If you’d told me a year ago that Be Quiet!—the company best known for silent PC cases and whisper-quiet fans—would stamp its name on a full-size RGB-drenched gaming keyboard, I’d have assumed you were pulling my (braided) cable. But here we are: the Be Quiet! Light Mount is the German cooling titan’s bold leap into the world of mechanical peripherals, promising a more hushed typing experience and a customizable lightshow that could outshine a disco ball. In a landscape dominated by gaming juggernauts, can this newcomer hold its own? After a few weeks of daily pounding, I’ve got answers.
Let’s get straight to the highlights for the impatient (or RGB-obsessed):
Be Quiet! keeps things refreshingly simple here. The Light Mount is a full-size, wired-only board (USB-C) with the brand’s own hot-swappable linear or tactile switches (Cherry MX style). You get quality doubleshot PBT keycaps, a padded magnetic wrist rest, and a sturdy 2m braided cable. No wireless, no gimmicky OLEDs, just the essentials—with a heavy emphasis on lighting.
Lighting is the star: each key is RGB-customizable, with a 46-zone top light bar and two five-zone strips on the flanks. Three layers of sound-dampening foam keep clatter at bay, while five programmable gaming keys (M1–M5) run down the left edge, topped by a dedicated volume knob and mute button.
Despite the RGB razzle-dazzle, the Light Mount itself is all business: matte black plastic, a slim aluminum top plate (more painted than premium-feeling), and no dramatic curves or daring accents. There’s only one colorway, so all the visual excitement comes from the lighting. Compared to the sculpted, tactile heft of the Razer BlackWidow V4 or Glorious GMMK 3, it’s a bit plain—solid, but not a showstopper.
Build quality is decent for daily abuse, but at $170, it lacks the heft of true high-end boards. The media knob is useful but feels a bit loose, and the board doesn’t have the “wow” factor or luxury finish of pricier rivals.
If you’re here for the RGB, you won’t be disappointed—at least visually. Per-key lighting is vivid, and the extra light bars take the desk ambience up a notch. Shine-through on the PBT keycaps is top-tier, which isn’t always the case with PBT boards.
Software, though, is a little basic. Be Quiet!’s IO Center offers five built-in effects (Color Wave, Tornado, Breathing, Reactive, Matrix). Customization is possible per key or zone, and Windows Dynamic Lighting is supported, but pre-baked patterns are limited compared to what you’ll find on Corsair or Razer boards.
The linear switches (45g actuation) land in the Goldilocks zone—light but not mushy. Typing is impressively muted for a mechanical, though “silent” is a stretch. In head-to-head with the Be Quiet! Dark Mount (with its extra sound-dampening), the Light Mount is a bit louder, but still much softer than most mechanicals—typically 45–50dB with the spacebar peaking at 52dB. For office or late-night typing, you won’t wake the house—or your desk neighbor.
For gaming, it ticks all the must-haves: n-key rollover, fast response, and no missed presses. The five side gaming keys are programmable and physically distinct, but their placement tripped me up during fast typing—think modifier keys gone rogue. If you’re not a macro user, you’ll want to remap or ignore these.
Competitive edge? Not quite. Rivals like the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro and SteelSeries Apex Pro offer analog switches, rapid trigger, and higher polling rates for esports diehards. If you live for actuation tweaks and “snap tap” tricks, this isn’t the board for you—but those features come at a premium.
Long sessions are a breeze thanks to the plush, magnetically attached wrist rest and two-stage tilt feet. The USB-C cable is robust, though cable routing is basic. Hot-swappable switches are a plus for tinkerers, but you’re currently limited to Be Quiet!’s own flavors.
At $170, the Light Mount sits in the midrange sweet spot—more affordable than enthusiast boards with OLEDs or analog magic, but pricier than many entry-level RGB models. If your checklist reads “quiet keys + serious RGB,” it’s a strong value. If you want wireless, metal builds, or competitive gaming features, you’ll find better options (often for a bit more cash).
Great for:
Not ideal for:
The Be Quiet! Light Mount is an RGB enthusiast’s delight and a solid pick for anyone craving a quieter mechanical keyboard without totally sacrificing the “thock.” It stands out with its vivid lighting and comfortable, no-fuss design, but stumbles slightly on premium feel, advanced gaming features, and software depth. If your priorities are a glowing desktop and softer keystrokes, it’s an easy recommendation. Otherwise, you might want to shop around for a board that brings a little more flair or firepower to the table.
Score: 7.5/10
The Be Quiet! Light Mount is a full-size mechanical keyboard with outstanding RGB and a quieter-than-average typing experience. It won’t dethrone esports flagships, but for RGB fans and quiet typists, it’s a comfortable, reliable midrange contender.
Source: publisher