HyperX Alloy Origins 60

Big things come in small packages

- CHRISTIAN GUYTON

UNBOXING and handling HyperX’s latest 60 percent keyboard is an absolute joy. This feels like a premium product from the start, with a sturdy aluminum chassis and multi-level rubber feet that keep it completely stationary on any surface. The keycaps are double-shot PBT, with a matte surface that feels comfortable and grippy under the fingertips. A simple but durable braided cable connects via a USB-C port on the rear of the keyboard to a USB-A port on your PC or laptop.

Imagine how happy we were to find out that this dinky, but robust, keyboard-only costs a hundred bucks! Sure, it’s still pretty far from the budget keyboard space, but looking at the competition from brands like Asus, Razer, and Ducky, it’s hard to argue with that price point.

So, what does $100 get you? The Alloy Origins 60 is a fairly conventional compact keyboard in terms of layout, chopping off the function keys and everything east of backspace to end up with 61 keys. There are no fancy macro keys here, and media controls (and some other functions) are relegated to alt-functions printed clearly on the fronts of the keycaps.

The aesthetics of this keyboard are just as good as its big brother (the original Origins) thanks to vibrant per-key RGB lighting. A funky alternate spacebar with a topographic design comes included in the box, which looks fantastic, although it’s worth noting that this is made of a cheaper-feeling ABS plastic rather than the high-quality PBT of the other keys.