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ROCCAT Ryos MK Glow Review

By -
Its a time to give my personal review about my new keyboard.
ROCCAT Ryos MK Glow - a Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with good open source Linux driver support.

Lets start with Technical Specs:
  • Illuminated mechanical keyboard with 113 keys
  • Advanced antighosting with N-key rollover
  • Cherry MX key switches
  • 3 programmable thumbster keys (T1 – T3)
  • 5 programmable macro keys (M1 – M5)
  • 94 other programmable keys
  • 1000hz polling rate, 1 ms response time
  • 1.8m cable and integrated cable channel


Dimensions
23.4 cm X 50.8 cm

Price
~139€

image


Look and Feel:
Plugging in the keyboard brings out the beautiful blue LED lighting on the ROCCAT Ryos MK Glow. It is super bright however. So you better start tuning your settings from the ROCCAT tools software to adjust it.
With regards to ergonomics, the ROCCAT Ryos MK Glow is arguably one of the best i have ever used. The wrist rest remains comfortably below my palms despite being pretty big on size. All the buttons are nicely in reach, specially those 3 thumb buttons below spacebar. 5 Macro buttons from the left side of the keyboard might need some hand misplacement, for some people, to reach them, but I have pretty flexible pinky (small) finger.The keys themselves are also very comfortable in use, with a soft touch finish that provides enough grip.

image

Software:
Big Thanks to Stefan Achatz who provides Linux tools for your ROCCAT devices.
Configuration tools are pretty solid and seem to have all the necessary features available by hardware.

List of software features.
  • Macro Management
  • Profile/Settings Notifications (visual and/or audio)
  • Firmware Updater
  • Timers
  • Brightness/Dimness configuration for LED
  • Game files/Scripts support


image

Gaming:
Gaming with this device is making you smile, countless ways to bind your keys. Macros/Scripts to make your gaming absolutely enjoyable with quick access to your spell rotations, easy chat functions, etc.
Keyboard Buttons also feel good under your fingers when pressed, giving you nice feedback and the response time seems to be better than many regular keyboards.

Rating:
I would give it 9/10
1 point lost due high price and somewhat noisy buttons

image Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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30 comments
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Anonymous Apr 27, 2014
I only buy cheap KB, mines always got watered...:'(
jdub Apr 27, 2014
I'm still using my beloved Saitek Cyborg from 2008...gotta love the color changing keys =)
Half-Shot Apr 27, 2014
somewhat noisy buttons
Ahem, isn't that the point of Cherry MX switches. So you can hear the music of your fingers tapping out gaming poetry?

MOT:
Really really want one now because it has chery MX switches AND Linux support. Will be my next keyboard.
Xpander Apr 27, 2014
I'm still using my beloved Saitek Cyborg from 2008...gotta love the color changing keys =)

if im not wrong the PRO version has per key color change options..
its just about 40€ more expensive though
DrMcCoy Apr 27, 2014
Exactly which Cherry MX keys are there? There are different ones, color-coded.

Me, I'm still a big fan of the buckling spring in the IBM Model M, but the green Cherry MX keys are a close second. And yes, the noise is a feature, not a bug. :)
Xpander Apr 27, 2014
Cherry MX black
WorMzy Apr 27, 2014
Can you confirm whether the keys are interchangable? I.e. could I move them about into a different layout (Dvorak)? I emailed Roccat about it, who said this is the case (although the model I was enquiring about had a curved surface, so the keys weren't a standard height), but it'd be nice to hear it first hand from an owner.
Half-Shot Apr 27, 2014
I'm still using my beloved Saitek Cyborg from 2008...gotta love the color changing keys =)
![](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Z_lQ8JOzisw/U10s6E7HWlI/AAAAAAAACFE/04KE9skBD6o/w1104-h828-no/IMG_20140427_171414.jpg)

Here she is, my oldest component :). Must be about 2008 I bought her as well.
Xpander Apr 27, 2014
Can you confirm whether the keys are interchangable? I.e. could I move them about into a different layout (Dvorak)? I emailed Roccat about it, who said this is the case (although the model I was enquiring about had a curved surface, so the keys weren't a standard height), but it'd be nice to hear it first hand from an owner.

i know i can do it from software (linux), but i dont really get what you really wanted to hear about it?
i never used dvorak layout myself

general layouts are here:
http://www.roccat.org/Products/Gaming-Keyboards/ROCCAT-Ryos-MK-Glow/#crb_4

edit:
ahh i get it what you mean... moving keys/buttons physicaly?

that yo u can do, but buttons have different angles from the top, so it might feel weird under the fingers if you changed their locations

edit2: ohh no.. buttons itself are all same.. their placement is with an angle .. so it should be safe to move them around
Beamboom Apr 27, 2014
Oh man I was not aware that the Linux drivers were *that* comprehensive. Had I only known this when I bought my current keyboard, a Logitech G710.

Thanks for the review, now I am almost hoping my G710 will get broken soon... (except I don't, it's too expensive for that)!
WorMzy Apr 27, 2014
ahh i get it what you mean... moving keys/buttons physicaly?

Yeah, some keyboard manufacturers lock down the "home" keys (F & J) by using a different key slot, so I usually end up physically modifying those keys, as well as the keys that will be in their place (U & H). It's a lot of effort and makes me wary of changing keyboards unless absolutely necessary.

I love glowy keyboards so I'll probably pick up this model (or similar) when this Logitech G110 finally gives up the ghost.

Thanks for confirming. :)
Orkultus Apr 27, 2014
I am currently using a Razor Deathstalker
HadBabits Apr 27, 2014
"Gaming poetry"? Nice XD

I prefer a quiet keyboard myself, but then I prefer to use a gamepad in games where possible. I guess that's a result of my filthy console peasant upbringing ;)

Edit: Unless it's an FPS, of course.
Xpander Apr 27, 2014
"Gaming poetry"? Nice XD

I prefer a quiet keyboard myself, but then I prefer to use a gamepad in games where possible. I guess that's a result of my filthy console peasant upbringing ;)

Edit: Unless it's an FPS, of course.

its not that hardcore noisy...thatswhy i wrote "somewhat"... my previous non-mechanical was even louder.

and yeah "Gaming poetry" seems nice if you look at it that way :)


i never liked gamepads myself.. i have one but i just suck playing with it... even platformers and racing games i play with keyboard+mouse... call me oldschool if you want :)
Hamish Apr 27, 2014
I prefer a quiet keyboard myself, but then I prefer to use a gamepad in games where possible. I guess that's a result of my filthy console peasant upbringing ;)

Yes, yes it is. :P

I still remember wrapping my head around Mouselook and WASD as opposed to using the Arrow Keys.
Anonymous Apr 27, 2014
Here she is, my oldest component . Must be about 2008 I bought her as well.

Good taste, Half-Shot XD. Mine is quite a bit dirtier, and you just inspired me to clean it :D
Skully Apr 28, 2014
Although there is no Official Support from Logitech, I still absolutely
love my old G15 keyboard http://pandas.darrennolan.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/1.jpg

It works fine out of the box in Linux except for the LCD screen and macro recording, but
there are multiple projects to get it working as good as it did in windows. Minus the
specific game support.

I could never live with 1 column of m-keys like that, I need 3 columns. With this I map games to use the
middle section as
q w e
a s d
and then I have 6 immediately above and below. Makes playing games so much more comfy,
and even more so if they use alot of buttons like a mmo.
toor Apr 28, 2014
I got typematrix :)

![](http://www.typematrix.com/style/img/tmx-2030_features.png)
gemini Apr 28, 2014
I bought a Roccat Isku FX recently. It works out of the box, even the LED lights. My other CM Storm keyboard needs xled for the LED lights to work. However, when I installed the Roccat software drivers the keyboard stopped working, and I had to uninstall them to get it to work again. But I don´t really care, there wasn´t really anything I wanted to change in the settings anyway.
Sabun Apr 28, 2014
Wow, I had no idea the software for Roccat was that developed for Linux. Xpander, do you have any Roccat mice? Would you care to do a review for them if you do?

I would like to see pictures of the software, how you feel the mice function on Linux and your overall feeling to whether it's a great buy for FPS and competitive play (if it's not too much trouble) :)
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