Be quiet! is a name well known in the world of PC components, crafting some of our favourite cases and coolers over the past few years. Now, the company is branching out into peripherals with the launch of its first mechanical keyboard. Built from premium materials and a joy to type on, the be quiet! Dark Mount keyboard marks an impressive debut. It’s been my daily driver since it arrived at the CGM offices, and for good reason.
From its sturdy construction to its modular flexibility, the Dark Mount is clearly designed with both gamers and professionals in mind. Out of the box, it makes a strong first impression and continues be quiet!’s tradition of durable, well-engineered gear. The keyboard features a sleek, frameless layout with a dark aluminum top plate that feels at home in both gaming setups and minimalist workstations. The build quality is exceptional, with a reassuring heft and rigidity that signal long-term durability.
What truly sets the Dark Mount apart, however, is its modular design. A detachable numpad and media dock give users the freedom to customize their layout in ways rarely seen at this level, especially in a board this satisfying to type on. The numpad attaches magnetically to either side of the keyboard, supporting both left- and right-handed users. Meanwhile, the media dock includes a tactile volume roller, dedicated media controls, and a customizable display for added utility. Visually and functionally, it calls to mind the Mountain Everest Max we reviewed months ago, but with a slightly more refined aesthetic. I couldn’t be happier with how cohesively it all comes together.
This modularity goes beyond simple placement, offering a level of customization that allows you to tailor the Dark Mount to your specific workflow. The media dock’s integrated display screen can be personalized with custom images, and while be quiet!’s companion software still needs some refinement, it gets the job done. Users can assign a range of functions suited for gamers or creators, akin to a built-in Stream Deck. While it doesn’t quite match the flexibility or polish of Elgato’s offering, the fact that this functionality is seamlessly integrated into the keyboard makes it a fantastic bonus that proves useful across a variety of tasks.
“Built from premium materials and a joy to type on, the be quiet! Dark Mount keyboard marks an impressive debut.”
Of course, this is still a keyboard, and the typing experience is one of the most critical aspects. Thankfully, the Dark Mount delivers on the typing front with a consistently excellent feel across gaming, work, and creative use. Staying true to be quiet!’s reputation, the keyboard places a premium on silent operation, and it’s one of the quietest mechanical keyboards I’ve ever used.
Equipped with be quiet!’s proprietary silent switches—available in both linear and tactile variants—the keyboard delivers a smooth, near-silent experience. These switches are paired with three layers of sound-dampening foam and silicone padding, significantly reducing both noise and vibration. Whether you’re rapidly typing out a document or dodging demons in Doom Eternal, the Dark Mount maintains an impressively low acoustic profile. The factory-lubricated stabilizers further reduce unwanted rattling or friction, creating a polished and cohesive typing experience that outshines many competitors in this space.
As I alluded to earlier, the Dark Mount offers a comfortable and satisfying typing experience, going well beyond the fact that it’s almost silent in use. The PBT keycaps provide a textured surface that feels pleasant to the touch, while the silent switches offer a smooth, responsive keystroke with enough tactile feedback to ensure you never miss a press. The well-lubricated stabilizers help keep each keystroke consistent and wobble-free, resulting in a premium, well-engineered feel throughout.
While the Dark Mount isn’t marketed as a gamer-first keyboard, it still delivers an excellent gaming experience, comparable to options from Razer, Corsair and Turtle Beach. The fast actuation and accurate response of the silent switches ensure you’re never held back in competitive settings. The customizable RGB lighting adds a splash of visual flair, which, like it or not, has become a requirement for any product vying for the gaming label—or at least, that’s what the industry would have you believe. That said, because the Dark Mount isn’t specifically tailored for gaming, it lacks some of the more advanced features found in dedicated boards, such as rapid trigger technology and adjustable actuation points now found in premium offerings.
The Dark Mount also marks be quiet!’s first foray into companion software, and while the suite has some rough edges, it offers a solid baseline for most customization needs. Users can remap keys, create macros, and adjust the RGB lighting to suit their preferences. The software also supports customization of the media dock display, including uploading custom images and configuring display functions. While it’s not as refined as Razer Synapse or ASUS’ Armoury Crate, it avoids the bloat those platforms are often criticized for.
The interface is generally intuitive and easy to navigate, though some users may find the number of options initially overwhelming. Thankfully, the ability to save multiple profiles makes switching between tasks or games simple, and be quiet! does a good job ensuring even advanced settings are approachable and not overly tedious.
“Thankfully, the Dark Mount delivers on the typing front with a consistently excellent feel across gaming, work, and creative use.”
I have to say, I’m a fan of this keyboard—but like most things, the Dark Mount isn’t without its drawbacks. In this case, the premium look and feel come at a cost. With a suggested retail price of $255, the Dark Mount is one of the most expensive keyboards on the market. Granted, be quiet! packed a lot into this board—from the modular design to the media controls—but for users who just want a solid mechanical keyboard, it may be well outside their budget.
There are plenty of capable options offering a good-enough experience at less than half the price. That said, top-tier keyboards from Razer and Corsair fall into the same price range, and for those seeking a silent, premium experience, there’s still a lot to like here.
One area that could use improvement in future software updates is the addition of clearer gaming features and refinement of the IO Center app. While the Dark Mount performs admirably in gaming scenarios, it lacks some of the more advanced features found in dedicated gaming keyboards—something that may be a deal-breaker for competitive players seeking peak performance and deep customization. While be quiet! may address some of these limitations through updates, it’s important to judge peripherals on what they offer today, not what they might do later, especially at this price point.
The be quiet! Dark Mount is a unique and innovative keyboard that brings modularity, customization and near-silent operation together in a cohesive package. Its detachable numpad and media dock offer a level of flexibility rarely seen in the keyboard market, while the in-house silent switches and multi-layer dampening deliver one of the quietest mechanical typing experiences available. It may not tick every box for hardcore gamers, but for creators, casual gamers and those who prioritize build quality and acoustic performance, the Dark Mount is a standout choice. For these users, it’s an exceptional product—one that promises years of comfortable and quiet typing.
