It can also make the desktop more cool and full of gaming sense at night. The mechanic has a Type-C interface on the left side. Although the design of separating the keys and wires is very convenient, the wiring on the left side may affect the aesthetics of some users' desktops.

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

The back design of MSI, Rapoo, and Dareu’s keyboards is very simple, while the back of the keyboard of Mechanic has no special shape design, but it has rich ripple patterns. At the same time, they are equipped with non-slip foot pads, adjustable feet, and a drainage hole design below, which allows users to deal with accidental spills and provide a longer life for the keyboard.

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

These four keyboards are all wired designs, and the colors of the wires are all unified with the keyboards, and the visual consistency is very good. These wires are all made of rubber, moderate in thickness, good in softness, long enough to use, and have an anti-pull design, which is pretty good overall, but Rapoo has no shielding magnetic ring design.

Keycap comparison:

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

The MSI GK50Z Pixel gaming mechanical keyboard adopts more durable PBT two-color injection keycaps. The characters are open and light-transmitting. The surface has a strong matte grainy feel. influential.

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

The Pennefather V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide mechanical keyboard also uses PBT double-color injection keycaps with high durability. The characters are closed and opaque. The surface has a slight grainy feel. It also has almost no effect.

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

The Mechanic K500-94 wired mechanical keyboard also uses two-color injection molding keycaps, but its official statement is that it is made of PBT, but in fact its PBT content should be the lowest among the above three models, and the thickness of the side wall is also the thinnest. , the overall feel is not much different from the ABS keycap. Its characters are open and light-transmitting, and the surface has a slightly frosted feel. When the hand sweat is severe, it will feel a little sticky.

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 mechanical alloy mechanical keyboard is the only keycap made of ABS material among the four models. It is also a two-color injection molding process. The characters are closed and transparent. The surface has a slight matte feel. It will also feel a little sticky.

Shaft comparison:

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

The MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard is equipped with a high-tech dust-proof switch body. There are two options of green switches and red switches, and both have a life span of 50 million presses. The red axis in the author's hand has a linear feel. Its trigger stroke is about 2mm and the trigger pressure is about 40cN. Due to the characteristics of small trigger pressure, fast trigger speed and slightly lower sound, it is suitable for office and games. It can take into account very well and is suitable for all users.

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

The Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide mechanical keyboard is equipped with Rapoo’s own game switches. There are four types of switches available: black, green, tea, and red, and they all have a lifespan of 60 million presses. The one in my hand is a green switch with a clear sense of paragraph. Its trigger stroke is about 2mm, and the trigger pressure is about 50cN. Since the trigger pressure is slightly larger than that of the red switch, the feel has obvious paragraph performance, the sound is crisp and rhythmic, so It is more suitable for players who are in contact with mechanical keyboards for the first time. After all, it can bring a completely different feel performance from membrane keyboards, making typing more refreshing.

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

The Mechanic K500-94 wired mechanical keyboard is equipped with Huannuo mechanical switches. There are three options of red, green and tea, and each has a life span of 50 million presses. The red axis in the author's hand is a linear feel. It has a total stroke of 4.4mm, a pre-stroke of 2.4mm, and a pressure of 45g. It can also take care of office and games.

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 mechanical alloy version mechanical keyboard is equipped with Dareu main shaft body, there are four kinds of shaft bodies available in black, green, tea and red, and all of them have a life span of 50 million presses. In the author's hand, the red axis body with a linear feel can also take into account both office work and games.

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

In terms of large keys, MSI, Rapoo, and Mechanic all adopt the satellite shaft design, which is more convenient when replacing the keycaps, while Dareu’s large keys use a balance bar design, which may be troublesome when replacing the keycaps , because its balance bar slot is integrated with the keycap, it may not be easy to find a matching keycap. In terms of consistency, their performance is almost the same, and they all have a slightly obvious sense of shaking and softness, but for entry-level products in this price range, it is also a very normal level of performance.

Backlight comparison:

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

Among these four keyboards, MSI's performance should be said to be the best. After all, its main keypad has a mixed light design, and there is a cool RGB light strip design on the side, and they can also be controlled separately. And the performance of the mechanic is also very good. After all, it is equipped with RGB backlight, and can adjust a variety of lighting effects from the driver, and also includes a music rhythm mode, which is quite acceptable in terms of configuration. Both Rapoo and Dareu are designed for monochrome backlighting, but in comparison, Rapoo, which has a dark back panel and opaque keycaps, is not very popular.

Use comparison articles:

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

These four keyboards all have a wealth of multi-function key combinations, but compared to the other three keyboards, the MSI keyboard is positioned more towards e-sports games, except for common multimedia functions, opening certain programs, or adjusting the backlight In addition, the MSI keyboard also has 8 game-specific combination keys. Through FN+1~8, you can switch different game mode backlights, and FN+9 or 0+HOME keys can record the custom area, and then use FN +END can end the recording and store it, so that you can quickly switch the backlight mode when playing different games, and you can easily see the keys you need even in total darkness, which is very convenient. The mechanic also clearly marked the position and function of the function combination keys on the keyboard, but Dareu and Rapoo did not have any markings, which would be somewhat inconvenient in use.

These four keyboards all support the full-key no-dash function, which is very friendly to daily office or game use, and can well avoid interference caused by key conflicts.

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard driver

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard Driver

Of these four keyboards, only MSI and Machinist have independent driver software, while the other two do not. The driver functions of these two keyboards are almost the same. You can set the functions of the keys, such as changing key positions, setting multimedia functions, or recording key combination keys through the macro editing function, etc. Of course, you can also adjust the backlight mode of the keyboard here. Or edit and store up to 3 configuration files, the practicality and convenience are still very good.

MSI GK50Z PIXEL 60-degree gray mechanical keyboard

Rapoo V500PRO Azure Yellow Tide Mechanical Keyboard

Mechanic K500-94 Wired Mechanical Keyboard

Dareu ek815 Mechanical Alloy Edition Mechanical Keyboard

In actual use, MSI’s small keys perform well, without obvious shaking, but the spring sound will be more obvious; Rapoo’s small keys also perform well, without obvious shaking; Mechanic’s small keys also perform well , there is no obvious sense of shaking; but compared with the other three small keys of Dareu, the feeling of shaking is slightly more obvious.

Summarize:

As an entry-level mechanical keyboard, the overall workmanship of these four keyboards is still good, but some details should not be too detailed, after all, the price is here. On the whole, the gap between them is not that big, and the choice mainly depends on one’s preference for their design and color matching; from the point of view of the knocking feel, the feel of MSI and Dareu is firmer, but It’s a pity that the Daleo feels a little wobbly; judging from the feel of the keycaps, the performance of the Rapoo should be the best. After all, the surface should be more delicate, while the surface of the MSI should be rougher. For players who love to sweat But it is very suitable; from the perspective of additional configuration, the performance of Mechanic should be the most comprehensive, after all, it has full RGB backlight, Type-C interface key line separation design and the most entry-level sleeve-type shaft hot-swappable Design; from the perspective of lighting, the author actually prefers the overall performance of MSI. Although its main keypad is designed with mixed light, the RGB light strip can add a lot of points to it. So, in your mind, which entry-level mechanical keyboard is your favorite?