Xiaomi Yuemi MK01 Mechanical Keyboard Review: Great for Typing, Bad for Gaming

When it comes to consumer electronics, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has pretty much everything you can view. While the company is known worldwide for its affordable smartphones, it’s more than just a smartphone manufacturer in China, making everything from clothing to personal transportation solutions. So when Xiaomi released a mechanical keyboard under the Yuemi brand, it didn’t come as much of a surprise to us. With the Yuemi MK01 mechanical keyboard, the company promises a clean, aesthetically pleasing design at a fairly affordable price of around Rs 289 Yuan. 3.010. But the keyboard is available on Chinese e-commerce websites like Banggood. Rs. 5,175. So yes, it’s a bit pricey if you’re planning to buy it in India but how does the Yuemi MK01 perform against other budget mechanical keyboards on the market today? Well, let’s dive right into the review and find out:

Xiaomi Yuemi MK01 Features

Before we go any further, let’s take a look at the general specifications of the Xiaomi Yuemi MK01 mechanical keyboard:

Design and Build Quality

The Xiaomi Yuemi MK01 mechanical keyboard has an Apple-like design with a white and silver color scheme.like Apple’s own Magic keyboard. However, unlike Apple’s keyboard, the Yuemi MK01 offers mechanical switches that feel more satisfying than Apple’s low-profile membrane switches. The keyboard feels very premium in the hand thanks to its metal backplate that gives it some weight. The deck is made of polycarbonate with a glossy finish that has little or no resilience and really looks and feels premium.

The back of the keyboard has four durable rubber feet that keep the keyboard in place while you type. The top two feet can be flipped to raise the keyboard to a 6 degree angle, which makes typing much more comfortable. In terms of layout, the Yuemi MK01 is up to a pretty good standard. ten keyless (TKL) ANSI layout with standard key sizes. With its TKL design, the keyboard is quite compact and can be ideal for people working in tight spaces.

The keyboard is pretty simple, it’s does not have any media keys or any programmability, but it has a decent white backlight with five brightness levels that can be adjusted by tapping the Fn key and the up/down arrow keys. The only changes I could find to the backlight were caps lock, scroll lock, and Windows keys that glow orange when changed. While the caps lock and scroll lock functionality are pretty obvious, the Windows key has a locked mode that can be turned on or off by pressing the Fn and Windows keys together. This is a handy add-on for gamers who don’t want their gaming experience to be interrupted by accidental Windows key presses.

Although the keyboard may seem wireless, it is not and is a detachable USB Type-A to micro USB cable for links. I really like that the cable is detachable and can be easily replaced if damaged, which is a possibility as the cable that comes with the keyboard is not braided and has a rather flimsy construction.

The keyboard is visually stunning, and the Xiaomi Yuemi MK01 is a solid option if you’re looking for an affordable mechanical keyboard that doesn’t have a flashy gaming design aesthetic.

Keys

Comes with Xiaomi Yuemi MK01 TTC Red mechanical switches, a cheap Chinese clone of Cherry MX Red. Much like other Chinese mechanical switches, TTC Red switches accurately replicate the characteristics of Cherry MX Red switches, offering the same force and actuation point, the same black housing and the same smooth feel. However, the keys on the Yeumi MK01 do feel a bit mushy when they bottom out, so the overall feel isn’t quite as satisfying as the original Cherry MX Red switches. The keys aren’t too loud and you won’t be bothering anyone while you’re installing your new mechanical keyboard.

While all keys benefit from TTC Red switches, spacebar leverages a TTC Black key It feels a little heavier than other keys. All larger sized keys also Cherry-style stabilizers to prevent them from swinging in place. Because of the stabilizers, the larger keys feel a bit spongy and aren’t as tactile as the smaller keys on a keyboard, but the stabilizers do their job well and you won’t feel any rattling on the stabilized keys.

Key Covers

used by Xiaomi doubleshot ABS/polycarbonate keycaps With backlit legends (characters describing a key) that line up with the keycaps on the Yuemi MK01. ABS/polycarbonate double-shot molding makes the keycaps highly durable, yet affordable. Again, ABS keycaps are known to turn yellow with age.Considering it’s all white, this could be a major issue with the keyboard. The keycaps, unlike the keyboard deck, have a matte finish, which makes them feel quite smooth and pleasant to type on.

Since the legends are molded into the keycaps, you don’t have to worry about them wearing out over time, which is another plus point. This the font used in the keycaps is quite nice But unlike other cheap Chinese keyboards, the non-standard shortcut for the print screen, scroll lock, page up, page down, home and pause/pause key can be a bit annoying for some.

Yield

Typing on the Xiaomi Yuemi MK01 mechanical keyboard feels quite satisfying The keys feel good and tactile, the keycaps are smooth and contoured which makes them feel really comfortable and the keys are well spaced so accidental keys are pressed very little and far apart. While the larger keys can be a little mushy at times, my experience with the keyboard has been great and I can easily recommend it if you’re getting it for productivity-related tasks.

However, if you are considering getting this keyboard for your gaming setup, then I would strongly advise you against it. There are several reasons behind this, most notably the keyboard. No N-key rollover feature as introduced by Xiaomi. The keyboard’s product page claims that the keyboard supports 11-key rollover, but in my testing I found that it only has 2 key rollovers, keyboard failed to register several three-key combinations such as (S,O, L) and (Q,H, U). Keyboard it also has issues recording quick double tapsIt will hinder game performance and can also be bad for people who type too fast.

Pros:

• Great minimal design and premium build
• compact form factor
• Good mechanical switches
• Detachable USB cable
• Bright and even backlight

Cons:

• 2-key rollover
• Inconsistent double tap
• No media/programmable macro keys
• rotten cable
• availability

See Also: Zebronics Max Plus Keyboard Review: Best Budget Mechanical Keyboard?

Xiaomi Yuemi MK01: Definitely Not For Gaming

Xiaomi Yuemi MK01 a big budget mechanical keyboard for typists Those looking for a minimal yet premium design and a satisfying typing experience. However, the keyboard not great for gaming as it only supports 2 key toggle and has trouble recording quick double taps which is a big hurdle for gamers. keyboard can only be purchased in Chinathis is another major issue, but Banggood (Rs. 5,175) at a premium of just over Rs. 2,000, with additional shipping charges where applicable. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of ordering a keyboard from a Chinese e-commerce website, you can look into other budget options like the Zebronics Max Plus (Rs. 2,644) or Cosmic Byte Black Eye (Rs. 3,499) It offers excellent performance and build quality for its price range, along with support for N-key rollover and RGB lighting.

Buy Xiaomi Yuemi MK01 Mechanical Keyboard from Banggood (Rs. 5,174)