Most major gaming peripheral companies have already introduced 60-percent mechanical keyboards, which are more compact than full-sized versions and have become trendy in recent years for aesthetic and size reasons. But at CES 2021, HyperX is finally following suit by debuting its first compact model called the Alloy Origins 60. There are fewer keys here than one of its full-sized options, but not necessarily fewer functions; you’ll find most of the keys available have secondary functions that can be activated by holding down the function button.
This isn’t the first time a 60-percent keyboard has donned HyperX’s name. The company collaborated with enthusiast brand Ducky on a limited release of that company’s One 2 Mini, injecting it with some HyperX branding and its in-house Red linear mechanical switches. Similarly, the Alloy Origins 60 features those same switches, with a USB-C port for connecting it to your computer. It can store up to three profiles with its onboard memory, which you can switch on the keyboard itself or through HyperX’s Windows 10 app. The app also enables some extra features, like letting you customize the LED lighting and set your own macro commands for the keys.
HyperX says that its keycaps included are PBT double-shot, which means that they’re far more resistant to getting shiny and having the lettering wear away after lots of use. This model will release in the US on February 22nd for $99.99. On the topic of availability, HyperX also announced during CES 2021 that its Pulsefire Haste wired gaming mouse, Cloud II Wireless gaming headset, and the Cloud Revolver 7.1 wired gaming headset are all available globally.
