The HyperX Alloy Origins 60 is fantastic for gaming. This very well built keyboard uses HyperX Red linear switches that feel very light and responsive. The HyperX Alloy Origins 60 is a highly portable 60% form factor keyboard that provide you more room for sweeping mouse movements. It features a durable, all-aluminum chassis and reliable HyperX switches tuned for speed and performance, capable of withstanding 80 million keystrokes. Standard double-shot PBT keycaps have secondary functions printed on them so you can search additional functions quickly.
Let your style shine with the HyperX switches?? exposed LED design and stunning lighting effects. Further customize your keyboard with macros, custom lighting profiles, and extra with HyperX NGENUITY software. The HyperX Alloy Origins 60 is one of the greatest mini HyperX keyboards we’ve tried, although we still couldn’t wait to put it down once we were done.
It feels fantastically well built thanks to its aluminum body. It uses HyperX Red linear switches, which feel very light and responsive, and need less force to operate than other linear switches. It features a full RGB backlight with an extremely customizable brightness level that allows you to bring the minimum brightness down to 1%, which most keyboards don’t have. The click latency is incredibly low, so it should feel very responsive when gaming. NGENUITY software allows you to set macros for any key.
HyperX Alloy Origins 60 review: Design
The influence of the HyperX x Ducky One 2 Mini on the Alloy Origins 60 is undeniable; aside from the lack of Ducky branding, the most direct differentiator for this model is the monochromatic color scheme; HyperX’s first 60% keyboard featured a black-based design with red accents, but the Alloy Origins 60 lacks such a touch.
It is as if all the red areas were painted black, with the Rolling Stones in mind. Otherwise, the Alloy Origins 60 seems very similar to its predecessor. Both were designed with the express goal of creating the smallest inexpensive keyboard acceptable to the average gamer. The number pad is gone. So are the function bar, the arrow keys, and the nine key clusters, including insert and delete. Everything has been stripped down to the bare essentials.
HyperX Alloy Origins 60 review: Features and Software
HyperX offers a variety of customization features for the Alloy Origins 60 through its NGenuity software. The app launches directly into controls for easily applying new colors, seven built-in effects, and different cycle speeds for lighting per keyboard. Changes on the keyboard can be seen in real time, but are not saved until the [Save to Keyboard] button is clicked.
NGenuity is also required to assign new functions to all keys. There are various categories available, including mouse functions, multimedia, macros, and Windows keyboard shortcuts. For example, you can use the left shift key to launch the task manager and the Esc key to mute the sound. All of these assignments can be assigned to any of the “Base Layer” or “Fn Layer” keys.
Connectivity and Support
The Alloy Origins 60 uses a detachable braided USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable to connect devices via a USB 3.0 Type-A port. The included 1.8 m cable is long enough to get anywhere you need it, and since it’s detachable, it can be swapped out for a longer or shorter one. It also features a simple plug and play setup. The keyboard is compatible with the largest gaming platforms including PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Xbox One.
Bright Lights, Smooth Switches
HyperX continues to push its home-branded “clone” switches as superior alternatives to pricey options from Cherry or Gateron. The AO60 will initially only be offered in the red linear flavor, which makes sense if you’re pushing for gamers first. we haven’t had any issues with them, despite having long travel and a slightly scratchy feel for switches that are supposed to be fast.
Let’s take a look at how these switches are used in the board. They’re built into an all-metal panel, nice, with north-facing LEDs, nice too. But the LEDs deserve special attention: not only are they mounted the old-fashioned way, meaning just below the keycaps rather than deep down in the switch, but each has a wide translucent diffuser. This makes them extremely bright and even, significantly brighter than some competitor keyboards.
HyperX Alloy Origins 60 review: Keys
The HyperX Alloy Origins 60 uses proprietary HyperX Red Button switches that are linear. Even competing red switches are often quiet, so it’s a little surprising that HyperX isn’t. Even if they don’t produce the lightning-quick machine gun sound of a Blue Switch, typing on them still feels more like a typewriter than a membrane keyboard.
Comparable switches from Cherry, Logitech, and Razer all produce significantly less noise. Still, sound is secondary when it comes to buttons, and the HyperX Reds feel pretty good. You don’t need much to actuate them 1.8mm of travel and 45g of force, to be precise so gamers should feel right at home with a light touch.
Blind typists, on the other hand, experience a rude awakening. By design, mini-keyboards are a little more cramped than full-size models, and replacement errors are much more common.
HyperX Alloy Origins 60 review: Performance
For gamers on a tight budget, this is a great choice for your next gaming keyboard, and the HyperX Red’s keyswitches are extremely responsive. Keyboard switches are a personal preference, but the 45g actuation force, 1.8mm actuation point, and 3.8mm total travel give this key an edge when you need to quickly press the same key over and over.
The keyboard as a whole provides a precise and comfortable peripheral to take your gameplay to the next level, and when we tested the HyperX Alloy Origins 60 with competitive titles like Fall Guys and Fortnite, we found it performed as expected. Time and again, the responsive keys kept us alive longer than we deserved.
HyperX Alloy Origins 60 review: Battery Life
HyperX claims that the onboard battery can last up to 100 hours on a full charge, but my testing process always came very close to this estimate. the exact lifespan of the Pulsefire Haste Wireless depends on how long you use it in a day, whether you have the RGB lighting on, and how hard you have to work to maintain the wireless connection.
We used it 8 to 12 hours a day for work, projects, and playing with friends on the weekends, and never had to charge it more than once a week. It also recharges fairly quickly, going from almost no charge to a full charge in about an hour. Another nice feature is that the RGB lighting on the scroll wheel automatically turns off after a minute of inactivity with the mouse. This not only extends battery life, but also reduces the potential for distraction in shared spaces.
Price and availability
Priced at just $99.99 / £109.99, the HyperX Alloy Origins 60 firmly sits in the affordable gaming keyboard category. You can often find it on sale too, so be sure to check out different retailers if you want to save a little more. While $100 for a peripheral doesn’t scream “cheap,” many of our top-rated gaming keyboards sell for $200 or more. Sure, the Origins 60 will miss a few features, but for the reduced price there’s not much to complain about.
Final Words
As a 60% gaming keyboard, the HyperX Alloy Origins 60 is a niche product. users have become increasingly accustomed to keyless keyboards, but removing even extra keys can seem daunting. Life without a number pad is relatively simple compared to life without a row of functions, arrow keys and other important keys.
If you’re looking for a keyboard that balances aesthetics, design, and value, then this is it. Keep an eye out for frequent discounts too, as these only make this already affordable gaming keyboard an even better deal.
