When I think of PC gaming, one of the first brands that comes to me is Alienware. The company, now a Dell subsidiary, has traditionally produced the sexiest PC cases, such the Area 51 Aurora. Even though they continue to offer some very outstanding pre-built Computers, the company’s accessories are, well, less intriguing.
The Alienware AW420K, a wired mechanical gaming keyboard and the company’s first tenkeyless (TKL) variant, is their newest gaming accessory. Only double-shot PBT keycaps, Cherry MX Red switches, and per-key RGB are included with the AW420K. Its suggested retail price is $149.99, which is quite pricey for a keyboard with hardly any interesting (or even distinctive) features.
However, Alienware is no longer the only manufacturer of gaming PC accessories, so our list of the best gaming keyboards includes a wide variety of other keyboards.
The AW420architecture K’s
The Alienware AW420K is an expensive mechanical keyboard that lacks distinctive features and is tenkeyless (TKL). is a, ands, to see.sss in in a u.s.. an a.s.ses in, ands a sytocie The function keys appear to be pasted on, however the alpha keys on the keycaps look great and look like they belong there. It doesn’t exactly have a premium appearance.
A cable routing cut-out beneath the AW420K leads to the USB Type-C header and two flip-up feet. The switch plate is made of metal, which is excellent if it covered the top of the case in its entirety, but it doesn’t.
This board has per-key RGB, which can be customized using Alienware’s Command Center peripheral program, just like 99.9% other gaming keyboards now on the market.
Even while the typing experience isn’t necessarily prioritized when designing gaming keyboards, it doesn’t have to be horrible. Numerous gaming firms, like Razer, Asus ROG, Cooler Master, and Corsair, have incorporated features like case foam and hot-swap PCBs to improve the typing experience for customers after realizing how crucial it is.
Not Alienware however
The AW420design K’s not only lacks inspiration, but it also sounds pingy and has stabilizers that tick. The keycaps feel nice, however many keyboards come with simple double-shot PBT keycaps (or… anywhere).
In order to try out the AW420gaming K’s capabilities and unlock the M13 assault rifle, I loaded into the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 game mode, DMZ. Because I don’t use a headset when I play video games, I can constantly hear the spacebar ticking; it is too loud and frequent to ignore. Yet since this is only a personal annoyance, other players might not even notice, particularly if they use a headset.
Recently, I’ve also been playing the game Scum. In the online zombie survival game Scum, which is similar to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, you must build your own shelter in order to avoid starvation. The Cherry MX Red switches are light enough (with their 45g actuation force) that I had no weariness – even after hours of cutting wood. But, the amount of stabilizer rattle and case ping in the AW420K bothered me. The shine-through keycaps were particularly helpful in-game because New York has recently been experiencing a lot of gloom.
Programs for the AW420K
It’s convenient that Alienware’s Command Center, which is used to operate all of the company’s accessories, powers the AW420K. You may use Command Center to record and apply macros in addition to changing the RGB lighting settings for each key on the keyboard. Although the keyboard has onboard memory, it can only store five onboard settings. In contrast, the Corsair K70 RGB TKL can store up to 50 profiles and costs the same at retail (and is probably much less now that it’s been out for over a year).
Conclusion
No matter how you feel about Alienware, they have long been a mainstay of PC gaming. While some of their accessories, like their monitors, perform admirably, like the five-star Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED gaming display, this keyboard is subpar. This keyboard is completely unrecommendable, especially considering the cost.
