My conclusion
Now let’s come to a conclusion about these two keyboards, the Light Mount and the Dark Mount.
Be quiet! keyboards that leave no one indifferent.
As soon as I received the be quiet! keyboards, I was very enthusiastic. I had already had the chance to test them briefly at the press launch event in Germany several months ago, where be quiet! was ambitiously unveiling its entry into the peripherals market. An ultra-competitive, if not completely saturated, market… At the time, I thought it was a bold, even risky choice. be quiet! is therefore taking a real gamble by launching itself into this market.
But after a few hours of hands-on experience, these keyboards really impressed me. Which makes me all the more keen to discover their next mice, due later this year.
be quiet! offers two references:
The Light Mount, priced at €169.90, is the entry-level model,
And the Dark Mount, at €259.90, clearly positioned at the very top end of the range.
Yet the two share many features: a well-built plastic chassis, an aluminium plate, identical switches and double-shot PBT keycaps. The big difference? Soundproofing. The Light Mount is fitted with conventional foam, while the Dark Mount benefits from a silicone chassis base, offering better sound absorption and a more muffled typing experience. And of course, the Dark Mount comes with a range of accessories that make all the difference.
Light Mount: discreet but perhaps too classic
The Light Mount is a 100% format keyboard. It stands out for its silence, good quality finish and the presence of a volume control. But in a market dominated by Logitech, Razer and others, it may seem a little too traditional. It’ll do the job perfectly if you’re looking for a simple, efficient, no-frills keyboard, but it lacks a bit of ‘personality’.
Dark Mount: modularity and functionality
The Dark Mount is clearly modular. Its accessories can be attached to the left or right of the keyboard, depending on the user’s preference, and that’s where it makes a real difference.
The media dock, which displays information such as the title of the music currently playing or even animated gifs, adds a nice customisable touch. A bit gimmicky for my taste, but there’s something in it for everyone.
The real asset is the detachable numeric keypad, designed as an affordable alternative to the Stream Deck. It offers very similar functionality, but at a much lower price. It’s a great tool for content creators, streamers and even pros who use custom shortcuts on a daily basis.
With the Dark Mount, you get a keyboard and a Stream Deck in one, at a much more affordable price than if you bought a top-of-the-range keyboard and a Stream Deck separately.
Soundproofing :
As you’d expect, be quiet!, true to its name, has focused on silence. And the gamble paid off: the keyboards are extremely well soundproofed. Perhaps even too well for the Dark mount.
While this level of silence is excellent for multi-purpose use (office work, content creation, occasional gaming), it lacks a little ‘feedback’: the noise and feedback from the keys are so attenuated that you may be disturbed by the absence of sound feedback and sensations when typing.
For enthusiasts of custom keyboards or demanding competitive gamers, this ultra-quiet feel could be really disorientating.
But is this really the target audience that be quiet! wants to reach?
The brand’s intention seems clear: to offer a keyboard that’s ready to use, good in all areas and upgradeable over time thanks to hot-swap.
I think their intention is to appeal to those looking for quality without necessarily delving into the world of custom modding or competitive gaming.
And on this point, it’s a real success: no extraneous noise, a soft, silent, satisfying fingertip touch… And above all, you won’t wake up your neighbour, even during your long night sessions.
Who’s a be quiet! keyboard for?
As you can see, the Light Mount is a classic keyboard, designed for people who don’t want to fuss and are simply looking for a good keyboard that’s 100% ready to use. Simple, efficient, quiet.
The Dark Mount, on the other hand, is clearly aimed at a different profile: a keyboard that’s modular and adaptable, whatever the use. You can change it from a TKL format to 100%, depending on your preferences. It incorporates an equivalent of Stream Deck, which you can activate according to your needs, making it perfect for versatile use, whether for professional or demanding users.
We liked :
- A well-built chassis
- A neat, aesthetically pleasing design
- Excellent soundproofing
- PBT keys
- The fact that it’s hot-swappable
- Quiet, comfortable switches for mixed use
- Excellent software, also available as a web version for those who don’t want to download it
- The presence of a sheathed USB-C cable
- Magnetic wrist rest
For the Dark Mount :
- The accessories supplied with the Dark Mount
- Modularity, with the possibility of disconnecting and reconnecting accessories according to use
- Integrated Stream Deck equivalent
- Magnetic feet
What we didn’t like :
- A little too much RGB.
- The Light Mount, a little too classic for my taste, especially for such a high price.
- Switches and soundproofing that, although well thought-out, won’t suit everyone.
