User Review Cheap Mechanical LED Keyboard - Hcman - 87 Keys

+++ For some reason, I was not able to embed images here, so put them in the second post!

I also managed to successfully embed the GIFs of the lighting modes too!+++


This will not be a detailed review going into a lot of nerdy / geeky (pick the more offensive word ;)) stuff like force needed for actuation, and whether cherry mx switches are better than Kailh or Razer or steelseries is something I am not going to talk about.

However, here are some basic details. If you want to know anything more, please ask! If I know or can figure out, I will tell you!

  • Key type: Pure mechanical blue switches (Cherry Mx clones or something of that sort)
  • Travel: 4mm
  • Actuation point: 2mm
  • Force needed: Not much greater than a good membrane keyboard (I use Microsoft Desktop 800 for 6 out of the 8 desktops I frequently use, and I really like that keyboard)
  • Sound: This is relative, but it makes enough noise, there is both an audible click and the key-bottoming noise, and so far, it has been pleasant.
  • Materials: The keyboard base is machined aluminium with chamfered edges. They keys seems to be regular ABS plastic.
  • Flex: 0.8 to 1.0 mm after a fair bit of twisting (seems solidly built)
  • Weight: 620grams (Non digital weighing scale)
  • Connectivity: USB Wired - Braided cable
  • Cable Length: A little under 5ft (measured again my own height, so please take it with a grain of whichever spice you prefer the most)
  • Back-light: Yes. RGB. 9 modes.

:photogenic: OPINIONS ROLL HERE

Typing Feel and they shebang


I love they way the keyboard feels, My fingers took to it almost instantly, and i seem to be faster at typing and more accurate. If this is a new keyboard effect or a genuine change, I do not know. A few typing speed tests available online have shown speed differences of about 10 words per minute.

I however made a few more spelling errors on the mechanical keyboard as opposed to the earlier one. But this I purely attribute to being more used to the earlier keyboard (been using the same model keyboard for 5 years now).

The clickeyness

Makes me want to hammer fast, and hard, and deep, and rabidly. There is absolutely nothing yet that can replace the feel of typing on a good mechanical keyboard and this one brings all the goodness. I haven't compared how the other blue keyboards feel, soon after typing on this, but independently, I really do like the feel of these keys.

The overall quality

Well, I have typed of keyboards that are better built than this, but at the price which I got the keyboard (A little under INR1900), this is a hard bargain to beat. The key quality is good and there is no bleed whatsoever from any of the letters of the keys.

The scroll lock and the caps lock keys function a little differently. They remain lit and unlit depending on whether they are activated or otherwise, which I think is a cool little feature! Thought it might seem awkward at first, you will find it to be a blessing most of the time.

Full points for thoughtfulness here!

You can listen to the key clicks here:

https://cl.ly/3s2A1O3M0O0Z

+++ Here are a few of GIFs of the lighting modes +++


The light train mode (Is it called something else?)
SecretCelebratedAsianwaterbuffalo-size_restricted.gif

This is the 'Doppler' effect where the light dopplers away from the key you press.
AdvancedIdolizedBarracuda-size_restricted.gif


The keys that have been pressed stay lighted for a while. If you type really fast, this can be a cool effect :D
ImpressiveAggressiveArmedcrab-size_restricted.gif


The 'wave' mode
ElementarySizzlingBasenji-size_restricted.gif

The Breathing mode
PowerlessLividGar-size_restricted.gif



The niggles:

While the keyboard quality and performance is great for the price, there are however a couple of niggles and depending on what you do, these can be pretty frustrating over time.

  1. the speed at which the keyboard deletes the letters when the backspace key is pressed is slower than the speed of my other keyboards (non mecha)
  2. the same can be said about moving forward and back using the arrow keys. There is no difference in the gaming part, but while navigating in a word document, the difference is perceptible. (it isn't too bad, but, for someone who is finicky, this trigger a rage)

I will try and post a few more pictures and close-ups. This however might take time. If any of you guys need a particular picture, please do ask!
 
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I tried cosmic byte and i can comfirm that they don't keep lighting memory after the PC has been switched off and it is an absolute pain.
 
My keyboard did not come with anything... any help would be much appreciated. Thank you!
I do have the original keyboard box. I'll update you soon

PS: I just changed the keyboard lighting effect, switched off the pc, removed and reinsterted the keyboard usb and switched on the pc and the lighting effect didnt change.

can you once check if you can save the memory preset with " Fn + del" ?
 
I also bought GK-13 Neon ,now those are out of stock ,i can confirm that it does n`t have memory function ,the one adventure might be mentioning would be one of their higher (Black EYE) end model with red arm rest which is also out of stock
 
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@TechFrost not really delighted, but not really bummed either. The CosmicByte ones are showing signs of key trouble, so I am guessing they will last for a year and a half or so of regular typing. I write books and all, so about 1500 words a day is normal.

One of the two original Hcman I bought is on its last legs, ready to be dumped. The other one is going fine.
 
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@TechFrost not really delighted, but not really bummed either. The CosmicByte ones are showing signs of key trouble, so I am guessing they will last for a year and a half or so of regular typing. I write books and all, so about 1500 words a day is normal.

The original Hcman I reviewed are also on their last legs. One is almost ready to be dumped. The other one is going fine.
thank you, & i think for a year or 2, mech. KB with aluminium finish @3k is fine...
 
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