This week a mechanical keyboard from Hexgears has arrived on my desk for review. The Immersion A5 is a stylish and low-profile keyboard featuring an ANSI layout and a full 104 keys. This means you get a numpad, cursor cluster, plus a full set of Function and multimedia keys in a sleek black design with backlit RGB keys.
Like most mechanical keyboards on the market these days, the Immersion A5 has hot-swappable switches and rectangular-dish keycaps with a shape that’s been designed to promote fast and fluid typing with a high level of precision. The A5 can be ordered with Kailh Choc low-profile 3-pin switches in Blue, Red or Brown variations depending on the kind of feel you like when typing. All three switch variations are factory-lubed for smooth operation.
The Immersion A5 is a multi-OS keyboard that can work with almost any operating system including Windows, MacOS, iOS or Android. You can easily toggle between Windows and macOS layouts with a simple combination of the Function and Tab keys. The keyboard offers connectivity with three Bluetooth devices, a 2.4Ghz wireless dongle or a USB Type-C cable.
The A5’s low-profile keycaps have exceptionally sharp shine-through legends so you can see all the keys even when working in a dark or dimly lit workspace. Immersive Lighting technology offers a combination of 16.8 million colors and various lighting effects which can be set at different speeds. The RGB lighting effects can be easily tweaked using a combination of Function key presses.
The design of the sculpted keycaps takes a little getting used to because of the pitch between keys. It seems quite wide but like most new layouts, it shouldn’t take too long to get used to. The keycaps are made with polycarbonate and finished with a special Anti-Fade coating that keeps the keycaps clear and bright even after extended use.
Certain tasks or repetitive keypresses can be automated with several layers assigned to each key. The RGB lighting effects can also be set on a per-key basis using the Hexgears software. Even macros can be created for time-saving shortcuts so you can perform complex actions with a single keystroke. However, the Hexgears software is only available for Windows, so Mac users will have to hope that Hexgears produces a macOS version one day.
Despite the lack of macOS customization software, the Immersion A5 supports macOS functions and multimedia commands. There are no macOS-specific modifier keys, which is a shame but all the usual controls for music transport, search, volume and mute can be accessed with a single keypress of the top row of keys. The Fn keys can also trigger other macOS shortcuts and some keys can be customized using Keyboard in macOS System Settings.
The Immersion A5 keyboard has an ultra-slim and ergonomic low-profile construction with flip-out legs on the base that provide an adjustable typing angle for improved wrist posture. Also on the base are sturdy rubber pads that keep the keyboard from slithering across the desk, even during an intensive gaming session. This is a very comfortable keyboard to type on and looks classy with its brush-textured aluminum finish and zero flex.
Another feature of the A5 that I particularly enjoyed is the handy legends on some keycaps that act as an aide memoire for the keys that can adjust color, brightness, effect and speed of the backlights. It’s so much easier than having to consult the instructions every time you want to tweak the lighting effects.
Inside the A5 is a 2,900mAh rechargeable battery for powering the keyboard when it’s being used in Bluetooth or 2.4GHz modes. With the backlights turned on, the battery will need recharging more frequently and will probably be good for a week’s worth of typing or around 30 hours of use, but your mileage may vary because we all use our keyboards differently.
As mentioned, the A5 can connect to a host computer via a USB-C cable. However, the USB port on the rear of the keyboard is so recessed, you will probably have to use the braided cable that ships with the keyboard. If you have any ideas of using a fancy coiled keyboard cable, there’s a good chance it might not fit.
Thanks to its low-profile design, the Hexgears Immersion A5 feels like a high-end laptop to type on and is ideal for typing an article like this review or when taking part in a high-level gaming tournament. The A5 has support for NKRO so you need never lose a keypress, no matter how fast you type. There are also adjustable per-key polling rates up to 1,000Hz, providing a high level of control and responsiveness. Meanwhile, latency over wireless or cable connections is as low as 1ms, making it ideal for competitive gaming tournaments.
Verdict: The Hexgears Immersion A5 is a low-profile mechanical keyboard with huge potential. It looks so stylish and sleek and the keycaps have some of the best and sharpest shine-through legends you’re likely to see on any keyboard. The keycaps are smooth and sculpted, although I found the combination of an untextured surface and quite a wide pitch meant I had to slightly adjust my typing style which took a little while to get used to. There is very little to criticize here apart from the lack of macOS software for customizing remapping and macros for individual keys. If you want a super-stylish and low-profile keyboard, the Hexgears Immersion A5 is a great choice.
Pricing & Availability: The Hexgears Immersion A5 Tri-Mode 104-Keys RGB Low-Profile Mechanical Keyboard is available now from the Hexgears website and is priced at a reasonable $115.99 / £94.13 / €111,41.
Tech Specs:
- Layout: ANSI.
- Keys 104-key (Anti-Ghosting).
- N-key Rollover (NKRO): Yes.
- Backlight: 16.8 million Color RGB.
- Adjustable polling rate: Yes.
- Programmable macro: Yes.
- Switch: Kailh Choc Low-Profile switches.
- PCB board pin sockets: 3-Pin PCB board.
- Switch life: 50 million clicks.
- Polling rate: 1000Hz (wired mode).
- Dimensions: 435 x 136 x 24mm.
- Function key: Fn-combination function key.
- Bluetooth: version 5.0
- Wireless dongle: 2.4GHz wireless.
- Transmission distance: 10 meters.
- Keycap material: PC (Polycarbonate).
- Keycap coating: Anti-Fade.
- Keycaps: Translucent shine-through.
- Voltage / Current: 5V / 100mA.
- Battery capacity: 2,900 mAh.
- Battery charging time: < 3 hours.
- Battery gameplay time: Up to 30 hours with RGB.
- Latency: Approx. 1-4ms (wired), Approx. 1-6ms (2.4GHz).
- Keyboard weight: 768g.
- Connectivity: Wired and 2.4GHz
- Compatibility: Windows OS, MacOS, Android systems.
- Bluetooth connectivity: Windows, MacOS, iOS iPadOS, & Android.
- Software compatibility: Windows OS only.
