Slick Evangelion-themed 8K HE gaming keyboard has a cork sound damper and a Wooting-tier price
When we last reported on the Chilkey Slice68 HE, no price had yet been announced, and exact specs were also up in the air. Although it was clear that it would be a 68-key Hall effect keyboard with an aluminium case and an 8 kHz polling rate — putting it in direct competition with the Iqunix EZ63 we reviewed not too long ago.
Now, however, Chilkey has officially announced the Slice68 HE and revealed the official price and a full list of specifications. Much like the Chilkey Slice75 HE, the Slice68 HE uses the Wuque Studio Flux magnetic switches. There are, however, some interesting touches that set it apart from the usual Hall effect gaming keyboard, aside from the fancy Neon Genesis Evangelion keycaps and impressively detailed aluminium chassis.
Chilkey Slice68 specifications
| Form factor and size | 68-key (65%) ANSI US layout, 112 × 346 mm, 20.7 mm front height |
| Case material | Anodised 6063 aluminium |
| Weight | 1,850 g |
| Plate material and mounting style | Aluminium plate, silicone gel particle mount |
| Connectivity | Wired (USB-C) |
| PCB and switch style | Mechanical switch, 5-pin and 3-pin compatible |
| Default switch options | Wuque Studio Flux HE (linear, 35 gf start force, 50 gf bottom-out) |
| Keycap material and profile | Dye-sub PBT, non-shine-through, Cherry profile |
| Customisation | Custom web driver or installable driver |
| Backlight | South-facing per-key RGB |
| Polling rate | Up to 8 kHz, 32 kHz scan rate |
Slice68 HE highlights
For starters, unlike many HE keyboards, the Slice68 uses a silicone particle gasket mount, which should isolate the keyboard's plate from the case and provide both a slightly cushioned typing experience and improved noise characteristics. Similarly, the Slice68 uses a cork sheet between the plate and PCB, which is known to provide a unique sound profile compared to the usual foams. In addition to the cork sheet, the Slice68 HE has a few enthusiast-grade touches, like an IXPE switch pad and Poron case foam, which should also help with sound damping.
In terms of visuals, while the south-facing RGB might be a let-down for fans of shine-through keycaps, the Slice68 HE also offers a customisable RGB strip along the front edge of the keyboard, somewhat in keeping with the Evangelion theme.
The Slice68 HE boasts some impressive gaming features and performance figures, in addition to the solid mechanical design philosophies. Chilkey claims that the Slice68 HE will deliver 0.1 ms latency and per-key actuation distance customisation with up to 0.01 mm accuracy. Except for analogue input — which we have only seen on the Keychron and Wooting Hall effect keyboards we've reviewed — the Slice68 HE has a decent feature set, including rapid trigger, DKS, and SOCD. It is also fully remappable, for those who like to tinker with different keyboard layouts.
The Chilkey Slice68 HE is available on the Chilkey website for $199, although it will likely be available on Amazon at a later date, just like the Slice75 HE is currently.
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