Site icon Futurelooks

The AZiO Levetron Mech 5 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Reviewed

James White
Prev2 of 3Next

There is a lot to be said about the benefits of a good gaming mouse for your PC. But one aspect that seems to be overlooked in these discussions, is the pairing of the right keyboard with that gaming mouse. It doesn’t matter how awesome your gaming mouse may be if your $15 keyboard can’t keep up. That’s why today we will be taking a closer look at a keyboard from AZiO called the Levetron Mech 5. While you struggle to say that name ten times fast, let’s see if it’s a good fit for that performance gaming mouse you’re considering or already own.

Specifications and Features

The AZiO Levetron Mech 5 clearly places its focus into being built for your gaming needs first. The mechanical keyboard uses Cherry MX Black switches for every single key to provide smooth linear keystroke, fast return, and to minimize accidental key presses. The Mech 5 also has N-key rollover for anti-ghosting, dedicated volume knob, 11 dedicated macro-keys, Win key On/Off switch, and a braided cable with two gold-plated connectors. The primary connector is for the keyboard I/O and the second one is for additional power for its more unique features.

The Mech 5 is a modular design with a detachable macro D-Pad and number pad. The D-pad slides on a rail to allow you to put the six dedicated macro keys exactly where you want them. The D-Pad can also be flipped out-of-the-way if you really need those function keys. The number pad can be removed or attach to either side of the keyboard depending on if you need a number pad or additional macros for your left hand.

Another unique feature is the water-resistant design. If you accidentally spill liquid on the Mech 5, you simply do nothing as the keyboard will drain the liquid away on its on. In fact, flipping or shaking the keyboard is discouraged by AZiO. However, tilting it slightly towards you so that liquid can access one of the drain holes works best. Perfect for those less coordinated gamers in the audience, or ones that have animals or small children around.

The keyboard itself is only part of the total package here as the AZiO Levetron Mech 5 comes with robust software as well. The software allows you to customize every single key on the keyboard and stores the profiles on your computer giving you unlimited keyboard profiles.

Pricing for the AZiO Levetron Mech 5 puts it into a very competitive price point of around $89.99 US and you do get quite a bit of keyboard. It also carries a 3 year warranty which also sets it apart from the rest.

Lets move on to what comes with the AZiO Mech 5 and how it is packed for shipping.

What’s in the Box?

The AZiO Mech 5 comes with the standard fare in the box plus the unique items just for this keyboard. You will find the driver installation CD and user’s manual that you would with any product. Also included with the keyboard itself are the D-pad, detachable number pad, USB 2.0 extension cord, and a set of replacement keys. The replacement keys are for the WASD and arrow keys which come with a tool to remove keys from the keyboard.

The entire package is held within a molded cardboard frame within the box. There are currently no alternate versions of this keyboard with different Cherry MX switch choices like other brands. This helps to minimize cost with the Mech 5, and is reflected in the fairly competitive price of around $89.99 US.

Now let’s pair the AZiO Levetron Mech 5 with a PC and see what it can do when put to a real test.

Test System Setup

I decide the best way to go about this review was to live with the keyboard as my personal keyboard for daily use over the course of a few months to really get a feel for it. Although the gaming rig itself has no real bearing on performance of the keyboard itself, the parts load out is as follows for reference…

Hardware

Software

  • Windows 7 Pro 64-bit
  • Battlefield 3
  • Magicka
  • Metro 2033: Last Light
  • Neverwinter Nights 2 Deluxe Edition
  • Elder Scrolls V: Skyim
  • Photoshop CS3
  • LibreOffice
  • Opera 12.15

Now that you have an idea of how we were using the AZiO Levetron Mech 5 lets move on to see if its performance is just what the doctor ordered. Or if we need another prescription.

Software Setup and In Game Performance

The most important function of this keyboard is what it was designed to be: A gaming keyboard. There are dedicated macro keys on the left side of the keyboard with two modes for game use, but you can also reprogram any key on the keyboard. If you need more macros on your left hand for MMORPGs, move the number pad to the left side for an extended macro panel. Selecting the functions of the keys are done with the included software.

The AZiO Mech 5 software is both simple and very robust. It shows the keyboard layout where you click on the key to bring up the program options. To setup the macro keys’ secondary mode, physically press the A/B button to switch to the B functions in AZiO’s software. You can then save your profile with a custom name so you can select it for later use.

AZiO also includes several replacement keys for the WASD and arrow keys to help the in-game experience. These keys have a rubber texture to improve grip, are separate them from other keys, and prevent in-game wear of your normal typing keys. These keys are slightly shorter than the standard keys which takes getting use to when you first install them, but does provide the ability to find them easily in darkness. We will discuss this more in the everyday usage section.

We found the D-pad on the Mech 5 more useful than the macro keys as we could identify the button without looking at the keyboard. The D-pad can get in the way of pressing the number keys across the top of the keyboard due to its large size. This can be a hindrance at first but quickly becomes a non-issue after you use the Mech 5 in-game a few times.

The macro keys are a different story with all the same shape and little space separating them. It is very hard to tell them apart from one another. The macro keys are useful in RPG games such as Neverwinter Nights 2 or MMORPGs that use a mouse click for movement since you can then move your left hand to the macro keys when needed for combat. The macros are very useful in these cases but take work to get the best setup.

The macro programming system is a little too simple as it is designed to mimic your actual key presses. This means it records ever key as a press, a hold, a release, and a timed gap between keys. In some cases this resulted in actions being slower than if manually done. Thankfully you can tweak the timed gaps to improve in-game performance of your macros but it takes a lot of trial and error to get it right.

We found some games like Magicka that don’t work well with macros and proved to be very frustrating to set up. Uniform timed presses or inputs that are too fast will not register. You have to be mindful of how a game responds to your input to tweak the commands to wait for actions to be complete before moving to the next one. This process can be time-consuming but worth it once you get them just right.

Overall the AZiO Mech 5 is a good companion for gaming with only a few minor annoyances to overcome. We think AZiO should add a way to import/export macros or profiles so the online community can share the best setups for games. Gaming is the central focus of the design of the Mech 5, but it also needs to handle those day-to-day tasks when needed.

Everyday Usability

As you recall, the AZiO Mech 5 uses Cherry MX Black switches which are best for FPS according to most. The Cherry MX Black switches are linear, require a fair amount of force to actuate, and do have a noticeable, but not overbearing click when pressed. These can be considered the grandfather of the beloved Cherry MX Red switches many companies are using now. The only difference between the two being that the MX Black require more force to press down.

In scenarios when you are not playing a game the Cherry MX Black keys work in your favor a bit. Due to the high pressure required to press them, we found it easier to abort pressing an incorrect key. This minimizes typing errors and saves you time. The draw back is hand fatigue setting in faster than other mechanical switches. If you often type for sessions lasting hours on end, this is not the keyboard for you.

The other issue we found for everyday use are the included gaming keys. The red WASD keys are much shorter than the standard caps. As a result I found my hand unconsciously shying away from pressing them because they felt different from all the other keys. It took a few days to completely get over this, but installing the standard caps for typing is an option as well.

The best part of the AZiO Mech 5 in daily use actually comes from the macro keys and d-pad. We found ourselves finding new ways to program the keyboard to fit whatever software being used. Programming the D-pad as media keys, common actions for Photoshop, or one button spell check in your office suite. It was fun to program new layouts, but you always have to return to the software to switch profiles. We would like a way to switch between created profiles without having to return to the software. We think this would be a much better way to improve the Mech 5 usability in and out of games.

Final Thoughts

The AZiO Levetron Mech 5 strives to be more than just a mechanical keyboard and goes the extra mile to give you more. The simple robust programming options of the software give it a lot of flexibility and versatility in and out of games. It just needs to be a little easier to get the functions in place without having to reopen the software each time. We think there is potential here for improvement such as an app detection system or profile switcher.

When you are ready to test your metal in your favorite game, the Mech 5 is a brother-in-arms we were glad to include. The Cherry MX Black keys, N-key rollover, Win On/Off switch, macro keys and D-pad can improve your game performance. Even though tweaking the macros to save you time can be itself time-consuming, it is well worth it in the end. The macro program could be streamlined further by including a way to import and export profiles.

The AZiO Levetron Mech 5’s best feature is the physical flexibility of its modular design. You can flip the D-pad out-of-the-way, remove it from the keyboard, and relocate the number pad allowing you to customize the keyboard to your needs. The only thing holding it back is the bulky and over stylized design of the keyboard. It also lacks in wrist comfort with nothing soft to place your wrists on. Adding your own is an option but comes at the cost of limited desk real estate due to the Mech 5’s already phyically large size.

After a couple months of daily living with the Mech 5 it has quickly become a part of my PC and we have no reports of anything coming loose or breaking within this time frame. Although there are arguably better designed keyboards, some even more comfortable, few offer this many options out of the box. And the ones that do provide similar options are much more expensive than the reasonable $89.99 US price tag.

If you want a good gaming mechanical keyboard that is versatile and cost efficient, then you need look no further. And once you get use to the amount of key pressure needed and the gaming WASD keys if you use them, the Mech 5 can be a very good daily keyboard. I just can’t recommend it to those who type for long hours and game very little as the Cherry MX Black switches just aren’t the most optimal. But then again, this keyboard was purpose built to do gaming well, with typing seemingly a secondary concern.

If gaming is your thing 100% of the time, then the competitive price tag and the uniquely long 3 year warranty might be what you’re looking for to go with the high performance mouse you love. We certainly think it’s a great value.

Pros:

  • Cherry MX Black switches for every key (except D-pad)
  • D-Pad very useful in games
  • Extra USB 2.0 port for low power devices
  • Sturdy build quality
  • Resistant to liquid damage
  • Flexible key programming

Cons:

  • Bulky design
  • Number pad disconnects during windows standby
  • Palm rest uncomfortable during long periods of use
  • Audio knob not for everyone
  • Multiple keyboard profiles can be cumbersome

Overall Rating: 8.5 / 10.0

Help Us Improve Our Reviews By Leaving a Comment Below!

 

Prev2 of 3Next

Exit mobile version