The Mechlands M75 presents itself as a compelling option in the budget magnetic keyboard market, but beyond its attractive price point and unique aesthetic, it’s the wealth of performance-oriented features that truly commands attention. This keyboard is engineered with a clear focus on delivering a responsive and highly customizable experience, particularly for gamers, though its capabilities extend beneficially to everyday users as well.
Design and Build
Pulling the Mechlands M75 out of its protective wrapping, the first thing that strikes you is its unique design. The keyboard sports a black and bright green color scheme, which is consistent across the keycaps and even some design elements on the casing itself. The sides of the keyboard have an interesting, almost industrial or futuristic look with vents and the Mechlands logo. It’s a departure from more minimalist designs and certainly has character.
The top right corner features the aforementioned knob, which is also green. If you’re not a fan, as mentioned, you can easily pull it off and replace it with the included “Insert” keycap and one of the spare switches. This versatility is a big plus. The keyboard case is made of plastic, but it feels surprisingly high quality and substantial. There’s a decent heft to it, preventing it from feeling cheap or flimsy.
The back edge of the keyboard houses the USB-C port for the wired connection, along with two physical switches: one to toggle the RGB lighting on/off, and another to switch between Windows and Mac modes. Flipping it over, you’ll find a large metal plate in the center, adding to the weight and premium feel. There are also standard rubber feet and two-stage flip-out feet for adjusting the typing angle.
Keycaps & Switches
The keycaps on the Mechlands M75 appear to be double-shot PBT. This is excellent for durability, as the legends (the letters and symbols) won’t fade or wear off over time. They have a pleasant texture and the green legends on the black keys are clear and easy to read. The green accent keys add a nice visual pop.
Underneath these keycaps are Outemu magnetic switches. These are Hall Effect switches, which means they use magnets for actuation rather than a physical contact point. This technology allows for features like adjustable actuation points and rapid trigger.
The included spare switches are a light purple color. They feel quite smooth with minimal wobble, and while it’s not explicitly stated if they’re pre-lubed from the factory, they don’t exhibit much scratchiness. The sound they produce is fairly clean. An important note is that this keyboard is also compatible with Gateron and TTC magnetic switches, offering further customization down the line if you wish to experiment.
Sound Check: How Does It Type?
Out of the box, the Mechlands M75 offers a pretty decent sound profile. The typing sound is relatively clean, without excessive ping or hollowness. The stabilizers for the larger keys, like the spacebar, shift, and enter keys, seem to be well-lubed from the factory. There’s minimal rattle on these keys, which is a common issue on many budget boards.
Looking closer, you can see some lube applied to the stabilizer stems, and there appears to be some foam padding within the case, which helps dampen sound and contributes to a more pleasant typing experience. The spacebar, in particular, sounds quite good with no annoying thuds or rattles. The knob also provides a satisfying tactile click when pressed and a smooth rotation.
Performance and Software
At the heart of the M75’s advanced functionality lies its use of magnetic Hall Effect switches. Unlike traditional mechanical switches that rely on physical metal contacts to register a keystroke, Hall Effect switches utilize magnets and sensors. This non-contact actuation method not only contributes to enhanced durability, as there are fewer moving parts to wear out, but also forms the technological bedrock for some of the M75’s most impressive capabilities. The immediate benefit of this technology is the ability to finely tune the keyboard’s responsiveness.
One of the most significant features enabled by these magnetic switches is the adjustable actuation point. Users have the power to customize precisely how far a key needs to be pressed before it registers an input. The Mechlands M75 offers a remarkable range, allowing for an incredibly sensitive actuation as low as 0.1mm, or a deeper, more traditional press if preferred. The software boasts a precision of 0.01mm for these adjustments, providing granular control. In practical terms, a lower actuation point can translate to quicker reactions in fast-paced gaming scenarios, as less physical travel is required to trigger an action. For typists, it could mean a lighter touch and potentially faster typing speeds, or conversely, a deeper actuation can help prevent accidental presses.
Building upon this adjustable sensitivity is the inclusion of Rapid Trigger (RT). This technology revolutionizes how quickly a key can be repeatedly pressed. With traditional switches, a key must travel past a fixed reset point before it can be actuated again. Rapid Trigger, however, allows the M75 to deactivate a key the instant it begins to lift, and reactivate it the moment it starts to press down again, regardless of fixed reset points. This dynamic reset and actuation, sensitive to even minute changes in key travel as fine as 0.01mm according to the software, is a game-changer for actions requiring rapid succession, such as counter-strafing in FPS games, quick peeking around corners, or spamming abilities. It gives a distinct feeling of enhanced control and immediacy compared to standard mechanical keyboards.
To further bolster its performance credentials, the Mechlands M75 boasts an impressive 8000Hz polling rate and a 32K scan rate. The polling rate dictates how frequently the keyboard reports its status to the computer, with 8000Hz meaning it sends updates 8,000 times per second. The scan rate refers to how often the keyboard’s internal processor checks the state of each key. These exceptionally high figures work in tandem to minimize input latency, with Mechlands claiming a latency as low as a mere 0.128 milliseconds. This pursuit of minimal delay ensures that every keystroke is registered and transmitted to the PC with virtually no perceptible lag, contributing to an incredibly responsive and connected feel during gameplay.
The customization doesn’t end with switch sensitivity. The M75’s companion software unlocks a suite of advanced key functions. Dynamic Keystroke (DKS) allows a single key to perform different actions based on how far it’s pressed; for instance, a light press could initiate a walk, while a full press triggers a run. Mod Tap (MT) enables a key to have dual functionality: one action when tapped quickly and another when held down. Toggle Key (TGL) allows a key to switch a function on or off with each press, like a caps lock for any assigned action.
Furthermore, the M75 supports SOCD (Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions) cleaning, a crucial feature for fighting games or any application where precise directional inputs are paramount, preventing conflicting inputs when, for example, left and right are pressed simultaneously. Snap Key/Tap offers another layer of sophisticated customization for nuanced key behaviors.
Beyond these core performance enhancements, the Mechlands M75 also features vibrant and customizable RGB backlighting. The illumination is impressively bright, and through the software, users can select from various lighting modes such as Drift, Always On, Dynamic Breathing, Spectrum Ripple, and Waves Ripple. The speed and brightness of these effects are also adjustable, allowing for a personalized aesthetic.
Is the Mechlands M75 Worth Your Cash?
After spending some time with the Mechlands M75, it’s clear that this keyboard offers a compelling package. Gaming-wise, it delivers the high-end performance features you’d expect from more expensive magnetic keyboards. The responsiveness from the rapid trigger and low actuation points is excellent.
For everyday use, it’s a comfortable and functional 75% board with all the necessary keys. The swappable knob is a fantastic touch, catering to different user preferences. The main potential downside for some might be the current color limitation to black and green. While I personally don’t mind it, more colorway options in the future would be welcome to appeal to a broader audience.
At its current price of $69.99 (at the time of writing, without discounts), the Mechlands M75 is an incredibly budget-friendly entry into the world of high-performance magnetic keyboards. You’re getting 8000Hz polling, extensive software customization, good build quality, and that versatile knob. If you can snag it with a discount, it becomes an even more unbeatable deal.
If you’re looking for a 75% magnetic keyboard that doesn’t break the bank but still delivers on performance and features, the Mechlands M75 is definitely worth strong consideration. It’s an amazing keyboard for the price.
