I bet the title of this article alone got you intrigued – the relatively unknown brand has nothing do with Apple despite the “i” naming convention while the rest of the product name does remind you of a type of music, a pro-wrestler turned actor, and perhaps even some car or camera model.
Despite the seemingly awkward name, the K10 (not the Pentax Camera) is actually a rock solid product, no pun intended. It’s a full sized keyboard with non-detachable USB cable.
Here are the features of this keyboard, no one’s going to trigger up to 30 keys but it’s great to know you can if ever you need to.
The keyboard comes with removable key caps and the cross-type stems are like those one mechanical keyboards, allowing you to chance the key caps for personalization purpose. Take note that this is NOT a mechanical keyboard.
While the stems are green, the keyboard isn’t of a green backlit save for the space bar and the LED indicators.
On the side, the board has red accented linings around which I find it rather awkward. Why red? It’s like a the keyboard was made for Christmas or something.
The keyboard’s cable can be adjusted to suit your preferred cable direction.
I think what i-Rocks did great with the keyboard is the padding, it’s at a good angle even on the stand.
The specs are
– Interface: Full Speed USB
– Polling Rate: 1000 Hz
– Key number: 104 keys (by language)
– Key stroke: 3.8±0.5mm
– Key force: 55±15g
– Switch life: about 20 million life cycles
– Cable length: 180cm
– Dimensions: 448 (L) x 148 (W) x 34(H) mm
– Product weight: about 1.2kg
– N-key Rollover with 30 keys trigger capability
– Membrane key-switches with plunged key structure
More details at the official product page.
User Experience
Right out of the box, the keyboard is impressive when it comes to build quality. I like the feel of the plastic, not just for the caps but for the body itself. The keys are easily removed and are replaceable as well.
What’s more interesting about the keyboard is the user experience as it is a tactile membrane keyboard that feels like a mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Brown switch. Put it simple, you get mechanical keyboard experience without stretching your budget. It feels like the Cherry MX brown not just because of the feedback but because of the slight bump that’s the trait for a Cherry MX Brown switch.
I spent quite a few hours on this keyboard, spamming my APM away on StarCraft II and the keyboard worked very well.
The Verdict
The i-Rocks ROCK Series K10 Gaming Keyboard retails at RM 169 which I think is an excellent price for a keyboard of such build quality. It doesn’t come with backlit LED and it’s clearly for people who don’t mind the plain looks, and are just aiming for a mechanical keyboard-like experience WITHOUT spending over RM 200. The product comes with 1-year warranty.
