The Lemokey L5 HE 8K is a mechanical keyboard aimed toward players that makes use of magnetic switches. This leads to a keyboard that’s brightly coloured, however extremely customizable for typists.
One of many newer breakthroughs within the mechanical keyboard business is in swap know-how. With the introduction of magnetic switches, this has opened up an entire new world of customizations for finish customers.
We’ve lined a couple of keyboards utilizing such switches up to now, however the Lemokey L5 HE 8K is the primary to cross our desks that firmly takes purpose at gaming. That’s as a result of Lemokey is successfully the gaming arm of Keychron, the well-known keyboard producer.
Whereas not essentially the identical goal market as the standard Mac consumer, that hyperlink to Keychron means it nonetheless gives loads to potential purchasers.
Lemokey L5 HE 8K assessment – Bodily Design
Constructed from CNC-machined aluminum, the Lemokey has most of the similar hallmarks of a good Keychron keyboard. It has strong steel high and base sections, in addition to feeling prefer it has excessive construct high quality.
It is a 75% keyboard with a tenkeyless format, which means that it would not have the numpad to the facet, however nonetheless retains the perform row and all the important keys.
Lemokey L5 HE 8K from above.
Measuring 12.9 inches huge and 5.9 inches deep, it has a reasonably first rate measurement for the variety of keys it makes use of.
That additionally consists of the dial situated to the highest proper of the keyboard. This can be utilized in varied methods, with the commonest being for system quantity management and muting.
The knob of the Lemokey L5 HE 8K
It is also fairly thick at 1.78 inches on the again, together with keycaps, right down to 1.06 inches with the entrance keycaps, and 0.75 inches on the entrance edge. That is fairly excessive for a keyboard, however not out of the odd for a mechanical one.
There isn’t a possibility to lift or decrease the keyboard’s angle or top, with the toes within the base consisting of two skinny rubber strips alongside the back and front. It is seemingly that you’re going to want a wrist relaxation for long-term utilization of this keyboard.
Lemokey L5 HE 8K from the facet exhibits its not-adjustable top
You are additionally not more likely to transfer it round your desk a lot, as at simply over 4 kilos in weight, it is not going to simply slide round when you sort. That is decidedly a keyboard to be used at a desk and never as a part of a conveyable setup.
An attention-grabbing a part of the bodily design of the keyboard additionally lends itself to the RGB gaming aesthetic. The rear-most part seems as if it is a triangular wedge of the physique, surrounded by a plastic loop.
That loop accommodates LEDs, which lead to a rainbow-colored stripe that goes throughout the again, down the edges, and proper underneath the keyboard.
The RGB loop of the Lemokey L5 HE 8K
In the back of the keyboard is a USB-C port, used to hook up with your host Mac or PC. Because of the styling of the wedge being a bit offset inward within the design, the port is barely hidden from view from above, and in addition barely angled upwards too.
This can be a bit uncommon, however not likely an issue in on a regular basis use.
This keyboard is barely connecting to your Mac through USB-C. There aren’t any wi-fi or Bluetooth choices right here, but it surely’s not likely a difficulty until you actually despise the presence of cables.
Subsequent to the USB-C port is a swap with three positions. That is used to regulate its polling velocity, which might attain as much as 8,000Hz and might flip the RGB strip crimson.
The USB-C port and the polling velocity swap on the Lemokey L5 HE 8K
There’s little actual want for this when utilizing it for typical typing duties, but it surely’s actually one thing that may profit players. This may increasingly come into play extra on Mac if Apple’s plans to extend the gaming capabilities of macOS come to fruition sooner or later.
Simply as you’ll discover with the development of different mechanical keyboards, Lemokey has made it doable for customers to tinker round with its insides.
It makes use of a gasket-mounted PCB, with layers of sound-absorbing foam, EPDM foam, EVA, and PET movie within the backside of the case.
Instruments, foam, and bits provided with the Lemokey L5 HE 8K
If the consumer needs a change in the way it feels to sort, they will open the enclosure up and swap between the gasket mount to a top-mount configuration. That is considerably inspired by together with extra foam, rubber parts, and a pair of screwdrivers within the field.
Lemokey L5 HE 8K assessment – Switches
Beneath the beautiful good double-shot PBT Cherry profile keycaps are the Corridor Impact magnetic switches. Somewhat than counting on electrical contacts to be made when pressed to a particular degree, these switches as a substitute use magnets.
The Corridor Impact refers to detecting the motion of the magnets, which occurs when the switches go up and down.
The result’s a swap that may be managed much more than the standard swap. It is one that may detect precisely how far you’ve gotten pressed it.
The Corridor Impact switches within the Lemokey L5 HE 8K
Because the quantity of journey may be monitored, it is doable to set the swap to just accept a key press at a particular distance. You’ll be able to set every key to rely a key press otherwise, so some require a lightweight press, whereas others may wish a a lot heavier faucet to be accepted.
There’s an adjustable actuation level vary of between 0.01 millimeter and three.35 millimeters, with a sensitivity to the hundredths of a millimeter.
This actuation level will not be one that’s truly felt by the consumer like a conventional swap. In observe, the keys are extra like linear switches by really feel, however you’ll be able to choose the place that actuation level is positioned.
The switches are additionally fitted with north-facing LEDs, which is vital for individuals who need most gentle output from their keyboard. There are a complete of twenty-two backlight modes obtainable, with tunable hue, saturation, brightness, and speeds.
As is customary for a mechanical keyboard, you should use the provided puller to extract and hot-swap the switches for different ones. Simply guarantee that, to proceed to reap the benefits of the customization choices, you employ related magnetic switches.
Lemokey L5 HE 8K assessment – Options and Software program
Like different mechanical keyboards, there may be software program obtainable to customise how the keyboard acts. Within the case of the Lemokey L5 HE 8K, it is not by the same old By way of, however as a substitute a separate on-line launcher.
The launcher is used to configure the switches and different options.
First, there’s the Corridor Impact or HE options, which embody configuring and testing the actuation factors for each swap on the keyboard. There’s additionally Speedy Triggering, which registers keystrokes at a quicker velocity for gaming.
The launcher software program to configure the Lemokey L5 HE 8K.
The actuation level additionally applies for a One Key, A number of Instructions function, the place you’ll be able to set a key to set off various things when actuating at totally different depths and instructions. Lengthy presses may also be arrange for related functions.
One other gaming-specific function is Snap Motion, in that two particular keys may be set to be pressed on the similar time, however to solely affirm the extra deeply pressed key whereas resetting the opposite. Equally, there’s Final Key Precedence that does the identical with two keys, however triggers the last-pressed of the 2 whereas resetting the opposite.
Gamepad Analog can also be obtainable, mapping keys to particular buttons or controls that exist on a recreation controller. The actuation factors additionally come into play, as you’ll be able to mimic the gradual actions of an analog joystick, relying on the depth of presses.
The launcher software program additionally gives capabilities for key remapping, altering the backlighting, macro recording, key testing, and firmware upgrades.
As a customized app, it is a fairly well-put-together device for managing the keyboard’s fairly distinctive options. It has a little bit of a studying curve to configure issues that may be simply overcome, however most individuals will not actually have a necessity to alter its settings or see the app in any respect.
Lemokey L5 HE 8K assessment – Excessive however extremely customizable
It is clear to say that the Lemokey L5 HE 8K could be a really perfect keyboard for players. The inherent customizable nature of it, in addition to gaming-forward options and its RGB lighting, actually lend itself to that class of consumer.
However on the similar time, it is a premium keyboard possibility that additionally works for individuals who spend a really very long time at their Mac, typing away for a dwelling. With the flexibility to fine-tune how a lot you press the buttons, it is sensible for each gentle typists and individuals who habitually backside out switches whereas typing.
The crimson Escape key’s the uncommon spot of non-RGB colour on the Lemokey L5 HE 8K.
In use, it was snug for lengthy durations, as you’ll anticipate for any linear-based swap setup. Adjusting the keys for a lighter contact actually helped cut back the quantity of fatigue because you did not must press exhausting down on the keys to register a response.
It isn’t fairly a quiet keyboard, as there are others within the workplace that make much less noise than it whereas in full typing stream. Regardless of all the built-in modifications to its building, this can be remedied by a change of keycaps, if it turns into an excessive amount of of a noise irritant.
Non-gaming Mac homeowners might not essentially think about the Lemokey L5 HE 8K as a keyboard they could need to use. It’s, nonetheless, value contemplating if you happen to’re married to your desktop and need much more management over the way you truly sort all day.
Lemokey L5 HE 8K assessment – Professionals
- Excessive swap customization choices
- Heavy-duty building
- High nook knob
Lemokey L5 HE 8K assessment – Cons
- Very heavy keyboard
- USB-C solely connection, no wi-fi
Ranking: 4 out of 5
The place to purchase the Lemokey L5 HE 8K
The Lemokey K5 HE 8K is presently provided as a part of a Kickstarter marketing campaign, with a worth of $199.
The marketing campaign will run till March 27, with an preliminary funding aim of $10,000. As of February 18, it has raised $110,720.
As a crowdfunded mission, there may be at all times the danger that the product is not going to ship as promised — or in any respect. Due to this, AppleInsider would not cowl nearly all of crowdfunding efforts as a rule, until {hardware} is out there and after an evaluation of the workforce behind the hassle.
