HyperX's large family of mechanical gaming keyboards continues to grow with the addition of the Alloy FPS RGB, the first Alloy FPS keyboard to come equipped with Kailh Silver Speed switches.
HyperX Alloy FPS RGB Specifications
| Keyboard Type | Mechanical |
| Key Switches | Kailj Silver SpeedLinear40cN actuation force |
| Backlight | RGB |
| Light Effects | Per key RGB lightingFive brightness levels |
| Onboard Memory | Three profiles |
| Connection Type | USB 2.0 (two USB connectors) |
| USB 2.0 Pass-Through | Yes (mobile phone charging only) |
| Polling Rate | 1,000Hz |
| Anti-Ghosting | 100 percent |
| Key Rollover | N-key mode |
| Media Control | Yes |
| Game Mode | Yes |
| OS Compatibility | Windows 10, 8.1, 8 and 7 |
| Cable | 1.8mDetachable, braided |
| Dimensions | 442.3 x 129.8 x 35.6mm |
| Weight (Keyboard and Cable) | 1,100g |
The new HyperX Alloy FPS RGB is a full-size (104 or 105 keys) mechanical gaming keyboard crammed into a compact, steel alloy body with a huge emphasis on portability and reducing desktop space. As its name implies, the keyboard comes with customizable RGB lighting per-key, offering up to five levels of brightness. Other gaming-oriented features include a Game Mode function to disable the Windows key during gaming sessions, 100 percent anti-ghosting, full N-Key rollover, macro support, a detechable braided cable and a dedicated USB port for charging smartphones. The keyboard also has enough onboard memory to store up to three profiles, so gamers can take their light shows and macro settings with them wherever they go.
Kailh Silver Speed Switches
Of course, one of the HyperX Alloy FPS RGB's novelties is the usage of Kailh Silver Speed mechanical switches from Chinese switch maker Kaihua Electronics. Much like the Cherry MX Speed Silver switches from German rival Cherry, the Kailh Silver Speed switches are built with a short travel distance and light actuation force. They have a total travel of 3.5mm, which is only 0.1mm longer than the Cherry MX Speed Silver. However, the Kailh Silver Speed switches beat the Cherry MX Speed Silver switches in actuation force and lifespan. The Chinese switches require just 40 grams of force to actuate, while their German counterparts need a little over 45 grams of force. Additionally, the Kailh Silver Speed Switches are rated for 70 million key presses, while the Cherry MX Speed Silver switches are good for 50 million strokes.
The HyperX Alloy FPS RGB is now available in the U.S. and Canada through a vast number of retailers for $109.99 MSRP. HyperX backs the Alloy FPS RGB with a two-year warranty.
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Zhiye Liu is a news editor, memory reviewer, and SSD tester at Tom’s Hardware. Although he loves everything that’s hardware, he has a soft spot for CPUs, GPUs, and RAM.
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wraithr32 I have the Corsair K70 Rapid fire and the light amount of pressure needed to activate the key is bothersome sometimes. 5 grams lighter going to be even more so.Reply -
cryoburner I don't get why supposedly "premium" mechanical keyboards leave out features like a dedicated volume knob/roller, or at least some basic dedicated media buttons. Instead you need to perform finger-gymnastics with an FN key combo to swap between media controls and function keys. I mean, it's a $100+ keyboard. How hard is it to incorporate basic functionality that was included on $20 keyboards 20 years ago? The buttons don't even need to be mechanical, and probably wouldn't cost them much more than a dollar to add.Reply
Additionally, the Kailh Silver Speed Switches are rated for 70 million key presses, while the Cherry MX Speed Silver switches are good for 50 million strokes.
Is anyone going to actually test that though? If it's just the manufacturer's claim, that doesn't mean much. Has some impartial 3rd-party tested production versions of both switches under identical controlled conditions and found there to be an actual difference in durability? Otherwise, comparing the durability specification at all seems kind of pointless.