Whirlwind FX Element Keyboard Tech Review
After my initial reaction video, I began my work on dissecting the Whirlwind FX Element keyboard based on a few points; construction, lighting, and gameplay.
Construction is usually the first thing I look at as I have to handle the keyboard while unboxing it and setting it up on my workstation. Immediately as I took hold of it I felt the great quality of materials used. Being ever curious (and I couldn’t find the info on the box) I checked their website to see that it was made with an aircraft-grade, anodized brushed aluminum frame. Anodizing is a process to electrolytically coat a metallic surface with a protective or decorative oxide, meaning that it will be more resistant to corrosion and general wear and tear. I’m not really prone for accidents, but it’s nice to know it’s going to last me a while.
As a gamer I never gave much thought to having an RGB LED keyboard as I always value quality over flash. Not to say that RGB LED keyboards are of inferior quality, but it’s not something I generally look for as the lights can become distracting and pull you out of the gaming experience. This is what makes Whirlwind FX’s Elemental unique. Its patented software engine (EX) takes your game immersion to the next level by synchronizing game environments and interactions (explosions, healing, damage, etc.) into the keyboard lighting system. This adds a whole new way to immerse yourself in your favorite titles . For RGB LED keyboard lovers, Whirlwind FX boasts that their open-platform lighting software “Signal” allows users to customize their light show with 16.8 million colors per key! As a techie, that’s impressive.
I tested the Element with a variety of games so I can test it across several genres. You can view some of the gameplay footage on the DTS Gaming Crew’s reaction video below so you can judge for yourself. There were some parts where the lighting effects were kind of bland, but these were mostly areas that were primarily one tone of color (deserts, snowy areas, etc) and I think that helps with the overall immersion anyway so I’m not upset about that. Some of the more basic, less flashy games weren’t all that impressive on the Element, but it more than made up for it during others as it added to the immersive gaming experience in a way I didn’t know was possible.
If you’d like to visit Whirlwind FX and take a look at the keyboard yourself, you can visit their website by clicking here. At the time this article was written, the price of the keyboard has been reduced from $129.99 to $99.99 and they claim they will ship your order the next business day too!
https://youtu.be/QrMH3YeDE0Y
About Me: I’m a video/tabletop game and tech reviewer, content creator, and game member of the Drop the Spotlight Gaming Crew. If you have questions about any of my content, reach out to me at maurogarcia@dropthespotlight.com. You can also view our gaming content on our Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram pages at DTS_GamingCrew, our videos can be viewed on the Drop the Spotlight YouTube channel and check out our gaming podcast where we cover news, press releases, and our own personal experiences in the gaming world.
