Highlights
- Cyber01 offers stunning design and magnetic switches for exceptional gaming performance.
- Easy software control allows for individual key actuation point adjustments for a customized experience.
- Despite size and design preferences, Cyber01 provides comfort and improved gaming response.
While gaming keyboards are becoming increasingly diverse, many are starting to look pretty similar. However, that is hard to say about MelGeek's new Cyber01. This keyboard delivers stunning looks and a unique design, and its gaming performance is out of this world, mainly thanks to the magnetic switches inside. Magnetic, or Hall Effect, keyboard switches have been a thing for quite some time, but now more and more keyboards offer this switch option. With the performance of the Cyber01, it is easy to see why.
The Best Switches for Gaming for 2024
It can be challenging to identify the best switches for gaming, so this guide makes it easy for gamers to know exactly what to look for.
Over the past few weeks, Game ZXC was lucky enough to test the Cyber01 to see if it is up to snuff for hardcore and casual gamers alike. Without giving too much away, if you are a TKL form factor fan and want to try magnetic switches, you will definitely want to check out the Cyber01.
MelGeek Cyber01
Designed by gamers for gamers, the MelGeek Cyber01 delivers fantastic gaming performance with its magnetic mechanical switches and cyberpunk styling that will be sure to make a statement on any desk that it sits on. Enhance your gaming experience with better timing, faster feedback, and more precise controls.
- Form factor
- TKL
- Switch options
- Magnetic
- Backlight
- Per-Key RGB
- Keycaps
- PC
- Supported operating systems
- Mac/Windows/Linux
- Hot-swappable
- Yes
- Connectivity
- Wired
- Excellent typing and gaming experience
- Not too loud
- Comfortable ergonomics
- Unique design
- Design is very bold and might not be everyone's style
- Some keys are pingy at times
Box Contents and Setup Process
- Cyber01 Keyboard
- Keycap puller
- USB-C cable
Getting this keyboard out of the box and ready to go is simple. Because the USB-C port is not recessed, you can use pretty much any USB-C cable you want to connect to this keyboard, but the one that comes with the Cyber01 is also incredible quality and, after a bit of massaging, does not kink or get in the way of a clean desk set up.
One of the most significant selling points of this keyboard is the amount of software control that the magnetic switches provide. Still, if you just want a plug-and-play experience, MelGeek's Hive software is not necessary to get started but is well worth a download.
Design and Features
At first glance, the design and overall look of this keyboard will probably catch a lot of eyes. The cyberpunk style is so well done on the Cyber01. From the look and shape of the case down to the keycap legend, it has a look that is not recreated on many other keyboards. The transparent keycaps show a bit more dust than their opaque counterparts, but with regular air dusting, the transparent keycaps are well worth the little bit of extra dust for their cool appearance.
Even though the case material is not the premium aluminum that some keyboards offer, the combination of weight and sturdiness gives it a very premium feel. While the cyberpunk design might not fit into everyone's setup, it is hard to deny how well MelGeek did with the design on this keyboard. And if you are looking for the perfect cyberpunk aesthetic keyboard to complete your setup, it is hard to go wrong with the Cyber01.
Besides the excellent looks of the Cyber01, the main selling point of this keyboard is the magnetic switches. We will dive more into the raw performance of these switches later, but as the keyboard's main selling point, they definitely hold up their end of the bargain.
Because magnetic switches don't have to make physical contact with anything to actuate a keypress, you can set the actuation point for each key individually whenever you like using the hive software. This not only allows gamers to set their keypresses to however sensitive they like, but it also allows them to program multiple keypresses to one key. With just one keypress, you can trigger up to four different actions, and while the learning curve to hit those accurately might take a bit, for power users, that is incredibly powerful not only for gaming but also for day-to-day use.
Comfort
First and foremost, the Cyber01 is a gaming keyboard, but it isn't designed with ergonomics in mind. Despite that, it is still a very comfortable keyboard to use. There are no adjustable feet, so you are stuck at the typing angle the Cyber01 sits at, which is neither too aggressive nor too flat. You might have to take some time adjusting to the typing angle if you are not used to it, but after a couple of hours of typing, this keyboard will feel excellent to most users.
Even though the Cyber01 is a standard TKL form factor, the case is slightly larger than most other TKL keyboards, which takes up more desk space and allows you to spread out your shoulders a bit into a more ergonomic position. Compared to the Made68 from MelGeek, which uses a 60% form factor, this extra bit of room on the keyboard made it considerably more comfortable for those long sessions. During the testing period, whether this keyboard was used for typing or gaming, we could easily use it for hours at a time with little to no strain or loss of comfort.
The magnetic switches' main intention is to help with gaming performance, but they also make dialing in a comfortable typing experience much more accessible. On a traditional mechanical keyboard, if you wanted to switch to a lighter actuation force to reduce some finger strain, you would have to switch out all the switches, but with the Cyber01, that can be done in a couple of clicks. This made the end of the workday so much more enjoyable, and my fingers were incredibly grateful for a bit less strain after a long day of typing.
Performance
Unfortunately, the magnetic switches on the Cyber01 didn't instantly take my gaming to e-sports pro levels, but gaming performance was considerably boosted while testing this keyboard. At first, the boost was so noticeable in fast-paced FPS games like Valorant and Helldivers II that it could have been chalked up to a placebo effect, but after going back to my usual daily driver and then back to the Cyber01, the difference was still there.
The rapid trigger switches made reactionary moves and fast-paced battles so much easier to keep up with consistently instead of just the odd time here and there. Regardless of the title being played, this keyboard never felt like it was lagging behind or getting in the way of my gaming experience. Because there is nothing worse than when you are trying to enjoy a game, and you have to fight with the keyboard to get the best performance out of it.
However, be aware of the Cyber01's extra size compared to most TKL keyboards. On a smaller desk, this keyboard can interfere with mouse movement, especially if you are a lower DPI gamer.
Software
Customization software for PC peripherals is always hit or miss. With the amount of control MelGeek's Hive is supposed to offer, the odds of it being bulky and clunky were high, but thankfully, this software is a joy to use. Everything is incredibly straightforward and fairly well explained, so changing all the custom settings that the Cyber01 offers is not too daunting.
Whether you are changing the sensitivity of a key or adding extra controls to a key depending on the travel distance, everything is very well laid out and explained, so even if you are new to keyboard terminology, there is very little to get confused about. However, the one bummer right now is that if you want to change the actuation of every key, you have to go through and click all of them instead of just being able to select the whole keyboard at once. This should be fixed soon, with the keyboard profiles option that is currently under development.
At the time of writing, the Hive software is still fairly new, so there are still some things under development, like the keyboard profiles and the odd bug here and there, but even when compared to established brands like Asus and their TUF software, Hive runs circles around that and is much less straining on most PCs. At the end of the day, good customization software comes down to a lightweight app that gets the job done and makes it easy to make changes when needed, and Hive accomplishes this task handily.
Is The MelGeek Cyber01 Right For You?
Over the last couple of weeks, the Cyber01 has thoroughly impressed us here at Game ZXC, and we can comfortably recommend this keyboard to most gamers out there looking for a magnetic switch option. Of course, the cyberpunk style is not for everyone, and unlike some other themed keyboards, it is kind of hard to overlook the design of the Cyber01 if you are not a fan. It is very bold and in your face.
However, if you like the look of the Cyber01, it is hard to beat for the level of performance that it provides, the number of customization options, and an overall very reasonable price point compared to other magnetic switch keyboards. Besides other options from MelGeek, the closest competitor to the Cyber01 is the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL, which is $100 more and doesn't have nearly as fun a design.
MelGeek Cyber01
Designed by gamers for gamers, the MelGeek Cyber01 delivers fantastic gaming performance with its magnetic mechanical switches and cyberpunk styling that will be sure to make a statement on any desk that it sits on. Enhance your gaming experience with better timing, faster feedback, and more precise controls.
- Form factor
- TKL
- Switch options
- Magnetic
- Backlight
- Per-Key RGB
- Keycaps
- PC
- Supported operating systems
- Mac/Windows/Linux
- Hot-swappable
- Yes
- Connectivity
- Wired
- Excellent typing and gaming experience
- Not too loud
- Comfortable ergonomics
- Unique design
- Design is very bold and might not be everyone's style
- Some keys are pingy at times
Related Products
More Traditional Gaming Keyboard With Magnetic Switches | SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless | |
Wireless Magnetic Switch Keyboard | Akko MOD007B-PC Keyboard | |
Smaller Form Factor Magnetic Switch Keyboard | MelGeek Made68 |
FAQ
Q: Are magnetic keyboard switches better?
When it comes to raw performance, it is hard to say that magnetic switches are outright better than traditional ones. However, they are more durable because no physical contact needs to be made for the keypress to actuate.
Q: Are magnetic keyboards good?
Whether gaming or working on a magnetic keyboard, magnetic switches are excellent options that provide a fast, responsive feel. Plus, their customization options make magnetic switches incredibly versatile, no matter the use case.