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Hexgears K520 – the new kid on the block – The keyboard reviews

Today, we have something special coming from china. When you initially hear China, you may think of low quality. But it’s not the case this time. This time, we have a mechanical keyboard from Hexgears, K520.

Switches

Switches are the most important part of a mechanical keyboard. What is so special inside of K520? Well, they are not your standard Cherry MX switches. They are something better. Kailh box switches. Kailh is the largest, most reliable manufacturer in the world and they are a rock-solid standard for major gaming brands.

Their BOX switches last significantly longer than standard switches (80+ million presses compared to 50-60 mil.) and require less effort to press due to slightly decreased finger travel distance. On top of all that, they are waterproof!

Also, if you want to add some custom keycaps, you can do so easily as they are compatible with all chery-like caps. K520 comes with Kailh Box Red or Brown switches. Their main characteristics are identical to the Cherry MX counterparts.

Design

As you can see, this is an 87 key keyboard. It doesn’t have a numpad. This comes down to personal preference, but if you have to type a lot of numbers constantly, you will feel the lack of numpad. In that case, just go for any full-sized keyboard. The benefit of a keyboard having 87 keys is that it occupies much less space, and still has all the functionalities that you need. Whether you are gaming, programming, writing or doing a lot of work in front of a computer, there are additional shortcuts that will enhance your workflow:

  • Fn + F1 – PC
  • Fn + F2 – Browser
  • Fn + F3 – Calculator
  • Fn + F4 – Media Player
  • Fn + F5 – Previous Track
  • Fn + F6 – Next Track
  • Fn + F7 – Play/Pause
  • Fn + F8 – Stop/Play
  • Fn + F9 – Mute
  • Fn + F10 – Volume Down
  • Fn + F11 – Volume Up
  • Fn + F12 – Full Key Lock
  • Fn + Windows key – Lock WIN and APP keys

note: Media keys also control YouTube. These shortcuts are compatible with all operating systems.

Gaming? K520 weighs just a bit over 2 pounds (1 kg) which means that it will stay still no matter how enthusiastic you are about playing your favorite titles. If your aim is specifically towards gaming, then go for linear, Kalih Box Red switch version. Those switches are mostly used in pro gamming for the best possible performance. And of course, this keyboard has anti-ghosting which is crucial while gaming.

Details. Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of the design. I know that most of you care about the tiny details in keyboard design, so here a few takeaways:

  • Letters and numbers on keycaps are not printed so you don’t have to worry about them wearing off.
  • Letters are see-through which looks very nice with white lighting. More on that later.
  • The cable is braided which just tels you a bit more about the quality of the product.
  • A small downside might be that there is no additional USB or audio port on the side, but personally, I don’t use it anyway.
  • The case is smooth, with no sharp edges and there are no stains after extensive use.
  • Great tick non slip pads, with 6 degrees angle. This scientific ergonomic design really enables long-hour usage without fatigue.

Backlights LED

Backlighting on this keyboard might be a deal-breaker because there are no RGBs which some of you could find annoying, but I don’t. I prefer the clean look and feel of white LED lights which fits very nicely with the design of the keyboard overall.

Other then a lack of RGBs, every functionality that you can imagine is there. There are standard and gaming LED presets.

  • Fn + Ins – trotting horse lamp
  • Fn + Del – breathing model
  • Fn + Home – light wave on key press
  • Fn + PgUp – constant waves
  • Fn + PgDn – floating light mode
  • Fn + End – for customization
  • Fn + 1 – FPS mode
  • Fn + 2 – MOBA mode
  • Fn + 3 – RTS mode
  • Fn + 4 – RPG mode
  • Fn + 5 – RAC mode
  • you can set up custom lighting model on numbers 6~0

Backlighting can be further customized. You can change speed and brightness:

  • Fn + ← Increase Backlight Speed
  • Fn + → Decrease Backlight Speed
  • Fn + ↑ Increase Brightness
  • Fn + ↓ Increase Brightness

note: The backlighting is compatible with all operating systems.

Conclusion

The competition on the market is insane now and it’s insane what K520 brings to the table. The craziest part about this bad boy is the price which is just under 60$. This keyboard certainly packs a punch and I’m definitely going to stick with it for a while.

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