I tested cheap hall effect keyboards (and found a gem)

Summary

In this video, the speaker compares several budget-friendly Hall Effect (HE) keyboards to the premium Wooting 80HE. Despite their low price, models like the MCHose Ace 60 Pro and Womier M68 HE V2 impress with features like 8K polling and low latency, rivaling more expensive options. While some keyboards struggle with software and build quality, others, like the ATK 68 V2 and Halo 65, offer good performance, solid build, and user-friendly software. The MCHose Ace 60 Pro stands out as the best value, providing a feature-rich experience at a fraction of the cost of the Wooting 80HE.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Wooting 80HE is a high-end Hall Effect keyboard priced at over $300, with premium features such as customizability and low latency, but there are more affordable alternatives that offer similar features.
• 😀 Budget Hall Effect keyboards, such as the MCHOSE Ace 60 Pro ($44) and Womier M68 HE V2 ($60), offer good performance at a fraction of the cost, with impressive 8K polling rates and low latency.
• 😀 The MCHOSE Ace 60 Pro stands out with 1.3 milliseconds latency, almost on par with the Wooting 80HE, making it a surprising performer at under $50.
• 😀 The MCHOSE Ace 60 Pro's web-based utility is praised for being user-friendly and functional, although it has some minor bugs.
• 😀 Womier M68 HE V2, although priced around $60, has software issues, including limited rapid trigger functionality and continuous rapid trigger, which impacts its performance.
• 😀 The Drunk Deer G60 and Yunzii RT75, priced around $90, have decent build quality but are let down by poor software functionality, with the Yunzii RT75 especially suffering from buggy software.
• 😀 The Drunk Deer G60 offers functional rapid trigger and 1K polling, but its overall value is questionable when compared to the MCHOSE Ace 60 Pro, which performs better in most areas, including build quality and latency.
• 😀 For keyboards in the $100-$120 range, the build quality significantly improves, with some models like the NuHalo 65, ATK 68 V2, and Luminkey Magger 68 HE featuring full aluminum cases.
• 😀 The ATK 68 V2 has the best latency among the premium $100+ keyboards, with a remarkable 1.8 milliseconds result, showing that higher-priced keyboards often offer better performance.
• 😀 Despite varying software experiences, the NuHalo 65's software is the most polished among the premium options, offering great utility and easy profile switching, making it a top contender for the price.
• 😀 The MCHOSE Ace 60 Pro impresses as the best budget Hall Effect keyboard, with great performance, low latency, and a solid web utility, making it a great option for those on a budget looking for premium features.

Q & A

What makes the MCHose Ace 60 Pro stand out in the budget keyboard market?

The MCHose Ace 60 Pro stands out due to its impressive performance for a budget keyboard, with features like 8K polling, low latency (1.3ms), and a well-designed web-based utility, all for under $50.

How does the latency of the MCHose Ace 60 Pro compare to other keyboards in the review?

The MCHose Ace 60 Pro has the lowest latency at 1.3ms, which is much closer to the Wooting 80HE compared to other keyboards in the review, such as the Womier M68 HE V2, which has a latency of 5ms.

What are the key features of the Womier M68 HE V2, and how does it perform?

The Womier M68 HE V2 boasts 8K polling and supports web-based utilities, but it performs less impressively than the MCHose Ace 60 Pro, particularly in latency. The polling rate is not as clean, and the software is not as user-friendly.

Why is the software considered a major factor when evaluating these keyboards?

Software is crucial because it directly impacts how users can customize settings like rapid trigger, actuation points, and profiles. A good utility enhances user experience, while buggy or difficult software can detract from the overall value of a keyboard.

What is the issue with the Yunzii RT75's software?

The Yunzii RT75 requires a driver installation, which defeats the purpose of a web-based utility. Additionally, the software is buggy, only supports continuous rapid trigger, and is difficult to navigate.

How does the Drunk Deer G60 compare to other keyboards in terms of build quality?

The Drunk Deer G60 has solid build quality for its price range but is still outclassed by higher-tier keyboards. While it does offer a functional web utility and good rapid trigger support, its build quality does not justify its $90 price tag when compared to cheaper models like the MCHose Ace 60 Pro.

What are some strengths of the NuHalo 65 HE keyboard?

The NuHalo 65 HE stands out for its full aluminum case, excellent build quality, and impressive sound profile. It also supports 8K polling and delivers good latency, though it slightly lags behind the fastest models like the MCHose Ace 60 Pro in terms of responsiveness.

What issues were found with the Luminkey Magger 68 HE keyboard?

The Luminkey Magger 68 HE's software is not user-friendly and has several bugs, including problems with profile switching and the inability to delete certain key settings. Additionally, the software requires standalone installation instead of a web-based utility.

How does the ATK 68 V2 compare to other keyboards regarding software and performance?

The ATK 68 V2 offers a clean and functional web-based utility with no major bugs. It performs well with 8K polling and a respectable 1.8ms latency, though it lacks keyboard shortcuts for profile switching, unlike the NuHalo 65, which has a more convenient toggle switch for profile changes.

What are the most significant advantages of the MCHose Ace 60 Pro compared to more expensive models?

The MCHose Ace 60 Pro provides excellent value due to its low price, solid build quality, fast 8K polling rate, low latency, and user-friendly software. It outperforms more expensive models like the Drunk Deer G60 in terms of polling rate and latency while offering similar or better functionality at a fraction of the price.