MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky review: excellent value TKL for a high-quality build
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MSI is a goliath in the hardware space, offering up some of the best hardware components the market has to offer. What doesn’t always spring to mind when I think of MSI, however, is gaming peripherals – specifically keyboards. Well, that’s exactly what we’ve got our hands on today, the latest gaming keyboard from MSI, the Forge GK600 TKL wireless.
It’s safe to say that, when unboxing the keyboard, I didn’t have high hopes for the performance of this board. Surprisingly, however, it soon became apparent that MSI had clearly taken the build of the GK600 quite seriously, delivering a robust build alongside some decent design features.
As a mechanical keyboard, the GK600 offers decent build quality, demonstrated by the materials used and the final finish. It takes what makes artisanal models so fantastic to use and offers a plethora of features that result in a solid, well-rounded user experience. As you can imagine, there are some quirks to it, too, and some rather interesting choices in this touted quiet keyboard. With all being said, let’s waste no further time and dive into our in-depth review of the MSI Forge GK600 TKL.
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Prices correct as of October 9th, 2026.
- Form factor: TKL (80%)
- Key switches: Linear mechanical 5-pin
- Keycaps: Dye-sublimated PBT
- Connectivity: 2.4GHz/Bluetooth/USB 2.0 Type-C
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 348x140x45mm
- Weight: 943g
Overall, the MSI Forge GK600 is an impressive value-for-money keyboard. With wireless connectivity, the keyboard offers excellent flexibility, including seamless switching between Windows and Mac layouts and support for up to three Bluetooth devices. It also features a small integrated display – not large enough for everyday use, but a clever informational touch. Overall, the keyboard delivers an excellent typing experience with impressive acoustics, thanks to its internal dampening, and it all comes at a surprisingly affordable price.
- Fantastic acoustics when typing
- Great quality build
- Competitive pricing makes it a great value
- Plenty of connectivity options and flexible between Windows and Mac
- Built-in screen gives it a unique look
- Some great-looking design
- Toggle switches are not in the most convenient place
- Not a lot of RGB customization available
- The display is very simple and basic
Design and features
Our version of the GK600 is a wireless model that came in the Sky colorway and is a TKL version that cuts out the numpad from its build. Inside the box, you’ll find the keyboard itself, a USB cable, a spare switch, and a switch/cap puller for the USB adapter, which can be found attached to the underside, in a neat little dock for it.
To create the sturdy and robust design, MSI has added a bunch of layers of varying materials into the GK600. The top cover is a plastic shell with a silicone gasket underneath. Placed on a mounting plate, it then has an IXPE sound-absorbing foam and PU foam underneath. Then it has the actual PCB, before another layer of sound-dampening foam, a switch foam, before the silicone-dampening foam and lower structural casing, with the battery placed just above the silicone layer.
The combination of the foam and gaskets is all to silence the keyboard and offer a better typing experience and sound design. Packed in densely, and even without the use of metal structures, it provides a sturdy base for typing. Limiting the rebound and any bending, it does manage to weigh in at nearly 1kg and is a surprisingly heavy package in total.
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky keyboard, box, and contents, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky box, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky angled, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky front on, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky top down, Image by PC Guide
On the underside, the keyboard has two pads on the bottom edge (closest to your body) to prevent sliding, alongside a pair of fold-out feet for height adjustment at the top. These have two height options, so you can have three various angles for optimal ergonomic positioning. It also has the USB holder, along with two switches that change the modes between Windows and Mac, and then the various connection options. There is also the USB-C port at the top that has convenient channels made for the cable to be routed out, and offers better aesthetics.
That leaves the sides and back clean with only the name of the model written in grey text at the front. On top, the keyboard has an 80% layout, but in a different format. The keyboard features a full layout with function keys along the top and a standard main body. On the lower right are the arrow keys, while the Home cluster is positioned just above in two columns. Completing the design, a one-inch display sits neatly above the navigation keys.
The keyboard’s color scheme is divided into distinct groups: a clean white base accented by varying shades of gray in block patterns, giving it a stylish, modern look. The WASD keys receive their own highlight for emphasis (see image below). It comes equipped with dye-sublimated PBT keycaps, which are thick and durable. However, because they lack light passthrough, the RGB lighting is limited to an underglow effect rather than shining through the characters.
The board also supports hot-swappable switches, so you’re not locked into the linear pink switches MSI includes by default. Combined with cross-stem keycap compatibility, it offers plenty of room for customization beyond the stock setup.
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky WASD, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky arrow keys, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky MSI FN button, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky switches installed, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky underside buttons, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky left side, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky USB C port, Image by PC Guide
MSI Forge GK600 TKL Wireless Sky foot, Image by PC Guide
Some of the keys can get a bit crowded, considering the keyboard also features the notations for Mac usability, too; at least that’s just limited to Ctrl and Win keys. It also took me a moment to find the function key since MSI used its logo for it without any other indicator on it. That also sits next to the dreaded copilot button that I accidentally pressed more than once, but at least you can turn that off in Windows; you just need to find a replacement keycap for the GK600 to match.
1-inch display
One of the big (relatively speaking) features of the keyboard is the display on it, found in the top right. It’s only one inch in size, so it’s not anything too big, but it reminds me of the be quiet! Dark Mount’s media dock. But this one is stationary and is controlled via the keyboard itself.
Using the function key (hidden as the MSI logo), combined with the arrow keys and enter, is the way to navigate the little menu. Breezing past the boot logo and then past Lucky the dragon, there are a few screens to adjust the controls and lighting of the keyboard.
Pricing
Even with the high-quality build and function of the keyboard, it’s not the most expensive thing in the world. Even as a wireless mechanical keyboard, the GK600 still offers excellent value for money, retailing in the range of $99.99/£74.99.
That puts its pricing more in line with the Akko Mod007B or 8BitDo Retro keyboards I’ve previously reviewed, rather than the more expensive branded ones. The likes of Corsair, Steelseries, and even be quiet! all offer models well above that, improving the overall value of MSI’s offering.
Performance
From the first button press, the MSI Forge GK600 surprised me. The weight of both the keyboard and keys gives it a firm rigidity that makes it all the better to type on. Pressing in the keys to hear that dull thud really makes it feel like a proper board, like Wooting, Ducky, or other brands known for their dedication to keyboards.
With the dampened sounds and the heft of the keys, typing on the board results in a very satisfying feeling. Each keystroke offers a dull thud and great feel. All the padding creates a bassy tone with no reverb or clanginess, likely thanks to the lack of metal on the board as well. Although the larger keys like enter and backspace could do with a bit more, as they have some twang to them.
Using the board felt responsive in both 2.4GHz and wired modes. Both easy to use and set up, especially using 2.4GHz and plugging in your dongle, you do have to change it from underneath, but I don’t imagine you having to do it so often. As for Bluetooth, it does allow for connecting up to three different devices and then switching on the board.
Control software (or lack thereof)
When it comes to the RGB, by default, there is a rainbow underglow across the whole thing. Unlike other brands, MSI has decided not to develop its own software for tweaking the various settings of the board. Instead, you go through the menus on the one-inch screen to change it, and there isn’t too much to change.
You get the options for color choices, but not much else. There is the brightness to control, but also the ability to change profiles and set each one up separately.
There are also function keys that you can use to change the same settings. Adding media keys and various other PC functions to the ‘F’ row significantly enhances its utility.
All of that combined means there’s a lot to change up on the keyboard and use from it, even without needing to have separate software to make use of it. This ultimately does limit its functionality and personalization compared to other offerings, but it stands out in its own right.
- Form factor: TKL (80%)
- Key switches: Linear mechanical 5-pin
- Keycaps: Dye-sublimated PBT
- Connectivity: 2.4GHz/Bluetooth/USB 2.0 Type-C
- Dimensions (LxWxH): 348x140x45mm
- Weight: 943g
Conclusion
The MSI Forge GK600 defied all expectations, creating a keyboard that was surprisingly well-designed and of high quality. Offering up impressive performance in the feel and sound of typing, it’s a decent crack at a proper keyboard from MSI, to say the least.
It even offers a unique addition to its design with the one-inch display in the corner. It is a bit of a small screen to use as a control point, and having to check the status there, but it is a nifty little thing. But there isn’t much to change either; you have great customizability with interchangeable keycaps and switches, and the RGB options aren’t as in-depth. For the price, though, you couldn’t ask for more. The performance, connectivity features, and more make it all for a great value.
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