G.Skill Ripjaws RIPJAWS KM570 MX Gaming Keyboard Review

TweakTown's Rating: 95%

The Bottom Line

Even with a tiny issue and it lacking many of the latest and greatest features, the Ripjaws KM570 MX comes highly recommended! This gaming mechanical keyboard offers plenty to get by with, the LEDs may be limited to one color, but the cost makes up for anything it may lack.

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

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It has been just a bit more than a year now since we saw our last keyboard from G.Skill, but from what we can recall, we were very pleased with what we saw. The KM780 RGB we are so fond of was a gaming mechanical keyboard with all of the bells and whistles of its day. Indeed, the software could have used a bit of tweaking, but as far as functionality and usability, not many have come close with the full package that G.Skill showed us back then.

Since we were not huge fans of the software that used to be offered, we are glad that G.Skill took the simpler route this time with their latest submission. Rather than to make the user have to pause the game, mess around with the settings, and then return to gameplay, the idea here is to offer as many features as possible, without the need to bog the PC down with wares of any form. This does not mean you lose the important game oriented functionality; it just means that a section of the keyboard has to do double duty, and give the gamers what they want. This is also a departure from the RGB craze, and while we are fans of patterns of LED lighting streaming in rainbows across our peripherals, there is something to be said for going back to where it all began as well.

The mechanical gaming keyboard that G.Skill offered us to voice our opinion on is their RIPJAWS KM570 MX. This keyboard packs in things like multimedia keys, basic Windows functions, LED modes, LED intensity keys, and is even capable of Macros and NKRO without having to deal with software. While the RIPJAWS KM570 MX may initially be assumed to be lackluster compared to what is being offered today, plenty of users just want the basics, and would rather enjoy gaming than staring at their keyboard. The KM750 MX is just such a product, where everything you want is in there, without all the bloat that comes with many other mechanical keyboards on the market.

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In the chart taken from the RIPJAWS KM570 MX product site, we get to see the majority of what comes with this design. We already know the name, we already know it is a mechanical keyboard, and it doesn't take long to figure out the MX in the name stands for the use of Cherry MX switches. While this keyboard is offered in four versions, speed, brown, and red switches, the version we have utilizes blue switches. All of the keys are backlit, but the lighting is only red in its color. The keyboard delivers anti-ghosting, NKRO over USB, and a gaming mode, which locks the Windows keys for you. There is also a bit of onboard memory, which holds all of the Macro settings you can program over one profile. We also find that there are media controls and dedicated volume keys, and we are shown at the bottom of this chart that the RIPJAWS KM570 MX comes with a two-year warranty.

G.Skill divulges the dimensions, where we find the RIPJAWS KM570 MX to be 446.5mm from side to side, 158.8mm from front to back, and it stands only 45.5mm at the highest point of the keycaps. The entire keyboard weighs in at 1.25kg, but nothing else is discussed about it. The RIPJAWS KM570 MX uses a two-piece plastic frame, and all of its surfaces are textured and black. The keycaps are cylindrical and are laser etched to allow the light to pass through them. This keyboard is also a 104-key design using the English QWERTY layout.

While we were looking at the RIPJAWS KM570 MX, we saw that G.Skill set the MSRP for this keyboard at just $99.99. However, currently, it appears that most locations are falling under the MSRP when it comes to obtaining it. As we look at Amazon, we see a list price of just $87 with free shipping to Prime members, and $13 off the MSRP is a great start. If you are looking to get the best price out there, Newegg seems to be where you want to go. As we type this review, we see a price of just $69.99, $30 off the MSRP, and even if you are not a Premier member, shipping added in here is still cheaper than through Amazon. From what we have seen from the RIPJAWS KM570 MX in the last week or so, we feel that if it can be had at just $69.99, there is a tremendous value to be had with this mechanical gaming keyboard.

Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS X99-E WS - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• CPU: Intel Core i7 5930K - Buy from Amazon
• Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Memory: KLevv Cras DDR4 3000 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Video Card: ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Matrix Platinum - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Storage: Intel 730 480GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Case: SilverStone TJ11 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Power Supply: Corsair AX1200 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit - Buy from Amazon

Packaging, Accessories, and Documentation

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Even with a relatively low cost involved, G.Skill did not skimp on the fancy packaging. The front of the box is a mix of gray and black with red accents. The company and product name are found on the left, there is an image of the keyboard taking up most of the room, at the top is a nod to the Cherry MX Blue switches, and across the bottom, eight features are listed.

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The small end of the packaging is kept simple with just the Ripjaws KM570 MX Keyboard shown in red and white on a black panel.

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The long side of the box covers things we have already seen, but near the security seal is what we found most interesting. There is a list of specifications, the system requirements, and the package contents found here.

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The second smaller end of the box is identical to what we saw on the other end. Nothing new, just some naming done in bright colors to try to grab your attention.

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The other longer panel does not bring anything new, but the way in which the company name is presented with the logo, and the large font of the product name does make it easy to read and distinguish between other G.Skill products.

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The back of the box start out with the names again, but this time the image of the keyboard has been shifted to a different view. With red dots and lines connecting features to text around the picture, G.Skill points out seven features, and even covers the anti-ghosting and NKROP support.

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Cutting through the security seal will allow the box to open, and inside you will find a bag laying on the keyboard, and also get your first look at the KM570 MX under a layer of plastic. The thick section along the back of the box is where the cable is stored in transit, and after removing it from the packaging, we find this KM570 MX to have arrived in excellent shape, ready for images and to be gamed upon.

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As part of the deal, G.Skill includes a plastic keycap puller. This is a necessity when it comes to basic maintenance. For instance, if you get snack bits on the steel plate, or after a longer duration, the desire to bathe the keycaps is made much easier to remove with this in the box.

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The quick start guide gives you the basics. It shows you how to connect the keyboard, and illustrates the layout of all of the extra functionality, but beyond that, you are left to figure things out trial and error style. The warranty guide prints out what it is that G.Skill will guarantee to work, and how to go about obtaining an RMA within the two-year period of coverage.

G.Skill Ripjaws KM570 MX Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

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The left end of the KM570 MX shows us the two-piece frame that wraps the guts of this keyboard. The top section is thick and textured, but the edges have been angled, and along the front, the square corner is eliminated for better ergonomics when using the keyboard without a wrist rest. The lower section is also angled, it is textured to match the top, and offers a place to grab the keyboard if you need to move it. We can also see that four out of the five rows of keycaps are already angled toward the user.

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These 74 keys of the KM570 MX is where most of the time is spent on a keyboard. Across the top are keys with dual functions, the font used is easy to see and read, and G.Skill has put their name and logo on the spacebar.

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The F-keys is where much of the multifunctional keys are found. F1 is used to open the My PC folder, and F2 is used to open whichever browser you have set as default in Windows. F3 will open your default email handler, and the use of F4 with the Function key will open the calculator.

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Using the Function button with these four keys, we can change features of the KM570 MX. The F5 is the Game Mode button, or Windows lockout key and F6 allows you to swap between 6-key and NKRO support. F7 cycles through the seven preset modes and the one that can be programmed by you and F8 is used to save the custom profile.

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This section starts to get into the multimedia keys. F9 will take you to the previous track, and F10 is the play/pause button too. F11 will stop whatever track is playing, and F12 takes you to the next track.

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Usually, on the right side, we find only 30 keys, but we do see an additional four keys at the top. All of the commands, arrow keys, and number pad keys are present. There are arrows on the number pad for left-hand gamers, and the G.Skill name is boldly placed here as well.

Ripjaws KM570 MX Continued

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The extra four keys at the top, just under the number, Caps, Scroll, and Windows lock LEDs are dedicated to just one function per switch. This way it is easy to must sound, lower the volume, raise the volume, or use the Macro Record button for on-the-fly programmability.

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The arrow keys also are made to do double the work. The up and down arrows adjust the LED intensities in five levels, including off. The left and right arrows are used to slow down the mode if it has movement or speeds it up, so it moves quickly across the keys.

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When it comes to the right side of the keyboard, we see everything we found at the other end, just this time the image is mirrored. We extended the feet under the keyboard and found it to raise the back enough to point all of the keys towards the user, and makes time using the KM570 MX much more pleasant.

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The cable leaves the back of the keyboard just right of center and also a grommet to protect that end of the cable. The 1.8 meters of braided cable comes to an end with a stylized connection with the G.Skill name embossed on one side. We also find the end of this USB 2.0 cable to offer a gold plated connection.

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Under the KM570 MX, we see that the frame is flat across most of the surface. Two small round feet at the back and three oval feet along the front help to keep the keyboard in one place, and there is a product sticker with the serial number put in the dead center of the bottom frame section.

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There is a foot very near each of the back corners which can be extended for better ergonomics. These feet lock well, but we also see that they are not rubberized at the end, and tends to allow the keyboard to slide more on slick surfaces.

Inside the Ripjaws KM570 MX

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We removed a few of the keycaps to see what G.Skill is doing in this respect. We find the very familiar single shot white keycaps. They are painted black, the legends are laser etched, and the stems inside are typical to Cherry MX keyboards.

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Under the keycaps, we find a full set of Cherry MX blue switches. Each switch has an LED in the top of the case, and the larger keys have the torsion bars hidden under the steel plate, which in this case is painted white.

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The top section of the frame is thick, and without needing too much else than separating key groups and having a way for the LOCK LEDs to show, it is fine for its purpose. The lower section of the frame has thick ribs, running right to left, which support the PCB and steel plate, and does so without any noticeable vibration.

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The PCB is green and all of the solder points are neatly done. However, we have seen issues from flux residue in the past, and it does not appear the G.Skill took much time for the cleanup process.

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The blob of red paint makes it tough to read this IC, but we can tell this MCU is made by NXP. We believe it to be the LPC11U35F IC which is where the onboard memory is stored, and we also know that chip is an ARM Cortex-M0 32-bit processor.

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With various modes and effects to play with, we chose to illuminate all of the keys for this image. The locks and the keys will all glow from the inside with red LEDs, and the fact that the steel plate is white, it makes all extra light reflect off of it, pushing light through all the gaps between keys too.

Gaming and General Impressions

DOOM & OVERWATCH

We like to game with blue switches, and many may not agree with us, but there is much less chance of a resting hand accidentally activating a switch. The clicks coming from the KM570 MX are loud, and the thud of the space bar returning when you are jumping around may annoy anyone trying to sleep or concentrate nearby, but we do not run into such issues. Therefore, only where we wanted to go, we traveled in the FPS titles and did not find them to be tedious to use in longer rounds.

We like not having to use the Function button to lower the sound when someone comes in, and when we were creeping around maps, we could turn the volume up to hear opponents coming. The Macro system works sufficiently, and although we do prefer to see the commands as we make them, with fortitude and concentration, setting Macros on-the-fly was not that tough to get used to.

Windows and Productivity

As a daily driver, it feels right at home in our hands. Typing speed has picked up again as our fingers are used to flying with a certain amount of pressure. We will have to address the noise in this part of the review as well because if gaming made someone angry, flying around this keyboard to write something like this article will likely drive them batty.

We tested for anti-ghosting and found it to be working correctly, and the NKRO support over USB is a nice working addition as well. 6-key will be fine for most casual writers and gamers, but the faster you are at the desktop level, the more you will run into limits and find use to switch over to the NKRO support. The feel of the caps is standard, there are no vibrations, and after a bit over a week of use, the Ripjaws KM570 MX has shown us no signs of fatigue in our wrists or fingers.

Final Thoughts

Seven modes of lighting top play with is usually enough to cover the desires of even the neediest of users, but we also have to consider that there is a black profile to set LEDs per key, the way you need them to be lit for your favorite game title. The feel of the blue switches is far superior in typing and gaming to softer linear choices, in our opinion, and we ran into nothing that a bit of time and research could not overcome. Our time with the Ripjaws KM570 MX was a learning experience, but once we had all of the features sorted out, the time has been nothing but pleasurable under our hands.

A couple of things you may want to know is that the keyboard ships with older firmware which does cause some issues when it comes to Macro programming. To counter this, jump onto the G.Skill product page, click on downloads, and grab the latest firmware. One may also want to check the readme file too, as it was there that we found out that when your programming goes bad, and it may happen, holding the left Control key the left Alt key and the right Control key all at once for five seconds will reset this keyboard to its defaults.

Although the majority of the trip has gone well, we do need to address the feet. We tend to use the feet at the back of mechanical keyboards, and with no rubber on the tips of them, we did have this KM570 MX moving a bit during a round. The travel is not that for, but we know most gamers do not like to chase their peripherals across the desk.

With just one minor flaw, we feel that G.Skill ticks all of the boxes. There are keyboards with more features and fancier lighting systems, but you need to ask yourself if those are important enough to shell out an additional $100 to get them. Consider at this point that we can grab this KM570 MX for just $69.99, there is no software to confuse you, and this keyboard is very capable of tackling your gaming needs, the value of such a product just keeps climbing. This may not be the perfect solution for every gamer out there, but it fit the bill for us, and is a gentle way into the gaming mechanical keyboards without having to break the bank to obtain it.

Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS X99-E WS - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• CPU: Intel Core i7 5930K - Buy from Amazon
• Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Memory: KLevv Cras DDR4 3000 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Video Card: ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Matrix Platinum - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Storage: Intel 730 480GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Case: SilverStone TJ11 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Power Supply: Corsair AX1200 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit - Buy from Amazon