HyperX added a satisfying click to its Alloy Origin gaming keyboard with its own HyperX Blue switches. The $110 full-size gaming keyboard (£110, AU$153 converted) was previously available with the company’s tactile Aqua switches and linear Red switches. The combination of the Alloy Origin with HyperX’s Blue mechanical switches gives you a slim, sturdy gaming keyboard with a classic clicky typing experience and a bit more speed than the competition.
Compared with the Cherry MX Blue switch, the HyperX Blue has a slightly shorter 1.8mm actuation point and 3.8mm total travel distance to the MX Blue’s 2.2mm actuation point and 4mm total travel distance. It’s also a lighter switch, with a 50-gram operating force to the Cherry’s 60 grams.
While I can’t say I noticed a difference in travel between the two, the switch does feel lighter and has a less pronounced tactile bump than Cherry’s. I found the HyperX switch overall less tiring than an MX Blue and a bit easier to rapidly tap (though you’re better off with the company’s Red switches for that). The HyperX keys sound better to my ear, too, with a loud, clear click. The aluminum keyboard’s solid body helps deaden some of the hollow and tinny sounds I’ve experienced on cheaper mechanical gaming keyboards and there’s no discernible spring noise.
Bright RGB LEDs deliver a beautiful light show.
Josh Goldman/CNET
Regardless of the switch you go with, the HyperX Alloy Origin is a great streamlined gaming keyboard. There are no discrete media controls, but the function keys are marked out with media controls as well as a Game Mode so you can disable the Windows key and certain key combos while gaming. (The markings are illuminated also, which isn’t always the case.) The company’s Ngenuity app is simple enough for building custom macros and reassigning key functions. And the keyboard’s bright per-key RGB lighting is fully programmable with the app.
Up to three profiles can be saved to the keyboard’s F1-F3 keys, so you can quickly switch your setup on the fly even if you’re not connected to your own computer. The Alloy Origin’s braided cable is removable and, since it’s a USB-C connecter, you can easily plug it in without looking. Plus, rear flip-down legs give you three keyboard angles to work with.
HyperX also makes a TKL version of the keyboard, the HyperX Alloy Origin Core, but it’s currently only available with Red or Aqua switches. Having tried all three of the switches, the Aqua is my favorite for a switch that’s a good middle ground for typing and gaming and comparable to a Cherry MX Brown. But if you crave a click, these Blue switches don’t disappoint.
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