Adam 30/07/2023
I previously bought a Ten Key Less Mk2 version of the Majestouch keyboard and now I've more desk space I decided to buy a full size keyboard. As the Mk3 had been released I delayed until The Keyboard Company had them in stock and bought the Mk3 version rather than the Mk2 version.
For both my Mk2 and my Mk3, I have Cherry MX Brown keys and so they two keyboard feel and sound very similar.The Mk3 has PBS keycaps which are double shot and will never wear out, while the Mk2 has the cheaper ABS ones which very quickly go shiny and look ugly. The keys on my MK2 never wore out and the shine which arrived after only a few weeks never made the keys unreadable, but it was annoying. After the same amount of time the keycaps on the Mk3 still look brand new.
The Mk3 does sounds slightly different to the Mk2, it's a little bit more muted and dull. It is not silent and compared to a cheap laptop keyboard you will hear it even if you are a light typer. I love how it feels and the typing noise while audible is not annoying - but no ideal in a shared office. Cherry make a more silent key which this keyboard comes with.
The keyboard is rather neat and compact, not taking up much more space than the keys it contains and the overall build is solid, the keyboard doesn't flex or make an annoying noise, and the rubber feet anchor it to the desk perfectly. It is heavy, so you don't want to be moving it about - but then again isn't not really designed to be portable like that anyway. The case appears to be very similar if not the same as the Mk2 but looks more of a matt finish and so far isn't looking dirty.
The USB cable is fixed a plain plastic cable, though not braided or detachable, is of a superior quality. A USB to PS2 adaptor is provideded in the box. Unlike the Mk2I keyboards, the Mk3 provides full roll-over on both the PS2 and USB interfaces.
The keyboard is not backlit, nor does it have extra keys or a programmable macro engine. As such it's a keyboard designed for people who type a lot rather than people seeking a showy toy., or for fancy games playing. There are some extra markings on the function keys should you want to use them for media playing.
There are cheaper and there are more expensive keyboards than this, but I think if you want a computer keyboard that just works, then I highly recommend this one.
Having had both the Mk2 and the Mk3 I would say that the keycap change is nice and I do prefer the new keycaps over the old one. However I must confess that I prefer the ergonomics of the TKL keyboard over the full sized one now, as I don't use the numeric keypad that much and with a TKL keyboard I can position my trackball (or mouse) closer to my hand and have more deskspace too.
Summary, if you want a keyboard for typing on, then this is an excellent choice. If you don't work with numbers that much, then consider the TKL version, especially if you are right handed as your mouse will be closer and you'll have more deskspace. Finally while you shouldn't eat over your keyboard and you should wash your hands regularly during the day, but so far the PBS keycaps on this keyboard so far are still looking brand new!
Don't buy this keyboard if you want some, light weight, light show with a zillion extra features - this is not that kind of keyboard.
