HyperX Alloy Origins Core Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

Personally speaking, HyperX makes some of the best keyboards hands down. I have been using the HyperX Alloy FPS for the last couple of years and I’m still having a hard time finding something that beats it. Recently HyperX sent me one of their newest keyboards, the Hyper X Alloy Origins Core, a keyboard that has many improvements over what I have been using, but there was one slight flaw with the newer keyboard that made me return to old faithful.

Specifications

• Current Price: $89.99USD/$169AUD
• Layout: Tenkeyless
• Type: Mechanical
• Switch
  • Type: HyperX Red Switch
  • Operation Style: Linear
  • Actuation Force: 45g
  • Key Travel Distance: 1.8 mm
  • Total Travel: 3.8 mm
  • Life Span (Keystrokes): 80 million
• Backlight: RGB (16,777,216 colors)
• Light effects: Per key RGB lighting and 5 brightness levels
• Onboard memory: 3 profiles
• Cable: 1.8 m, Detachable, Braided
• Connection type: USB Type-C to USB Type-A
• Dimensions (WxDxH):  442.5 mm x 132.5 mm x 36.39 mm
• Features:
  • Anti-ghosting: 100% anti-ghosting
  • Key rollover: N-key mode
  • LED indicator: Yes
  • Media control: Yes
  • Game Mode: Yes
  • Warranty: 2-year

The new HyperX Alloy Origins series is one of the best keyboards I have had my hands on from a construction standpoint. First thing you notice out of the box is that this thing is a lot smaller than the standard keyboard, since the number pad has been removed, leaving this as a perfect FPS keyboard. The next thing you notice is the steel construction of the keyboard frame… And that board is HEAVY. Like if you hit someone in the face with this keyboard like Wesley did in the movie Wanted, then you are going to do more damage than you see in that scene. The Alloy Origins Core is a solid keyboard that is going to stay with you for a long time if you treat it right, or even if you rage quit; this keyboard can take a beating. Another thing that you are going to notice about the construction of the Alloy Origins Core is that it has 3 adjustable height stand settings, giving you the optimal board setting for those who need more height in order to hit the keys quickly.

But the main innovation with the Alloy Origins Core is the switches in the keys. These days people are all about those switches man. Well HyperX has developed their own internal “Red” and “Aqua” style switches which are slightly more sensitive than the more top-of-the-line Cherry MX switches that most other keyboards have today. This means that not only can you spend ages typing away at breakneck speed, but you won’t make a sound while doing so. This is a far step up from the mechanical click-clack typing that I do on the other board, which is welcomed by my housemates as they no longer have to hear me typing out reviews in the office from the communal lounge room.

However, there is not only innovation in the construction and physical form of the Alloy Origins Core, but there is some changes to the way that they keyboards work with your PC. Thanks to HyperX’s newest software suite, called NGenuity, you have access to more of the board than what previous models have allowed. Given this is the age of RGB everything, NGenuity allows you to set the way all those pretty lights work on the Alloy Origins Core keyboard, as well as save more macros and keybinds for each game that you want to play; giving you the ultimate freedom in making every game feel like you are 100% in control of what you want without having to spend hours going internally into each game and setting everything up. This time you can do it with the NGenuity software and just cycle though to what you want. You can also save three profiles on the keyboard itself too, but the software is a much better option.

The HyperX Alloy Origins Core is an improvement over most other keyboards on the market, including those from the HyperX brand themselves. The steel construction is probably the best addition to the keyboard as it makes sure that the whole keyboard is protected from all sorts of issues when traveling and also gamer rage. The new HyperX switches are amazingly soft and silent, making them very responsive to the touch without too much pressure. I can also see the smaller size of the keyboard being of benefit to those gamers who just want the main board and nothing else. This is definitely a gaming keyboard in every sense of the word. Combining the amazing construction, switches and other features of the Alloy Origins Core with the new NGenuity software proves that HyperX keyboards are some of the best in the business, along with the more amazing RGB lighting on the market.

If there is anything to gripe about with the Alloy Origins Core, I think it mostly comes from a comfort standpoint. After spending so long with the Alloy FPS keyboard, and that being a responsive audio keyboard with the clicky switches and also being a full keyboard, I’m much more used to that style. I found the Alloy Origins Core to be too small of a keyboard, with the loss of the number pad leaving my hands feeling off center when typing, and also hitting some of the number pad keys out of habit only to hit something else instead due to the lack of that feature. Also it was just too quiet. While this was a bonus to my housemates while I wrote things, it was leaving me to make more mistakes than usual when it came to spelling errors and misplaced key clicks. I also think the loss of the grip keys from the Alloy FPS hurts the Alloy Origins Core because those keys help a lot with making sure your fingers grip the right keys during games. I swapped the keys over, and luckily since they are the same size, it helped improved that little issue. But overall I think that the loss of the number pad on this version of the keyboard artificially makes things more difficult than they should be.

At the end of it all, I wish I could say that I’m writing this review on the Alloy Origins Core, but as I mentioned above, my hand placement has suffered so much that I really couldn’t go on. I did revert to the safety of the Alloy FPS that I’ve been using before and will continue to use from here on out. That being said, I think that I was just reviewing the wrong model here. If I had the Alloy Origins, the much more standard keyboard, then I think I’d be using that rather than going back to old faithful. The Alloy Origins Core is a very solid keyboard and perfect for any FPS player out there or someone who loves to marco and keybind the crap out of their gaming session, but this one is just not for me… But I’ll still recommend the purchase for anyone who want to upgrade to the best series of keyboards out there at the moment.

Review Disclosure Statement: The HyperX Alloy Origins Core was provided to us by Double Jump Communications for review purposes. For more information on how we review video games and other media/technology, please go review our Review Guideline/Scoring Policy for more info.