HyperX Alloy FPS Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Page 1)

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

Back in July, we saw the first of the Alloy series which was just released from HyperX. The Alloy Elite is a gaming mechanical keyboard that is hard to pass by. Built into this exposed plate mechanical keyboard were all of the bells and whistles. Things like a wrist rest, dedicated multimedia keys, backlighting and LED modes, NKRO support, and anti-ghosting, but to bolster the value, even more, we saw things like a key puller, eight extra keycaps, all of which is built into a solid and slim mechanical keyboard. However, the Alloy series continues, and we have one of the latest two to be introduced for you now.

Two iterations were just released, one for the person who enjoys 140-key layouts, and another for people like us, who prefer not to have the number pad, and would rather use a TKL instead. Both designs stick to the exposed top plate design, both stick to the red LED backlighting with multiple modes offered, and both are quite attractive to the masses. Aside from the obvious size difference between the two, there are some small changes to what comes along with them as well. The TKL is shipped without a lot of extras, but that is because it is designed for those who appreciate a no-nonsense approach to their keyboard and those that cannot do without Cherry MX Red switches. The larger of the two is shipped without much more to offer beyond its size, yet this version offers customers the choice of Cherry MX Red, Blue and Brown switches.

Today, we have the smaller of the two to show, the Alloy FPS Pro. Just in the name alone, we can tell the market that HyperX is trying to appease with this design. Rather than to go all out as they did in the summer, this time around, the design is simplified, making the most of a typical TKL layout, but making sure to stick to the high expectations that amateur and professional gamers alike would love to have under their hands. That being said, portability, structural integrity, aesthetics, and functionality are all top priority. At this point, all we have left to do is to put the HyperX Alloy FPS through its paces, and we will show you what to expect and hopefully in that time, convey the message that HyperX is here to stay with excellent products, and is why they are huge in the eSports community.

As we explained earlier, we have the Alloy FPS Pro from HyperX, which is an exposed steel top-plate design, which uses plastic to form the lower half of the support system of this mechanical gaming keyboard. Exposed, and sitting on top of the plate is a set of eighty-seven Cherry MX Red mechanical switches. Each switch has an exposed red LED which can be set to one of five levels of brightness, including turning them off, and all of the LEDs can be set to one of six various modes. The HyperX Alloy FPS Pro weighs in at 1.8 pounds including the cable; it is 14.1" from side to side, it is 5.1" from front to back, and stands 1.4" tall. In case the inevitable happens, and something does go wrong with the product, HyperX covers these keyboards for a period of two-years against defects or errors in workmanship that may shorten the life of this product.

Beyond what you can see from the outside, the Alloy FPS Pro delivers a few other things worth noting as well. Connectivity is handled via a USB 2.0 cable, but on top of that the cable is braided with black and red weave, and the cable is also detachable. The polling rate and rollover options are not adjustable but are set to 1000Hz and NKRO mode respectively. There are six multimedia keys, there is a Game Mode button to lock out certain functions, along with a nearly hidden logo on the top plate near LED indicators for just the Caps Lock button and the Game Mode button operations.

Since we were on the HyperX site, we figured we would look and see how much they were asking for this driverless mechanical gaming keyboard, and we find that the MSRP is set at just $79.99. If you wish to get everything you see here, along with the number pad, The Alloy FPS is close in price, at just $99.99 for it. At Amazon, the Alloy FPS Pro is selling at the same $79.99 price, but the Alloy FPS is listed at $113.14. However, Newegg is sticking toot he MSRP for both offerings, matching the earlier discussed pricing to the penny. Either way, your usage of a keyboard takes you, whether it is the Alloy FPS 104-key design or the Alloy FPS Pro TKL, we feel that the prices are justified, and well within the average of other similar feature packed offerings out there today.

Chad's Peripherals Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS X99-E WS - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• CPU: Intel Core i7 5930K - Buy from Amazon
• Cooler: Corsair H100i GTX - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Memory: KLevv Cras DDR4 3000 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Video Card: ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Matrix Platinum - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Storage: Intel 730 480GB - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Case: SilverStone TJ11 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Power Supply: Corsair AX1200 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit - Buy from Amazon