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MSI made a big splash around the launch of its GK-701 a few years back and the company’s relationship with SteelSeries for laptop keyboards means that it now has a lot of experience in ‘what gamers want’. The MSI Vigor GK40 is priced as a mid-range product and there is a matching mouse available. With the GK40, MSI’s key focus is to deliver a mechanical ‘feel' keyboard (using special membrane switches) at a fraction of the cost of a full blown mechanical board. The question is, can MSI offer a better alternative to the other brands crowding into the sub-£50 price space?
With the illuminated ‘MSI Gaming’ logo at the top of the keyboard itself and the ‘Gaming Gear’ logo on the box, there’s not much doubt about which customer the GK40 has been aimed at. With so many gaming keyboards (from big-name manufacturers), now close to £100, the £49.99 street price on the GK40 is actually toward the lower end of the pricing spectrum.
That saving has come, mostly, from the decision to use a membrane keyboard – that has been set up to feel like a set of mechanical keys. The keycaps are replaceable and MSI claims that gamers will enjoy “an excellent responsive feeling with each keystroke, very close to a mechanical switch keyboard”.
The GK40 isn't short on features, either, with customisable RGB lighting, 20 keys with anti-ghosting capability and drink-spillage resistance. Having killed at least 2 keyboards through drink spillage – the last feature is a welcome addition for this gamer.
Specification
| Model Name | Vigor GK40 GAMING KEYBOARD |
| Main Key switches | Membrane switches (Mechanical-like) |
| Keyboard Interface | USB |
| Normal keys | Standard 104 keys / 105 keys / 108 keys |
| Dimensions (mm) | 472 x 207 x 39 |
| Windows support | Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8 / 7 |
| System Requirement | System with USB port |
| Backlight | 6-region RGB illumination, supports MSI Mystic light |
| Weight(g) | 1056 g |
Features
- Special Membrane Switches with Mechanical Feel
- 6-region RGB illumination with 8 amazing light effects
- Support for MSI Mystic Light
- Gaming Mode and Anti-ghosting Capability
- Water Resistant (spill-proof)
- Ergonomically Designed Wrist Rest
