Endgame Gear KB65HE review: "my new favorite 65% gaming keyboard"

2024-02-27

GamesRadar+ VerdictThe Endgame Gear KB65HE is my new favorite 65% gaming keyboard all thanks to those super speedy adjustable switches and the superb typing experience. This subtle exterior belies a true powerhouse - and that’s exactly the way it should be.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$149.99at AmazonPros+Excellent typing experience+Lightning fast adjustable switches+Comfortable, high quality keycaps+Arrow and nav keys still present+Competitively pricedCons-No side printed legends for dual function-Wired connection only

GamesRadar+ Verdict

The Endgame Gear KB65HE is my new favorite 65% gaming keyboard all thanks to those super speedy adjustable switches and the superb typing experience. This subtle exterior belies a true powerhouse - and that’s exactly the way it should be.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$149.99at Amazon

TODAY’S BEST DEALS$149.99at Amazon

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

$149.99at Amazon

Pros+Excellent typing experience+Lightning fast adjustable switches+Comfortable, high quality keycaps+Arrow and nav keys still present+Competitively priced

Excellent typing experience

Lightning fast adjustable switches

Comfortable, high quality keycaps

Arrow and nav keys still present

Competitively priced

Cons-No side printed legends for dual function-Wired connection only

No side printed legends for dual function

Wired connection only

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Endgame Gear has historically occupied itself with gaming mice, but this year the brand has brought its first-ever gaming keyboard to market - and this is more than an experiment. Featuring hall effect switches, a super slick construction, and a fantastic typing experience, this is my favorite 65% keyboard I’ve tested so far.

Hall effect switches have been seldom used in even thebest gaming keyboards. Yes, brands likeSteelSeriesandRazeradopted the adjustable magnetic switches for releases a couple of years ago but things have largely remained quiet since then. Built for speed and durability, these kind-of-mechanical-but-not-really clickers are harder to find, but if you’re after rapid action presses and a smooth typing feel they’re certainly worth investigating. At $139.99 / £139.99, the KB65HE is slightly more competitive in pricing than we’ve seen previously.

Swipe to scroll horizontallyKey SpecsPrice$139.99 / £139.99TypeMechanicalConnectionWiredSize65%SwitchesGateron KS-37B Hall EffectKeycapsDucky PBT DoubleshotMedia keysNoneWrist restNoUSB passthroughNoBatteryN/A

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Key SpecsPrice$139.99 / £139.99TypeMechanicalConnectionWiredSize65%SwitchesGateron KS-37B Hall EffectKeycapsDucky PBT DoubleshotMedia keysNoneWrist restNoUSB passthroughNoBatteryN/A

Design

(Image credit: Future)

Endgame Gear KB65HE keyboard on a wooden desk

On the surface, this could be any 65% keyboard released in the last three years. A standard set of black PBT doubleshot keycaps sit nestled within a set of skinny bezels atop a chunky chassis. However, the whole body is CNC-milled aluminum, and the lightly textured keycaps feel particularly premium under the hand. Like its RGB lighting, this is a powerful but subtle design - and one that will sit neatly in any setup.

The solid aluminum chassis is certainly weighty, coming in at just over 1kg. That means it’s not going to be particularly easy to transport, but it sits stoutly on a desktop and never moves. That’s excellent news for anyone tired of chasing their smaller keyboard around their setup during play - this thing is going nowhere. That’s also due to detachable (and swappable) rubber feet underneath. Two sets are included out of the box, allowing for a flat or slightly elevated form factor. I naturally prefer a higher incline than I got here, but I was never uncomfortable during testing.

(Image credit: Future)

Back of Endgame Gear keyboard showing rubber feet with one removed

The legends up top allow for a beam of RGB lighting to shine through as well. While I was disappointed that the secondary functions of each key aren’t also printed (requiring a lot of learning for the first few weeks), there’s really nothing to moan about here. These caps have been developed in collaboration with Ducky - the brand behind the fantastically craftedDucky One 3. I was impressed with the high quality of the manufacturing there, and the same is true of the caps available on the Endgame Gear KB65HE.

Features

Let’s talk switches because to call the KB65HE a mechanical keyboard is plastering over some intricacies. The Gateron KS-37Bs under each cap certainly look and feel like standard mechanical switches at first glance, but the real magic happens when you start customizing. Hall effect switches don’t use intricate individual parts to actuate - in fact, there’s nothing electronic going on in here at all. Instead, a magnet is placed through the stem of each clicker, reaching a sensor on the main deck where input is received. That means each switch knows exactly how far it’s been pushed down - which also means variable actuation points.

(Image credit: Future)

Gateron switch from Endgame keyboard on a wooden desk

You can use the accompanying software to set a custom actuation point for each key - from a super flyweight 0.1mm all the way through to a full bottom out. At the top end of the scale that makes for noticeably speedy typing and gameplay. What’s more, these are still fantastic feeling switches in their own right. Each press is particularly smooth, while still providing a solid tension to keep everything precise and accurate.

That also means this is a fullyhot-swappable keyboardas well - it’s worth noting, though, if you are swapping between switches that you’ll need to make sure the Gateron numbers are properly seated and the right way round. They’ll attach back into the PCB in either orientation, but won’t work when upside down - as I found after swapping the entire set. That means a lot of extra work when plugging the old switches back into their PCB.

(Image credit: Future)

Arrow keys of Endgame Gear keyboard with keycaps and switches removed

The software that allows for full actuation control also provides access to per-key RGB customization as well as full programmability for macros across the deck. That’s standard fare in a smaller keyboard, but it certainly shouldn’t be taken for granted as we move down the price scale.

The form factor itself sits within that 65% happy medium. The move to mini gaming keyboards has truly taken off in the last few years - kicking off with a wave of 60% offerings. That was a dark time. Relying on double functions for arrow keys and certain page navigation elements made for a rough few months there, though thankfully we’ve come out the other side with more popular 65 and 75% form factors. Here you’re getting a full number row with arrow keys, page navigation, and delete buttons while still saving plenty of space for mouse sweeps.

Performance

(Image credit: Future)

The entire typing experience on the Endgame Gear KB65HE is solid with no flex to the main chassis (and I really tried to get a flex out of this) and very little wobble to larger stabilized keys. It also helps that two sheets of silicone rubber have been used in construction, making sure that each bottom out is soft and smooth, with a bouncy feel and nicely quiet sound as well.

Should you buy the Endgame KB65HE?

(Image credit: Future)

Close up of keycaps on Endgame Gear KB65HE

If you’re after a 65% gaming keyboard for faster-paced FPS titles, the Endgame Gear KB65HE should be at the top of your list. This is a breakneck-speed deck with all the macros, RGB functionality, and hot-swappability you could ask for, without commanding the price tag we usually see in decks of this high a quality. Considering you can spend a lot (and we mean a lot) more on a 65% rig and still not pick up all these features, this is a must-see.

If you don’t need the extra arrow or navigation keys there are some alternative options out there. TheSteelSeries Apex Pro Miniis available with a wireless connection (though for $239.99 / £219.99), and features side-printed legends for an easier life. Arrow keys are mapped to WASD keys here, which is far more preferable to the mapping on our second alternative, theRazer Huntsman Mini Analog.

This dinky keyboard also allows for more of a joystick-like response from your switches. Of course, this is only compatible with certain games - but the deck is theoretically capable of functioning more like a thumbstick, moving slower when the W key is only slightly pressed, for example, and running when fully bottomed out. It’s a unique experience - and once you’ve mastered it it really can be a game-changer. Again, though, you’re dropping the additional arrow keys in this 60% form factor.

Our current reigning 65% champ is theHyperX Alloy Origins 65, a super speedy but still fantastic feeling deck sitting at a slightly lower $99.99 / £109.99 MSRP. The typing experience here isn’t quite as satisfying as the Endgame’s and you’re dropping additional switch functionality as well - all for the sake of saving $40 / £30.

Swipe to scroll horizontallyEndgame Gear KB65HE vs The CompetitionSpecsEndgame Gear KB65HESteelSeries Apex Pro MiniRazer Huntsman Mini AnalogHyperX Alloy Origins 65Price$139.99 / £139.99$179.99 / £174.99$149.99 / £149.99$99.99 / £109.99TypeMechanicalMechanicalMechanicalMechanicalConnectionWiredWired (Wireless model available)WiredWiredSize65%60%60%65%SwitchesGateron KS-37B Hall EffectSteelSeries OmniPoint 2.0Razer Analog OpticalHyperX RedKeycapsDucky PBT DoubleshotPBT DoubleshotPBT DoubleshotPBT DoubleshotMedia keysMulti-functionMulti-functionMulti-functionMulti-functionWrist restNoNoNoNoUSB passthroughNoNoNoNoBatteryN/AN/AN/ANo

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Endgame Gear KB65HE vs The CompetitionSpecsEndgame Gear KB65HESteelSeries Apex Pro MiniRazer Huntsman Mini AnalogHyperX Alloy Origins 65Price$139.99 / £139.99$179.99 / £174.99$149.99 / £149.99$99.99 / £109.99TypeMechanicalMechanicalMechanicalMechanicalConnectionWiredWired (Wireless model available)WiredWiredSize65%60%60%65%SwitchesGateron KS-37B Hall EffectSteelSeries OmniPoint 2.0Razer Analog OpticalHyperX RedKeycapsDucky PBT DoubleshotPBT DoubleshotPBT DoubleshotPBT DoubleshotMedia keysMulti-functionMulti-functionMulti-functionMulti-functionWrist restNoNoNoNoUSB passthroughNoNoNoNoBatteryN/AN/AN/ANo

Today’s best dealsEndgame Gear KB65HE$149.99ViewSee all pricesSteelSeries Apex Pro Mini$134.99ViewSee all pricesSteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless$239.99$177.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

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Endgame Gear KB65HE$149.99ViewSee all pricesSteelSeries Apex Pro Mini$134.99ViewSee all pricesSteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless$239.99$177.99ViewSee all prices

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SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini$134.99ViewSee all prices

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How we tested the Endgame Gear KB65HE

I used the Endgame Gear KB65HE on and off (while also testing theCorsair K65 Plus Wireless) over the course of two weeks, before using the deck as my sole device for both work and play for another two weeks. In that time, I primarily tested across Apex Legends and CS:GO, while also playing We Happy Few, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and House Flipper. For more information onhow we test gaming keyboards, check out the fullGamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

We’re also rounding up all thebest wireless gaming keyboardsand thebest Razer keyboardsif you’re going down the snake route. You’ll also find all thebest membrane keyboardsranked on GamesRadar if you’re after something a little cheaper.

Endgame Gear KB65HE: Price Comparison

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GamesRadar+ Verdict

Design

Features

Performance

Should you buy the Endgame KB65HE?

How we tested the Endgame Gear KB65HE

Contents