Other Hall Effect keyboards to consider
Asus Falchion Ace HFX for $200: The Falchion Ace HFX (7/10, Wired Recommends) has a number of unique features, and beneath them, it’s a really solid Hall effect keyboard. Small details like the touchpad and physical rapid-trigger switches, combined with big-ticket items like an 8,000-Hz polling rate and one of the better customization software available, make this keyboard intuitive for daily use and powerful for high-speed gaming. It feels good to type on, looks good, and can be extensively customized without the need to close your game or open customization software.
SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 for $220: The Apex Pro Mini (6/10, Wired Review) is a perfectly serviceable HE keyboard with solid switches, fast refresh rates, and useful features like rapid trigger and wrong-input protection. However, the build quality is a bit low for the price, and SteelSeries’ GG software can be difficult to use at times. The Apex Pro Mini uses a tray mount with standard GH60 mounting points. This means the typing experience feels a little stiffer than gasket-mounting, but this can be easily customized with aftermarket cases. Although it is ultimately a serviceable keyboard, I can’t recommend it at the MSRP. Wait until it goes on sale.
Sony Inzone KBD-H75 for $300: The first gaming keyboard under Sony’s InZone brand, the KBD-H75, looks good, feels comfortable to type on (which is to be expected from Gateron switches), and comes with functional software. Sony’s InZone Hub has extensive adjustable settings for how Hall Effect switches behave, with adjustable activation distance and customizable rapid trigger functionality. However, like Sony’s cameras, the setting adjustments can sometimes be a bit much – they offer more customization than most users know what to do with, and don’t give much guidance on how they work or what they should be set at. The RGB lighting is bright, and the 8,000-Hz polling is on par with today’s highest-end gaming keyboards. The response time of this keyboard also seems great. The gasket-mount is relatively firm, feeling more comfortable than the tray-mount without introducing too much flex while typing. However, the KBD-H75 does not have a SOCD system (like the Snap Tap). The volume knob can easily get “stuck” between two bumps and not register input. Unlike the other options on this list, the KBD-H75 only has an upper half of aluminum, with the bottom half of its case made of plastic – something that shouldn’t be the case with only wired keyboards at this price. It’s a useful premium keyboard, but I’ll wait for a sale.
Elecom VK720A for $63: As one of the few Hall Effect keyboards on this list that utilizes non-Gateron switches, this keyboard stands out against the competition. The switches are solid and smooth and the keyboard feels good to type on. It has some fun features, like a swappable spacebar and a set of keycaps that were designed specifically for gaming (which works great for that). The lack of wireless connectivity and mediocre build quality let it down quite a bit, but it’s still a solid option.
avoid these keyboards
Corsair K70 Pro TKL: If you are only a kind of If you’re looking for a Hall Effect keyboard, the Corsair K70 Pro TKL (5/10, WIRED Review) may be for you. The central group of keys uses Hall Effect switches, but the entire exterior of this keyboard uses standard mechanical switches. Although this isn’t a big issue if you only use the center group of keys, it still results in inconsistent customization options and a keyboard that has two different typing feels between the main keys and the peripheral keys. Also, if you adjust the actuation distance of your HE switches, you’ll be stuck with a large number of keys on the outside that perform completely differently than they should, which I didn’t enjoy when I tested this keyboard. If you like the design, I’d recommend saving a few dollars and picking up the core TKL Wireless model instead. It adds Bluetooth and 2.4-GHz connectivity, and it has a consistent typing experience with standard mechanical switches across the board.
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL: SteelSeries appears to have made the same mistake as Corsair, and opted to only use the HE switches in the central cluster of keys. However, this keyboard does have some advantages over Corsair’s version, such as an OLED display that adds a bit of fun and functionality. However, I can’t really recommend this model compared to SteelSeries’ 60% HE keyboard, as you’re getting the same amount of Hall Effect switches in a much more compact form factor.
Photograph: Henry Robbins
Corsair Vanguard Pro 96: The Vanguard Pro 96 looks like the first Corsair Serious Try the Hall Effect keyboard, and it’s quite capable. The build quality feels solid, the switches are smooth and the layout feels great. Corsair’s SOCD feature, FlashTap, works incredibly well, and the switches feel responsive and quick with 8,000-Hz polling and low latency. Plus, the memory foam wrist rest is comfortable, and the keycaps have just the right texture for grip feel without being abrasive. The screen in the upper right corner primarily displays changes to settings, such as adjusting the switch’s activation distance, enabling FlashTap, or changing the knob’s functionality. The knobs can be used to adjust actuation distance, change volume, and swap between windows. So why don’t I recommend it? Customization is very limited. The screen can only display GIFs and images (with no options for system information like GPU and CPU temperatures or fan speeds), and multiple inputs (like enabling FlashTap, adjusting RGB, and adjusting actuation distance) can’t be remapped to a different key than the default. Some settings, such as adjusting the switch activation distance, cannot be mapped to specific keys and can only be done via the knob. The Vanguard Pro 96 isn’t compatible with Corsair’s iCue software, either, something that’s specifically advertised on the box. Corsair claims it’s working on iCue support, but like any promise in the tech world, I’ll believe it when I see it. If Corsair can resolve the software issues with this keyboard, I would happily recommend it. It is, physically, a really nice keyboard. However, in its current state, it feels half-baked.
Photograph: Henry Robbins
Syntec Chronos68: This keyboard gets things largely wrong when it comes to tuning the keyboard, creating something that, while functional, is not at all pleasant to type on. The biggest issue is the Outemu dustproof switches: they’re really bad. I’ve tested a lot of Hall Effect keyboards, and some of them felt a little soft under keypresses. None of them compare to the Chronos68, which has a soft, uncomfortable bottom-out on some keys, but not all! It feels like a significant percentage of them were heavily lubricated by the factory. It feels like you’re typing straight into a piece of sponge cake, or an Oreo dipped in milk. The assembly is a standard tray-mount, with typical flaws: hard spots where the plate snaps into the case, and soft spots where it doesn’t. However, the sound deadening foam combined with the switches produces an unpleasant typing sound; A muted top-end, a heavy mid-range, and subtle low frequencies that make the keyboard sound like you’re listening to it through low-quality earplugs. The performance of this keyboard is acceptable—it has all the expected features like rapid trigger, 8,000-Hz polling, adjustable actuation distance, and SOCD adjustment—but the software is not. The SynHub driver software is slow and awkward to use. Ultimately, it’s not worth suffering through the rest of the keyboard’s user experience on specifications and functionality.
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