Recommended
Considering the price and features, it is indeed a RECOMMENDED option for beginners with a limited budget. However, to uncover more secrets, scroll down!
Redragon K551 Mitra, Sounds very Indian, lol. But who cares? Pricing does sound quite attractive. It certainly appears to be an excellent choice for those in the market for an entry-level mechanical keyboard. Shall we delve into the details?
This critical review aims to dissect and evaluate the keyboard's key features, performance, and overall value proposition.
From its Outemo Blue switches to its ergonomic design, we will scrutinize every aspect to help you make an informed decision about whether this keyboard is the right fit for your needs.
Get the Best Price
Specifications of Redragon K551 Mitra
| Keyboard Layout | 100% 104 Key |
| Switches | Outemo Blues (Cherry Blue Equivalent) |
| Materials | Aluminum + ABS Plastic |
| Backlit | RGB Backlit |
| Medium of Connection | Gold-plated Corrosion free USB connector |
| Protection | Splash Proof Design |
| Multimedia Support | 12 Multimedia Keys |
| Weight of Device | ≈1.07 Kg |
| Switch Durability | 50 Million Keystrokes |
| Actuation Force | 50gf +/- ≈5-10gf |
| Keystroke Travel | 2.0mm +/- 0.3mm |
Box Contents
Our packages included the listed items
- The K551 Mitra Keyboard
- A keycap puller
- A key switch puller
- A few extra keycaps
- A user manual
Design and Appearance
When examining the design, Redragon K551 Mitra lacks a distinctive quality, making it challenging to differentiate from other keyboards.
The first noticeable feature is its bezel-less design, with keys spanning the entire width of the keyboard. Additionally, the overall design prominently features the Redragon Black colour theme.
Redragon K551 Mitra is slightly recessed within the chassis, seemingly aiming to impress users with the travel time and actuation force visually.
Initially, the keyboard design appears to offer comfortable typing, thanks to its curved surface keycaps that readily accommodate your fingers during typing.
This design prevents your fingers from experiencing strain or stress. When the device is flipped over, the feet on the bottom side provide a more comfortable angle for typing.
Build Quality
The construction of the Redragon K551 Mitra incorporates both aluminium metal and ABS plastic materials. The base of the keyboard, which houses the circuitry and serves as the foundation for the entire keyboard, is crafted from aluminium.
This choice not only augments structural rigidity but also imparts a premium tactile sensation when held.
The keycaps, on the other hand, are fashioned from plastic to maintain a lightweight profile. These keycaps undergo a double-shot injection moulding process, ensuring that they resist fading even after prolonged and extensive use.
This longevity of the keycaps extends the keyboard's overall lifespan, reducing the need for frequent replacements.
It's worth noting that the keyboard's weight falls within the moderate range, striking a balance between being neither excessively light nor overly heavy. While the keyboard typically doesn't require frequent relocation, its lightness contributes to its overall ease of handling.
Switches
The Redragon K551 Mitra keyboard boasts Redragon's exclusive Outemo Blue switches, which draw inspiration from Cherry Blues.
These switches are engineered to endure more than fifty million keystrokes, extending the device's lifespan considerably. Notably, these switches offer a relatively short travel distance and require minimal actuation force.
What sets Redragon K551 Mitra apart, yet is often overlooked, is its hot-swappable feature. This remarkable capability allows users to replace faulty switches with ease.
Additionally, this feature remains compatible with other Outemo switch offerings, catering to a wide range of preferences and enthusiasts.
Considering that the primary audience for this keyboard consists of gamers, it's important to note that the featured Outemo Blue Switches, or Blue Switches in general, may not be the most optimal choice for gaming.
This is due to their pronounced tactile keystrokes, which produce a distinctive and relatively loud sound when pressed rapidly. Moreover, when compared to Red Switches, Blue Switches exhibit a more jittery actuation, potentially affecting gaming performance.
RGB
RGB LED modules power the LED backlighting in the Redragon K551 Mitra, initially preconfigured with five preset RGB lighting modes.
These modes offer five different levels of brightness, allowing you to customize the RGB lighting to your personal preferences and adapt it to your surroundings as you see fit.
Keycaps
The keycaps provided for the Redragon K551 Mitra have been designed to cater to this particular keyboard's ergonomics.
They feature a precise curvature that aligns with their placement on the keyboard, ensuring that when pressed, they naturally guide your fingers to the optimal point for actuating the switches.
Furthermore, these keycaps are crafted using a double-shot injection moulding process. This method not only enhances their durability but also prevents the embedded text from fading over time.
In addition, the keycaps are equipped with a diffused underside cover, allowing the RGB lights to shine through the embedded text, adding a vibrant and visually appealing dimension to your keyboard setup.
Anti-ghosting
The Redragon K551 Mitra's keys also come equipped with anti-ghosting technology. In simpler terms, this means that when you press keys consecutively, not a single stroke is missed.
This feature isn't limited to just gaming; it's equally beneficial for activities like coding or even if you're a fast typist. You'll find this feature extremely helpful and responsive in ensuring that every keystroke registers accurately.
Mode of Connection
The Redragon K551 Mitra is equipped with a wired USB connection, designed with a gold-plated, corrosion-free wire.
Redragon ensures that both the connector and the contact points inside it remain resistant to corrosion over time, even in regions with high humidity or moisture levels. This thoughtful design element guarantees the longevity and reliability of the keyboard's connection.
Gaming Experience
Gaming with the Redragon K551 Mitra provided me with a rather mixed experience. On one hand, the keyboard's response was incredibly swift, with no discernible delay between the key press and action execution. The keyboard layout also accommodated my gaming posture comfortably.
However, a significant drawback arose from the fact that the Redragon K551 features Outemo Blue switches, which generated substantial noise during gameplay.
Unfortunately, it seemed that Redragon hadn't taken much initiative to mitigate this noise and create a more comfortable gaming experience, which proved to be quite disruptive in my surroundings.
Windows Key Switch
The Windows key is typically a crucial component of any keyboard, as it grants quick access to the Windows menu with a single keystroke. With the latest versions of Windows, it also facilitates easy searching.
However, during gaming sessions, there's a risk of inadvertently pressing the Windows key while reaching for Ctrl or Alt.
This keyboard offers a convenient feature: the ability to lock the Windows key. This ensures that you can game without the worry of accidentally exiting your game due to an unintended keypress.
Software of Redragon K551 Mitra
Another point to consider is the support for software. However, it can be challenging to locate the correct version of Software for your specific device but we are going to make it easier for you. Download the software of Redragon K551 Mitra from here.
Red Flag
The only drawback I find with this keyboard is its fixed connection. Having a permanently attached wire to the keyboard poses the risk of potential issues down the line.
The solution to this concern could be to provide a detachable USB Type-B (Micro USB) or Type-C cable, complete with a corresponding port on the keyboard. This would allow for easy replacement in case the cable gets damaged.
Additionally, it's worth noting that despite the connection being through a non-braided wire, it may raise safety concerns for some users.
Comparison with Similar Products
In this price segment, there are numerous keyboard options to consider. Based on my research, here are some keyboards you might want to explore if you're operating within a similar budget:
Redragon K582 SURARA RGB LED Backlit Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
This keyboard is equipped with Outemo Red Quiet Switches, clearly indicating its gaming focus. It provides a full 104-key layout, with each key supporting anti-ghosting, and offers 6 backlit themes with 18 lighting modes for customization.
Similar to the K551, these switches are also swappable, and the keycaps are crafted using a double-shot injection moulding process, ensuring longevity and preventing printed text from wearing off.
Aside from featuring Red switches, there are no other noticeable differences when compared to the K551.
SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL RGB Gaming Keyboard
While the SteelSeries brand typically offers a premium range of products, they do have a few options in the budget category. One might initially consider the SteelSeries Apex 3 due to the brand's strong reputation.
However, it's important to take a closer look at what you're getting. Firstly, this keyboard is a membrane keyboard, not a mechanical one. It also adopts a compact tenkeyless design, meaning it lacks a Numpad.
Furthermore, it utilizes Whisper Quiet gaming switches, which do support anti-ghosting but are guaranteed for only 20 million keystrokes, compared to the K551's 50 million. In terms of backlighting, the keyboard offers PrismSync
RGB Illumination with millions of colours to choose from and includes a volume rocker.
Despite SteelSeries' reputation for producing premium peripherals, their products generally come at a higher price point. Opting for cheaper SteelSeries products may not always be the best choice. Now, when comparing it to the K551, this keyboard might not be the ideal option.
FAQs
Conclusion
The Redragon K551 is a commendable entry-level mechanical keyboard, that offers essential features. Its primary drawback lies in the noisy and somewhat stiff Outemo Blue Switches.
If you prioritize gaming, the Redragon K582 SURARA with Red switches might be a better choice. Keep in mind that switch swapping is an option, but it comes with additional costs.
