As a PC gamer, I absolutely love red themed PC components, as their sleek look is a welcome and infrequent sight in the market. The astronomical rise of anime and gaming has pushed PC companies to widely produce high-quality, anime-themed components, a trend in which MSI has excelled with its MLG lineup. The MSI TKL Wireless MLG edition keyboard is a colorful, fun, and exciting addition that brings significant flair to their latest collection of MLG products.
The build quality of the Forge TKL is exceptional, offering a premium and dense feel right out of the box. MSI touts a meticulously engineered internal structure featuring five different layers of sound-dampening foam and gaskets. This elaborate construction is dedicated to two key objectives: to isolate the vibration of each keystroke and preserve the clean, thocky sound of the mechanical switches. The combination of these layers with a robust lower structural casing effectively eliminates unwanted pinging or hollowness, resulting in a typing and gaming experience that feels incredibly solid and acoustically satisfying. While I have become more accustomed to Gateron Milky switches, I absolutely love the sound the keys make and they were very comfortable to use during long gaming sessions.
The Forge TKL is a hot swappable keyboard and I immediately took advantage of being able to switch out some of the keys for a special edition set of keys inspired by hololives Mori Calliope from Hyte which to my surprised matched up very well with the black and red theme of the keyboard. The mini LED screen on the top right of the keyboard adds some charm as it displays a small picture of the MSI character Loong: nia and displays indicators for having caps lock and other functions and charging levels. It’s nice to see this level of customization in a keyboard under $100, as this is usually something done by the modding community, which makes it a killer deal.
The Forge TKL did not seem to have compatibility with the MSI Center software. However, users can navigate the small LED screen by pressing the dedicated key (marked with a small picture of Loong:nia) and using the arrow keys. This allows for adjustments to settings like brightness, sound, and the selection of various solid colors or a rainbow RGB mode. I personally favored the purple lighting, as I felt it complemented the keyboard well, although I was disappointed that the keycap letters themselves did not illuminate.
After a good week with the Forge TKL, I am happy to report that the Forge TKL performed exceptionally well in my testing. Of the number of PlayStation 5 games I tested, titles such as Genshin Impact, Final Fantasy XIV, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus, and Overwatch all worked without any issues and even though I am more attracted to white PC components, the strong compatibility demonstrates the keyboard's versatility beyond just PC gaming, making it a reliable choice for multi-platform enthusiasts.Given that I am currently using the Hyte Y60 hololive Hakos Baelz Edition PC case, I am actively seeking out and trying to acquire as many red-themed PC components as possible.
The MSI Forge TKL is an ideal 75% form factor keyboard for the anime enthusiast gamer. Featuring satisfying, sound-dampened mechanical switches and a vibrant aesthetic, it's the perfect addition to a more colorful setup. The keyboard's linear mechanical switches offer a satisfying sound and travel distance, a testament to the multiple structural layers within the casing. Furthermore, it excels in performance and compatibility, working flawlessly across a range of tested PlayStation 5 games. I highly recommend this keyboard; it is one of my favorites I have used so far.
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Review sample provided by MSI