HyperX Origins 2 1800

Not everyone has the luxury of a spacious gaming setup but that shouldn’t mean you have to sacrifice performance. The HyperX Origins 2 1800 offers a rather sensible solution, squeezing almost everything you’d expect from a full-sized keyboard into a more compact footprint.

Its 1800 layout retains the number pad, arrow keys and essential functions while giving you back some precious desk space for coffee. The translucent housing lets the RGB lighting shine through beautifully, giving it plenty of personality without looking like too garish.

Underneath the keys are HyperX’s factory lubricated Linear Red mechanical switches, offering smooth, responsive keystrokes with a 1.8mm actuation point. They’re rated for 80 million presses, so even the most enthusiastic button basher should struggle to wear them out.

It is fully customisable with hot swappable sockets that support most three and five pin mechanical switches, while the housing itself can be replaced using eight screws. A silicone O ring mount, polycarbonate plate and removable silicone weight help dampen vibrations and reduce that hollow keyboard clatter. Adjustable feet provide different typing angles, although the chunky profile won’t suit everyone.

For competitive gaming, it offers an 8,000Hz polling rate, allowing the keyboard to report inputs to your PC up to 8,000 times per second. HyperX’s NGENUITY software handles RGB customisation, key remapping and macros, with support for three profiles.

At £119.99, the Origins 2 1800 isn’t cheap, particularly for a wired keyboard. There’s also no dedicated volume dial or wrist rest, and the software lacks some of the advanced adjustments found elsewhere.
Still, the combination of compact practicality, satisfying mechanical switches and genuine customisation makes this a keyboard with plenty of appeal. It gives you room to move your mouse without making you sacrifice your number pad, which is a victory in itself. RRP £119.99

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