One spirit at the photo above , and you ’ll make love now if you love or hate the Hyte Keeb TKL . I can save you some clock time and rent you know immediately that it ’s one of thebest gambling keyboardsyou can purchase when it come to sound and feel . But the Keeb TKL is a statement , and although it ’s a statement I ’m trusted will resonate with some , it ’s not one that will resonate with all .
The Keeb TKL set out to do something different , all while paying careful care to the fancier - grade features that have slowly made their elbow room into mainstream gambling keyboard . And it mostly succeed . inadequate of some software package issues , this is a keyboard with a fantastic typewriting look out of the box and an undeniably unique design .
Hyte Keeb TKL specs
An undeniable design
One thing ’s for sure — you ’ll never mistake the Hyte Keeb TKL for another keyboard . Hyte is known for push the design envelope with products like theHyte Y70 Touch , but the Keeb TKL is undoubtedly its most extremist intent to engagement . One feel at this keyboard , and you ’ll either roll in the hay it or hate it . If nothing else , the Keeb TKL necessitate a reaction , even if it is n’t a convinced one , and you ca n’t say the same for keyboards like theRazer Black Widow V4 Pro .
It ’s not for everyone , but I ’ve grow to treasure what Hyte pull off here . You would never assume there ’s a passel of designing space to take a keyboard in another direction , but Hyte negociate to do that with the Keeb TKL . The headliner of the show is the polycarbonate eggshell that surrounds the Keeb TKL , which carries lightness from the 155 - picture element qRGB array around the keyboard ( qRGB is Hyte ’s own standardfor RGB mensuration ) . It makes your keyboard look like it ’s float on a cloud .
Combined with Hyte ’s CNVS desk mat , which has its own regalia of RGB lighting , the Keeb TKL look grotesque . A dull colouring material wave transitions out of the keyboard and through the edges of the mouse launch pad . Even against brands like Razer , Corsair , and Steelseries with their own dense RGB ecosystems , the Keeb TKL really brings inflammation together .
For more practical design , Hyte includes two magnetic feet on the back of the keyboard allowing you to go from a typing slant of 3.73 degrees to 6.06 degrees ( the latter felt much more well-off for me ) . You also get a double - stab PBT key caps , which have a very shallow pudding design . There ’s a touch of a transparent layer at the bottom of the key caps , much unlike the large transparent sides you see on traditional pudding key caps .
The construction of the primal caps is fantastic . They ’re dense , and the tops are smooth , much unlike the gritty feel on something theAsus ROG Strix Scope II 96 . Still , there are a couple of issues . They might be too thickheaded for their own good , as light through the legends is clean discrepant . In addition , Hyte is using the rather unequaled OEM visibility for the key jacket crown . It ’s not a belt against the Keeb TKL , but the sculpted corner of the profile is quite the adjustment if you ’re coming from a different visibility .
Otherwise , Hyte packs a compact Al collection plate into the bottom of the keyboard , which gives it some system of weights and keeps it unwaveringly induct on your desk . A keyboard weight is far too often overlooked among more mainstream options , so I ’m happy to see it here . However , Hyte situate RGB luminousness around the system of weights on the bottom of the keyboard , and it gets shockingly warm as a outcome .
Great out of the box
Hyte calls the Keeb TKL a “ advanced human interface , ” which coif a pretty gamey criterion for the typing feel . And thankfully , the Keeb mostly lives up those expectations . Although the Keeb TKL sports a unique design , it ’s clear Hyte invested a lot of time in packing this keyboard full of enthusiast - level hardware . You ’re getting a gasket mount like I saw on theAsus ROG Azoth , but that ’s becoming fair common among high - end play keyboards . Hyte film ahead when it come to the small detail .
The electrical switch are n’t just rebranded Cherry options . Hyte uses its Fluffy Lavender switches , which are linear and come with a low-cal feeling compare to Cherry Reds . They have an actuation force of 36 Gram and actuate at just 1.5 mm . More important to the feel , Hyte lubricates the switching with Kryox 205g0 — the standard for switch lube . In summation , Hyte uses the same lube on the Durock V2 ass - in stabilizers . It ’s easy to spell off these stabiliser , but they make a humanity of difference , even up against keyboard like theCorsair K65 Plus .
Hyte definitely stand out on sound and feel with the Keeb TKL .
The audio and feel out of the box is shockingly good for a $ 180 keyboard . I do n’t love the usance of an aluminum home plate , but Hyte balance the high - end absolute frequency out with various layers of Poron froth inside the caseful . This is one of the first keyboards I ’ve quiz that can actually harbour up out of the loge equate to enthusiast options like the Wobkey Rain75 orMeletrix Boog75 .
But you’re able to make it better . Hyte uses a raging - swappable PCB that supports 3- or 5 - fall switches , though regrettably with north - confront RGBs . I threw my preferred WS Morandi trade into the keyboard , and it completely transformed the auditory sensation . It ’s one thing to get a good sound out of the box , but the actual will to build quality is how the keyboard holds up once you ’ve made it your own . Hyte unquestionably surpass on that front with the Keeb TKL .
One unique feature
Hyte packs consecrated media restraint into the Keeb TKL , but in genuine Hyte fashion , they are n’t as straight as you might expect . Starting with the media keys , Hyte actually use low - visibility tactile mechanical switches for the medium key , along with low - profile keycaps . They finger completely different than the regular key , almost like strike a humble - profile typewriter . It ’s a small detail , but as someone who in reality uses unlike transposition for medium keys in my personal keyboard , I can appreciate the attention Hyte paid to that detail .
The more interesting addition are the twofold rotary dial . By default , the left-hand dial adjusts your volume while the right adjusts the brightness of your lighting , but you’re able to rebind these dials to other mastery within the Hyte Nexus software package ( more on that next ) . There are some introductory options , such as the power to scroll pages , soar , or shift between apps , but Hyte goes further .
you may also use the dial to scrub the timeline in a video editor , cycle your tools in creative apps , and even align your brush size of it in Adobe apps . The treble scroll wheels look a spot unwieldy , and I wish there were a direction to remove them . There ’s no denying that Hyte makes good usance of the extra space , though . It bring some of the tactile control you get with something like theCooler Master MasterHubdirectly to your keyboard , which is great to see .
Although the roller apparatus is n’t removable , the dials themselves are . They ’re confiscate with magnets , and Hyte tells me it hopes to have additional accessories for the roller in the future . Those are n’t available now , however .
Inside Hyte Nexus
To manage the Keeb TKL , you ’ll need to download the Hyte Nexus software . I first tried this software out withHyte ’s Thicc Q60 cooler , and it ’s one of the more interesting software utility I ’ve used . Out of the logic gate , it ’s league more attractive than Corsair iCue and Asus Armoury Crate , and it does n’t like a shot overwhelm you with ads or extraneous options . However , there ’s a learning curve ball to using Nexus . It ’s a knock-down utility , but like Hyte ’s product , the software program does n’t stick with the status quo .
Hyte dramatise a focus similar to NZXT ’s CAM software , using Nexus as both a utility to manage the Keeb TKL and to show scheme stats like your GPU and CPU temperatures . These various aspects of the software are grouped into widgets , and you ’re free to add , remove , or swap widgets to make the home screen your own .
In the keyboard configurations , Hyte afford you two onboard profiles , which is a bit low . However , each of those profiles include up to four layer of key assigning . By nonpayment , theFunctionkey will momently unlock your 2d level , but you ’re free to rebind how you get to the additional layers within Nexus . Hyte includes momentaneous layer shift , toggles , and even an choice to return to your top bed . And in each layer , you could rebind the keys to macros , mouse key , and function like open your web web browser . Even with just two onboard profile , you may pack a short ton of functionality into the Keeb TKL if you do n’t bear in mind have your hands dirty .
My main progeny with all of these layer is that you’re able to well get lose in them . Hyte does n’t give you an option to , for example , shift your lighting when switching profile , which would make it much loose to get your bearings . In fact , Hyte does n’t give you a lot of lighting options in general . In Nexus , the focus is on an RGB ecosystem , so alternatively of individual assignment , you put dissimilar devices inside of a windowpane so your RGB lighting can elongate across them .
It works well if you have multiple Hyte products , such as the CNVS desk mat , but there ’s still no per - key RGB assignment . That ’s a huge downside to the Keeb TKL liken to the competition if you like to customize your RGB lighting to fit your unique setup .
Should you buy the Hyte Keeb TKL?
Hyte built a expectant keyboard with the Keeb TKL between its partisan - grade mental synthesis and wealth of features . But the bountiful broker when it get along to a buying decisiveness is the intention . The Keeb TKL demand contiguous , and sometimes uttermost , reactions . It does n’t count how good the keyboard itself is — if you do n’t like the pattern , the Keeb TKL just is n’t for you .
That ’s o.k. . I appreciate how Hyte is attempting to drive keyboard innovation forward with the Keeb TKL , and how it serves as a statement piece , particularly if you have other Hyte products . Not many keyboards can claim that . The good news if you ’re a devotee of the pattern is that you do n’t have to give up on the keyboard front . Hyte never sacrifice the typewriting flavor in its pursuit of create a keyboard that endure out , and it ’s been a joy typing and gaming on the keyboard over the past few weeks .
Although design is the big factor here , there ’s some licit unfavorable judgment of the Keeb TKL compare to other mainstream options . link is a muscular app , but it still needs per - key RGB assignments . In addition , the key cap have great construction , but I ’d wish to see Hyte yield closer attention to the legends in succeeding revisions give the inconsistent glow the current key caps offer .
