Rosewill RK9000 V2 long term use review

To be honest, the articles about Rosewill RK9000 V2 on this site has the greatest number of hits.  So, to meet the demand, I here present you with a long term use review.  Now, my reviews typically are not about the keyboard since most other sites have done a great job about it.  Instead, I want to focus on what’s it like after using the equipment for a while and evaluate where I stand, in comparison to other offering out there.  For those who may not know, Rosewill is Newegg.com’s house brand.  It’s kind of like Costco’s Kirkland brand.  Since Costco doesn’t want to directly compete against its suppliers, it uses another brand to sell the same things in the same space.  Same idea applies here.  Newegg.com doesn’t really want to come out and show-up Corsair, for example by making and selling their own mechanical keyboard.  So, this avoids the look of the conflict of interest.  Another example is Amazon Basics.  Anyhow....

Right off the bat, the Rosewill RK9000 is an excellent entry to mid-level mechanical keyboard.  One can find it for sale on Newegg.com for around $100 and lower if it’s on sale.   The one I received has Cherry MX blue switches.  One can find more of my impression and views about this switch.  So, I won’t repeat the same material.  However, as a package, this keyboard is indeed quite well put together.  The rumor is that Filco is the OEM.  Therefore, it shares many characteristics of a Filco keyboard, including the minimalist design, robust construction and well thought out designs.  The keyboard has a nice weight and presence despite its smaller footprint and does not slide around when typing.  Because of the metal back plate and MX blue switches, the keyboard has a ringing or reverb effect when typing.  It’s like pressing the piano sustain pedal to keep notes going.  I enjoy that kind of harmony, but some may find it irritating and prefers a crisper pop rather than decaying ringing.  With the MX blue, it’s quite obvious.  However, I haven’t driven anyone crazy yet, unlike with the Unicomp….

Normal typing and typical operation with the keyboard are nothing noteworthy and that’s exactly how it should be.  Just be aware that the numlock LED is be quite bright if one look straight at it.  Since most people don’t tower over the keyboard, it’s a small thing.  For someone who prefers a dimly lit room while watching a movie on a computer, the light emitted can be distracting.  The key cap is fairly standard ABS type with cylindrical shape to prevent slip.  The cap feels semi-smooth and doesn’t bother me and my fingers don’t slip out while typing.  The white ink used does feel bumpy on the fingers.  As time goes on, it does get wear down a little it seems.  I however, haven’t got any key’s ink to come off completely.  This is not the case with an older Das Keyboard I have however.  I have worn out a few keys there and it’s obvious now.  So, long term wise, I do think that the key legends will slowly wear out.  Good thing is, one can easily procure some new key caps since it is a standard Cherry MX key cap and stem. So, I don’t see this as a negative per se, but something to be aware of if dirty looking legend bothers you.

One thing I don’t quite get is the detachable USB keyboard cable for a device that’s meant for desktop.  I definitely get its use for a keyboard that moves around like the Leopold’s FC660C.  The RK9000 version 1 suffers connection issues because of this choice.  I am in the KISS school of engineering design.  So, I would have eliminated this all together to avoid any issue.  However, this version (the V2) vastly improves the robustness of the connector.  Rosewill wisely supplied a 90 degree braided cable to avoid having it stick out.  So, I don’t think this is a problem anymore unless the user is really sliding the keyboard around during a heated FPS session and ramming it up against other objects for example.

After using the keyboard for a while, I think Rosewill has put out a very good starting point for people who want to try out a Cherry MX board.  Its price is a bit high compared to other entry boards because of the genuine MX switches while other brands may opt for cheaper clone switches.  So, as far as Cherry MX based keyboard goes, this is reasonable market priced, especially if one catches it on sale, which seemed often.  Using this keyboard has given me a firm starting point to explore.  In some way, it serves as benchmark for its peers.  Obviously it is no match against, say Ducky Legend which has a far higher production value and budget, but RK9000 is exactly where it should be and does very well in that space.

Overall: Well thought out, minimalist approach to engineering with a little flair in artistic design choices.  Offers a solid platform for Cherry MX switches to shine.

Grade: B