HyperX Alloy Elite 2 mechanical gaming keyboard review

I was quite keen to get my hands on the HyperX Alloy Elite 2. As the follow-up to the HyperX Alloy Elite RGB – one of my favourite keyboards from recent years – it had the potential to elevate HyperX to the top of the field alongside brands like Razer and Logitech G.

Unfortunately, the Alloy Elite 2 takes two steps back for its one step forward. Gone are the well-established Cherry MX switches in favour of custom HyperX technology, a decision that dramatically impacts precision and performance. The result is a gaming keyboard that doesn't game particularly well, and its versatility outside of games isn't quite enough to justify its price tag.

Design

Design

• Looks virtually identical to the HyperX Alloy Elite RGB
• Solid steel frame provides stability and durability
• The lack of a wrist rest is disappointing

• Read more about the HyperX Alloy Elite 2's design

  HyperX has taken the "if it ain't broke" approach to designing the Alloy Elite 2. Much like the HyperX Alloy Elite RGB before it, it's a full-sized wired keyboard built on a solid steel frame. The plain black colour scheme obfuscates just how thick and heavy the keyboard is: it weighs in at a hefty 1.5kg and takes up a decent chunk of desk space. All that bulk lends it extra stability and durability while typing or gaming, but it does make it a tough board to travel with.

  The Alloy Elite 2 is larger than your average full-sized keyboard. Its frame extends above its Function keys, housing dedicated media controls on one side and toggles for RGB brightness, custom profiles and Game Mode on the other. Its braided USB cable is big, too, as it houses two separate USB cables instead of one. You only have to plug one of the cables into your PC to use the Alloy Elite 2; the second cable is only necessary if you want to take advantage of the keyboard's USB pass-through functionality.

  Unlike the aforementioned Alloy Elite RGB, the Alloy Elite 2 doesn't come with a wrist rest. This has a noticeable impact on the Alloy Elite 2's ergonomics. Its thick frame pushes its keys high enough that you'll need to arch your hand to hit them. This places more stress on your wrist which, over time, can cause pain or even long-term damage. I experienced only a few occasions of mild discomfort during my testing, but it's worth keeping in mind if ergonomics are high on your priority list.

  On a more positive note, the Alloy Elite 2 marks the introduction of HyperX's new "Pudding" keycaps. Thicker than typical keycaps, the Pudding caps feature a large translucent shell designed to amplify the strength of the RGB LEDs built into the underlying switches. The effect is quite striking, producing one of the richest displays of colour I've seen from a keyboard. And because the keycaps are so large, they're better at keeping dust, dirt and other contaminants from clogging up the switch mechanisms.

  Previous iterations of the Alloy Elite made the inconvenient design decision to vertically align the status lights for Caps Lock, Num Lock and Game Mode in the top-right corner, just above the numpad. Their small size and squashed arrangement meant they were easily obscured by the numpad keys from certain angles, forcing me to crane my neck to check whether I'd accidentally knocked the Caps Lock key or not.

  Unfortunately, the Alloy Elite 2 preserves this layout, devoting the more-visible horizontal space above the numpad to a large, functionless HyperX logo.

Performance

Performance

• The HyperX Red switches are unquestionably fast...
• ...but they lack the clear feedback necessary to support their speed

• Read more about the HyperX Alloy Elite 2's performance

  Recent HyperX keyboards like the HyperX Alloy Origins and Alloy Origins Core have shifted away from using third-party switches in favour of an in-house solution. The Alloy Elite 2 continues this trend, sporting a set of HyperX Red Linear mechanical switches.

  I tend to prefer the punchier feel of Tactile switches over Linear ones, but I've been surprised in the past with keyboards like the Logitech G915 Lightspeed and its quick yet clicky GL Linear switches. The Alloy Elite 2 surprised me as well, albeit in a much less favourable way.

  To start with the good, the HyperX Red switches are undeniably fast. It only takes a light touch to register a key press, ensuring that your commands both in-game and out are executed as soon as possible.

  Such high sensitivity requires equally prompt feedback. On the Alloy Elite 2, though, the switches don't offer any resistance or physical acknowledgement until well after a key press is registered. Simply resting my fingers on WASD while playing Halo 3 was enough to cause unintentional actuation, leading to several moments of confusion as I tried to figure out why I was suddenly strafing through no apparent action on my part.

  To remedy this, I had to consciously hold my fingers above the keyboard after each key press. This is not a particularly comfortable way to play games. I got used to it after a while, but my inputs never felt as smooth or as comfortable as they normally do. I also had to turn Game Mode on for the first time ever, since the hyper-sensitivity of the switches kept causing the Start menu to pop up at the lightest brush of the Windows key. I've never encountered these issues with a mechanical keyboard before, and it's especially disappointing contrasted with the HyperX Alloy Elite RGB and its firm and responsive Cherry MX switches.

  "Pudding", it turns out, doesn't just describe the Alloy Elite 2's keycaps. It's an accurate summary of how the keys feel in general, capturing their mushy resistance and their lack of clear feedback. Each key press is muddied by ambiguity, leaving me confused as to whether a skill I'd just tried to activate was still on cooldown or the switch simply hadn't registered my input. On their own, each moment of ambiguity could be overlooked, but they occurred frequently enough throughout my testing to become a real pain.

Features

Features

• Robust RGB customisation with a user-friendly interface
• USB pass-through is always a plus
• PS4 and Xbox One support is a nice addition

• Read more about the HyperX Alloy Elite 2's features

  Like the Alloy Elite RGB, the Alloy Elite 2 has plenty to offer in the features department.

  Along the top-right of the keyboard sits a volume wheel and four dedicated media keys. The wheel doesn't offer as much resistance as I'd like, making it trickier than it should be to dial in precise volume adjustments. Nevertheless, both it and the media keys provide quick and convenient access to key functions when watching videos or listening to music.

  On the other side of the top row rests three additional keys. One controls the brightness of the LEDs, one cycles between your three stored keyboard profiles and the third toggles Game Mode, which is more versatile here than on many keyboards. Through the HyperX NGenuity configuration app, you can use Game Mode to selectively disable not just the Windows key but also the Alt+Tab, Alt+F4, Shift+Tab and Ctrl+Esc key combinations. Given the switch sensitivity issues I mentioned earlier, these additional options are much appreciated.

  The top of the Alloy Elite 2 is also where you'll find a USB port, tucked away next to the USB cable. When both ends of the USB cable are plugged in, this port acts as a USB 2.0 pass-through for connecting other devices. This is especially helpful if you have a mouse or controller with a frustratingly short cable, as it can give you more slack than plugging directly into your PC. It's also handy if you just need to charge a device and can't be bothered rummaging around with your PC's rear USB ports.

  

  HyperX emphasises the Alloy Elite 2's RGB light bar as one of its key features. While it certainly sets the keyboard apart from its competitors, it doesn't really add much. It's neat that you can customise the lighting pattern for each of its individual LEDs, but the light bar itself is recessed so deeply into the keyboard's frame that you can't see it unless you're looking directly down from above. When you're using the keyboard, the light bar is obscured by both the Fn keys and the keyboard itself.

  The Alloy Elite 2's key RGB is a lot more compelling. You can customise lighting on a per-key basis, applying different static colours or lighting patterns to each individual LED, if you so wish. Available patterns include a breathing pulse, a wave and a twinkling confetti arrangement, each of which supports further customisation through parameters like speed, angle and opacity.

  Rebinding keys is also satisfyingly simple. The HyperX NGenuity app lets you remap every key on the Alloy Elite 2 other than the volume wheel, the media keys and the brightness, profile and Game Mode keys. Along with remapping keys to mimic other keys, you can assign basic system functions like cycling through running apps or switching to the desktop. There's macro support, too, so you can record a sequence of key presses and mouse clicks to be executed each time you press a specific key.

  As a neat bonus, the Alloy Elite 2 is compatible with both the PS4 and Xbox One. If a game supports mouse and keyboard control on either of those consoles, you can plug the Alloy Elite 2 in and use it to play as you would on a PC.

Should you buy the HyperX Alloy Elite 2?

As a gaming keyboard, the HyperX Alloy Elite 2 is, frankly, mediocre. Its switches are mushy and overly sensitive, and its feedback is too ambiguous to deliver the precision necessary for high-level gaming.

However, as a general-purpose keyboard, the Alloy Elite 2 fares a lot better. Its pliable keys facilitate high-speed, low-impact typing, its dedicated media controls simplify the process of watching videos or listening to music and its USB pass-through turns it into a convenient hub for other USB devices. At $289, though, it's a steep investment for a solid yet unremarkable keyboard with disappointing gaming performance.

Pricing and availability

Price

RRP: $289.00

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