Rosewill's RK-6000 Striker is a great budget mechanical. Despite the numerous complaints about the Striker, I enjoyed using the Striker, not so much as a gaming keyboard, but as a typing keyboard. Rosewill bills this as a gaming keyboard and includes some macro software and rubberized replacement keycaps, but the switches used are (mostly) clicky and tactile and make for a great typing experience.
The Striker is an all plastic build, and is quite flexible. No steel backplates reinforcing the Striker, and each keycap is ABS with Rosewill being kind enough to throw in some rubberized orange keycaps with a keycap puller. Included is a WASD and arrow key replacements, and the texture is very low profile and bumpy. Strangely the replacement keycaps have their text at the bottom of the key instead of the top, like the black ABS. I appreciate replacement keycaps, and these are a good quality. The rubberized keycaps don't really fit the personailty of the keyboard however, and seems like a thinly veiled attempt to make this keyboard more "gamey." The shift and space bar also use a Costar style stabilizers, ungreased, but uses awkward retaining tabs that snap out of the keyboard and keycaps. I almost lost one taking it apart. There are two flip up plastic flaps as feet, with 4 small rubberized feet. The flip up flaps are not rubberized. The cord is braided leading to a gold plated USB connector after a ferrite core. There are cable routing channels underneith, but don't sit very securely in the channels. The layout is very unconventional. There is a large reverse L shaped Enter key, with the left slash key next to the very small backspace key. The Ctrl keys are also different sizes, with the right being as big as a regular key. There is 6KRO that was verified with Microsofts anti-ghosting software.
Off the bat, the Stiker looks like a vintage keyboard with large bezels, and Rosewill's Coke script logo emblazoned above the modifier LED's. Pulling off the keycaps reveals a throwback looking switch in the form of a knockoff Alps switch. I could not find any information about who makes the switches, but their quality is really hit or miss. Colored blue similar to Cherry's MX Blue switch, the switches click and have tactile feedback much like Cherry's Blue too. Problem is the switches click is hit or miss, not always making an audible click. Going over every switch slowly, I got an audible click out of every press, but typing quickly sometimes the key would not make a click. I could still feel the bump, but the switches feel much cheaper than a Cherry Blue. They are also extremely lightweight feeling, despite Rosewill's rating of 50g. Rosewill guarantees 20 million depresses, 30 million less than a Cherry but a good 19 million more than a membrane. Rosewill also threw in some macro software, which also doesn't fit the keyboard. There is no onboard memory, and since they keyboard doesn't have media keys or Win key lockout, the only way to implement these features is using the software. The software does allow for 10 profiles, but there is no easy way to switch profiles midgame. The software is also clunky and looks like it was developed in the early 90's.
It seems like I've bashed this keyboard but what it really does do great is typing. The tactile bump and click feels a million times better than a membrane and allowed for 91 WPM with a 0% error rate on typeracer.com. If it weren't so noisy I'd love to bring this keyboard to work. It is not a great gaming keyboard, and a linear Cherry Red style switch is best for gaming, and it is hard to double tap, but that doesn't mean everyone will hate gaming on this keyboard. I played some Far Cry with no problems, but Unreal Tournament was not as good of an experience. At $49 at the time I bought this and a lowly $39 at the time of writing this review, the Striker is a steal. If you want a great typing keyboard with casual gaming to go along, the Striker is an awesome keyboard.
Pros: Great for typing, blue Apls clones are clicky and tactile, looks like a vintage keyboard, 20 million clicks are a lot higher than any membrane keyboard, included replacement rubber keycaps, awesome price.
Cons: Not as high qualityas a lot of other mechanicals, unusual layout that takes time to adjust to, awkward software.
| Brand | Rosewill |
|---|---|
| Item model number | RK-6000 |
| Operating System | Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 8, Windows 7 |
| Item Weight | 2.68 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 18.3 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 18.3 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches |
| Color | Black |
| Manufacturer | Rosewill |
| ASIN | B00G505M4S |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | October 24, 2013 |
