Earlier this year in May, HyperX and Ducky launched a collaboration: the HyperX x Ducky One 2 Mini Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. This was an exciting collaboration that partnered Ducky signatures (like 60% keyboard size and Ducky Macro 2.0) with HyperX hallmarks (such as in-house HyperX switches with exposed LEDs). Only 3700 units were released, and they sold out very quickly.
This week, Ducky and HyperX announced another launch of the HyperX x Ducky One 2 Mini (henceforth “HxD One 2 Mini”), this time with a different colorway: an all-black colorway (contrasting with first run’s black and red colorway). The number of units will still be limited, but this time will be close to double with 6500 units manufactured. I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to take a review unit for a spin prior to the opening of public sales. Let’s dive in.
On the physical side of things, the HxD One 2 Mini is deceptively unassuming. A “60% keyboard” (meaning it has 60% of the keys of its full-sized relatives), it’s extremely compact without separate function keys, arrow keys, numpad, and navigation keys. Instead, most of these “missing” keys are automatically mapped to other keys (printed helpfully on the user-facing side of the keys) by preceding that key with the Fn key (e.g. Fn 1 is the F1 key). It’s also quite light for a gaming keyboard, coming in at 599 g. For comparison, the HyperX Alloy Origins comes in at close to double the weight at 1075 g.
In addition to the keyboard itself, the box includes a plastic-coated USB power cable, a thick full-colored manual (more on this later), a Ducky-branded keycap puller, and 11 additional keys for users to mix and match their preferences. Most are gray key variants, but there are a couple logo-based keys (including the Ducky Year of the Rat key), as well as a decorative spacebar with small gamer-themed icons. I appreciate that there’s a fair amount of physical customization available out of the box (and you bet I slapped on that icon-emblazoned spacebar right away), but I like the default black keys with the alternate functions printed on the side so much that I don’t think the gray keys will get much play. At least not until I’ve been using the keyboard for a very long time and the secondary key functions are second nature.
The HxD One 2 Mini features HyperX Red (Linear) switches, which are similar to Cherry MX Reds. I’ve written at length before about the differences in actuation point, travel difference, and rated keypresses before loss of quality in my Alloy Origins reviews, but suffice to say I prefer HyperX switches to Cherrys, and this is a great opportunity to get HyperX switches in a Ducky-style keyboard. It also features a two-step keyboard stand system, which gives three possible tilt angles
The manual is equal parts functional and aesthetically pleasing, with pops of color (mostly blue and pink). Two languages are included: Traditional Chinese and English. Since the keyboard has no software interface, all settings changes are done manually (thus the extensive manual). This includes setting up the RGB backlit modes (10 modes with adjustable speeds and brightness - 5 of which have further customizability with colors - plus a backlit off mode), RGB LED zone customization (for WASD and IJKL zones of the keyboard), DIP switch functions, and macro setup. It’s a little overwhelming a first, but everything is clearly laid out in the manual and it’s astounding the amount of customization that’s packed in here through key combinations. You can even play a simplified Minesweeper game (Fn Alt ,) or a gambling/random area selection game (Fn Alt N / M) on the keyboard.
A game of minesweeper
The comprehensive package of the HxD One 2 Mini feels polished and slick. There’s just something very satisfying about being able to do all your keymappings and lighting changes via a physical interface as opposed to software. I’m not generally the type of person to go all-out in terms of keyboard customizability, but everything about the HxD One 2 Mini says “this is YOUR keyboard, so make it feel unique to you” and that invitation is impossible to resist.
There are definitely some people this keyboard won’t suit. The most obvious groups of folks are the ones who hate the idea of not having a software interface for customization and the ones who feel a 60% keyboard is too cramped. I also wonder if a fair number of MMO players would disprefer a smaller keyboard, since that means less keys available for hotkey mappings.There’s nothing about the HxD One 2 Mini that will address these valid concerns, so I need to be up front about that.
Icon keycaps that come in the box
Those concerns aside, though, I think the HxD One 2 Mini is a triumph of a keyboard, artfully combining functionality, aesthetic, and whimsy. The price ($109.99)) is very fair for everything here, and is a rare chance to get a Ducky keyboard with HyperX switches (which again, I can’t recommend enough).
The HyperX x Ducky One 2 Mini gaming keyboard (all-black colorway) was announced earlier today. It will be available for sale via HyperX’s online shop starting on November 18th, 2020 at 8:00 AM PST. This is a limited-edition keyboard, with only a total of 6,500 units to be made available worldwide.