The German manufacturer be quiet! was previously known primarily for its cooling solutions and PC cases. Now the company is venturing into the peripherals segment, and it’s a big one: With the be quiet! Dark Mount, there is now a pretty impressive gaming keyboard with unique possibilities. Our test.
Technical data
| Product name | Dark Mount |
| Switch type | Mechanical |
| Button switch type | be quiet! Silent Linear Orange (45g); be quiet! Silent Tactile Black (55g) |
| Switch types offered | Linear; Tactile |
| Switch interchangeable | Yes |
| Keycaps interchangeable | Yes |
| Switch material | aluminum |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 174 mm x 566 mm x 52 mm |
| weight | 1,382 grams |
| Onboard memory | 5 profiles |
| Cable connection | USB Type-C |
| Rollover technology | N-Key Rollover |
| Keycaps | PBT Double-Shot |
| Operating modes | Typing; Gaming |
| Sampling rate | 1,000 Hz |
| Special features | Modular customization; media dock; number pad with display keys; magnetic feet |
| Colors | black |
| Price | € 249.90 * |
be quiet! Dark Mount Review: Noble aluminum giant
- Excellent workmanship
- appealing design
- practical modules
The bulky box of the be quiet! Dark Mount already makes it unmistakably clear: there is a lot on offer here. The new gaming keyboard has a black, but undoubtedly elegant design. The aluminium plate with its anodized finish makes quite an impression and looks absolutely robust and of high quality. It weighs around 1.38 kg, which testifies to its high-quality workmanship.
As soon as you open the box, you can see that the be quiet! Dark Mount does a lot differently to other gaming keyboards. In addition to the keyboard itself, you will find various detachable modules in the scope of delivery. The concept is somewhat reminiscent of the Mountain Everest Max (our test), but in this case it is noticeably more valuable.
For example, there is a media dock that can be positioned in two different places on the top of the keyboard via USB-C – either on the left or right, whichever you prefer. It not only has a rotary control to adjust the volume and four dedicated media buttons, but also three control elements and a small display that can be used to make various settings. Unfortunately, this is not a touchscreen.
Also included is a detachable numeric keypad, which can also be docked to the left or right of the keyboard via USB-C. It also offers a total of eight touch-sensitive keys that – like the Stream Deck – can be freely assigned to open apps, start games or shut down the PC, for example. Very cool, this makes a dedicated solution on the desk virtually unnecessary.
The height of the keyboard can be adjusted on the underside using magnetic feet. One to four feet can be combined to adjust the angle. The whole thing is also held in place magnetically.
The scope of delivery also includes a very comfortable, two-part palm rest, as well as a keycap and switch puller. The be quiet! Dark Mount is of course hot-swappable. The whole system is very robust and of high quality, but the separate components do have a slight amount of play. However, this is not really tragic.
Everything you could wish for
- high-quality PBT keycaps…
- … but they are a little slippery
- Hot-swap functionality
- excellent mechanical switches
As already mentioned, the bbe quiet! Dark Mount is hot-swappable. This means that you can easily replace the keycaps and mechanical switches using the included puller.
The manufacturer uses high-quality and durable PBT caps for the keycaps. However, these are much more slippery than, for example, the Corsair K70 Pro TKL (our test), which offers much more comfortable and non-slip keycaps. Nevertheless, it is very commendable that cheap ABS plastic is not used here.
In terms of switches, there are two different mechanical switches to choose from on the Dark Mount. Both are be quiet!’s own creations, but are based on the Cherry MX switches.
Our test model comes with the be quiet! Silent Linear Orange switches. These are very quiet, linear switches that trigger very gently without any noticeable feedback. They have an actuating force of 45g and impress with an excellent pressure point and high precision.
Alternatively, there are the be quiet! Silent Tactile Black switches, which offer tactile feedback and a better pressure point. Both switch types are pre-lubricated at the factory, which also applies to the stabilizers.
In fact, the trigger feel is so buttery soft that I first had to read up during the test to find out whether these are not rubber dome switches. I have rarely used such smooth and precise mechanical switches and even though I am not a fan of linear switches, the typing and typing feel is excellent.
Incredibly quiet, chic RGB lighting
- Pleasantly quiet; great insulation
- Chic RGB lighting
The same applies to the damping and, as a result, the volume. be quiet! provides the keyboard with three sound-absorbing layers, as well as another foam layer between the keys and the PCB and another below the PCB.
The result is a keyboard that feels like a mechanical keyboard, but doesn’t sound like one at all. Anyone who prefers quiet keyboards will certainly be happy here, because even pressing large keys such as the space bar or Enter gives almost no audible feedback. This keyboard is as quiet as a whisper. Unbelievable.
Of course, customizable RGB lighting is a must. You can make the be quiet! Dark Mount glow in all imaginable colors and even add effects to individual areas or each key within the accompanying software.
The lighting not only covers the keys, but also a strip of light that encircles the keyboard. This can also be individually adjusted, even for each segment separately if desired.
From static lighting to breathing and color-changing effects to reactive effects, everything is included here. Micsrosoft Dynamic Lighting is also supported, which allows uniform adjustment of the RGB lighting of all compatible devices under Windows.
Practical test of the be quiet! Dark Mount
- excellent typing feel
- practical media dock
- 8 capacitive display buttons
The practical impression of the be quiet! Dark Mount is largely excellent. The typing and typing feel of the keyboard is really first-class, not only thanks to the excellent stabilizers and switches. The fact that the keyboard is whisper-quiet and thus lives up to the manufacturer’s name further supports the practical impression.
What I also really like is that the keycaps also show alternative assignments. In addition to the classic second assignment (for example the € sign on the E or the ! on the 1), even the third assignments such as square brackets on the 8 and 9 keys or the backslash on the ß key are shown. This is a rarity.
The Media Dock is definitely a practical addition that not only simplifies media control, but also allows many setting options without you having to switch to the companion app.
However, I would have liked the volume dial to work a little more precisely – despite the very convenient grid. Adjusting the volume by 1-2 points is hardly possible. The volume usually jumps up or down by four points. A touchscreen would also have been the icing on the cake.
What I find very cool and extremely practical is the number pad with dedicated display keys. They actually feel like the big names from Elgato and the like, but they click a bit more and provide great feedback.
They can also be freely configured within the companion app. Both in terms of their function and the icons that are displayed on them. Open a browser? Start your favorite game? Or play Markos? Everything works perfectly.
Compared to the dedicated solutions, the brightness of the buttons cannot be adjusted and the contrasts are also somewhat weaker, but for me personally this is a very practical addition. I rarely need more than eight buttons anyway.
App connection: IO Center / IO Center | Web
The manufacturer has created a brand new companion app called IO Center for its first own peripherals such as the be quiet! Dark Mount. The special feature: If you don’t feel like downloading the software, you can also make all settings via the website using IO Center | Web.
The range of functions and structure of both applications are identical. The interface is pleasantly tidy and clear, with the UI for the keyboard divided into four areas:
The first item, Lighting, allows you to customize the RGB lighting in various effects. Here you can choose between six different effects, adjust the colors individually or adjust the brightness. Alternatively, you can switch Microsoft Dynamic Lighting on and off here.
The other menu items are self-explanatory. In the “Key assignment” section, you can configure all keys individually, even at FN level. It is also possible to create macros and adjust the buttons on the num pad.
Under “Media Dock”, you can add your own image to the dock display, change the menu color and adjust the screen timeout. Last but not least, you can perform firmware updates in the other settings, as well as deactivate various key combinations or the Windows key.
be quiet! Dark Mount Review: Conclusion
What a debut! It’s no longer a secret that be quiet! builds excellent cooling solutions or cases. But the manufacturer from Schleswig-Holstein has also made an excellent entry into the peripherals segment. The be quiet! Dark Mount has become an outstanding keyboard that impresses above all with its wide range of customization options.
Yes, the idea of attachable and detachable modules is not really new. But the implementation here is noticeably better than that of the competition, also in terms of quality. The workmanship of the keyboard is outstanding, the damping excellent and the volume… almost inaudible.
Good: If you’re looking for a “thocky” keyboard, you won’t find it here. But if you are looking for a really almost inaudible mechanical keyboard with great switches, hot-swap and practical stream deck functions, the be quiet! Dark Mount is a first-class all-rounder.
However, the debut model is not entirely free of criticism. The height adjustment with the magnetic feet is not quite as robust as with the integrated feet. The volume dial of the media dock could work a little more precisely and it would be nice if the display keys of the numeric keypad were also available individually as a module – so you could benefit from the more compact TKL layout (I’m not a fan of full-size keyboards). But otherwise? I don’t have much to complain about.
If you are looking for an excellent and extensively customizable keyboard with great workmanship and unique features, you will definitely be happy with the be quiet! Dark Mount – even if the price is set quite high.
- Ingenious modular features
- Hot swap
- Excellent workmanship
- Great insulation and stabilizers
- Whisper quiet
- Volume dial somewhat imprecise
- Keycaps should be easier to grip
be quiet! Dark Mount
Workmanship
Features
Ergonomics
Software
Value For Money
94/100
Excellently crafted and incredibly quiet keyboard with great modular functions and an outstanding typing feel.
