Oh, the woes of RGB computer equipment. It does absolutely nothing to performance, burns a hole in gamers’ pockets, and yet every gamer, including myself, strives to have it in their equipment.
I have RGB glittered around the inside of my computer tower as well as my mouse and keyboard. As we all do, I love the customization of each light module that allows for a unique setup. Plus, it makes for a great conversation piece when showing off your computer!
As a relatively new keyboard manufacturer, Kingston’s HyperX brand has recently made a strong name for itself in a crowded market. Against Logitech, Corsair, SteelSeries, and Razer, HyperX has put a lot of time and money into name recognition.
With their growing HyperX lineup of keyboards, the brand is now expanding into keyboard accessories which offers a premium upgrade to an already premium product.
Today, we are taking a look at their new HyperX translucent-white keycaps.
Welcome to my review of the HyperX Double Shot PBT Keycaps.
Design
What I like about HyperX is that their products are cost-effective, but do not sacrifice on quality. In each review I do for HyperX, I rave at how much you get for your dollar and how their modest products compare to others that cost hundreds of dollars more.
That trend continues with these new keycaps. Made from Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) plastics, the PBT material offers several benefits over the transitional ABS plastics used in traditional keycaps.
When using PBT keycaps, a typist can expect their keycaps to be far more resistant to solvents, have a lesser chance of receiving that “shining” effect that comes from finger oils, and be mechanically and functionally stronger.
When compared to an ABS keycap, the new HyperX caps feel significantly stronger and better on the fingers. Likewise, the newer keycaps are just a tad smaller in height, but this is nearly unnoticeable once they are placed on the keyboard.
In addition to being made from PBT plastics, HyperX uses a double shot manufacturing process. This means that during the manufacturing of the keycaps, two plastics are injected into the heat mold, allowing HyperX to create a translucent base with a smooth white top cap.
The translucent bases offer the RGB lighting of their keyboards to shine directly through the keycaps rather than to just the lettering. This effect allows the keyboard to glow brighter and offers a unique effect.
I am personally a fan of the new font choice on the new keycaps. Their angled lettering, modern symbols, and broken up lines are different from the traditional keycaps on this keyboard. Plus, the font size has greatly increased with it being nearly double in size, which I also prefer.
I was sent the white edition, but HyperX also offers a black variant for those who want a slightly less keyboard-altering look.
Installation
Since I reviewed it, the HyperX Alloy Elite RGB keyboard has been my primary computer keyboard. It’s durability, RGBness, and general practicality makes for a solid and great keyboard to use.
Already being on a HyperX keyboard meant that my keycap conversion to these new double shot keycaps was going to be a breeze. It may be possible to use these keycaps on non-HyperX keyboards, but be warned that the keys may rub if the spacing does not match.
Using the included keycap puller, I removed each of my original Alloy Elite keycaps one by one. At first, I was attempting to remember where each key was originally placed, even going as far as taking a before picture. However, HyperX includes a handy key map inside the box to help you remember where each key goes.
With each keycap removed, take time to clean out your keyboard. I am like the rest of us and sometimes eat at my desk. It’s safe to say a good clean is in order!
After a nice clean, I started to install each keycap one at a time by pushing the keycap down onto the Cherry MX Brown switch. It’s important that each keycap seats down onto the switch and does not rub against its neighboring keycap.
As previously mentioned, I am a huge fan of the new font on the HyperX keycaps. The lettering and symbols really help modernize this ageing keyboard.
Being a gamer, I wanted to carry over my silver HyperX WASD keycaps which have a special texture on them. As I was using the silver caps, they go quite well with the now matching white over the previous black.
Lastly, included in the box are only the standard caps a HyperX keyboard. I was able to replace nearly single keycap without reusing any of my old caps. However, HyperX included a function keycap where the second Windows key goes.Why they did this is a mystery to me as desktop keyboards, especially for all of HyperX’s, have a physical function key row. There is no reason to have a function key as you would on a laptop. Due to this “mistake” my secondary Windows key is now named “Fn”.
Typing Outcome
The introduction of this review was written with the original Alloy Elite keycaps on and afterwards, I replaced and switched all of the keys to the new HyperX double shot keycaps.
During typing and gaming over the past few weeks with these keys, I much preferred them to the originals. Their top textured pieces help my fingers navigate the keys better, and they feel nicer to type with too.
Each keycap is concave so that your finger presses down onto the keycap right in the center and you don’t feel like you’ve mistyped a character or missed a key.
Moreover, the PBT plastics do, in fact, feel more durable and better to type with. They are a touch louder, but nothing that would discourage you against a switch.
Fonts, style, and RGBness are all a great plus and upgrade for my use!
My Final Thoughts
Priced at $24.99, I find that HyperX’s double shot PBT translucent keycaps are well worth the upgrade if you are a HyperX gamer. The company put a lot of money and effort into this accessory, and it shows.
With the upgraded RGB lighting, font, and materials, I can’t recommend them enough. If you are gamer, consider also including their FPS & MOBA Gaming keycaps as I have with the silver WASD.
Buy it now:
© 2019 Justin Vendette
