INTRODUCTION

   RGB lighting may have entered our lives for good but the truth of the matter is that it's not a crucial aspect of most products and on top of that there are still many people out there who simply have pretty much zero interest in it. Personally, i happen to enjoy RGB lighting but i don't consider it nearly as important as some other aspects such as build quality so it's not on top of my list whenever i am looking to get something. This of course also applies to keyboards so there are still many companies out there with countless models aimed towards people who may never use that specific feature (so why not also save some bucks in the process?) and the K520 Mechanical Keyboard by Hexgears which is here with me today is one such model.

   Hexgears designs top tier gaming equipment to give you the edge you need to win. Our engineers work with eSports players to develop the latest technology so your equipment performs when you need it most.

   The Κ520 Mechanical Keyboard by Hexgears is a rather sturdy tenkeyless (87-keys) model that features the latest Kailh box premium mechanical switches (currently available with White, Brown, Red and Black sealed switch types / 80 million actuations / 18K electroplated technology / IPX56 certified - water and dust proof) along with white LED backlight (3 different brightness levels with 5 effects - 7 if you include the WASD/QWEP profiles for FPS/RTS games), 1000Hz polling rate, N-key rollover (NKRO) with 100% anti-ghosting for all of its keys and dual-color injected ABS keycaps. So, the K520 mechanical keyboard by Hexgears may not have a rich features list but it could still be worth your time so let's check it out.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The K520 is packed inside a black box that just has the company logo at the front.

At the base of the box we find the switch selection (Hexgears send over two models for us to test their switches).

A few words about the new premium Kailh BOX switches are printed at the rear.

The keyboard is wrapped inside a plastic bag and covered by a formed piece of clear plastic.

Along with the keyboard you are also getting a plastic keycap puller and the quick start guide.

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THE K520

The K520 is a no-thrills TKL keyboard in terms of design that measures 360mm in length, 136mm in width and 37.5mm in height.

If you'd like the white LED backlight off you can use the escape key.

You can also use the F1 through F4 keys to launch My Computer, Internet Explorer, Calculator and the Media Player.

F5 through F11 also act as the media playback buttons (previous/next/play-pause/stop/mute audio/volume down/volume up).

Cycling through the available lighting effects can be done via the insert/home/page up/delete/end/page down keys.

The speed, direction and brightness levels of all profiles are adjustable from the arrow keys.

Turning the keyboard over we see 4 rubber feet and two height adjusters.

These height adjusters raise the top end of the keyboard roughly 11mm more from the desk.

The 1.8 meter long braided cable features a gold plated USB plug at the end.

Here you can see the premium Kailh Box switches (both brown and red).

As always, the minimum and maximum brightness levels can be seen above.

AUDIBLE FEEDBACK

Many people ask my opinion on what keyboard they should get for their needs. Some want a “silent” model for use in their living room or even in their bedroom while others ask for a model with good audible feedback for use in the office or for gaming. Because of this I decided to test keyboards by placing our ExTech HD600 vertically over each keyboard (5cm distance) and typing NikKTech a total of 6 times with each (after that the max recorded number - max hold - is placed in the graph). I have to admit that this methodology may not be 100% accurate but it does give a good idea on what you can expect from each model since aside the type of switches used keycaps and keyboard material also matter.

CONCLUSION

   Both the facts that Hexgears is not among the most popular gaming peripheral manufacturers in the world and that the K520 is not even listed in their official website may not be good signs but this mechanical keyboard is actually a lot better than what i was originally expecting. Yes, it lacks RGB lighting and being tenkeyless means it has a specific target audience but it makes up for those by using water and dust proof premium Kailh Box mechanical switches, something which as many of you are aware, we don't see a lot, at least not currently. The K520 is also surprisingly sturdy for a keyboard of its price range and that should go a long way for people who are looking for something that will last quite a few years.

   So, what do I mean by its price range? Well it’s easy, the K520 mechanical keyboard by Hexgears currently retails for just USD59.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 67Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) a price tag which at least on the other side of the Atlantic is exceptionally good for what you’re getting. Of course, once again the TKL size of the keyboard (87 keys) and its white LED backlit keys are certainly not for everyone but if you don’t mind about those and you’re looking for a sturdy and water/dust proof keyboard then the K520 is without doubt a mechanical keyboard worthy of your time.

PROS

- Overall Build Quality
- Kailh Box Mechanical Switches (80M Actuations / Water & Dust Proof)
- White LED Backlit Keys With 3 Brightness Levels & 5 Available Effects
- NKey Rollover With 100% Anti Ghosting
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- No USB Passthrough
- No RGB Lighting
- TKL Model Only