Alienware's new RGB mechanical gaming keyboard looks like a spaceship engine

OEM keyboards are usually dull and unimpressive. They look like generic slabs using low-quality rubber domes and are made to be cheap add-ons at purchase time. The new Alienware RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is an attempt to change that.

While the key/font combination is still generic, Alienware’s design team has designed the body to fit with their current laptop and desktop aesthetic. There is a diamond-like angle to the sides with a rounded top. The front uses the same spaceship engine (rounded rectangle) look as the Area 51 laptop or Aurora desktop, meaning that they will look right at home when used together. There are also media keys for all your regular functions, with volume up/down and mute being on dedicated keys rather than behind a function layer.

The switches are CherryMX Brown rated at up to 100 million keystrokes, and the keys are mounted in the more futuristic floating style. There is USB pass-through for something such as a wireless mouse dongle. Alienware claims there is enough amperage provided to charge a phone. However, this might be slower than directly connected to a USB port on the laptop or computer. The 1000 Hz polling rate and N-key rollover (NKRO) should result in lower latency and no chance of blocking an input by pushing too many keys at once.

The Alienware RGB Gaming Keyboard MK410K will be available from 4 August 2020 at an MSRP of US$130.