Tag: Hall-effect keyboard

  • Keychron Q4 HE: New All-Aluminium Wireless Gaming Keyboard

    Keychron Q4 HE: New All-Aluminium Wireless Gaming Keyboard

    Key Takeaways

    1. Premium Features: The Keychron Q4 HE features a full-aluminium frame and high-end gaming attributes similar to the Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX.

    2. Gasket-Mounted Design: It has a gasket-mounted structure with sound-dampening foam for a softer typing experience and enjoyable sound.

    3. Keycap Quality: The keycaps are made from double-shot PBT for durability, featuring a 60% layout that improves ergonomics but hides certain functions in a layer.

    4. Customization Options: Users can personalize the keyboard through Keychron Launcher or QMK, with features like adjustable actuation distance and Analog Mode for enhanced gaming control.

    5. Availability: The Q4 HE is available exclusively on Keychron’s online store, with other models offered at Best Buy.

    Keychron has been very active recently, unveiling the Lemokey P1 HE and the Keychron Q6 HE double-tap in January, followed by the budget-friendly Keychron K4 HE in March (a review is coming soon). Today, they revealed the Q4 HE, a new 60% Hall-effect keyboard crafted from an all-aluminium case, complete with several premium features that distinguish it from options like the Wooting 60HE.

    Premium Gaming Features

    Keychron brings together all the high-end gaming attributes from keyboards such as the Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX (priced at $147.57 on Amazon) and encases them in a full-aluminium frame that offers a more sophisticated, premium appearance.

    Design and Connectivity

    Similar to the Keychron Q13 Max we recently looked at, the Keychron Q4 HE adopts a gasket-mounted structure and incorporates multiple layers of sound-dampening foam, delivering a gentler typing experience and an enjoyable sound profile. The 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity is an additional perk for users seeking a tidier desk setup or those who wish to use their gaming keyboard with devices like an Android tablet. The 1,000 Hz polling rate matches the latency of a wired USB-C connection, making the Q4 HE suitable for both work and gaming.

    Keycap Quality

    The keycaps of the Q4 HE are constructed from double-shot PBT, making them more resistant to oil than ABS keycaps, while the OSA profile lends a more professional look without sacrificing comfort and familiarity. The 60% layout is space-efficient, omitting the F row, number pad, and navigation cluster, which ultimately allows for greater mouse movement and overall ergonomics. However, this design means that functions like the F row, print screen, and navigation keys are hidden within a function layer, which may not suit everyone’s needs.

    Customization Options

    For personalizing its traditional features such as key remapping, macros, and backlighting, the Q4 HE utilizes Keychron Launcher or QMK, along with HE-specific gaming options like adjustable actuation distance, Rapid Trigger, SOCD, DKS, and Analog Mode. This last feature simulates gamepad controller input for finer controls. Based on our experience, Keychron Launcher has proven to be one of the more stable and user-friendly customization software available, only slightly behind Wooting’s Wootility in terms of functionality and ease of use.

    Availability

    Currently, the Keychron Q4 HE can be purchased solely from Keychron’s online store. However, Keychron offers a variety of HE and traditional mechanical keyboards at Best Buy, including the Q1 HE (currently priced at $215.00 at Best Buy), which is a 75% version of the Q4 HE.

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  • Iqunix EZ63 and EZ60 Keyboards Update: On-Board Profiles Added

    Iqunix EZ63 and EZ60 Keyboards Update: On-Board Profiles Added

    Key Takeaways

    1. A new beta firmware update for the Iqunix EZ63 and EZ60 improves software issues, resolves bugs, and enhances the Rapid Trigger feature.
    2. Users can now access three distinct keyboard profiles (Custom, Office, and Esports) with individual Rapid Trigger and actuation force settings.
    3. The update introduces a hot-key (Fn+Q) to toggle SOCD on and off, with a visual indication via RGB lights.
    4. Berserk Mode is a new feature allowing a Rapid Trigger sensitivity of 0.005 mm, currently only available with Gateron Magnetic Jade Pro switches.
    5. Iqunix is actively seeking community feedback on Discord regarding updates and features.

    We recently took a look at the Iqunix EZ63 Hall-effect gaming keyboard. While its hardware and build quality make it a strong contender for the top Hall-effect gaming keyboard, we found that the software and firmware left something to be desired. Now, a new beta firmware update for both the Iqunix EZ63 and EZ60 addresses a common issue noted among the Hall-effect keyboard series, resolves several bugs, and enhances the Rapid Trigger feature. This update brings some of the promised features from Iqunix that were expected by the end of Q2, with just the macro functionality pending. Users who are already on a previous beta firmware version will receive a prompt to update when they visit beta.iqunix.com. It’s important to note that this update will reset the keyboard mapping and other personalized settings.

    New Profiles Available

    As of February 27, users with the beta firmware on their Iqunix Hall-effect keyboards can now access three distinct keyboard profiles: Custom, Office, and Esports. Each profile comes with its own Rapid Trigger and actuation force settings.

    In our review of the EZ63, we pointed out the absence of a profile-switching feature. This limitation meant users were locked into the settings they configured for specific gaming sessions. Consequently, it turned the EZ63 into a gaming-only keyboard if you tailored things like actuation points and Rapid Trigger for different games. This made it challenging to fine-tune the keyboard for general gaming use. The introduction of profiles does help alleviate this problem, but it still feels like a temporary fix; having several fully customizable profiles would be a better solution.

    New Features and Updates

    With the new beta firmware, EZ63 and EZ60 users can also use a new hot-key to toggle SOCD on and off without needing to access the browser-based software. This is especially useful for gamers playing titles that have banned this contested feature. Activating SOCD with the Fn+Q shortcut will cause the WASD keys’ RGB lights to glow green for a short time, while turning it off will make them temporarily red.

    Another interesting feature introduced in the latest beta firmware is Berserk Mode, which allows for a Rapid Trigger sensitivity of 0.005 mm after the actuation point. Iqunix has mentioned that this feature is still being tested, but they aim to refine it in the future. Currently, this setting is only available with the Gateron Magnetic Jade Pro switches (currently priced at $57.99 on Amazon), which are the priciest switch option for the EZ60 and EZ63. There’s still no word on whether the Star Trail or other Gateron switch types will also support the Berserk Mode feature.

    Community Feedback on Discord

    Iqunix has been actively engaging with users on Discord about these updates and features.

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    Iqunix EZ63 and EZ60 Keyboards Update: On-Board Profiles AddedIqunix EZ63 and EZ60 Keyboards Update: On-Board Profiles Added

     

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