Overall and Final Verdict
One thing is for sure, Azio didn’t stick with the status quo on this one. The MK Retro is completely different than anything else on the market with the exception of Datamancers options that start at $500). I wouldn’t consider that to be a bad thing, in fact, I think that the retro theme of the ML Retro is more likely to catch the eye of a whole market of people that typically wouldn’t even think about getting a different keyboard than whatever came with their PC. Azio also did a great job sticking with the retro theme. I was surprised to see them completely redesign adjustable keyboard feet and the whole cover that hides all of the keyswitches.
The MK Retro did have a few issues during my testing. The flat keycap profile and the tight fit between keys took longer to adjust to than normal. Once adjusted I was good to go, though. I also had a few concerns with the overall build quality, like with one of the adjustable feet not working on our sample. But the biggest quality issue was just how quickly the legends started to show significant wear in my testing. It only took two weeks before it was noticeable on our sample due to the pad printing on the keycaps, something I’ve never seen happen so quick before.
All in all, I really dig the look and design of the MK Retro. With this being a relatively unique design some of you are going to hate it immediately and others will love it. For me I don’t think I could ever have it as my main keyboard for an extended period of time, not just because of the issue with the legends wearing off, but also because it doesn’t really fit my style. But it would be a great fit with some case mods or for anyone looking to get a little attention from people at a LAN event. With the keyboard priced at just below $110 currently it is also a good buy when compared to the only completion. In fact, the competition sells their keycaps for more than Azio is selling the entire keyboard for. Hopefully, Azio gets the quality issues worked out and their MK Retro might be a cool present to pick up for a nostalgic family member this holiday season.
Live Pricing: HERE
