Rantopad's 'Black Panel' Keyboards Shoot For Simple, Durable

Some mechanical keyboards are flashy--gaudy even--whereas others sport a downright austere look. The upshot of the latter type, aside from espousing a more “grown up” look that jibes better in professional environment, is often the promise of high quality. Rantopad’s “Black Panel” keyboards fall squarely into that camp.

The tenkeyless (87-key) Rantopad MXX Black Panel series keyboards have, as you may have surmised, an all-black look, including the black top panel. Essentially, the Black Panel keyboards are the Cherry MX siblings of the Gateron-equipped White Panel and Red Panel keyboards. Other than the switch types and colors, the Panel series keyboards are essentially identical.

All feature a magnesium top panel, single-color backlighting and lighting effects you can control with the keys. (Oddly, Rantopad did not list the LED color of the Black Panel series. The White Panel has blue LEDs, and the Red Panel has white ones.)

They also boast “organic-coated” keycaps that promise to be oil-proof and wear-resistant, and they have detachable, gold-plated USB cables.

What’s most notable about this series is the price difference. The Gateron Blue switch editions cost $99.95, whereas the Black Panel models with Cherry MX Blue or Brown switches cost another ten bucks, at $109.99.

The Black Panel, White Panel and Red Panel Rantopad MXX keyboards are all available for preorder now. It is unclear when the keyboards are supposed to ship.

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