Roccat Magma gaming keyboard test: always more RGB – Les Numériques

What is obvious when you discover the Roccat Magma is the backlit semi-transparent plate that covers its surface and gives it a very particular aesthetic that will not be to everyone’s taste.

Indeed, the backlighting is not confined only to the keys as on most keyboards, but to almost the entire chassis. Light therefore appears almost everywhere. Confusing, this design has the merit of being original, however at the risk of attracting the eye too much, especially if you are playing in a dimly lit room.

Fortunately, the brightness of this backlight can be dimmed using the Roccat Swarm software or directly on the keyboard by activating the Fn key and the arrow keys. The color of the RGB leds distributed over five zones can obviously be changed in the software and some basic lighting effects can be applied.

The Roccat Magma is a keyboard gaming wireframe made entirely of plastic and measuring 45.2 x 15.7 x 3.9 cm. This material is rather low-end here and the chassis is not quite rigid if you exert some pressure on the whole. The front of the keyboard is ridged, as is the 7.4cm wide palm rest. Unfortunately, these grooves can trap dirt over time.

This one is detachable to save desk space, but it saves user comfort by raising the wrists when installed, although its stiff texture is not as comfortable as that of the palm rests. foam.

As on the Roccat Pyro, some keys are Easy-Shift compatible[+] and therefore offer a secondary function by holding the appropriate key (located at Caps Lock). You must first remember to activate Game Mode at the top right of the keyboard. Everything is configurable in Roccat Swarm and many functions or macros can be assigned, extending the possibilities of the keyboard. Not really easy to learn at first, this system is very practical for those who like to customize their keys during gaming sessions.

The rest of the keys are quite classic and we discover some multimedia functions integrated into the keys F5 to F12.

By turning the keyboard over, we simply discover two retractable feet which allow it to be raised a little, as well as the usual set of non-slip pads, here six in number.

The Roccat Magma is an entry-level keyboard and does not benefit from mechanical switches like its big brother the Pyro, but simple dome switches. Less speedy, however, they have the advantage of being much quieter, which makes them more pleasant in office use. For once, the space bar is not noisier than the other keys, which is appreciable.

Membrane keyboard and domes require, typing is a bit soft and the stroke a bit long to activate the keys. It is slightly more handicapping for certain competitive games where speed is essential, but will suit the vast majority of players. Finally, like most keyboards gaming, the Roccat Magma also embeds a technology anti-ghosting.