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.
