The Magma Mini Keyboard is here from Roccat. It’s colorful, quick, affordable and customizable. I guess I could end the review there, but that probably wouldn’t satisfy the fully curious mind. Let’s see what makes the new challenger turn heads in the cramped space of computer peripherals.
Unboxing
Right out of the box it shines. As I expect, the mini is lightweight but solid. The cable is strong, but it’s thin enough to keep it from being in the way. It hooks up USB quickly and immediately becomes a bright spot on my desk. I’m a bit taken aback. There is one additional thing on my desk that I’ve not seen before now that the Magma is here – space. Perhaps I could get used to this.
I work from home so this newfound space allows me to do more life at the desk. I can fit more paperwork, eat and leave my plate there without it being annoying. While I normally don’t keep drinks near my setup, I can worry less if I choose to. The Magma Mini comes with an IP33 rating which helps protect it from accidental spills.
Get Used To It
The Mini is 60% of the size of a full size keyboard. This means it doesn’t have a tenkey and the keys are a bit more narrow than what I typically use. So – basically the keys took a bit of getting used to. It doesn’t take long though. After all, it is still a keyboard, and I’ve been using them for 35 years now.
Black keys with white characters adorn the top of the board. The keys are quiet. College students may appreciate this for late night sessions or paper writing. I prefer the click of the Titan II switches in Roccat’s premium keyboard options but overall, they are fast and responsive so no real complaints here.
Performance
Gamers tend to want speed and fast actuation in their sessions. The Magma Mini doesn’t disappoint here – at least for the vast majority of us. It boasts a 1000Hz polling rate, so basically a click takes about 1 millisecond to communicate with the PC. Not the best out there, but not shabby. Again, the majority of us would never know the difference. Elite gamers may, but I’d like to see a true comparison. Regardless, for daily tasks no difference will be seen.
Beautificent
Yeah – it’s not a word, but it describes the Magma Mini well. Both beautiful and magnificent. Why? As with most of Roccat’s keyboards, (which I argue are the brightest and prettiest out there) the RGB lighting is off the charts. The five lighting zones combined with the Swarm software make this keyboard stand out. So, yeah, it’s beautiful. Why is it magnificent? It’s only $50. Gamers get a lot with the small form factor. With Easy Shift giving buttons function layers, to the left sided cable mount, the keyboard offers options not found on keyboards at the price.
Summary:
With fantastic customization, a beautiful design, and the right price, it is hard not to love this little guy. If a mini-keyboard fits your needs, this one is hard to pass up. Ten key lovers obviously won’t want to wade into these waters, but gamers with savings on the mind should definitely pick up this budget beast.
Looking for a different option? Check out these other keyboards:
Vulcan II Mini
Vulcan II Max
Logitech Pro Keyboard
Note: Our reviews are always 100% independent, but Gearadical receives a small affiliate amount if you purchase the product on Amazon.
