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HyperX Alloy Elite 2 mechanical gaming keyboard launched

by Mark Tyson on 6 July 2020, 15:11

Tags: Kingston

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qaemsu

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HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology, has written to HEXUS today to announce the arrival of its new HyperX Alloy Elite 2 mechanical gaming keyboard. In summary this is a full sized keyboard with traditional separate QWERTY, directional arrow, and numpad sections, which offers HyperX mechanical switches, RGB NGENUITY backlighting, dedicated media keys and volume wheel, and a sturdy steel frame.

As the successor to the popular Alloy Elite, this new version's biggest change seems to be in the keycap design. The HyperX Alloy Elite 2 feature what are called 'pudding keycaps'. These are named after the popular dessert which we call Crème Caramel in the UK but I remember living in Taiwan they would be called 'pudding' (but pronounced a bit like 'budding', as in the popular drink 'budding nai cha' - pudding milk tea). As per this sweet treat the top of the pudding keycap is dark, and these keys feature a distinct line and the translucent area below. This makes the RGB LEDs beneath the keys, with five levels of brightness, particularly striking.

HyperX uses its own keys and you have only once choice of feel - HyperX Red. Regular PC component pickers will be aware that 'red' switches are linear, with no audible/tactile bump indicating actuation. They are supposed to be quick and quiet for gamers but often typists prefer a key with a positive actuation level click. HyperX Red switches have an operating force of 45g, an actuation point of 1.8mm, a total travel distance of 3.8mm, and a very long claimed lifespan - 80 million keystrokes.

On the top right of the HyperX Alloy Elite 2 you can see media keys which consist of 'transport' type keys, plus a volume mute button. To the right of these is a quick access scroll wheel used to control volume. Other features worth mentioning are; the solid steel frame, mix of RGB light bar and per-key RGB lighting (easily controlled via HyperX NGENUITY software), 100 per cent Anti-Ghosting, and N-Key rollover a captive braided USB 2.0 cable which is 1.8m long, a USB 2.0 pass-through port, and multi-platform compatibility. Physically this keyboard measures 444 x 174 x 37.4mm and weight a smidgeon over 1.5kg.

The HyperX Alloy Elite 2 mechanical gaming keyboard is available now for €159.99/ £139.99 MSRP through HyperX's Online Shop and its network of retail and e-tail outlets.



HEXUS Forums :: 16 Comments

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Would you like some keys to go with your RGB lightshow? :p

I want the opposite of this, I'd like only the letter to illuminate. Still waiting for the affordable OLED keyboard I guess..
kalniel
Would you like some keys to go with your RGB lightshow? :p

I want the opposite of this, I'd like only the letter to illuminate. Still waiting for the affordable OLED keyboard I guess..

I've got an Elgato streamdeck and it's very useful but not especially cheap
kalniel
Would you like some keys to go with your RGB lightshow? :p

I want the opposite of this, I'd like only the letter to illuminate. Still waiting for the affordable OLED keyboard I guess..

I have a 2013 Razer keyboard which, aside from the firmware being permanently broken, is pretty much perfect in terms of backlighting. Green lit keys through just the letter and a tiny bit of light around the edge of each key, making it easy to define the border peripherally. Unfortunately, this keyboard has been a catastrophe from a firmware perspective and Razer dealt with it poorly. It spent most of its life in a box until the USB side was improved (i.e. they fixed their side to accommodate shoddy programming) to at least make it recognised as a HID on boot reliably. It still malfunctions probably one in every eight times to the point where I've bought a USB hub with switches on to make resetting it easier. £120 keyboard. I WILL get my money's worth. We're almost at a point where I might consider buying a replacement, if only because the keys are obnoxiously loud.

Razer is also on my no-buy list. It's a long list.
3dcandy
kalniel
Would you like some keys to go with your RGB lightshow? :p

I want the opposite of this, I'd like only the letter to illuminate. Still waiting for the affordable OLED keyboard I guess..

I've got an Elgato streamdeck and it's very useful but not especially cheap

And the Streamdeck relates to keyboards how…..?
harrisonm65
3dcandy
kalniel
Would you like some keys to go with your RGB lightshow? :p

I want the opposite of this, I'd like only the letter to illuminate. Still waiting for the affordable OLED keyboard I guess..

I've got an Elgato streamdeck and it's very useful but not especially cheap

And the Streamdeck relates to keyboards how…..?

It's an OLED keyboard… simples