Page 4 - Conclusion
In many ways, the Mountain Everest Max comes with a lot of features that hold up well, even four years after its launch. From the onset, the premium nature of this keyboard is clear, starting with the unboxing experience. The tenkeyless keyboard is built well, even if it is somewhat hefty. The modular design means we have multiple accessories, such as the media control hub and the number pad, in multiple locations. Other modular aspects include the magnetic stands, hot-swap switch sockets, numerous cable valleys, and the removable palm rest. I also appreciate the full-size USB 3.2 Gen 1 port at the back. Internally, there is sound-dampening foam to reduce unwanted sounds. In terms of usability, there were both positives and negatives. On the positive side, the keyboard offers a generally good typing feel. Although you may not prefer Cherry MX switches, these felt adequate for what they are. The audible feedback is softer and higher pitched, while the linear travel is satisfactory in terms of smoothness. On the negative side, my number pad often disconnected and could only be fixed by disconnecting the entire keyboard. Additionally, there are a few aspects that have not aged gracefully. For instance, the hot-swap sockets are solely three-pin compatible, which means the Everest Max is not always compatible with non-Cherry options. It would also have been preferable to see PBT keycaps. The biggest drawback is the software. Base Camp offers good options and configurations, but is unstable with seemingly random resets and long times to apply changes. The lack of a save button also means there is no way to batch saves or receive a visual cue indicating whether changes have been saved. Overall, the experience is a mixed bag with a great feature set let down by age and bugs. Thankfully, with time the price of the Mountain Everest Max has decreased since its launch and can be found for $150. The Everest Max may not be the latest keyboard, but I hope Mountain continues to demonstrate forward-thinking in their future products while addressing these usability issues.
Mountain provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
6/10 means A product with its advantages, but drawbacks should not be ignored before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 6.4/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Mountain Everest Max is a modular mechanical keyboard that combines impressive, enduring features with some aspects that unfortunately show their age.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. A Closer Look - Disassembly and Internals
4. Conclusion
