Finding a hyper-colorful gaming keyboard can be a challenging feat, as most stick to a safe black or white color scheme. The vibrant ones that do exist are usually branded collaborations or limited editions that look good but are lacking in comfort and features. The Cooler Master MK770 Hybrid Wireless Keyboard ($119.99) is an exception. This colorful keyboard offers a satisfying (and quiet) typing feel, wireless connectivity, and hot-swappable switches with excellent sound absorption. It’s also a good deal, proving that vibrancy need not command a price premium. Although some design and build quality issues keep it from a higher rating, it’s still a solid keyboard if you’re looking for a more colorful alternative to the Razer Pro Type Ultra. Note: Easter eggs not included.Design: A Sweet Treat for the EyesThe MK770 is a wireless mechanical keyboard that comes in two different color schemes. The version we’re reviewing here is called Macaron, after the French almond cookies of the same name that are made in a wide variety of pastel colors. If this color scheme is off-putting, Cooler Master offers the same keyboard in a more traditional monochrome Space Gray look, keeping all the same functions. (Note: The Macaron board can complement the like-colored Macaron Edition of the company’s flatpack desktop PC case, the Qube 500.)
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(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
No matter the color scheme, the MK770 has many features you’d want in a modern wireless keyboard. A full-size board with a number pad, it measures 1.6 by 14 by 5.12 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.3 pounds. It’s a tad smaller than a more traditional full- size keyboard like the Corsair K70 Core RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. The MK770 slims down by rearranging the key layout slightly and demoting some lesser-used keys (such as Print Screen and Scroll Lock) to secondary functions of other keys.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
The MK770 has a volume roller in the top right corner of the frame, just above the number pad. The roller is satisfyingly smooth and makes for a unique fidget toy, though the roller controls your PC’s audio volume by default, so it’s probably best not to fiddle with it while listening to your favorite music. Holding the keyboard’s “function” key down (it’s the key with the Cooler Master logo on the bottom row) and pressing numbers 1 through 4 will change what the roller controls. Press 1 for volume, and 2 for media controls. The 3 will make the roller change the brightness of the RGB backlighting, and 4 will let it cycle through RGB effects. (You can also change each of these functions via a software utility, which we’ll discuss below.)
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
You have three options for connecting the keyboard to your PC: 2.4GHz wireless (via a USB dongle stashed under the keyboard), Bluetooth, and via the included USB-C-to-USB-A cable. While searching for a Bluetooth connection, a small LED between the main keys and the number pad will blink blue as it searches for a connection. Once connected, it’ll flash green, then shut off. A toggle switch next to the USB-C port switches among the three connectivity options, with the middle option for wireless off/wired-only mode.The RGB on the keyboard is a nice touch, but it falls a bit short of our expectations. The LEDs transition nicely from one color to the next, but they don’t pop brightly, even at the brightest backlight setting. And while shine-through keycaps are always a plus, the implementation here has a significant flaw. To allow light to pass through, each keycap has strategically placed cutouts through the paint that fill with light to glow the lettering. This implementation leaves sections without the cutout noticeably darker. In brighter settings this technique fails to light the whole letter, leaving noticeable dark spots on some of the keys, in contrast to the unobstructed shine-through keycap design of keyboards like the NZXT Function Mini 2 TKL.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
You’ll find two angled feet underneath the keyboard, allowing for three different typing angles. We usually consider angled feet to be a benefit, but the angled feet included here are a bit too small to be comfortably used, even at their steepest setting. This is an unexpected drawback, as the last Cooler Master keyboard we looked at—the Cooler Master SK622—has a fairly steep typing angle even though it only has two settings, compared with the three offered here.You can store the 2.4GHz wireless dongle in a space right below one of the angled feet, but the foot has a tendency to get stuck on the dongle when you unfold it. This is a build-quality issue that could perhaps “fix” itself, eventually (if the rubber on the foot wears down over time), but it is a bit annoying to deal with out of the box.The MK770 uses a silicone gasket system to dampen sound. Most keyboards instead use foam gaskets for sound dampening, but the silicone here also works well to keep rattle to a minimum, by acting in a similar fashion to a shock absorber in a car. The effect lends to a satisfying “thunk” to each key press.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
While our review unit uses Kailh Red switches, both color schemes are available with Kailh Whites as an alternative. Kailh Reds are linear switches that offer no tactile feedback aside from the inner spring, while Kailh White switches are clicky, offering both a tactile and an audible response with every press. The Kailh Reds feel satisfying enough if you’re accustomed to something like Cherry MX Reds, a better-known and more-common switch variety on premium mechanical boards. You’ll likely be familiar with the typing feel here if you’ve used those in the past, while for those with no MX Red or other mechanical-board experience, these are a good middle ground to start with.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
If you’d like to use your own switches in this frame, then you’re in luck, as the keyboard supports switch hot-swapping. Included in the box is a combo key-switch/keycap puller to better facilitate pulling switches. In the box is also a USB-C-to-USB-A extension cable, to be used in combination with the other cable; you can plug the dongle into it, and still have easy access to a cable you can use to charge the keyboard.Software: Mastering the MK770 With MasterPlus+As with many other keyboards on the market, the keyboard has a utility that adds functionality: the downloadable MasterPlus+, a Cooler Master software app for all the company’s hardware. While you can change a fair number of the keyboard’s functions via keyboard shortcuts (see the volume-roller discussion above; cycling through RGB effects by holding the function key and pressing F5 is another example), MasterPlus+ offers a visual UI that’s far easier to navigate.
(Credit: Cooler Master)
MasterPlus+ allows you to remap keys, adjust RGB effects, and assign macros as you see fit. While the keyboard has space for four user profiles in its internal storage, you can create and store more on external media through MasterPlus+. As with other utilities, MasterPlus+ will also allow you to update the firmware for all your Cooler Master products.Verdict: Looks Aren’t EverythingIt’s a shame the Cooler Master MK770 has some design and build-quality quirks, because those quirks detract from what it does well. We love the typing feel, even though the shallow typing angle takes some getting used to. The keycaps are aesthetically pleasing, but their shine-through effects are limited by Cooler Master’s implementation. The silicone gasket system makes for a satisfyingly quiet typing experience, and the multiple connectivity options allow for a great amount of versatility.Ultimately, the MK770 falls short of our current Editors’ Choice pick, the Razer Pro Type Ultra, but if you’re in the mood for an Easter-themed typing experience (or just the more classic gray for year-round typing enjoyment), you’ll find this keyboard offers more than just the novelty of its color scheme.
Cooler Master MK770 Macaron Hybrid Wireless Keyboard
Cons
Adjustable typing angle could be steeper
Dongle storage placement is a bit awkward
Some keys obstruct the RGB lighting underneath
The Bottom Line
Attractive and comfortable to type on, the Cooler Master MK770 is a brilliantly colorful, nearly silent keyboard that doubles as a conversation starter.
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