Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
HyperX is n’t the first name you cogitate of when it come to thebest gaming keyboard , alfresco of a few standout budget offerings . But the unexampled HyperX Alloy ascent chain will in all probability interchange that .
Taking cue that brands like Asus , the HyperX Alloy Rise bestow some much - needed partisan style to gaming keyboard . The two models sound and finger great , and they come with some unique customization options that only a brand like HyperX could pull off .
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
I had a prospect to try out one of these keyboards beforeCES 2024 , and it might be the go - to play keyboard in 2024 . Here ’s why .
Doing things different
A big reason why the Alloy Rise is so telling is the keyboard itself ( go trope ) . It ’s a mechanical keyboard , but HyperX made two very crucial determination with the design . First is that the keyboard features spicy - swappable key switches . HyperX provide additive and haptic shift out of the gate , which arefine . That does n’t matter with hot - swappable substitution , though .
Grab a chinchy set of Akko Wine Reds or go sick with some high - ending Gateron Oil king — it ’s up to you . With a hot - swappable design , you ’re costless to trick out the keyboard how you see fit , customize the sound and feel for a better typing and gaming experience .
The farm animal switch are n’t unfit , but they definitely find like stock electric switch . The save grace for the Alloy Rise is that it utilize a gasket backing . Most play keyboards use a top riding horse . The electrical switch plate is mounted to the tabu shell on top , providing a harsh and annoying clack valve . Gasket mounts place a small gasket between the denture and the frame . There ’s a belittled amount of give when you ’re slamming away on the keyboard .
It makes a huge difference for the audio and look of a keyboard , and sure as shooting enough , HyperX ’s Alloy Rise definitely sits in that more premium category . It ’s not too behind the splendiferous GMMK Pro , which is the unofficial first step into the human race of enthusiast mechanically skillful keyboards . It ’s also not far off theAsus ROG Azoth , which floored me when I first tried it last twelvemonth .
Unique customization
HyperX has a few unique advantages , and that follow down to customization . The GMMK Pro offer different colors for the plate , which involves about 45 minutes of patience while you break up and reassemble the keyboard . HyperX has different shell coloration as well , but you’re able to swap them out in a matter of seconds .
There are two kits useable at launch — navy and white — but HyperX will presumably release more over time . The aluminum shell snaps onto the keyboard with magnet , and you’re able to simply pop the rotary knob off to supervene upon it with a color that matches . During my demo , I pop the shell on and off probably half a XII times in the matter of a minute .
As someone who’sgone through the processof a shell barter on the GMMK Pro , it ’s hard to overstate just how convenient the arrangement HyperX has is . The magnets are very firm , too . I was n’t even aware you could lose it off the shell until a HyperX example come over and showed me . I was confident it was all have intercourse down .
Outside of the eggshell , HyperX is also offering a magnetic badge . These expansion slot in next to the alloy volume node , and they ’re magnetic , so you could commute them out . Out of the logic gate , HyperX has three kits available , and although they do n’t fundamentally change the keyboard , they add a nice bit of personality .
One lingering question
From a flavour and sound view , HyperX has it ace with the Alloy Rise . Price is the only potential publication . This is a wired keyboard without Bluetooth or downcast - latency 2.4GHz , and HP is offering it in a 75 % variant for $ 170 and full - sized for $ 200 . That ’s competitive compared to the Asus ROG Azorth , which runs $ 250 for a 75 % layout ( though it includes wireless ) .
Still , saving $ 80 and only sacrifice radio set is a upstanding trade - off . The Alloy ascending sound and count great out of the box , and it has all of the tools usable for you to make it your own .
