The Roccat Magma Mini is a 60% format membrane keyboard, usually reserved for mechanical models.
It stands out with pretty RGB effects and a very affordable price, but is a bit lacking in terms of general finishes. The general responsiveness also remains behind compared to real mechanical switches.
60% format gamer keyboards have definitely been popular for a few years, they opt in the vast majority of cases for a mechanical design that can quickly drive up the bill.
With its new Roccat Magma Mini , the German brand is trying to stand out from the competition by offering a membrane keyboard in an ultra-compact format. A rather daring bet, but which could pay off for players with a limited budget.
With a price below $50, the Magma Mini is one of the 60% least expensive models on the market, and people who don’t like mechanical switches might find what they’re looking for.
Inside the box, we go clearly to the essential since the keyboard does not come with any accessory or a removable cable.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Vibrant RGB lighting | Keys are a bit narrow |
| Affordable for under $50 | Wire isn’t removable |
| Easy shift and silent keys | |
| Water and dustproof | |
| IP33 rating |
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Specifications
| Roccat Magma Mini | |
|---|---|
| $ | CHECK PRICE |
| Released | January 10, 2023 |
| Manufacturer | Roccat |
| Form Factor | 60% |
| Connectivity | USB 3.1 Type-A |
| Lighting | 5 zones RGB |
| Switches | Membrane |
| Polling rate | 1,000Hz |
| Macro keys | 4 |
| Adjustable Height | Yes |
| On-board memory | No |
| Software | Swarm |
Key Features
- Affordable sells for under $50
- Spill Resistant
- Compact sleek design
- Easy shift and silent keys
- RGB and SWARM customization
Design
The Roccat Magma Mini is a smaller version of its big brother, the Roccat Magma. It is similar to what we already knew about the Roccat Magma. So, we’re still on a keyboard with pretty simple finishes that stands out mostly because of its impressive RGB lighting.
As with the original model, there is a semi-transparent plate covering the whole top of the chassis. This plate helps spread the light from the five RGB zones below it.
The result is obviously good, and people who like light effects should like it. The keyboard has a simple design and finishes make it clear that it is a low-end product.
The body is made entirely of plastic, and even though it only weighs 400g, which makes it solid.
When compared to slightly stronger models, the Magma Mini tends to bend when we treat it badly, so we won’t do that too often.
The joints between the top and bottom of the chassis are also not very nice, and the plastics used seem to be of low quality. All of this shouldn’t be too surprising, since the Magma Mini can be bought for less than $50. At that price, it’s hard to think that the finish will be perfect.
When it’s on the desk, the keyboard is out of the way, and its small size frees up a lot of room for moving the mouse. A good point for players who choose fairly low sensitivities and need to make larger movements to get the best precision.
Ergonomics
The Magma Mini is also easier to carry because it can fit into a small backpack thanks to its 60% size. Unfortunately the power cable in the keyboard is fixed.
As for the keys, the Magma Mini comes with ABS keycaps, and you might not be able to replace them with a different kit, since those are almost always only for mechanical keyboards.
The layout of the keys goes back to a traditional 60% layout, without a numeric keypad, direction arrows, or F1–F12 keys.
To do these things, you’ll need to use combinations of the FN key, and each key has a label that tells you what other command it can be used for.
Keep in mind that the RGB effects also help these secondary legends. Always with the FN key, you can also control the media, the volume of the sound, or the brightness of the backlight.
The back of the keyboard has a few rubber pads and two feet that can be pulled out and used to change the angle of the Magma Mini.
Roccat Swarm Software
The keyboard is compatible with Roccat Swarm software. Available free of charge from the manufacturer’s website, it allows you to create up to 5 configuration profiles for the Magma Mini. These can then be loaded automatically depending on your games or applications.
The “Key assignment” tab allows you to modify the mapping of the keys but also to take advantage of the EasyShift[+] option in order to assign a secondary action accessible in combination with the TAB key.
Some keys of the main mapping cannot be modified, but all the keys seem to benefit from an alternative command. The software offers a long list of actions and it is possible to create your own macros.
From the “Lighting” tab, you can control the different lights on the keyboard. As on most membrane models, we are here in the presence of lighting in 5 zones and it is therefore not possible to configure each button individually. Several effects are offered, including gradients with a rather successful rendering. You can, if you wish, create your own gradients by selecting the color of each of the 5 zones.
Performance
The Roccat Magma Mini is made with membrane switches instead of mechanical ones. This is usually the case with entry-level models, so you shouldn’t expect the keystroke quality to be very good.
As is often the case with this type of keyboard, typing isn’t as responsive as it could be, and the keys aren’t as hard to press as they could be.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but it’s hard to go back to this type of keyboard once you’ve used a comfortable mechanical one.
We also don’t use the responsiveness of some mechanical or analogue switches (see our review of the Wooting 60HE for more on this), so the keyboard might not be good for competitive players.
But for a membrane model, the Magma Mini is much better than fine.
The keystrokes flow well into each other, and the 60% format is great for gaming.
The set is also much quieter than a traditional mechanical keyboard to use.
Especially important if you are used to playing with other people.
It’s also no problem to highlight for a more office-like use, like writing this whole article with the Magma Mini.
Conclusion!
With a price tag of $45, the Roccat Magma Mini has established itself as one of the most affordable 60% keyboards in the market. This is an interesting product by Roccat, as it allows players on a tight budget to participate in this format.
To keep the price low, the manufacturer is offering membrane design, which will not suit all players, particularly those who want to take advantage of a perfectly reactive strike. The overall finishes are also a little lacking, with some cheap plastics and a fixed cable.
Gaps that the Magma Mini attempts to fill with extra features like its convincing RGB lighting or the EasyShift[+] option to double the number of controls.
The SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL is a good alternative in this price range for those looking for a compact membrane model with direct access to the directional arrows.
