AZIO MGK L80 Mechanical Keyboard Lineup Review
Performance Summary
The MGK L80 line of mechanical gaming keyboards really does turn heads with its brushed aluminum plate and mix of contemporary with mature gaming aesthetic. It manages to bring in some convenient comforts as well with its magnetic wrist rest which boldly claim to be “elegantly fierce” and an analog audio volume knob. Unlike the per-key volume control typical to most gaming keyboards, an analog control allows for a more intuitive experience and much more accessible while gaming.
Currently MGK L80 RGB Retail for about $139 USD, levying a $40 premium over the non-RGB model which is actually standard for RGB products, hence its popularity with manufacturers. The non-RGB models themselves share the non-cosmetic feature with the exception of macro control so they offer a better bang-for-buck overall. Unfortunately, this market is very crowded and even at $99, a Kailh-switch keyboard is hard to justify. There simply are too many other options for less if affordability is a concern.
A software to provide more flexible controls of the RGB lighting would be a welcome addition as well. Aside from the look, what attracts most RGB users to the feature is the ability to truly customize per key color and the lack of software limits the creative potential on such a platform. While it is convenient not having to worry about installing extra software, it is inconvenient in that users are limited to cycling through presets.
Performance-wise, the Kailh brown and blue switches have proven to be decently reliable Cherry MX clone with its wider usage over the past few years from major manufacturers. These are both tactile switches so gamers opting for a more linear actuation are unfortunately out of luck. For those looking for a more productivity-friendly keyboard, the Azio MG L80 however is a solid choice, with its tactile switches, wrist-rest and other conveniences that make daily usage a lot more comfortable.
Great review, based on your comments I picked up the RGB version on Amazon. Very happy with it.
Azio has some decent keyboards, but for these prices I would hope for genuine Cherry MX switches. Or Gateron if they really needed to cut costs and still include a high quality switch.
I’ve got the previous generation Azio MGK1-RGB-BLU MGK1 RGB keyboard and it simply a joy to use. My Northgate Omni keyboard (the primo king of mechanical keyboards, but the company closed its doors more than 20 years ago — so the keyboards outlasted the company), gave up the ghost after 25 years and I replaced it with a Corsair Vengance mechanical keyboard which, frankly, sucked (with the worst tech support in the industry — and individual replacement key caps were not available for key caps that wore out so badly you could no longer see what letter they were for).
But then I stumbled upon the Azio MGK1-RGB-BLU MGK1 RGB and it has been a dream keyboard. Responsive, clicky, rock solid with a great light show — I can’t recommend it highly enough. My grand daughter wants the same keyboard for the computer I built her last year, but sadly it’s no longer manufactured. But this new model sounds pretty darned good. It’s too bad it is so narrowly distributed and Azio’s own website doesn’t mention any of these three keyboards reviewed here. Great marketing, Azio.