Marvo Pro KG965G Gaming Keyboard Review

Marvo is quickly growing to be one of my favourite brands. Not only do they continue to impress with the performance of their products, but it's more their prices that really open my eyes. I've tested keyboards from them that are £9-12 each, their more premium ones that were still only £30, and now, their latest flagship may be the most expensive Marvo peripheral I've ever seen... and it's only 45 quid! While that may sound like you're getting a cut-down product, I'm struggling to see where on the features list. You still get a fully mechanical design, an aluminium alloy frame, dedicated macro keys, RGB backlighting with 18 different modes, a wrist rest, multimedia controls, and more! Marvo Pro KG965G The switches are mechanical blue, so nice and clicky. Furthermore, it's not like they're a no-name brand either, as they've used OUTEMU optical switches, which are rated for 50 million clicks. They're obviously not as expensive as Cherry, but they're pretty prolific all well-known clones of Cherry MX, and they're pretty decent for the price. Impressively, the keyboard also features full per-key RGB, rather than a more ambient backlight, as I would have expected at this price range. Everything is also fully programmable through their optional desktop software, which you'll need for setting the six macro G keys. Features Full anti-ghosting: N-key rollover supportRGB backlight with individual LED for each key10+ selectable lighting schemesSix macro G keys (programmable)Five backlight mode M keys (programmable)Dedicated multimedia controls including volume rollerHeavy-duty design: metal-made front plate and high-quality ABSSlim-Frame design and ultra-wide detachable wrist restAdvanced customization software (key illumination, macro, rebind keys etc.) What Marvo Had to Say "The Marvo KG965G mechanical multimedia keyboard with blue switches and volume control on the wheel will delight every player. The steel base and high-quality ABS give the keyboard the necessary durability. Its attractive design with individual RGB backlighting for each key and more than 10 backlighting schemes, it also includes 6 macro keys and a wide, detachable wrist rest. Using the software, you can fine-tune the keyboard exactly according to your ideas and, thanks to full anti-ghosting, you will not get stuck at the most important moment." - Marvo Packaging & Accessories The Marvo Pro KG965G comes packaged in a nice and tidy looking box, with a large photo of the keyboard right on the front. Around the back, we can see that it features those lovely blue switches, the UK layout, per-key RGB and more. The slip cover slides off, revealing a lovely red inner box, which is much more durable using dual-layer cardboard. On the inside, you can see some nice air-gapped folds to protect the keyboard, as well as a paper cover reading "Born for Gaming". Below that, a protective layer of foam. Then another layer of foam around the wrist rest. And then the keyboard, which has a durable plastic bag around it too; all very well packaged! A Closer Look & Performance Finally, we have everything unboxed. You'll find the keyboard comes hard-wired with a black braided USB cable, and there's that lovely detachable wrist rest. It's just a clip-on design, but those clips are pretty tight, so unlike some brands, this one won't wall away every time you lift the keyboard. It also has these clever adjustment screws, allowing you to keep it fixed to the keyboard, but slide it a little further away. Honestly, I have quite long fingers, so this is really a cool thing to have for me. With the wrist rest in place, this keyboard is looking pretty amazing, and I've barely started to look at what it has to offer! It has a really nice look to it though, reminding me of some of the older Corsair K-series boards from years back; that's no bad thing. You can see here, there's a little notch that reads Born for Gaming, which is pretty cool looking. Interesting they opted for this and not their company name though. The silver trim of that badge is matched by these dedicated macro keys, as well as a subtle but pleasant bit of shiny trim down the left and right edges of the aluminium frame. It's a lightly textured black aluminium, and it looks stunning. I'm betting it'll look even better when I fire up the RGB in a few minutes too. However, it also means the keyboard is nice and strong, providing a stable mount for those switches. Although I must admit, the keyboard is somewhat lighter than most mechanicals, but it does feel durable, so at this price, I can justify that. One thing you will enjoy about this keyboard is that while it does have desktop software, almost all the major features can be controlled without it. Albeit, you'll want the software to set up your macro keys, of course. As you can see, I can quickly change lighting features using FN-Shift and the arrow keys. Here you can see brightness, rainbows, loops, patterns and more are all just a tap away. There's even an Fn-Shift-Lock, so you can make changes much easier. The F-keys are packing plenty more features too, allowing for full volume controls and strangely, VERY strangely multimedia controls... but wait, isn't that a set of multimedia controls in the top right? Why yes it is, I mean, what kind of amazing value is this? You get two sets of media controls? Hmmm. Two guys playing with giant yo-yos? I'm not sure, but it does seem to change the lighting speed. There are some basic launchers here, which are always welcome for speeding up your Windows workflow. There are five dedicated profile keys too, allowing you to quickly switch your various configurations for work and gaming. There's even a full suite of macro recording options too, and while I don't use these on the fly myself, it's handy to have. So, if those multimedia controls aren't much to your taste, how about this second set here? They're really nicely designed and are finished in silver, just like the macro keys. There's a lovely infinity scroll wheel here too, allowing you to make quick and smooth changes to your volume. The OUTEMU switches come mounted in a fairly standard fashion, with the switch sitting just above the aluminium frame of the keyboard. They're basically just clones of Cherry MX Blue, and honestly, I can't really tell the difference. They feel smooth, they have a nice audible and tactile click to them, and they use a standard + mount. The caps do not bottom out when pressed all the way down, so while the click is as loud as you would expect, you don't get the added "CLUNK!" of the cap bottoming out, making it a little less noisy than some keyboards. While some newer switches use a box design, these do not, so there is a little bit of wobble to the caps, but honestly, it still feels pretty great to type on; we've been used to this design for decades after all. The space bar uses a single switch, with a spring-loaded bar preventing any left/right wobble, it's actually the most stable key on the whole keyboard! As for the RGB, well, see for yourself. It lights up rather nicely, I think. It may look a bit like an old-school mechanical keyboard, but with per-key RGB lighting, it can still be customised as much as any other. The profile keys and the G-keys do stay red though, but actually, I quite like that; it keeps them grounded in their function and easy to index at a glance. One thing I didn't expect is this sneaky little RGB strip above the F-keys, adding a nice break of colour between the frame at the keys. Of course, it spans the full width of the keyboard. Much like the other edge keys, the main multimedia controls are also locked to red LED lighting. There are loads of built-in profiles for the lighting too, which can all be set to the various profiles on the keyboard, such as this one for WASD and FPS-focused gaming. A MOBA profile here. Not quite sure what this one is, but sure, why not. Of course, you can change all of these to suit your taste, and change all the colours, macros, shortcuts, disable keys you don't want, etc. However, it's certainly much easier to do this through the desktop software. Overall, it's just packed with so many more features than I expected, especially for such an affordable keyboard. How Much Does it Cost? Finding the right price for this keyboard is like going on a D&D quest, roll your dice, go somewhere new, find a new price. It's on Amazon for £82, which frankly is ridiculous, don't bother. However, MoreFrom, HitPCs, and a few others have it for £45-55 including delivery. It's also likely you'll find them at your local high-street PC store, as Marvo tend to be well-stocked at smaller retailers rather than chain stores, and prices can often beat what's available online. Overview Marvo has already proven they can make a decent keyboard at incredibly low prices. However, the Marvo Pro KG965G is by far their most expensive one I've ever seen. Of course, at this price range, it's also still pretty affordable, and still a fraction of the cost of some of the big-name brands. Now, don't get me wrong, if you drop £200 on a flagship Corsair keyboard, you'll find better build quality and more advanced features, there's no getting away from that. However, the KG965G doesn't cost that much, and if you shop around, you'll nab one for just £50, so it's fair to expect some concessions have been made during its construction. Build Quality It's not a poorly made product, far from it, it just feels a bit last week. Marvo tends to re-use older designs from other brands and repurpose them to make a new product, but they do pass the savings onto their customers, so it's not like anyone is being fooled here. Rather than pay the very high fees for Cherry switches, they've opted for one of the more popular clones. Honestly, they're great and look and feel like any old-school blue switch should, so top marks there. The keyboard has an aluminium top panel, making it feel strong and preventing any flex. The keyboard is lighter than most though, so I suspect a slimmer steel plate on the interior for the switch mounting and PCB. Thankfully, the keys don't bottom out on the casing though, so it doesn't clunk or have any chassis echo/vibration like some lighter keyboards do. Performance Cheaper it may be, but this is still a full-features mechanical gaming keyboard, and it delivers exactly what it should. The keys feel great, with that lovely click response that'll put a smile on your face, and a frown on the face of whoever is trying to watch TV in the same room. Having it loaded with anti-ghosting, N-Key, macro recording, Windows Lock, gaming profiles for various key layouts, per-key lighting, the dedicated G-keys, and profile keys are just some of the great features that make it extensively customisable for work and gaming. Sure, it'll take a while to configure it all, but once it's done, it's all just a tap away thanks to the onboard memory. Should I Buy One? Marvo is certainly moving in the right direction, and the new Marvo KG965G RGB Mechanical Keyboard makes a solid effort to cram in as many features as possible without breaking your bank balance in the process. It's not flawless, but at this price, with everything one would expect from a modern keyboard, I really can't find anything to complain about.