Mountain DisplayPad and MacroPad review: Small but mighty
A TEST REPORT from Benedict Behring 
on August 04, 2023, 10:00 pm | Write a comment
Mountain, the company with the mountain as their logo and appropriately using Everest as the name of their keyboards, have KeyPads in addition to the keyboards mentioned. These are already known from Elgato and are intended to make life easier for streamers, creative minds or normal PC users with simple macros.
The KeyPads have been available for purchase since October 2022. Plural? Yes, because Mountain offers two, one with regular buttons and one with display buttons. We have tested both for you and you will find out below whether you can really use them in everyday use or whether they are just nice-to-have in the end.
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tl;dr: Inexpensive alternative to the competition
Whether you are already the proud owner of an Everest keyboard or are simply looking for a cheap alternative to the competition, you will find it at Mountain. The software, albeit a bit slow, is quickly understood and the appearance is valuable and massive. Everything you need is included in the scope of delivery and the KeyPads are quickly placed on the desk or directly on the Mountain keyboard. Both the DisplayPad and the normal MacroPad prove to be quite useful in everyday life and fit well into any setup due to their narrow size. However, I would still wish that the MacroPad would be delivered with PBT Doubleshot keycaps and not with ABS caps.
Picture: TechnikNews
Display and Macro: What do the two little helpers have in common?
The first look at the packaging is very reminiscent of that of the Mountain Everest Max, which we were able to test back in April (to test). Both pads have 12 proProgrammable keys and come with a sheathed 2 m USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable and a heavy stand with a rubber foot for a solid stand. Stickers and instructions are of course also included. The total weight of the two is around 535 grams and the dimensions are 14,7 cm wide and around 7 cm high. A plate made of brushed aluminum is also emblazoned on both KeyPads, which makes a valuable impression and looks stylish. The Mountain logo can be seen on the back of the pads and the front of the stand. I like this minimalism.
Another special feature: Owners of an Everest Max or Core keyboard can simply plug it into their keyboard. However, you need a connection cable for each. We would have wished that a short cable had been included to connect it to the keyboard's USB hub. Whether used with such a keyboard or not, both pads are angled in such a way that they are comfortable to use and look at.
Picture: TechnikNews
MacroPad: Simple and plain
Almost everyone probably knows these keys with the M and a number on the edge of a keyboard. At least back then, these were still commonplace. The MacroPad also reminds me of that, just much more upgraded. we have 12 proProgrammable keys, which can be provided with RGB lighting via the software. More on that later. All keys are hot-swappable. This means that not only the keycaps can be exchanged, but also the switches. 3-pin and 5-pin Cherry MX style switches are supported. These are quite easy to replace with the tool provided. If you take off a keycap and turn it over, you can see that the label was not simply printed on it, but that the area is milky colored throughout. This prevents wear and tear and ensures that the lighting shines through beautifully. Incidentally, it is delivered with Mountain's own mechanical "Tactile 55 Switches". These are quiet, but you can still feel the trigger point.
Picture: TechnikNews
DisplayPad: Striking and sharp
The DisplayPad is already more eye-catching on the desk. Moving or fixed, the software allows you to assign JPG, PNG, BMP and also animated GIFs to one of the 12 buttons. The display under the respective keys offers 104 x 104 pixels. It doesn't need more to ensure a clear image on the small keys. Significantly less pressure is required on the keys of the DisplayPad than on the Mountain Everest Max. This, coupled with the slight curvature of the keys, is definitely pleasant to the touch. If you now press one of them, the stored image becomes smaller for a moment, which is a confirmation to the user that the DisplayPad has also noticed the keystroke. Similar to the MacroPad, the desired action is also carried out quickly here.
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
Software: Easy to use, but could be faster
You can't get around Mountain's "Base Camp" software if you want to use the KeyPads to their full extent. Small point of criticism in advance: This is only available for Windows. Otherwise, however, a whole lot can be done with the software. Starting with the MacroPad: Here the lighting can be individually determined. You can choose between ready-made effects such as the "color wave" or the "matrix" or lend a hand and conjure up a blaze of color on the keys. It is a pity that the same colors have to be used for the same effect group. Apart from that, you can, of course, store macros, as with the DisplayPad. Once you get the hang of it, macros are also pretty easy to create using the software. There is also a ready-made range of selectable actions. Like the DisplayPad, you can set the brightness of the lighting (of the images next to the display keys) in Base Camp or carry out firmware updates. Displayed changelogs would be nice here if firmware updates are available.
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
It goes without saying that the DisplayPad focuses on the visual. This is solved in a self-explanatory manner in the Base Camp software. An image is automatically inserted for most actions, but there are also many predefined icons. As already mentioned, you can also insert your own pictures or GIFs, which is also very easy. You can quickly assign the functions of one key to another using drag and drop. By the way, technically we have "only" 12 keys, but with the software you can use folders and Procreate a file that can be used to create an almost infinite number of virtual buttons. Apropos fast, here and there it would be nice if the software was more responsive. Maybe that will be achieved with future firmware updates.
Picture: TechnikNews
We would like to thank MOUNTAIN for providing the MacroPad and the DisplayPad.
