Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard review

I'm a big fan of Ridley Scott's Alien, a 1979 sci-fi classic that pits a crew of space miners against the now-famous xenomorph, a gigantic beastie stalking the hallways of the good ship Nostromo. I mention this for two reasons: One, it's a good excuse to link Alienware to one of my favourite films of a similar name, and two, because the late-70's futuristic aesthetic of that film cemented a much-copied standard in sci-fi design.

Certain rooms in the Nostromo are full of white hardware, rounded edges, and clacking, clocking keyboards. The Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard seems to wear that influence on its sleeve, as it wouldn't look out of place tucked into the console of a stasis pod in the film.

What we have here is a 75% keyboard with decent specs. With hot-swappable Alienware linear mechanical switches fitted as standard (you can swap in both 3-pin and 5-pin models with the included tool), 1 KHz polling over 2.4 GHz wireless, a Bluetooth 5.1 connection, and a USB Type-C port, the Alienware certainly has a lot of the must-haves of a modern wireless gaming keyboard covered. And at $200/£162, it certainly isn't cheap, but right out of the box it screams premium design and build quality.

There's nary a flex out of the chonky bottom plate, the tilting feet have a lovely soft-click locking action, and switching it on for the first time with the excellent-feeling rear-mounted switch reveals an impressive light show. Something about the Pro Wireless' timeless look makes this sort of RGB lighting a surprise, and the lettering lights up consistently over every key, including longer ones like the Shift and Enter caps. Logitech Pro X 60, take note.

Switches: Alienware linear mechanical switches, hot-swappable
Keycaps: PBT double-shot
Connectivity: Wireless (USB 2.4 GHz receiver or Bluetooth 5.1), USB
Keys: 83 in total, remappable
Tilting: Fold-out legs
Backlighting: AlienFX RGB lighting
Dimensions: 31.24 cm x 12.70 cm x 4.06 cm
Weight: 820 g/ 1.8 lbs
Price: $200/£162 

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