Hexgears Immersion A3 keyboard evaluation: Funds worth, flagship options

Are you able to get all the identical options from a $300 keyboard in one which prices lower than half the worth? Nicely, no. However you may get fairly shut. And when you’re on a price range, that’s greater than adequate. So it’s with the Hexgears Immersion A3, a keyboard that tries to carry flagship options to a much more attainable worth level. 

Additional studying: Greatest wi-fi keyboards 2024: High Bluetooth and USB fashions

This wi-fi, hot-swap, RGB, screen-equipped keyboard hits many of the excessive factors for contemporary name-brand mechanical designs, however begins at $130 (and simply $110 with a coupon on the time of writing). It’s bizarre to say this a few keyboard with a triple-digit price ticket, however that makes it a deal. 

There are just a few corners lower right here, as you’d most likely anticipate, and it’s clearly utilizing loads of whitebox {hardware}. Nevertheless it’s filled with options at an excellent worth. 

Hexgears Immersion A3: Design

When it comes to appears to be like and format, the Immersion A3 is clearly, ahem, “inspired” by Logitech’s G915. It’s utilizing the identical glossy, low-profile look with black keycaps on brushed steel, the identical TKL setup. Hell, it’s even sporting the identical separate, round management buttons on an additional prime row. I wouldn’t fairly name it shameless…okay, yeah. It’s shameless. 

The most important departure from Logitech’s design is that little display screen up in the precise nook, squishing the amount wheel right into a a lot smaller rocker. Screens on keyboards are a development for the time being, with examples from SteelSeries, Asus, and Razer, amongst tons of smaller mechanical producers. 

And I’ll say right here what I’ve mentioned in each different related evaluation: tiny screens on keyboards are dumb. They’re particularly unwelcome on wi-fi boards the place battery is at a premium. Little bitty screens on a tool you utilize whereas one other display screen are an inherently dangerous thought, and I can’t look forward to this development to die. 

On the Immersion A3 it’s just about ineffective — you’ll be able to solely use the rocker subsequent to it to regulate the lighting, one thing that’s already very straightforward to do with the perform layer. (In truth these buttons are already proper under the display screen). The one different factor you are able to do with this tiny show is change the language of the show. Although it defaults to a clock, you want the desktop software program to truly change the time. So dumb! 

Michael Crider/Foundry

I feel that this factor is so restricted as a result of it’s a whitebox half that’s being utilized in dozens of various keyboards which have not too long ago come out. I discovered 5 completely different ones with only a fast Amazon search, all with what appears to be like like an an identical or near-identical display screen working on the identical pre-loaded software program, all from completely different manufacturers. 

However, having complained about how dumb this display screen is, it a minimum of doesn’t negatively influence the rest on the keyboard, except for losing bodily house. Even when it’s on it doesn’t suck down an excessive amount of battery because it’s principally static. And you may flip it off and maximize the keyboard’s battery life by urgent the round energy button. Which, confusingly, is neither the facility button for the keyboard (that’s a change on the highest edge) or your linked machine. See? Dumb. 

Hexgears Immersion A3: Options

In any other case, the keyboard is surprisingly easy. You get low-profile key switches which can be additionally hot-swap, a hard-to-find mixture. These are provided by Kailh, an excellent choice with a wide variety of decisions (regardless that it’s far fewer than with customary Cherry MX-compatible switches). And Amazon is promoting this keyboard with linear (white), tactile (black), or clicky (gray) switches pre-installed. It’s nice that they’re providing all three with out the necessity to purchase further switches. 

The tactile switches included on this evaluation unit are fairly good, just like the customized ones on the Lofree Edge, although nowhere close to as cushioned and quiet. I used to be in a position to regulate to typing on them extraordinarily rapidly, helped in no small half by the standardized TKL format. Discovering substitute or customized keycaps to swap out for the uninteresting ABS ones right here gained’t be too troublesome due to the cross-shaped stems, although full-height Cherry caps most likely gained’t work. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

You get RGB lights (a bit on the dim aspect) with the same old choices for animations. You get a pleasant brushed aluminum prime with a blue-black hue. The plastic backside feels a bit low cost, however I admire the double keyboard ft for 3 adjustable angles. The trim on the highest close to the facility change is a bit chintzy, however hardly unforgivable, and I like you could stow the two.4GHz wi-fi dongle proper within the physique. 

And even for a mid-sized keyboard, you may wish to. Regardless of having an enormous 5800mAh battery — larger than most smartphones! — it’s shockingly gentle at only a hair over 1.5 kilos (.75 kilograms). Between that and the slim profile, you is likely to be tempted to throw this factor in a laptop computer bag… however with the sharp floating keycaps, I’d suggest a devoted provider first. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

All in all, it’s a really strong package deal. Not premium by any means — a budget plastic on the management buttons and trim offers it away, as does the dearth of a wrist relaxation. However the Immersion A3 is greater than acceptable for a price range board with desires of greatness. 

Hexgears Immersion A3: Typing and gaming

Truly utilizing this factor for a few weeks stunned me. Whereas it lacks the refined really feel low-profile boards just like the Nuphy Air or Lofree Edge, it’s rock-solid in each dongle-based wi-fi and Bluetooth mode. I used to be in a position to kind away for hours, then change seamlessly into PC video games with none hiccups. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

I ought to point out gaming, as a result of Hexgears advertises this as a gaming keyboard. And it commits one among my cardinal sins for gaming boards: Omitting an choice to bind particular programmed layouts to particular video games. Hexgears does provide its personal downloadable Home windows driver program, which you’ll must sync and proper the show’s clock, when you care. It’s uninteresting, however serviceable, providing three completely different profiles and the same old colour adjustment and macro programming. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

However there’s no approach to launch profiles with video games. For a gaming board that payments itself as premium, even one which’s far cheaper than its competitors, I’ve to ding it. The wired G.Talent KM250, which stays my go-to gaming board price range choose over a 12 months later, can get away with it for below $50. The Immersion A3 can not. 

Hexgears Immersion A3: Conclusion

Even after nitpicking the software program and the vestigial display screen, I’ve to confess that this board is an efficient deal at $130 and an ideal one at $110. When you like Logitech’s low-profile appears to be like however suppose its gaming boards are overpriced (and they’re!), it’s a superb different. When you’re trying to make use of this as a base for some upgrades, I’d suggest a set of low-profile PBT keycaps and a few quiet switches.

The Immersion A3 makes some notable compromises to hit its price range worth, however none of them are deal breakers. If you need extra versatile programming otherwise you desire a smaller or bigger format, take into account a Nuphy Air or Keychron Ok sequence as an alternative.