The Lemokey L5 HE 8K, a wired gaming keyboard with Hall Effect magnetic switches, has been introduced by Lemokey, a gaming-focused sub-brand of Keychron. Designed for competitive gamers, this keyboard boasts an 8,000Hz polling and scan rate, promising a latency of just 0.125 milliseconds. Its Ultra-Fast Lime Magnetic Switches provide customizable actuation points from 0.01mm to 3.35mm, adjustable in 0.01mm increments.
Hall Effect Switches and Advanced Features
The L5 HE 8K features a 75% layout within a CNC-machined aluminum body, paired with Cherry Profile double-shot PBT keycaps and north-facing RGB backlighting with 22 lighting modes. Both top and gasket mounting styles are supported, offering tailored typing experiences. A built-in analog joystick mode enhances control, mimicking modern game controllers by sensing key press depth. QMK compatibility allows for extensive key mapping and macro customization through the Lemokey Launcher web configurator.
Hall Effect switches have gained popularity in gaming keyboards, as seen in the Wooting 80HE, Glorious GMMK 3, and Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX. These switches utilize magnets and sensors rather than physical contacts to register keystrokes, enabling adjustable actuation points, near-instantaneous response times, and enhanced durability.
Rapid Trigger and Competitive Gaming
Many Hall Effect keyboards offer rapid trigger functionality, enabling dynamic actuation and reset points based on key movement direction rather than fixed positions. This can significantly improve responsiveness in games.
The L5 HE 8K provides similar key activation and deactivation based on travel distance, potentially advantageous in competitive shooters for faster strafing. However, this feature has been banned in Counter-Strike 2 on official Valve servers and in ESL events due to concerns about fairness.
Availability and Pricing
The Lemokey L5 HE 8K is available in three color options: Cyber (Black and Green), Dark Master (Black and Red), and Dawn Master (White and Brown). It can be pre-ordered on Kickstarter at an introductory price of $199, with shipping expected in May 2025.
