HyperX Alloy Origins 60 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard review – Travel Time

PC gaming accessories have diverged more and more from regular computer peripherals ever since the resurgence of PC play in the early-2010s. Manufacturers feel emboldened to produce devices like skeletal mice and cut-down keyboards that undoubtedly compromise everyday utility in exchange for more room to toss said skeletal mouse around. Cut-down keyboards like HyperX Alloy Origins 60. Coming in at 60% the size of a regular keyboard, AO60 adds a lot of space to your desk and makes the device more portable but does a bit more than that.

Formed Around Function

Alloy Origins 60 doesn’t have much in the way of unnecessary adornment and is demure for a such a pure gaming peripheral. It’s a good-looking device; its choice of material and minimalist, functionalist design lend it an almost elegant look. (With the LEDs turned off obviously, not even a swan role-playing as Marco van Basten can look elegant with LEDs on.)

The sole logo resides on the lower side of the space bar as you look as the keys from above. On the pre-installed spacebar, the logo doesn’t stand out too much due to its position despite it being a splash of white on the noir entirety of the keys.

HyperX Alloy Origins 60 is constructed around an aluminium chassis and and face plate. Both are slightly matted. The premium look and feel of the lightly brushed metal is undeniable here – the designers clearly understood that ‘less in more’ when you have the right material to work with. HyperX’s own switches give the device their only flashes of colour. Each key’s red mechanism peeks out from under the keys.

The package comes with some spare keys. A replacement spacebar that has a map relief style pattern etched into it and a HyperX logo key. The HyperX key is the same size as the alphanumerics but not the Windows and Fn keys – the keys I assumed it would replace. (It’s supposed to replace the Esc key, apparently.)

That ‘relief’ spacebar does look cool and allows the LED lights underneath to serve their illuminative purpose. For an implement of virtual war, Alloy Origins 60 is actually gorgeous. It has a dark and mysterious allure that I am sure you philistines will ruin with some heinous LED pattern. But who am I to judge?

Singular Vision

As mentioned above, HyperX Alloy Origins 60 does compromise a little on typing utility but gains a lot in its intended area of use.

The board chops the keys used least by gamers. The 61-key device is missing the NUM pad, arrow keys, editing keys and a few more so typing and other word processing can be a pain until you get used to the layout. The short travel time is perfect for swift activation during intense gaming sessions but takes even more from the typing experience.

Alloy Origins 60 does feature full-sized keys, though. Despite its small size, it’s weighty and will stay put when the action becomes furious. The frosted, heavy plastic keys themselves feel amazing under the fingers – no flex with each key standing solid and apart under the fingertips. The installed keys are composed of the hardier PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) so they should keep that pleasant frosted feel for longer.

The HyperX Red switches are linear with a light activation weight and short travel time. While they lack the assured feedback of clicky switches, they are much quieter. This will help you to avoid annoying your team-mates with a cacophony of clickety-clacks.

Alloy Origins 60 measures in at 292mm wide, that’s less than a foot. The slim form brought by the key paring will naturally benefit mouse-flingers and sweepers most. For more precise pointers, clearing a few inches laterally means players can have their hands closer together.

These benefits are obvious but the keyboard’s size has one more trick. Combining its reduced footprint with that comfortingly rigid construction, HyperX Alloy Origins 60 is exceptionally portable. It will slide into a relatively small bag so you can take it anywhere.

Origins 60 features three operating heights facilitated by two sets of foldaway feet. The smaller pair resides inside the larger ones – it looks tidy, though you won’t see this particular piece of the design very often.

Visual Plurality

HyperX Alloy Origins 60 has a 16.8-million-colour LED under each of its keys. As with all HyperX gear, users customise their eye-trocity through NGenuity. There are a few generic presets along with some more specific setups. Users can also create custom layouts with effects like ripple and cooldown available to add utility/busyness. Users can also assign profiles, custom or preset, to games or apps.

You can download presets for specific games from HyperX’s online profiles page, here you can find over 30 of the most popular games on PC as well as some profiles endorsed by esports teams. Surprisingly, Dignitas has a theme but I hope I am thinking of a different organisation.

NGuity also serves practical purposes. While there are no Macros to assign, adjusting Alloy Origins 60’s Game Mode settings is a useful software feature. Hitting Fn+I will enable Game Mode which by default disables the Windows key. Users can disable Alt+F4, Ctrl+Esc, Alt+Tab, Shift+Tab funtions also.

HyperX Alloy Origins 60 has space for three profiles in its onboard memory so you can take your colour and/or Game Mode preferences with you.

Daily Typer

Adjusting to the slightly altered keyboard layout is the biggest hurdle in using Alloy Origins 60 for work or study. Having to hit Fn with a range of keys is a chore but you may eventually get used to it. To their credit, the layout for the secondary keys has been designed with care. All ‘Fn plus’ secondaries reside on the right-hand side of the keyboard so your baby finger can easily hold Fn and find the key you want.

The order is intuitive. The arrow and volume adjustment keys are right next to Fn while lesser-used functions like FF/REW, adjust brightness or the three profile hotkeys are furthest away.

There is no replacement here for the trust Num Pad but I feel HyperX did well at curbing the compromise of the 60% form factor. While it’s not ideal to type business stuff, college essays or reviews for TechStomper, it’s not that bad either.

Specifications

A Key Board

HyperX Alloy Origins 60 gets the most from its reduced form factor. Clever use of secondary keys take the edge off the key-loss while it fulfils its gaming promise. The heavy weight will keep it nice and secure on your desk while its aluminium core and small size make it portable. Its looks may be of lesser concern than its performance but Origins 60 is an attractive accessory.

If linear switches are for you, there are many reasons why should consider Alloy Origins 60.

Available now for around €99/£89/€99. Review unit provided by PR