Wireless mechanical keyboards aren’t particularly rare in the market, but more often than not, they’re quite costly. This, in turn, makes the Armaggeddon MKA-17 Avenger quite an attractive product. Not only is it pretty affordable, it’s also quite a good mechanical keyboard with a number of neat features.

It may not offer the best typing experience, but the MKA-17 is definitely worth considering for anyone looking for a decent wireless mechanical keyboard without breaking the bank. Without further ado, let’s get to the review.

What It Is

The MKA-17 is a Bluetooth-enabled, wireless mechanical TKL (tenkeyless) keyboard that is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. That’s right, it can be used with the mobile operating systems too, making it quite the versatile keyboard. Besides that, it is also offered either with Blue or Black “MEN” mechanical switches.

Unlike Outemu switches found on previous Armaggeddon mechanical keyboards, it appears the company switched (excuse the pun) to these MEN switches for the MKA-17. For the most part, the Blue and Black switches on this keyboard don’t feel remarkably different from similar switches of other manufacturers, which is a good thing.

Of course, the MKA-17 also sports 19 different RGB lighting effects. To cycle through the different effects, all I have to do is use the scroll wheel at the top left of the keyboard; no software necessary. The lighting itself is also quite bright, so you don’t have to worry about it being too dim.

To connect the MKA-17 to your PC or Mac, you just need a USB Type-C cable that’s provided with the keyboard; you can also charge the 2,000mAh battery this way. Thanks to the reasonably sized battery capacity, this wireless keyboard can last quite a bit on a single charge as well. I’ll elaborate more on its battery life further down this review.

The Good Stuff

Typing experience of the MKA-17, as expected, is like your everyday mechanical keyboard. The Blue switch model, for one, has a low actuation force with a pronounced tactile bump and audible click with every key press. Basically, it has the characteristics of any Blue mechanical switch in the market now.

As for the MKA-17 with Black switches, it’s a linear switch with a higher actuation force, so it feels “heavier” than the Blue switch. But thanks to this, the Black switches give a more solid, muted typing experience. In contrast, the Blue switches feel more hollow and louder, though I do prefer the lighter actuation force and tactile feedback of these Blue switches.

Battery life is also one of the MKA-17’s best features. After charging it to full, I’ve used the wireless keyboard for at least 50 hours now, and it is still going strong. Of course, I switched off every lighting on this keyboard to get this kind of battery life. Regardless, this wireless keyboard can definitely last quite a bit with the 2,000mAh battery.

Oh, have I mentioned that this keyboard charges via USB-C? Yes, it’s worth repeating.

I also quite like the RGB lighting of the MKA-17. With over 19 different lighting effects to choose from, you should be able to find at least one effect that you like. As mentioned, the backlighting is reasonably bright too, though I do wish it’s possible to change the colour ofasd the lighting effects.

Throughout my time with the MKA-17, its Bluetooth connection is stable when connected to my desktop system or laptop. On top of that, with a simple key combination, I can switch between three paired devices seamlessly. If you want to use the same keyboard across devices, you’ll love this feature.

But most importantly, the MKA-17 is a reasonably affordable wireless mechanical keyboard, retailing at only RM299. Sure, this makes it Armaggeddon’s most costly keyboard yet, but I do think it’s a fair asking price for a keyboard of this pedigree. You’d be hard-pressed to find for another wireless, mechanical keyboard at this price point.

The Bad Stuff

One of my biggest qualms with the MKA-17 is its build quality in several areas. The scroll wheel to change the lighting effect doesn’t feel very robust, the mostly plastic construction doesn’t give the keyboard a particularly solid feel (though it does have a metal top cover), the keycaps get scratched easily, and the typing experience feels quite hollow, especially with the Blue switch model.

Granted, it’s a relatively affordable mechanical keyboard, so expectations have to be managed. Plus, a solid typing experience is usually a trait found on much more expensive keyboards.

Another issue I have with the MKA-17 is a small one. While the battery life of this wireless keyboard is very respectable, I don’t quite like the fact that it’s not possible to check the battery percentage. In this case, not having any dedicated software for the keyboard is not a good thing.

Is It Worth It?

For RM299, the Armaggeddon MKA-17 Avenger is a good buy, especially if you want an affordable wireless mechanical keyboard. It has good battery life, a decent typing experience, stable Bluetooth connection, and the RGB lighting is a nice addition. You’re getting pretty good value for your money here.

If there’s any shortcoming with the MKA-17, it would be the build quality and refinement of the keyboard. It would’ve been great if it felt more solid with higher quality keycaps, but, again, this is an affordable wireless keyboard. Plus, the MKA-17 is still a feature-packed keyboard that will serve its purpose well.

It’s also worth noting that the MKA-17 comes with a two-year warranty, which should give you peace of mind. If you’re keen to get your hands on this wireless mechanical keyboard, you can do so over at Armaggeddon’s official store on Shopee and Lazada.