Interested in a mechanical keyboard that gets the job done at an affordable price without all the bells and whistles? Look no further as Monoprice has a barebones mechanical gaming keyboard that just might fit the bill.
The Monoprice offering is truly a barebones unit as there are no media or macro keys. Furthermore, there isn’t an integrated USB hub – common on gaming boards these days – and the keys aren’t backlit. Any of these missing features could be a deal breaker for some but then again, others won’t miss them at all.
What you do get is a full-size board with a traditional layout complete with Cherry MX blue switches. This switch type was first introduced in 2007 and offers up a tactile feel with a loud audible click. If the blue switches aren’t for you, Monoprice also offers up a few other boards with red and black switches but expect to pay more for those (they also have a few extra features).
Before you go knocking Monoprice as a no-name option, it’s worth pointing out that they have some excellent branded gear at very affordable prices. For example, the Monoprice Enhanced Bass Hi-Fi noise isolating earphones that were part of our iPad travel survival guide were surprisingly impressive at just $9 while many techies look nowhere else for high quality (and very cheap) cables.
The Monoprice board with Cherry MX blue switches has been available for about a year now so it’s not exactly a new product. But with a 4.5 star rating from more than 60 reviewers and an attractive price point of $57.99, it’s likely worth your consideration if you’re in the market for a cheap mechanical board with blue switches.
