Software

There is no dedicated software driver support for the GAMDIAS HERMES M5—all functionality is hardware based. As such, I have chosen to combine the Software and Performance pages into one. So we already see a potential limitation of the microcontroller not allowing for extensive customization.

Performance

We get full N-key rollover USB with the HERMES M5, as tested successfully with Aqua's test. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys, and it also confirmed that the R. Win key is replaced by an Fn key, which isn't surprising.

When the GAMDIAS HERMES M5 is first connected to a PC, it lights up in a dynamic effect before transitioning into another that is basically a wave effect. This also confirms that a single color LED is associated with each switch, which GAMDIAS calls an Ice Blue in color.


Fn + F6-F11 toggles through six preset lighting effects, of which one is a static effect for all keys. There is also per-key lighting, but of the same color, of course. Additionally, five programmable effects are associated with five onboard profiles. GAMDIAS has done this to differentiate game genres especially, with associated keys lit up. Fn and -/+ on the number-key row changes backlighting brightness in five steps (0/25/50/75/100%), which works with all the lighting effects. Also seen above are two other lighting effects, including a breathing mode and what looks like a snake effect that transitions into an explosion, which is actually the first effect that then transitions into the wave effect from before.

Per-key lighting and saving them to one of five lighting profiles is really the only available customization here, in addition to choosing between the preset lighting effects. You can do a factory reset of the keyboard as well if you messed up the per-key lighting, but that's really it. The extra four keys for volume control and media playback are handy in all use cases, but there is no denying that the HERMES M5 is a basic keyboard when it comes to functionality. The full-size form factor also allows for users to use the numpad for number crunching, but is not the most ergonomic form factor. The lower profile relative to others helps with using the keyboard without a wrist rest, too. On the product page, there is mention of on-the-fly macro recording, but I am not sure if that is actually the case since the manual makes no mention of it at all.


As always, the sound of a keyboard is based on more than just the switch type. So when comparing sound clips, consider the keyboard as a whole. In this case, I have provided above an example sound clip of me typing on the GAMDIAS HERMES M5 keyboard sample at ~110 WPM as it comes out of the box with the GAMDIAS Blue switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with tactile and clicky switches. I did bottom out, and you can hopefully hear some of the downstrokes causing reverberation with the mostly empty plastic case. The switches are not the best, with some wobble on the keycaps and bare switches going down, as well as occasionally inconsistent clicks.

The tactile bump is pronounced enough, and the click is high-pitched, which drowns out some of the ping off the aluminium alloy frame when bottoming out, but I can't say these feel good to type on or listen to. In a vacuum, these would absolutely do the job, but there are far better switches out there. The GAMDIAS Blue otherwise seems to be an attempted clone of the Cherry MX Blue, down to the spring used to get a rated actuation at ~50 gf and 2.0 mm of travel, with a total travel of 4.0 mm.