In full openness, we did not receive our board from Hexgears; rather, we purchased it with our own funds. The device under review comes in two variations: a non-RGB version with Kailh Box White or Hako Clear switches, and an RGB variant with Pudding keycaps and Kailh Box Brown switches. The Impulse is a rather basic board, from unpacking to hooking it in. The layout is a very common 104 key, ANSI layout board, despite the design being rather straightforward and mercifully having a standard bottom row. The standard alphanumeric block, F keys, a navigation cluster, and a numpad are all present. Unfortunately, the long braided USB cable is not detachable, and there aren’t many options for cable routing.
Design
Even though the Hex Gears Impulse is inexpensive, nothing about it looks or feels cheap. It doesn’t have the most elegant design. The Impulse’s outer shell has a painted aluminum top and a black plastic bottom. On the inside, a rigid metal mounting plate provides the interior with plenty of stability. A nice touch of style is added by the top edge’s tapered shape, which falls like a waterfall. In addition, the keyboard is IP56 water resistant, allowing it to withstand a small spill. There are two different styles of the Impulse. The $99 RGB model has a multicolored backlight and translucent sides and a black top surface with translucent marks on “pudding style” keycaps. The solid grey and white keys on the $89 model have white backlights on them. Switches can only be hot-swapped in the RGB model. also you will check our article on Hexgears Impulse review. The Hexgears Impulse is also available with quiet, tactile Kailh Box Brown switches if you prefer not to use clicky switches. If you don’t mind or even enjoy audible feedback, you shouldn’t deny yourself the incredible feel of the White switches. Whichever model you select, the caps are composed of sturdy PBT plastic, and the top surface is completely surrounded by an RGB light ring. The braided, non-removable USB Type-A cable that connects to your computer is standard for mechanical keyboards. Sadly, the RGB model just doesn’t look that cool. The colors on the pudding keycaps aren’t as vibrant as those on other RGB gaming keyboards like the Patriot Viper V765, the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT, or the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro because of the combination of the cloudy translucent plastic and the muted light that shines through them. We prefer the way the white and grey keys look, despite the lack of coloured lights behind them. This monochromatic model’s aesthetics brought to mind our old IBM Model M keyboard, but with a dash of RGB ring magic. The Hexgears Impulse is a very small 104-key keyboard with a full set of keys and numpad, measuring just 17.25 x 6 inches (43.8 x 15.2 cm). The Patriot Viper V765 (18.4 x 6.4 inches / 45.5 x 20.3 cm) is somewhat bigger in contrast, but it also has media controls, which the Impulse does not have. It is heavy enough to feel secure on your desk at 2 pounds (918 grammes) without being difficult to lift.
Hexgears Impulse review: Keys
Although there are a various Kailh switch variants available for the Impulse, the keyboard we tested has Box White switches. The keyboard’s distinctive “clicking” sound is produced by the Box White switches, which are rated for 80 million presses. The Hako Clear is an even stiffer switch with an even stronger tactile response, or you can choose the Box Brown (which are more tactile with less click). The Impulse has an IP56 water-resistant classification, which means that any spills onto the device shouldn’t render it completely useless. This is possible because Box switches have a protective box around the key stem. We only used a few light splashes of water to test the water resistance, and it was flawless. However, we are unsure of how well it would perform if it were entirely buried or covered in liquid. It appears that it should be fine with just about any liquid spilled onto it because the Hexgears website states that it can resist “powerful water jets.” The Impulse doesn’t need any software even though it has several switch and design options. Instead, you’ll be setting up your LED lights using keyboard key commands. For instance, holding down the FN key and the delete key will cycle between the various preset light modes, while holding down the FN key and the page down key will change the lighting on the keyboard’s side LED panels. Although it’s not precisely a bad method, it is incredibly ineffective when you truly want to alter individual keys, including the keyboard’s macro keys. Even if it was a first-world issue, there were occasions when we wished we could utilize the most awkward software.
Hexgears Impulse review: RGB lighting
The RGB approach allows you to configure per-key illumination, however there are only nine colors available for each letter. Instead of the standard dull blue, would you prefer a royal blue? Change your keyboard. The Impulse offers a number of built-in lighting effects, including breathing and wave motions, as is typical on any RGB keyboard. The only real method to alter these is to speed up or slow them down and adjust the brightness level. And as we have mentioned, the lights’ color is uninteresting.
Performance
Full N-key rollover USB support for the Impulse was successfully tested using Aqua’s test. Those who require it can switch between NKRO and 6KRO with Fn+. Using Switch Hitter, no key chatter was found on any of the keys. The right Windows key is no longer present on modern keyboards, as it has been replaced by an Fn key. When first connected, the keyboard’s side lighting has a white wave effect and all of the keys are static white in color. Due to RGB LEDs’ difficulty producing a true white, the white is somewhat warmer than true white and has a pinkish tint. This also gives the user a good idea of what to anticipate in terms of the keyboard’s side lighting. With inbuilt control over the brightness, pace, and kind of static/dynamic/reactive effect, there are more preset lighting options available. More of these kinds of instances are seen above, and we can see how the side lighting and the pudding keycaps work together to produce a stunning light display. Even though there doesn’t seem to be a way to set up static lighting in the colour of your choice throughout the keyboard without using the per-key light setting and then changing colors, the Hexgear Impulse is functional and configurable without the need for software drivers, making it OS-independent because all of the settings are saved on the device itself. Nevertheless, we would have preferred more granular control over the lighting options. There are other similar onboard controls for functionality, such as the switch between NKRO and 6KRO stated earlier and macro recording, which, while functional, is likewise constrained by the onboard-only controls’ inherent constraints. More might be done to help better explain this to the ordinary user because the handbook is also rather basic in detailing what the keys accomplish. Hexgear offers undoubtedly helpful customer service to assist with this as needed, but the need to contact customer support in the first place shouldn’t exist. Win lock and volume control are two additional controls that enhance the overall user experience and are self-explanatory. also you will learn our article on Hexgears Impulse review.
Hexgears Impulse review: Gaming Experience
A good gaming experience is provided with the Hexgears Impulse. The keyboard was responsive and simple to use whether we were playing a straightforward sandbox game like Lego Worlds, a grand adventure like Rise of the Tomb Raider, or a first-person shooter like Call of Duty II: Black Ops. If pressing too many keys at once worries you, you can switch between the 6 key rollover and full key rollover modes on the keyboard by pressing Fn +. However, we never encountered a problem while playing games. The Patriot Viper V765’s White-switched spacebar is faster to press when you need to jump quickly, making the Blue-switch spacebar in terms of gameplay a double-edged sword. Therefore, what works well for typing may not be as effective for fast-paced gaming. You are always welcome to place a different switch under the spacebar, provided you have one, though the keys are hot-swappable. The lack of robust macro and lighting options on the Impulse is its major gaming drawback. The Impulse gives you the same five macro keys for everything, unlike other keyboards that feature software that enables you personalize your keyboard’s appearance and shortcuts. While there is little you can do about the lighting, using third-party software like Clavier+ or AutoIt will improve your macro experience.
Conclusion
We were excited to examine some of Hexgears’ other designs after an outstanding debut with the low-profile X-1 from the up-and-coming keyboard manufacturer. A mid-range model featuring Kailh’s Box switches, the Impulse, doesn’t let you down. Some of the more advanced functions of more expensive choices, most notably any form of programming capability, are absent from this design. It makes up for it with a mix of practical features and superb construction. Even though it isn’t ideal, the Impulse has a light show that gamers should like and a variety of switches that will make your fingers dance. It’s simple to recommend this mechanical keyboard for both novices and experts because it costs less than $100.
