The Zalman ZM-K700M Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review
by E. Fylladitakis on February 3, 2016 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Keyboard
- Zalman
- Mechanical Keyboards
Introduction
Zalman is a well-known name in computing enthusiast's cycles, having provided advanced cooling solutions from 1999. During the last half decade, the company was diversifying into other segments of the consumer PC market, such as cases and power supplies, but the progress of the company was slowed down after Moneaul's scandal in 2014. Zalman legally severed their ties with Moneaul and, despite that setback, is moving on as an independent company since then, releasing new products and diversifying into other segments of the PC market.
One of the market segments Zalman recently entered is that of PC peripherals. Currently the company is offering seven keyboards, fifteen mice and one keyboard & mouse combo. In this review, we are going to test and evaluate the ZM-K700M, which is the keyboard at the top of the product stack. The ZM-K700M is a full size mechanical gaming keyboard that looks simple at first sight but comes with some interesting features that we have not seen on a keyboard before.
Packaging & Bundle
Zalman is supplying the K700M in a typical cardboard box, just enough to ensure the safe transportation of the keyboard. The artwork is simplistic, focused on a picture of the keyboard itself and large militaristic fonts.
Perhaps the only noteworthy part of the bundle is the supply of a USB to PS/2 adapter, for those who insist on using the PS/2 keyboard ports instead. Zalman also supplies a manual and two anti-skid rubber pads. The manual is going to be useful to the end user, as a lot of the extra features of this keyboard rely on keystroke combinations.
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zeeBomb - Wednesday, February 3, 2016 - link
Good mechanical keyboard under $100?megadirk - Wednesday, February 3, 2016 - link
The Logitech G710+ Regularly goes on sale for less than $100, I think just yesterday it was in an Amazon deal.Sttm - Wednesday, February 3, 2016 - link
Thats my pick, as the G710+ has actual media keys which lets you control volume or a skip a track without having to use a stupid modifier key like most of these lazy gaming keyboards.Margalus - Wednesday, February 3, 2016 - link
Yup. I got my G710+ with Cherry MX Browns for $79 on Amazoncblakely - Wednesday, February 3, 2016 - link
Cooler Master Storm series - a range of switch & lighting options, usually in the $70-100 range. The "rapid" version without the 10-key or back lighting is regularly seen for $70 or so. Also if you're patient and want a more boutique keyboard, check out massdrop - lots of good options there though the price range does vary greatly (hence the patience bit hehe).Samus - Thursday, February 4, 2016 - link
I have 3 CM Storms, one on each computer. One is the shorty without the number pad, and another is full sized, and finally a full size with back lighting. All have cherry brown's and I put orings in one. Phenomenal keyboards for $50-$70.SteelRing - Wednesday, February 3, 2016 - link
Rosewill is not bad either. I'm typing on Brown Rosewill now for 50 bux after rebate. Of course this is plain vanilla keyboard, whereas most of these recent mech keys were labeled as "gaming" keyboards. Personally I could only care about mechanical switches if it's for typing.ImSpartacus - Wednesday, February 3, 2016 - link
Cooler Master makes good stuff.I'm typing on a $60 CM keyboard with MX browns. I have a quickfire rapid and I love it. It looks so plain and classy and it feels sturdy as hell (pretty heavy).
althaz - Thursday, February 4, 2016 - link
Ducky's whole range is well under USD$100 and they make pretty good keyboards. My main PC's keyboard is a Das Keyboard from before everybody started making mechanical keyboards, but for every other machine (including my work PC) I use Ducky mech keyboards with brown switches.Azune - Wednesday, February 3, 2016 - link
Actually the repeat feature is probably a relic that was once useful for some MMO's.Skills the character used weren't queued on the server, but server would rather tell the client when new commands would be accepted. So pressing the button as often as possible would allow to better hit the start of the "can do something again" interval. That way you could fit more abilities into the same timeframe.
Nowadays its kinda useless, since most modern MMO's have an Ability Queue that lets you queue up skills before the global cooldown is finished. But it can be still be nice for "spammy" abilites that you use consecutively, since you just need to hold the button down instead of pressing it repeatedly.