However, when it comes to it, the financial cost is absolutely worth it if the quality of the hardware reduces any pain are stave's off the impending carpal tunnel/arthritis that some of us may be getting. Mionix has set out with determination to show the world that you do not need to sacrifice quality for comfort, or vice versa, with their gaming gear and first up is the Zibal 60, a mechanical gaming keyboard; does the Zibal 60 embody Mionix's mission? Read on for more detail.
Mechanical keyboards are heavy; very heavy, yet when I compare the wait of the Zibal 60 (minus the cords) to the weight of the Tesoro Excalibur. to my surprise the Excalibur is slightly longer, slightly heavier, slightly wider, and a fair bit thinner than the Zibal. However, the thick braided double-tipped USB cord the the Zibal has, which includes two USB connections, one for the keyboard, one for the USB hub inside the keyboard, and a 3.5mm microphone jack as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack in it, make the Zibal 60 much heavier than the simple-corded Excalibur.
Face it though, a mechanical keyboard is not something that will be hauled around like luggage unless you are visiting regular BYOC LAN tournaments, and if that is the case, for weight's sake I would recommend something a wee bit lighter, like a Corsair mechanical keyboard. However, given that I grew up in a world where, when it comes to electronics, "heavier is better" I am comforted a bit by the sheer weight of the Zibal and it thick braided cord.
Aesthetically speaking the Zibal is without a doubt, the nicest looking and the nicest feeling keyboard I have had the pleasure of working with. There are no sharp edges, key actuation is smooth, crisp, and very easy on the fingers. With the thicker keyboard and higher keys, the Zibal 60 actually sits quite ergonomically for my wrists so I can spend hours at a time clicking away on the keys that are very similar to Black switched keyboards from other manufacturers. The matte black finish is almost coal-like... scratch that, it appears and feels more like what you would imagine the black stealth material that you will find on the F-117 Stealth Fighter.
The keys can be lit up a soft green, which is extremely pleasing in low-light conditions, with either a dim glow (or slightly brighter glow) that covers the full keyboard, or you can set it to only illuminate the WASD keys. Everything about the Zibal 60 just oozes quality while somehow maintaining a software exterior; it is like draping the world's best silk over the world's best steel. Great to feel but once you get to the meat of it, it is all performance and durability.
Some people may pick up mechanical keyboards for the wonderfully annoying click that comes along with each key press but you will not find any of that here; instead the soft click and excellent feedback of each of the actuators provides one of the nicest typing or gaming experiences that I have had on a keyboard. While it is, at times, a bit on the pricier side, every penny spent on the Mionix Zibal 60 is worth it, as they set out with determination to provide the highest quality gaming gear. Well, this small manufacturer certainly did it as the Zibal 60 is, to date, the nicest keyboard I have ever used.
Review by Robert
