Wooting two HE Keyboard Review - Analog Precision FTW 6

Wooting two HE Keyboard Review - Analog Precision FTW

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Value and Conclusion

  • The Wooting two HE is currently a pre-order item shipping in batches from the Wooting store in either North America or Europe. The default configuration with the Lekker Linear 60 switches and PBT keycaps costs $179 from the Wooting EU store and $194.99 from the Wooting NA store before taxes and shipping based on your region.
  • Amazing analog control for all switches
  • Massive 0.1–4.0 mm range of actuation, which also corresponds to 0–100% range of analog control
  • Software experience is feature-rich and makes the most of the analog switches
  • Web browser option available for software control
  • Simultaneous analog and digital playback
  • Everything saved onboard the device
  • Contact-free Hall effect switches promise long lifetime and smooth operation
  • Hot-swappable switch sockets
  • Pre-lubed stabilizers and water-resistant coating
  • Per-key 16.8 M RGB backlighting and side lighting with multiple effects and customization options
  • Multiple languages and layouts supported
  • Foam silicone sheet adds noise dampening and improves typing experience
  • Three cable-routing options
  • Good build quality
  • Switches could be heavier to help with the long travel and actuation range
  • Some games don't recognize the controller input and need a digital keystroke to get going
  • PBT keycap set doesn't come with the four keycaps for profile/mode swapping
  • ABS keycaps with laser-etched legends will show signs of wear and tear sooner rather than later
  • Retail availability still a concern
Usually, for keyboards, I talk about pricing and contextualize how it fits into the larger scheme of things. But such is the niche nature of analog keyboards that there is nothing else like the Wooting two HE available at this time. The Input Club Keystone aims to do the same while adding a tactile switch option, but it's still a ways off since not even the tooling is done as this is written. The other analog keyboards I have tested in the past either used optical switches with drawbacks in terms of quality control and range of operation or pressure sensors coupled to a few membrane switches, which didn't work as well. Cooler Master had something with Aimpad in the MK850 and ControlPad, but software support was a letdown there, and there were only a select few analog keys. So there's not much to say when it comes to the $180–$195 for the Wooting two HE, which is also after a recent price increase because of inflation, material shortages, and currency rate fluctuations.

The $200 market for keyboards is still extremely competitive, and I can certainly see a lot of people want features the Wooting two HE does not offer. Perhaps a linear switch is not for you, and maybe you want a mechanical keyboard with your own preferred switches. The full-size form factor is also not the most conducive for portability or gaming, but there is the newer Wooting 60HE that might be more up your alley in that case. I am not sure why the Wooting one HE never happened, at least until the whole point of material and chipset shortages comes to mind again. Software and hardware features also are not that cutting edge if you want 8000 Hz polling rate, brighter LEDs and/or side lighting, macro recording, and a larger ecosystem of peripherals. Wooting does include Razer Chrome Connect, but I don't have enough Razer gear to figure out how well it works.

However, you are reading this review because you are interested in the tiny market of keyboards with analog switches. Instead of having a standalone controller, you want to experience the best of both worlds with analog movement on the keyboard and a mouse for quick camera controls. How well this works depends on the application or game, but it's generally far better for such keyboards today than it was a few years ago. I found myself testing and playing with the Wooting two HE for way longer than most keyboards I review, which is already saying something. There is also no denying the novelty aspect here, and those in the market for such a product will generally be left pleased. Just get your order in as soon as possible. I saw the April 2022 batch sell out as I was writing this review, and the next batch is a month away already!
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Nov 27th, 2024 03:09 EST change timezone

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