Test: Mount Everest Max

Mountain is a new brand that aims to create the best gaming consoles on the market. There has been a lot of talk about their Everest Max keyboard over the past year, and this summer it has finally arrived in Norway.

Their view is based on the fact that the best can mean different things to different people. Thus, the Everest Max keyboard is based on modular solutions. NumPad, Media dock, wrist support and switches can all be replaced with simple knobs, so the user has the opportunity to find the design that suits them best.

Normative solutions also seem to be expensive. At the time of writing, the keyboard costs 2,900 kroner, which makes it one of the most expensive products on the market.

design and comfort

Mountain Everest Max is a stylish, lightweight, compact and durable keyboard in a full format. The chassis is made of hard plastic, and it will definitely withstand a noise or two. The surface is covered in brushed gray metal, with the small mountain emblem at the top serving as the finishing touch.

This is one of the most attractive consoles we’ve had on the desk here for quite some time.

I have two issues with the keyboard which I have to raise first. The keycaps (ABS type) don’t live up to the price at all. It’s very thin and smooth, and only comes in a Nordic and not Norwegian layout. Mountain gives you the opportunity to buy more expensive keycaps, but the price is tough enough before.

Flexible design: Mountain Everest Max is among the sharpest keyboards we’ve tested. Photo: Mikkjell Lønning / Gamer.no

The wrist support is also not that big. It’s hard to hold the keyboard in place the first time, and the support itself is tight and tough. It lives up to the quality of, say, HyperX or better Razer.

But this is where the obvious barriers stop. The core of Everest Max is the modular ingredients, which are relatively unique.

The keyboard has four USB C ports to let you connect to the number pad and media base on the left or right side. This may not be vital, but for those with little space at the desk, this can be a good solution – or if one is left-handed.

The NumPad itself has a row of four programmable buttons, which from the start are associated with task processing, hibernation, the browser and the file explorer. I must admit I haven’t used it much myself, but if you get used to it for the first time, it should probably increase your productivity a bit. The buttons also have their own icons that you can change, so you know what they’re doing.

Roller wheel: The Mountain Everest Max excels with its unique scroll wheel, although perhaps more of a gimmick. Photo: Mikkjell Lønning / Gamer.no

The media base contains a series of media buttons for changing tracks, pausing and muting audio, along with a multifunction scroll wheel. The display on the scroll wheel is controlled by the button next to it, and can display and change the clock, switch between keyboard profiles, lighting mode, volume, brightness, hardware stats, “actions per minute” for RTS games and the like. You can even set up your own screensaver on the scroll wheel, to customize the look even more.

that’s cool. At the same time, there is no doubt that it is a sign of it being a gimmick. I mainly used it as a volume scroll wheel, after that I have to press the button on the side first to select volume in the menu, then turn on the scroll wheel. It is possible to deactivate all other menu options, but I have to press the button first. Then it is easy to lower the volume in Windows.

keys

The keyboard comes with Cherry MX Red or Cherry MX Brown switches in Norwegian online stores. It is possible to have more variants if one buys directly from the brand’s website.

We tested the Brown version, and we can report that it delivers the network as it should. MX Red will definitely be the preferred choice for those who are going to use the keyboard for gaming.

But the keyboard opens so that you can replace the keys with a few simple knobs. Mountain includes a tool for removing keycaps and keys, and you can do it in five seconds per key. All you have to do is pull it straight and enter the new keys. Then you can use any mechanical 3-pin key from brands such as Cherry, Gateron and Kailh.

Considering the build quality is as impressive as it gets, this means that you can practically replace your entire keyboard experience after a few years without buying a new one.

Software and RGB

Base Camp is a bit slow and messy, but it offers a number of features to get the most out of your keyboard. You can change the properties of each key, set up macro shortcuts and adjust what the different media buttons do.

Great Freedom: The Mount Everest Max emphasizes the freedom to do whatever you want. With an eska you get, for example, these magnetic feet. Photo: Mikkjell Lønning / Gamer.no

The program allows you to turn off functions you don’t need in the scroll wheel, something I did very quickly. After the first few days, I only used the audio function – because it’s, after all, what I need most. By turning the others off, it’s faster to go where you turn up the volume.

It’s nice to be able to quickly change the lighting mode, for example, but competitors have more to offer. You get a static mode, a color wave, a ‘hurricane’, a breathing effect, which lights up individual keys when pressed, a text-inspired mode from The Matrix and a tool to create your own pose. It is similar to what the RGB keyboard offers. The colors and brightness themselves are rather average.

conclusion

Mount Everest Max is a breath of fresh air. It’s nice to see that someone is trying to take gaming consoles to new heights, and I think more other manufacturers will copy some of the solutions here. Especially when it comes to the modular NumPad and media base.

Interchangeable switches aren’t new, but the integration here is what seems innovative. Combined with the excellent build quality, great looks, and an enjoyable main experience, this is a product that is easy to recommend. But the price unfortunately means it’s reserved for those with deep pockets.

This is also not my first choice in the price range above 2000 kr. And for the nearly 3000, the Mountain should include a more comfortable wrist rest and PBT keycaps. If they put it in place for the next release at a lower price, we’re talking about a winning recipe that could go straight to the top.