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Everest customisable mechanical keyboard passes Kickstarter goal

by Mark Tyson on 4 March 2020, 13:21

Tags: Cherry, Kickstarter

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qaejc5

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Modularising PCs, devices and peripherals often strikes a chord with tech enthusiasts as the concept usually has adds customisability, upgradeability and reparability. The latest company to test the modular trend is German company Mountain, with its Everest keyboard on Kickstarter.

Mountain wrote to HEXUS yesterday afternoon, on its project launch day, but it was already more than half way to its funding goal. At the time of writing it has now comfortably surpassed its €20,000 target, having gone past €30,000 in pledges. There are 29 days to go on the Kickstarter clock. Unfortunately, Mountain doesn't seem to have set up any 'stretch goals' as yet.

I've decided to bullet point the main features of Everest, for clarity:

  • Core TKL keyboard
  • Numpad can be attached to either side of keyboard
  • Numpad features quartet of programmable colour display keys (each 72 x 72px)
  • Keyboard and Numpad made from dual Aluminium plate frame
  • Hot-swappable Cherry MX switches (red, blue, brown, speed or silent)
  • N-Key rollover, USB-C connector cable of 2m, 100Hz report rate
  • USB 3.2 Gen 1 hub provides an additional high-speed USB port
  • Media control dock slides to position along top of core keyboard (magnetic)
  • Media dock has colour IPS 240 x 204px display with touch and rotary control to adjust volume, brightness etc and display PC information.
  • On board memory for 5 profiles
  • Optional magnetic palm rest
  • Magnetic riser feet
  • Cable routing channels
  • Per-key RGB backlighting

Mountain is selling two versions of the Everest keyboard via Kickstarter at the moment, the Everest Core and Everest Max. The Core version is of course a more basic offering but still offers the TKL keyboard, 2m USB-C cable, five extra Cherry MX switches, a Mountain keycap, a combo keycap & switch removal tool, 4 spacers for Everest’s feet, and a pack of Mountain logo stickers. There are also funding pledge options bundling the Core with either the palm rest, media dock or num pad.

Moving up to the Everest Max, a backer will receive all the Core 'ingredients' plus all three current expansions, namely; the Media Dock with Display Dial, Numpad with 4 display keys, Palm Rest, a Mountain keycap, a combo keycap & switch removal tool, 8 spacers for Everest & add-on feet (instead of 4) and a 15cm USB Type-C to Type-C cable.

Whichever keyboard / bundle you buy, you can upgrade to a Tai-Hao PBT double injected keycaps option (US ANSI) for extra an €25. The Everest keyboard has already gone through a lot of pre-production stages and Mountain are confident it will start to ship to backers in August this year. Pricing starts at €99.



HEXUS Forums :: 14 Comments

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I'm keeping an eye on it but for me, it's like AU$335 for the Max which is quite a bit… Granted, there are just as expensive (if not more) keyboards on the market but anything over $250 is not something I'd usually consider buying.
Mountain
Hot-swappable Cherry MX switches
What, you can take the actual switches out, as well as popping keycaps off… while the keyboard is plugged in and running?
OK… I guess I could see when that might have a use…

Ya know… I think I like this one.
I'd need an additional mini-screen, of course, but that's easily done.

I might have to get me one of these!
Can you add a second numpad? That would be interesting…
Still a straight slab though. Split ortholinear is where the innovation is.

I wonder if it can be customised enough to have an ISO layout instead of ANSI.
Dashers
Still a straight slab though. Split ortholinear is where the innovation is.
That'd be quite good for gaming around a HOTAS, perhaps.
The real innovation would be to have all the different features (Tenkey, display, ortho split, media controls, macro keys, ports, docks, etc) in a massively modular package… but without looking like the MadCatz S.T.R.I.K.E 7 keyboard did!!