GravaStar Mercury K1 Pro Keyboard Review: Futuristic Design, Dual RGB, and Mechanical Precision for Gamers and Sci-Fi Fans

GravaStar is a Shenzhen, China-based company that manufactures a range of computer peripherals, including keyboards, mice, speakers, earbuds, chargers, and other accessories. Their products all have one thing in common, and that is their sci-fi design aesthetic. This review looks at the GravaStar Mercury K1 Pro Special Edition Keyboard.

Design

Per the GravaStar website, “Our mission is to transform everyday products with futuristic style. We blend sci-fi aesthetics with innovation to create unique experiences.” Other companies make claims such as these, but in the case of GravaStar, this is not hyperbole. Some products look like aliens, some like robots, and others may be alien robots. Yet others have a look that is somewhere between structural and anatomical.

This is the case with the GravaStar Mercury K1 Pro. Most keyboards come in one of just a few variations, specifically the standard orthographic box with raised keys that can be found on every PC from the IBM XT going forward, and the more flush, ultra-modern look as seen on most Macs.

The Mercury K1 Pro, with its skeletal frame, which in the case of the reviewed model is made of matte black aluminum alloy, is the first thing that you notice. The RGB lighting behind it heightens the inside-out aesthetic. This lighting is on the front and sides and is fully customizable via the related app (more on that later).

As eye-catching as the skeletal frame is, the real star of the GravaStar Mercury K1 Pro show is the articulating legs that extend from the back of the keyboard. These look right out of the Alien film franchise and make the K1 Pro look like a tiny Xenomorph is crawling on your desk.

As far as the keys themselves are concerned, they are grouped and color-coded by type, and many have enlarged labels, including the back, enter, shift, tab, and caps keys. This being a 75% keyboard with 79 keys, it does not include a numeric keypad and perhaps a few other less-used keys. A numeric keypad seems like a good optional accessory for GravaStar to have in the works.

The lights in the GravaStar Mercury K1 Pro Special Edition Keyboard frame are only one of the two independent RGB lighting systems, each offering a choice of 16.8 million colors. The south-facing key backlights provide 13 different lighting modes, with custom options for lighting speed, brightness, and color changes, which can be controlled and customized in the app.

One other included feature is a tiny screen which looks like a mirror when the keyboard is off, but once it is turned on, it displays the GravaStar logo in a variety of changing colors. It is actually the caps lock indicator and shows flowing RGB when in lowercase and a constant white light in uppercase.

In the top right corner of the keyboard is a handy system volume knob which raises and lowers volume when turned up and down and mutes the system when depressed.

What’s in the Box

• GravaStar Mercury K1 Pro Special Edition Keyboard
• USB Dongle (Magnetically attached on the underside)
• USB Type-A to Type-C Charging Cable
• Key Puller
• Three Spare Switches
• User Manual

Build Quality

With the striking look of the Mercury K1 Pro, one might think it is a bit of a gimmick, but as soon as you start using the keyboard, you realize that it is a serious bit of gear. The complete keyboard with its aluminum alloy frame weighs 2.5 pounds and feels sturdy.

The keys with their custom Kailh Linear switches have a satisfying tactile feel and feature action that is often described as “buttery.” They are hot-swappable and allow for the replacement of the 3-pin and 5-pin switches.

They are constructed with durable POK (Polyketone, a high-performance thermoplastic polymer) stems, which produce a clean, crisp sound, a signature of high-end keyboards of this type.

A gasket-mounted FR4 plate holds each switch firmly in place. The layered construction also includes an IXPE foam and silicone layer, as well as the bottom plate having rubber feet, all of which ensure that there is no rattling or creaking.

The keys themselves are made of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate, a thermoplastic engineering polymer) for durability and wear resistance, so they will remain crisp and clear. They are rated at 70,000,000 keystrokes for years of heavy use.

Performance

While I do a good amount of typing daily on various keyboards, I rarely need to test my typing speed and accuracy. It’s not that they are not important. In fact, using a computer with an inferior keyboard can be enormously frustrating. It’s just that I don’t measure it, and I doubt that the target audience for this product considers it a decision-making quality as long as the keyboard feels good and delivers quickly and accurately.

The GravaStar Mercury K1 Pro Special Edition Keyboard certainly does deliver in terms of performance. The keys feature a 45g actuation force with a pre-travel of 1.2mm and 3.5mm total travel. This means that the keys do not need to be fully depressed, and in everyday use, they feel comfortable and ergonomically satisfying.

As the keyboard can be connected wirelessly through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, it comes with an integrated battery. A serious 8000 mAh battery at that, with a stated battery life of 470 hours (depending on lighting effect usage). I’ll have to take their word for it, as most of the time during our tests, we had the keyboard plugged in, and when it was not, the drop in the battery was barely noticeable.

Compatibility

The GravaStar Mercury K1 Pro Special Edition Keyboard can be connected using the USB Type-C to Type-A wired connection or wirelessly with no noticeable lag through Bluetooth or 2.4GHz Wi-Fi using the dongle that is magnetically attached to the underside of the keyboard. The Mercury K1 Pro is compatible with both Mac and Windows systems. The selections of wireless connectivity and operating systems are done using switches on the back of the unit.

Companion App

The free GravaStar Mechanical software and firmware updates are available for download via Google Drive. A somewhat odd yet functional way of providing access to the software, as my system warned me several times of the potential danger of downloading applications from the source.

The app is currently only available for Windows systems and offers users the ability to personalize their Mercury K1 Pro through facilitating key mapping, macro programming, controlling the RGB backlighting and edge lighting, and customizing the keyboard’s reactions to sound.

GravaStar Mercury K1 Keyboards

Other than the Galaxy Black model reviewed here, the Mercury K1 Pro keyboard is available in different editions, including Cyberpunk, Interstellar Silver, Silver Gray, and Battle-Worn Yellow (think Claptrap from Borderlands).

GravaStar also offer two related lines of keyboards, the Mercury K1 ($129.95) which maintains the aluminum alloy frame but does not include the articulating feet of the pro model and has solid backlit keys and the K1 Lite ($89.95), also without the articulating feet whose frame is made of transparent PVC and has clear backlit keys and a smaller 4000mAh battery.

Specifications

The GravaStar Mercury K1 Pro Special Edition Keyboard is a highly specialized bit of kit. It is not meant for everyone in the same way that a custom car will attract a smaller audience of serious buyers. But for that audience, in this case primarily avid gamers and science fiction enthusiasts, it is right on target.

It is thoughtfully designed with high-quality components for performance and durability. Although the design aesthetic may not be to everyone’s taste for everyday use, the overall quality and performance are not in question for even the most serious user.

The GravaStar Mercury K1 Pro Special Edition Keyboard sells for $179.95 and is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer-supplied review sample

What I Like: Distinctive design aesthetic; High-quality components; Dual independent RGB lighting; Excellent typing feel

What Needs Improvement: The app download process via Google Drive will produce system warnings