Closer Examination

As we saw before, the HyperX Alloy FPS RGB keyboard comes in a plastic wrap to keep it pristine and free of dust out of the box. Removing it, we get our first good look at the keyboard, and it is on the heavier side of average as far as full-size plastic case keyboards go. For one, there are a lot of RGB LEDs. Secondly, the plastic case is just on the sides and bottom and attached to a pretty thick steel frame on top. The minimal bezels, which are essentially beveled edges on the sides, and the heft make the keyboard feel really solid in your hands, and this is a positive in my books. The HyperX branding is on the space bar as well as the top-right corner, which does seem redundant, but is in white to retain a monochrome look that, frankly, fits any environment well, whether work or home.

There are three indicator LEDs in the top-right corner above the numpad, which in turn has keycaps that have secondary legends below the primary ones. The alphanumeric section ends up having both sets of legends, as applicable, alongside each other instead, and as we see above, the Fn row follows the trend of the numpad. All this, combined with the location of single legends being in the top-center, is indicative of where the backlighting will be more uniform; those at the bottom may not end up as bright as those at the top. The legends have a clean typeface and are generally large enough to easily be legible for most people.


Flipping the keyboard around, we see the usual certification sticker in the middle of the plastic casing. There are four rectangular rubber pads on the corners to keep the keyboard from sliding around on the desk, and two feet at the top open up to optionally elevate the keyboard. These feet also have rubber pads on the bottom to prevent scratches and retain grip on the resting surface. The case itself has chamfered, angled edges to add some flair even though these will really never be seen in use.


On the front facing toward the monitor is where we see this keyboard's connectivity options, as is the norm with keyboards. As with the older Alloy FPS this is based off, there is a USB pass-through post alongside a mini-USB port. The former is for power pass-through only, which is unfortunate, and HyperX expects customers to use it to charge their phone or another such device. This is a letdown in my opinion, and one HyperX should really update to a full USB pass-through for data and power simultaneously. Similarly, use of mini-USB in this day and age is questionable over micro-USB rated for a higher number of cycles, or the newer Type-C connector. The mini-USB port is inset into the case, which does mean that it is harder for the cable to come out inadvertently. The provided cable thus fits in here and requires two full-size USB Type-C connectors on the other end if you want to use the power pass-through port. USB 2.0 will suffice here, although the lack of USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB 3.0) ports is not really a problem with even relatively recent hardware.


The keycaps have an OEM profile, and the various rows are thus sculpted accordingly. They have a floating design, which allows for easier cleaning, but can cause more light bleed, which may or may not be to your liking. The stock keycaps are thin ABS plastic with an average wall thickness of 0.94 mm, so expect them to develop a shine due to finger oils with use. The legends are laser etched, which will have these wear out quicker relative to other application techniques, including dye sublimation and doubleshot injection. As expected, backlighting will be affected depending on where the legends are located relative to the LED underneath.


There is only one switch option for the Alloy FPS RGB keyboard, and it is the relatively new Kailh Silver Speed RGB mechanical switch. So if you are not a fan of light, linear switches, you should look elsewhere. This is Kailh's take on the similarly named Cherry switch, although Kailh also has many other switches that offer a shorter actuation distance in their linear, tactile, and tactile + clicky offerings. No doubt HyperX and Kailh worked on this design and name on purpose, especially with Cherry seemingly being harder to work with in terms of obtaining switches if you are not Logitech or CORSAIR. The LEDs are separate from the switch and present above them, as seen in the images, and the larger keycaps use Cherry-style stabilizers to complete the not-quite-Cherry-but-close-enough experience.


Here is a look at the keyboard with the wrist rest in place. Given the nature of the universal wrist rest, it is not a perfect fit to the Alloy FPS RGB and extends slightly outward on both sides length-wise.