HyperX - Alloy Rise Full-size Wired Mechanical Linear Switch Gaming Keyboard with RGB Lighting - Black

THIS…Is the HyperX Alloy Rise fully customizable full-size keyboard and it is packed with several unique and high-end features and touts customization from the face plate down to the switches. In an expanding and competitive market for customizable keyboards, HyperX is taking the jump in…So let's see how this keyboard stacks up to the growing competition! Let's kick this off with the reason we are all here. This keyboard has Linear (so non-clicky) HyperX Red (don't confuse with MxRed) switches that come pre-lubed and have 40g of actuation wrapped in PBT keycaps. I have to say typing on this keyboard feels really good, and it is almost addicting coming from MxReds and other brand linear switches. These are NICE and glide so well. The keys also have a half-wall POM stem which is fancy talk for a bit better duration and stability in the keys over time aka no crooked keys in a year or so. With wired 8k polling there is virtually zero lag! Something interesting about this keyboard is that it is ‘Gasket’ mounted…meaning that there is a rubber grommet between the keys PCB and the housing around it and for me, it makes the key press more precise feeling … it is supposed to make the keystrokes quieter but I did not observe this effect. There is still a soothing tapping noise from the key strikes. This keyboard, like most others, comes with software to further your customization. The software is good and has ‘10 profiles’…which for me… is more than I will ever use but I can never complain about more. Some other cool software tricks that they used since there is no actual LED light indicators for caps and num lock, when caps or num lock is on the key remains white. So let's say that you have a red-lit key, it would be white when caps or num is activated which I think is super cool. This keyboard also has an ambient light sensor to adjust the brightness up and down on the keyboard based on the room's lighting - and is a feature you can turn off if you don’t like it. Now let's talk about the customization and what that ACTUALLY entails. Out of the box, you can swap out the top plate, volume knob, keycaps, and switches (to any 5-pin switch). As it stands, HyperX only offers black, white, and navy blue for the top plate / rotary knob set (those come as a combo), so if you want something more you’re going to have to wait on them or 3rd party. The same goes for switches as well, as they only offer tactile and linear switches - however, they use a standard 5-pin switch format so you can always swap it out with other 3rd party switches. To wrap this up, this keyboard hits the sweet spot for me. For people who are just dipping their toes into the customized keyboard realm…this keyboard starts with a lot of the long-term features that you'll enjoy over time such as 8k polling, RGB, and good software. Beyond that, you can customize this up to a very high-end board from switches and keycaps. HyperX built this in a very open-source method that allows you to go with 3rd party switches and keycaps which I do appreciate, and the build quality is seriously great out of the box… I mean the thing weighs over two pounds and isn't $400+. The best part of the whole thing is when you buy this at Best Buy… you never have to worry about getting the wrong keyboard, they have this model and several other variations as well to fit all needs and setups. I love this keyboard, but it is a very opinionated subject which is what makes Best Buy awesome as they probably have it on display to be tested as well as several other options. Best Buy has an excellent return policy and even better customer service, so you never have to worry about buying a product that you don’t like… so why not test it out!?

There are two versions of my review for the HyperX Alloy Rise keyboard. One version is what I had in my head as I sat down to write this. I was excited to unbox the keyboard as this was the first hot-swappable keyboard from a mainstream manufacturer that I'd seen. Everything about the keyboard works well, but I wasn't terribly impressed with the Ngenuity software vs other gaming accessory apps I've used. So I was probably not going to give this keyboard a perfect score. Then, when going through Ngenuity one more time before finishing my review, I discovered the Video Capture capability. And I made a keyboard lighting pattern based on the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up. My mind is BLOWN. Regardless of the rick roll meme capabilities, the video capture option (or just screen mirroring in general) works incredibly well on this keyboard - far better than any other accessory maker that I've used. HyperX deserve maximum kudos! I will caution that it can consume a fair amount of CPU so if you're on a lower end chip without a lot of cores this might not be as interesting for you. With the 13700 that I'm using, it consumes from 1-3% on average. #Look and feel# This is a fairly compact standard keyboard without any extra macro keys. The base plate is metal, and swappable for different colors as sold by HyperX. The keycaps are all PBT and have a great, solid "thunk" feel to them. The switches that are installed out of the box are linear/"red" switches and a tool is included to hot swap the switches for tactile ones which HyperX sells. They advertise compatibility with other switches as well. As discussed above, the lighting effects are awesome. There's a volume knob that's serviceable and a few media control keys next to it. A single, detachable USB-C cable is included. It's braided. There's not much to write home about there. #Gaming and typing# I tend to prefer clicky keys for typing and have gone back and forth on whether I like linear switches more for gaming. I found the linear switches in the HyperX Alloy Rise to be really good for gaming in the sense they have low actuation resistance and are not incredibly noisy. I'm interested in trying out the tactile switches as this might be a relatively quiet keyboard for office use, as mechanical keyboards go. #Final thoughts# As I said at the start, I originally was excited for this keyboard's customizability but it didn't have the extra flair that would get it to a top score until I really played around with Ngenuity and found the Video Capture mode. Rick rolling myself from my keyboard lighting put this over the top! I'm now trying to come up with much cooler RGB animations that are possible with this functionality. The swappable base plate and key switches are a really cool feature of this keyboard and the parts to do so seem fairly priced on the HyperX site. At the same MSRP as this keyboard, you can get keyboards with more built in features from other brands, but you can't get the kind of customizability as this keyboard without going to more boutique brands as far as I know. I haven't really explored HyperX's products before, but after using the Alloy Rise I'm considering doing a full HyperX desk setup for a build for my kids.

HyperX Alloy Rise is a great keyboard. this is my first full swappable keyboard, i’ve been meaning to get once but now with hyperx alloy rise that I currently have, I will be going more deep dive into it. first impressions this a full keyboard with number pad and man this have a great weight I never had a heavy keyboard and I think I kinda prefer how these would stay put without worrying about moving around the design I would say is fairly basic you do get some rgb accent on each side but nothing that you would technically see while using the keyboard it’s more for viewing from the distance, the media button has a great tactile feeling to when you press them and I like it. for me it feels premium. you also have the audio wheel and again this has great feel to it that you can feel every dial you make while adjusting the volume the button can also be press down to be muted. Alloy Rise comes with HyperX linear switches and I do enjoy the amount of softness and a bit of clicklu sounds these Red switches have. it bit more quieter than my previous cherry red switches and overall comfort it feels great to type on this key board. I’m glad HyperX did not go crazy with this keyboard and went to what works and what matter I love how the logo is also blacked out and it’s not on your face. this keyboard also equipped with smart ambient light sensor. kinda cool how the light will adjust based on the environment is at. on the keyboard frame there’s a small dot where the sensor is located and so far no issue with it. again if you want to fully change the key switches these are fully customizable. you can also replace the front cover plate. and the volume knob. HyperX also thought about adding a little bit more customization by offer magnetic side badges and looks like you’ll be able to buy these from. hyperX, again something that you can only see when actually viewing your keyboard or front he distance. App I download HyperX NGENUITY app. this where I feel like the app could use a bit more touch up. make it more attractive coz right now the app feels dated. the app alone looks limited on terms what it can do. it does have the ability to connect light sync with other HyperX product but man the looks boring to look at, it feels rush. you have the ability to customize your Alloy rise with different RGB color theme, you have breathing, confetti, swipe, solid, twilight, wave, sun, mirror, video capture. and that’s it. I feel like the app should be packing a whole lot more preset custom theme lighting effect. maybe have the ability for the community to connect with each other to offer custom made color set my the community. I guess that what HyperX really want us is to just focus on the product we currently have. but for me they have a long way to make this app worth downloading coz right now it’s just not an attractive app to look at. I also wish I don’t have to use the app just to put this gaming keyboard on game mode. wish they had a switch on the side for easy access. Conclusion overall my experience with the keyboard is great is now my main gaming keyboard i’ll be using. I love these red linear switches. the keyboard can produce some bright led. I love the dedicated media control and how it feels. on the side customizable badge I don’t think these will last. that mean I would need to buy a set from HyperX that I prob won’t even like. I hope some 3rd party would create magnetic badges for more options. I hope HyperX continues with their custom swappable case and gives us more options as well coz right now It feels like a gimmick that would eventually die out. I also prefer having the USBC plug at the back center not on the side maybe that something they can do change in the future. experience with the keyboard as been a satisfying time. and I do think HyperX is on the right direction for offering these. would definitely recommend the keyboard if you’re an HyperX fan. great build quality it sure will last.