So we’re having a look at the Ducky Mecha Mini today. This board is almost like an upgraded One 2 Mini – the plastic has been replaced with a full aluminium casing. The Mecha Mini comes with double shot PBT keycaps and is available in any Cherry MX flavour. I opted for my favoured Cherry MX reds. We have a detachable USB C cable, a set of keycaps and a keycap puller. What I was most excited about was the year of the pig space bar, and I wasn’t disappointed as it looks absolutely amazing.
As mentioned, the Mecha Mini features a full aluminium casing, and the build is just of exceptional quality. This really looks and feels like a premium product. When you pick it up you’ll immediately notice that it feels quite weighty. This thing is like a miniature tank and there is no frame bend as expected. I have to say that I was very impressed with the build quality here. The bezel is thin and yet very robust. I also like the black colour, as it gives the keyboard a sleek look. Another difference between the One 2 Mini and Mecha Mini is that the backplate is slightly higher, and it’s almost level with the case so you get that raised keycap feel. The backplate is made from 1.5mm steel and it has a white surface to enhance the RGB.
On the backside we have four rubber feet, and zinc alloy fold outs that are rubber tipped. There is only one level, so you don’t have the two-level fold outs of the One 2 Mini. Then of course we have our DIP switches, which allows you to change the position of the Fn key, set Caps Lock as FN, and change between N-key and 6-key rollover for compatibility. The cable is only around 1.6m in length, so it’s a little short and barely reached my computer box. A longer cable would’ve been nice.
As expected, the ergonomics are very good. The fold outs add just the right amount of height, and I experienced no wrist strain using this keyboard. The Mecha Mini has a standard ANSI layout, so you can go nuts with keycap customisation. The HyperX White Pudding keycaps looked absolutely stunning on here. Then of course you have the extra set of keycaps included in the packaging. I really like the look of the dark blue keycaps, it adds a delicate touch. But I just can’t get over how cool this space bar looks.
The Mecha Mini features double shot PBT key caps, so they won’t develop shine and the legends won’t wear. The font is thin and clean, creating a very professional and elegant look. The RGB looks very vibrant thanks to the white backplate. We also have the Cherry MX RGB switches, so they have clear housings and the LEDs sit on the PCB. By pressing Fn + Alt + T you can switch between 10 RGB modes. You can also create two customisation modes if you’re feeling creative. There’s even some games you can play with the RGB, Ducky Gamble mode and Ducky Minesweeper mode. This has to be one of the most attractive keyboards I’ve ever used.
The keyboard has a default layer, an Fn layer and a Fn + Alt layer. The Fn layer is going to give you access to things like F1-12, arrow keys, important buttons like Delete and Print Screen, and you can even control the mouse cursor. The Fn + Alt layer has to do with keyboard settings. You can switch between six profiles, change the RGB and adjust the debounce time.
Still no software, and all customisation is done with the keyboard. The user manual does a good job of explaining everything, so make sure you keep it on hand. It is possible to set dedicated arrow keys on this keyboard, so I’m able to use this for productivity and gaming. If you need help with that I did actually make a video with the Bon Voyage.
The performance of this keyboard is unlike any retail board I’ve used before. It is unbelievably satisfying to type on this keyboard. The feeling of the keys and the sound is like keyboard heaven. It’s like I’m constantly looking for an excuse to type on it. The stabs are top notch and there is virtually no rattle on the bigger keys. The space bar did however have a tiny bit of rattle on the far left, but not a big deal. Typing and gaming performance was superb. On the first day of using this keyboard I was able to beat my personal best on the Aesop typing test, hitting 140WPM. On typeracer I averaged around 95WPM. As expected, gaming performance was good too, and the Cherry MX reds performed excellently.
With a premium keyboard comes a premiun price tag, but I really feel that it’s worth forking out some extra cash for this keyboard. It’s built like a miniature tank, and you’d be hard pressed to find a retail 60% board that can match the typing and gaming performance.
headtr1p 