Hardware Reviews! HyperX Mouse, Keyboards, Headphones, and Mousepad

Hot on the heels of our groundbreaking gaming chair review five months ago we're back with more hardware coverage. If I knew how to make a poll work we would certainly be voted the internet's leading tech site. Thank you for your votes!

My current mouse and keyboard are made by a leading company that starts with the letter L. The mouse registers single clicks as double clicks - my third mouse from the same company to go bad in the exact way. From time to time the keyboard spams the last key I pressed until I turn it off.

Perhaps sensing these annoying issues were driving me nuts (or perhaps receiving my email inquiry) HyperX Gaming sent along a new keyboard and mouse.

And a second keyboard.

And a gaming headset.

And a fancy mousepad.

Wow! It's too bad HyperX doesn't make Gaming Flour and Gaming Yeast. I've had a heck of a time keeping my homemade pizza-making supplies stocked now that everyone in the universe has become a baker.

I've been using all this stuff for a few weeks now. Here's what I think.

HyperX Alloy Origins Core

The Alloy Origins Core is a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard made of airplane-grade aluminum, which prompts the question:

Why don't they make the whole plane out of keyboard?

This thing is compact and solid. It stays perfectly still even as I furiously reply to anyone who dares to insult Fallout: New Vegas online.

The Alloy Origins Core uses custom HyperX Red key switches, which are similar to Cherry MX Reds but a little quieter and a lot more durable. I happen to like both of those qualities. Give me a keyboard that lasts forever and doesn't sound like Pinocchio having every bone in his body broken. That's the one for me. Every time.

By default the RGB lighting pulses a rainbow wave across the keys. RGB isn't my thing and I'm not good at surfing, so I turned it off before my fingers had a chance to fall off the keys and embarrass themselves. Then I found myself setting the lights to a menacing HAL 9000 red and occasionally turning them on/up/down with the keyboard shortcuts.

Everything about the keyboard - from its looks to the solid construction to the braided USB-C cable - exudes quality. This feels like a $150 piece of hardware and costs $80. Perhaps the most impressive feature is the way that all the keys work perfectly, and don't spam my important work documents with two hundred "w"s.

Hyperx Pulsefire Dart

The Pulsefire Dart checks every box - with one precise click. You can have that marketing tagline for free.

It's wireless with the option to be wired using the included USB-C cable. A single charge can last anywhere between 50 and 90 hours, which is just enough time for me to finish (and lose) a single XCOM 2 mission. When you need to recharge you can even slap it on a Qi wireless charger mat.

It's ergonomic as heck. Everyone's hand is different, but this is the most comfortable mouse I've used in ten years. It even has leatherette grips on the sides, which is a far better choice than sandpaper.

So what doesn't this mouse do? It doesn't think you meant to click twice when you click once. So it doesn't close a second browser tab when you try to close one, or rearrange the text you're trying to drag-highlight, or launch files you're trying to select.

That's because the Pulsefire Dart's switches are purported to last 50 million clicks. I decided to test this claim by reinstalling Diablo 2. I'll get back to you in around twelve years.

HyperX Fury S Pro Gaming Mouse Pad

I love the name of this thing. The HyperX Fury S Pro Gaming Mouse Pad. That's great! No gaming accessory embodies my boundless fury like a mouse pad.

Full disclosure: I'm not an expert on mouse pads. I switched majors three years into my six year Mouse Pad Expert PhD. That said, this certainly has all the features I look for in a mouse pad. It's flat. Its surface is not sticky or lined with poisonous needles. It is larger than the mouse.

HyperX Alloy Origins

Remember everything I said about the Alloy Origins Core? Well, the Alloy Origins is that keyboard but with a numpad. As a result it's even longer and heavier. If you got into a keyboard duel with someone wielding a HyperX Alloy Origins Core you would have the reach and velocity advantage.

HyperX Cloud Alpha S Blackout

Out of my entire stupid body, the stupidest part is without a doubt my head. The Cloud Alpha S Blackout headphones grace my melon with a level of comfort I do not deserve.

If normal headphones feel like cramming a pair of Moon Pies on your ears, these feel like a pillow of macarons. They are so light and well made that all you notice is the sound.

And that sound is rich and flawless. Alpha S headphones utilize a virtual 7.1 surround sound, which probably means it can play 7.1 sounds simultaneously. Seems like about 4.1 more sounds than anyone could possibly need.

Since this is a pair of gaming headphones, there is a microphone. Thankfully it's detachable. I don't like to talk to people I don't know in video games. I can barely stand to talk to people I do know, anywhere. Still, it's nice having the option, and the mic is properly long and bendy.

Here's everything you need to know about the Alpha S Blackout: It comes with a velvet-like bag, presumably to dispose of your old headphones.

– Dennis Farrell (@DennisFarrell)