The Lemokey L5 HE ($209.99) wired gaming keyboard features hot-swappable magnetic key switches in a hefty aluminum frame. It's the first keyboard we've tested from Keychron's gaming-specific subsidiary Lemokey, and it distinguishes itself from other Keychron models with striking metallic accents and a nifty set of keycaps. Overall, we're impressed, though we'd like to see more features from a keyboard that costs this much. Our Editors’ Choice winner for compact wired gaming keyboards, the Razer BlackWidow V4 75%, is a better value, but we're not discounting the L5 HE as a stylish alternative for gamers with deep pockets.

Design: A Snazzy Borg-Like Board

The Lemokey L5 HE is a hefty piece of hardware. Its dense machined aluminum frame tips the scales at 4.2 pounds, making it one of the heavier keyboards we’ve tested—significantly weightier than the similarly sized Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard—though that dense frame makes for stable typing. The 75% layout means it loses the keypad found on full-size models. The keyboard measures 1.7 by 12.9 by 5.9 inches (HWD) and fits well in a bag, but the weight still makes it a pain to carry around. (Not that this is the kind of keyboard you’d want to bring to a friend's house or a tournament. For that, you're better off with an even smaller 60% board.)

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

The L5 HE comes in three different color schemes. The Cyber option, featured in pictures throughout this review, has metallic green accents and a few keycaps with a cyborg aesthetic. The black version, Dark Master, features metallic red accents, while the cream-colored Down Master option gives you gold. All color variants have the same internal PCB and are available for the same price regardless of their paint jobs.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

As for connectivity, the L5 HE doesn't offer Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless, but many gaming enthusiasts may prefer wired-only. A physical connection (in this case, a removable braided USB-C cable) is more reliable than Bluetooth or 2.4GHz, and wired connections typically deliver higher polling rates, like the L5 HE's maximum of 8,000Hz. Still, while rates this high are a neat feature, they aren't particularly rare anymore, and most casual gamers won't notice them. The less-expensive BlackWidow V4 can also reach an 8,000Hz polling rate right out of the box. Even the Corsair K70 RGB Pro Mini can do 8,000Hz out of the box while plugged in (but not with a wireless connection).

The alphanumeric keys on the Cyber variant are solid black with shine-through lettering. The transparent keycaps, meanwhile, look very nice and feature a typeface that’s evocative of the Cyber moniker. They're a bit tough to see with the backlighting on, though, and if all the keys were transparent, L5 HE would probably be too bright to use without hurting your eyes. (At maximum brightness, anyway. You can adjust the level of brightness using the control utility.)

Other illumination includes a small red LED underneath the space bar that helps you locate a factory reset switch and a red LED on the Caps Lock key that lights up when the key is engaged.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Key Switches: Hot Swappable, But Only Magnetic

The L5 HE's Lemokey Lime switches (linear key switches) offer no tactile bumps or sounds to let you know when a key has been pressed. Professional gamers tend to appreciate the lack of tactility in linear switches, as any physical impedance increases input lag between the action (pressing a key) and the reaction (your character moving, for example). The L5 HE's magnetic switches also deliver a lot of flexibility: Multiple actions can be assigned to the same key based on how far you press it down, like adjusting the steering in a racing game or your walking speed in an FPS shooter.

But for someone who types (not strafes) all day long, these linear switches take some getting used to. The keyboard I use at home has clicky switches, a type of tactile switch that also generates an audible sound when pressed. If you're used to key switches with tactile feedback, moving to linear can be jarring. Ultimately, though, I found this to be a non-issue that went away with practice as I grew accustomed to the new switches.

The stock switches do feel nice to type on. These Lime switches are exclusive to the L5 HE and come pre-lubed from the assembly line. While there is a slight noise from the internal springs in the housings, the keyboard's sound suppression works well.

Unlike the Glorious GMMK 3, which can accept both traditional and magnetic switches, the L5 HE is only compatible with magnetic switches. If the stock linear switches aren’t your favorite, the L5 HE is hot-swappable with other magnetic switches, so you can install other switch styles from your preferred manufacturer, whether they are clicky or tactile.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

A toggle switch on the keyboard's frame (by the USB-C port) lets you select one of three onboard profiles. By default, the third setting (with the lightning bolt symbol) maps the keys to Xbox gamepad inputs. The magnetic keyboard does an impressive job of simulating joystick motion, but it probably won’t replace a controller in terms of comfort.

To get a sense of typing accuracy and overall feel, we use Monkeytype. After a few practice runs, I was able to reach an average speed of 68 words per minute with the L5 HE, close to my average and would likely get better over time.

Software: Launcher App Makes for Easy Tweaking

Keychron keyboards are based on the open-source keyboard firmware called QMK, and as such, they were typically configurable with the VIA open-source web app. As of 2024, however, all Keychron keyboards have a new control utility called Launcher.

(Credit: Keychron)

It's browser-based, so you’ll need to go to Launcher directly to get your L5 HE configured. Once you've paired it with the utility, you’ll be able to do everything you’d expect from a full-featured, well-designed keyboard utility, such as remapping keys and selecting new RGB effects.

(Credit: Keychron)

As mentioned above, you can also adjust the sensitivity of each key and even assign multiple key inputs to specific keys based on how much pressure you place on them. Practical applications could be slightly pressing the WASD keys to walk slower in FPS games, and bottoming out the switch to speed up to a full sprint.