Key Takeaways
1. Wooting confirmed coating problems on the 80HE keyboard were due to reactions with chemicals in sweat from some users.
2. The new e-coating process for the 80HE zinc case will enhance durability but may still be vulnerable to certain hand lotions.
3. Pre-orders for the 60HE v2 will open on November 6, 2025, but pricing details have not been announced.
4. Wooting aims to ship the 60HE v2 by the end of 2025, addressing previous production delays experienced with the 80HE.
5. The 60HE v2 will feature a smaller design while incorporating many features from the 80HE, including an 8 kHz polling rate.
Shortly after Wooting unveiled the 80HE analogue gaming keyboard, they began to get feedback from users who noted issues with the coatings on the zinc casing. The company has since done tests and confirmed that the problems arose due to the coating reacting with chemicals found in the sweat of a handful of “sweaty gamers.”
Update from Wooting
Recently, Calder Limmen, one of Wooting’s co-founders, shared an update regarding the coating problems and provided gamers insights on how the company intends to fix these issues moving forward. Limmen has stated that the new coating for the 80HE zinc case will use an e-coating process, which is quite common in the keyboard industry—likely resembling the coating we saw on the Keychron Q13 Max. While e-coating is known for its strong durability, achieving a consistent finish can sometimes be tricky.
Durability Challenges
Tests have shown that the e-coating process, although it offers better resistance to chemicals compared to the original zinc coating, still has vulnerabilities when it comes to certain hand lotion types. These lotions can leave behind persistent stains and residues on the case after contact. Consequently, Wooting has indicated that the new zinc coating is still some time away, with an initial six-month timeline now appearing too optimistic. It’s important to note that Wooting is dealing with a complex issue that impacts only a small fraction of its users, so a quick solution was never really on the table.
Pre-Order Details
In conjunction with the launch of Wooting’s Switchy’s Space Bar Heist mini-game, the landing page for the 60HE v2 has confirmed that pre-orders will open on November 6, 2025. However, there hasn’t been any pricing information disclosed yet. What is known is that the 60HE v2 will be available alongside the original 60HE, which suggests that a price increase for this new high-performance gaming keyboard is likely.
When Wooting launched the 80HE, they also offered pre-orders, but faced several production delays, resulting in the first batches only being shipped to customers in November 2024—over six months after the conclusion of the Founder program. For the 60HE v2, Wooting is taking a different approach than they did with the 80HE by applying much of the R&D from the 80HE to the new version.
Meeting Shipping Goals
As previously mentioned, Wooting has already pinpointed and addressed a problem with the finish and coating of the 60HE v2’s case. This means that they are likely to meet their target of shipping the 60HE v2 by the end of 2025, as they promised. The timeline for pre-orders to ship after November 6 but before the year ends would significantly reduce the wait time compared to the 80HE.
The Wooting 60HE v2 is expected to incorporate many of the features we enjoyed in our review of the Wooting 80HE, such as 8 kHz polling rate and a gasket mount, into a smaller format. It will also introduce a split space layout to Wooting’s keyboard offerings.
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