Roccat’s latest budget keyboard embraces the trends in gaming with a 60% layout and bright RGB. While it cuts the price by utilizing membrane switches, at just $50 the Magma Mini might be the sweet spot for gamers on a budget. Be sure to hit the video below to see all of the details.
The Magma Mini sits in an interesting space in the keyboard world. If you’re on a budget but don’t want to gamble on nameless boards from Amazon, this is one of the only options. The MSRP on 60% keyboards from HyperX and Razer is much higher.
Design
As a 60% keyboard, the Magma Mini is designed to be compact. There are no additional media or macro keys here but the function key in the lower right corner unlocks all of the necessary secondary functions for navigation and media control.
While it lacks a dedicated arrow or navigation keys, they are in the lower right corner and are easy to actuate with the function key. If you have to sacrifice arrow keys but still want to be able to use them, this is just about the layout I’ve seen for accomplishing that.
Underneath the keys is a large translucent plate that glows with five zones of AIMO RGB. While it may not be per-key RGB, the large bright zones shine brightly on this membrane keyboard.
Roccat Magma Mini: Video
One unfortunate omission is the industry-standard two-stage risers. The Magma Mini only has a single stage that seems to be around three degrees.
The USB type A cable is hard-wired so no custom cables here. It is positioned on the left side of the keyboard which I think is the sweet spot for gaming-focused boards.
Another interesting feature of the membrane design is its IP33 rating for water and dust resistance. Luckily I’ve never spilled a beverage over my keyboard, but I can see how this could come in handy.
While the plastic shell feels solid enough (maybe due to its small size), the keyboard is very lightweight at just 406g. Weight isn’t necessarily directly tied to quality but compared to the Alloy Origins 60 which weighs in at 780g, the Magma Mini feels more like a budget keyboard to me. I don’t know why, but I enjoy a hefty keyboard.
How are the switches?
At its core, the Magma Mini is a membrane keyboard meaning it won’t have the same satisfying sound and feel as a mechanical keyboard. But, that’s also how Roccat keeps the price so affordable.
They have a tactile feel with a bump at the actuation point and a responsive rebound. While it doesn’t have the same sound and feel as the aqua switches on the Alloy Origins, I was surprised by how quickly I got used to the membrane switches of the Magma Mini.
There aren’t any figures for the actuation force or distance but it does feel similar to the HyperX Aqua switches which have an actuation force of 45g. The bump is more tactile than the Aqua but the actuation distance feels very similar. The whole movement also feels a bit scratchier than the HyperX Aqua switches.
Be sure to hit the video to hear how they sound in comparison to the HyperX Alloy Origins 65 with aqua switches.
Magma Mini: But does it game?
I was skeptical of the switches at first but I actually found myself enjoying it for gaming. I still prefer my HyperX Alloy Origins 65 with aqua switches, but I found the Magma Mini comfortable while playing Battlefield 2042. It was responsive and easy to use. I never felt like it was lacking in performance for playing fast-paced FPS games, but I’m also not a pro player.
I still prefer a 65% layout as my main keyboard since I use it for work as well; having arrow keys is pretty critical for writing articles and editing videos. While the Magma Mini’s layout makes the arrow keys relatively easy to find and use, I still prefer dedicated arrow keys.
Electronicsforward’ Take
For those who don’t need the arrow keys, though, the Roccat Magma Mini is a solid entry-level keyboard for those who want something affordable but still looks like a higher-end gaming keyboard. If you can stretch your budget a bit, waiting to find a HyperX Alloy Origins 60 or 65 on sale might be worth it. But if you need something right away, the Magma Mini will fit the bill.
Considering that the full-size Magma from Roccat is currently on sale for $40, I imagine we’ll see some great prices on the Magma Mini before too long.
Buy Roccat Magma Mini
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