Custom PC - UK (2020-06)

T

heAlloyFPSProisa uniqueproduct
inthisLabs,ontwoaccounts.First,
it’stheonlytenkeylessmodel,but
perhapsmoreimportantly,it’salsotheonly
mechanicalkeyboardherethatusesthemost
popularCherryMXswitches.
Thetenkeylessdesignmeansthis
keyboardhasnonumberpad.Thatcuts
downonversatility,butit meansthisunit
issmallerandlighter– soit’sidealfor
frequenttransport– plusthefewerkeys
keepsthecostbelowour£70cutofffor
thistest.HyperXgoesa stepfurtheronthe
portabilityfrontbyincludinga removable
powercable,whichmakesit fareasierto
packawaysafely.Again,thisisa feature
uniquetothiskeyboardinthisLabs.
ThecompactAlloyFPSProisbolstered
witha solidsteelframe,whichmeansthis
unitisextremelyrobust– justasstrongas
thealuminiumontheLogitech,andsturdier
thantheall-plasticdesignsusedforthe
membraneproductsintheLabs.
TheAlloymaybecompactandsturdy,but
it doeslackfeatureselsewhere.There’sno
roomfordedicatedmediaormacrokeys,and

HYPERX ALLOY

FPSPRO/£61inc VAT

SUPPLIER amazon.co.uk

there’s no USB pass-through and no wrist

rest. There isn’t any RGB LED lighting, either

• just a red backlight, like the Logitech. The
  lighting is good here, though, with consistent
  and bright illumination. Those rivals with
  membrane keys tend to have room in the
  budget for RGB LEDs though.
  There are no unnecessary aesthetic extras
  when it comes to the design. The Alloy has
  its metal and plastic base, its red-lit keys, and
  nothing else.
  Instead, this keyboard’s features
  concentrate on practical gaming
  performance. It’s the only unit here with n-key
  rollover and 100 per cent anti-ghosting, plus
  of course, you get the excellent feel of those
  mechanical switches.
  On the inside, the Alloy is available with
  Cherry MX Blue, Brown, or Red switches. The
  former switches are heavy and tactile, with
  a noticeable bump and audible click – they
  have a 4mm travel distance, a 2mm actuation
  point, and require 60g of force to actuate.
  Cherry MX Red switches are linear and
  noticeably lighter, with a 45g force alongside
  the same travel and actuation distances. The
  Browns also have a 45g activation force and
  have a bump but not click.
  All three are excellent, though we tend
  to find Browns the best overall for typing
  and either Browns or Reds best for gaming.
  The Blue switches are for fans of loud
  keyboards only.
  The Logitech G413’s buttons have shorter
  actuation distances, but that keyboard’s
  switches still pale in comparison to the
  Cherry MX hardware here. The Alloy’s
  buttons are faster and firmer, with a more
  clinical action. The Cherry MX also have
  the advantage that you can buy thousands
  of different custom keycaps for them,
  whereas the Logitech’s keycaps aren’t
  widely available.

The Cherry MX switches also compare

well to the best membrane keyboards.

The Corsair is excellent, for instance, but it

doesn’t quite have the speed and precise

feel. Razer’s unit is fast, too, but that

keyboard is noticeably lighter, without the

weight of a good mechanical switch.

If you’re not a competitive player, then

alternatives like the Corsair offer more

features, and the Logitech G413 is a full-size

keyboard rather than a tenkeyless model yet

still has mechanical switches.

If you want to stick with HyperX but

have a full-size keyboard, expect to open

your wallet: the Alloy FPS RGB uses faster,

shallower Kailh Silver Speed mechanical

switches and costs £70, while the Alloy Elite

RGB sticks with Cherry MX Blue, Red, and

Brown switches but costs £100.

Conclusion

The Alloy FPS Pro offers the best typing

experience in the Labs thanks to its crisp,

reliable, and fast Cherry MX switches, and it

has top-notch build quality.

However, this model also has compromises.

It’s tenkeyless; it has no extra buttons, few

additional features, and no RGB LEDs.

If you want a smaller, focused unit for travel

and competition, though, it’s superb, offering

great quality and easy portability.

VERDICT

It lacks features, but this tenkeyless

model has great quality and is ideal for

travel and competition.

PROFESSIONAL

• 
  

  Excellent
  mechanical keys

  
  


• 
  

  Robust, compact design

  
  


• 
  

  Detachable USB cable

  
  

AMATEUR

• Tenkeyless layout


• No extra buttons


• No RGB LEDs

LABS TEST / KEYBOARDS

SPEC

Connection Wired, USB

Cable 1.8m, braided

Material Steel, plastic

Switch type Cherry MX Blue, Cherry MX Red

Backlighting Red

Extras Tenkeyless design, detachable USB cable

DESIGN

33 / 40

FEATURES

26 / 35

OVERALLSCORE

80 %

VALUE

21 / 25

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