I love weird but wonderful peripherals. I love customization, clever ideas, and solid implementation. And every time I see this Mountain Everest Max modular keyboard on discount, my heart skips a little. Because it does. Look at the picture. It has everything I look for in a keyboard.

Currently available on Amazon for $140 as part of the Prime Day sale, this mechanical keyboard Swiss Army knife is swinging for the fences. It's been on the market for a while, but when we reviewed it in 2020, we found that its impressive modularity and superior construction really lived up to the promise of a keyboard with few compromises.

For starters, let's discuss the numeric keypad. At first glance, this would not seem to be that big of a deal, as it can be attached magnetically to either side of the board. However, hardware maven Dave James knows how to use the numeric keypad (and keyboards in general), and since using Mountain keebs, he has converted to the left side numeric keypad school.

“I'm not convinced” Then stick it on the right side as standard, or forgo it altogether. This numeric keypad also has four customizable display keys, so even if you don't normally use the numeric keypad, you can still use the extra functions. It's all about options.

Continuing that theme, what about the media dock? Not only does it have the expected media shuffle keys, but thanks to built-in apps, it also has an IPS display that can show the time, date, volume, screen brightness, and component performance. Oh, and it can be mounted on either side of the top of the board.

It also has a magnetically attached wrist rest for comfort. Luckily, it doesn't disappoint, thanks to its good-looking and sturdy construction.

We found that the brushed aluminum faceplate keeps it stable, the magnetic snap-on feet provide multiple levels of convenient adjustment, and the hot-swappable switches offer plenty of options. A USB 3.2 hub is also included on the back.

“Cons” Well, it is true that the software could be better. But other than that, this keyboard gets an 89% rating. It's hard to get a head start in a marketplace crowded with excellent keyboards, but the Mountain Everest Max does just that.

But what if you want something more compact? Something that our esteemed hardware magnate and keyboard expert uses every day as his own personal typing machine?

Then this is it. It's a modular marvel with excellent typing feel, an ultra-compact design, and the option to add a numeric keypad on either side, like the big Everest Max above. Reviews give it a 93% rating. Enough said.

Whichever you choose, these two keyboards do things that other keyboard makers envy.