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Gaming: Gamdias Hephaestus P1 RGB Review

04/18/2018 By Hakan Can

It’s now 2018, and every gaming hardware and accessories maker has begun to put forth their latest creations for the year. Gamdias is no different with the introduction of four new gaming headsets in as many months. We’re fans of the brand so when the opportunity to review the Hephaestus P1 gaming headset arose, we quickly accepted. How does the best of the four headphones hold up to our testing? Without further delay, let’s take a closer look in this Gamdias Hephaestus P1 RGB review.

Gamdias Hephaestus P1 RGB Headset

Key Features

• 50mm drivers
• 7.1 virtual surround sound
• Remote control with a vibration feature

• Oversized, vented earcups
• RGB lighting
• $90 price point

Read: Gaming: Sennheiser GSP 350 Headset Review

Gamdias Hephaestus P1 RGB Review

Hephaestus P1 RGB Design

The gaming headset comes in an attractive combination of glossy black along with matte black and gray. When plugged in with the Hera software activated, the headset will produce one of six RGB colors. These colors are yellow, purple, orange, green, blue, and red.

On the left of the headset is the omnidirectional, flexible microphone with its swivel feature. Trailing down the tangle-free 1.8-meter braided cord, you’ll notice the remote controller. On the remote, there are volume controls, a mute microphone button, and the vibration on-off switch. The controller is well-built and rather rugged.

Gamdias Hephaestus P1 RGB Headset

The headband and oversized earcups of the Hephaestus P1 RGB gaming headset have ample memory foam padding underneath their synthetic leather surface material. Regarding the adjustable nature of the headset, it’s hard to determine how many notches/positions there are. You see, the headset adjusts too easily; too much for my liking. One can feel the bumps, but as they are not well pronounced, thus counting them becomes impossible. Upon measurement, there’s about 1″ of travel. You’ll find that as you take the headset off, you’ll lose the setting.

The “cooling structure” is most interesting. I found that it worked at keeping my ears cool after hours of continuous wear. My ears were never warm, hot, or sweaty. And when you place the headset on a surface such as a desk, you’ll notice that the vented design allows for the headset to balance itself. It’s neat seeing the headset rest flat on its front side. I like this design aspect.

I would say these ear cups aren’t noise-canceling, and they definitely don’t swivel or fold flat. The latter is just fine by me. The mic is noise-canceling.

Gamdias Hephaestus P1 RGB Headset

Read: Gaming: Sennheiser GSX 1200 PRO Amplifier Review

Hephaestus P1 RGB Specifications

• Ear coupling: Closed Acoustic
• Frequency Range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• Cable length: 1.8 M
• Driver diameter: 50 mm
• Impedance: 32 Ω ± 15%
• Sound Pressure Level: 119 dB ± 5 dB

• Vibration unit size: 30 mm
• Microphone frequency range: 100 Hz – 10 kHz
• Microphone pick-up pattern: Omindirectional
• Microphone sensitivity: -58 db ± 5 db
• Microphone impedance: 2.2 kΩ
• Dimensions: 232 x 100 x 216 mm

Read: Gaming: HyperX Alloy Elite Keyboard Review

First Impression

Although it’s a personal issue, I don’t like the microphone on the left side. I would have preferred it on the right. Voice quality is good when playing YouTube, and there’s a nice ambiance to it. However, the mic was not very good at voice isolating. It’s pretty easy to notice noises outside of the video game, a bit harder when actual gaming sound was playing but wasn’t too hard overall.

The feature I most wished it had was a pant/shirt clip because of the microphone control placement. I say this because if you stand when you game as I do, the controller keeps hitting the keyboard tray on my standing desk. If you sit, as the high majority of you do, the weight of the controller could become a distraction. I usually reach to my neck to change the volume or mute it, but this control was on my lap. It was tricky in the middle of a game to reduce the volume or mute it.

If you’re a prescription eyeglasses wearer like myself or someone who wears eye fatigue reducing glasses, you probably won’t enjoy the headset as much. The oversized earcups don’t appear to be designed with the glasses wearer in mind. As someone who falls into this category, I highly recommend you wear a pair of contacts.

Gaming Performance

While 7.1 virtual surround sound has its critics, it works very well on the Hephaestus P1 RGB headset. This feature and the optional vibration certainly add to the gaming experience.

We’ve sampled this headset with a handful of games, YouTube gaming videos, and even Unigine benchmarking programs. This closed acoustic headset’s audio quality is as good when compared to many within the $80-90 retail price tag.

Gamdias Hephaestus P1 RGB Headset

Rainbow Six: Siege

The mic is smooth, with no voice cracking. There’s good sound quality as it isolated distinct sounds such as gunshots. Case in point, I could hear a window break, so I was able to kill an in-game character. I also heard two other characters moving through a terminal, and was able to locate and kill them using sound. In another outing, I heard an enemy player get hit by a trap, then went around the corner and killed him. There’s pretty good sound location using these Hephaestus P1 RGB headphones.

Headphones were comfortable on the ear, little soreness around them. They were reasonably soft around the ears, but also firm, so it didn’t hurt after using them for an hour and a half. This headset with its steel headband is heavier than I would have preferred, but not too heavy.

Total War: ATTILA

The headset worked well for this game; the sound was very immersive. There were no discernible differences as the game is a strategy game.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

Final Thoughts

Pros:
• Comfortable, long-lasting fit with no hot ears
• High-quality sound during gameplay
• Remote control for audio level and vibration
• Flexible, adjustable mic a big plus

Cons:
• Earcups could fit better on the lower part of the ears
• Not particularly comfortable when wearing glasses
• Remote control could use a tie/pant clip to affix to clothing
• Headset adjustment moves too easily; it should be firmer

Headset Scores:
• Appearance: 8.5/10 – Pretty, sleek, and good looking. While not a charmer, it’s pretty good looking.
• Use: 9/10 – Microphone was useful and smooth on video calls. When used on YouTube it was good, but nothing spectacular.

• Gaming: 9.5/10 – The simple effect of being able to notice people moving above or around me was incredible. Poor microphone control placement did affect gaming on occasion.
• Comfort: 7/10 – The steel headband weighed down the entire headset, and often dragged the headset off the table. The microphone control was poorly placed, which often became a distraction, and weighed on my lap during gameplay.

The Hephaestus P1 RGB delivers some high-end features for its price: flexible-and-swivel mic, vibration response, a robust controller, and 7.1 virtual surround sound. When tested with competitive shooters such as Rainbow Six: Siege or Counter Strike: Global Offensive, I noticed discrepancies such as footsteps or broken windows. Often, this would let me surprise and kill an opponent. During typical web use such as browsing YouTube or video chatting, the Hephaestus worked just fine.

This headset is in the high-end of Gamdias’s arsenal. If you want a gaming headset with fewer features, feel free to check out one of their other three recently headsets. This model gets the job done at a reasonable price.

If you’re comparing the Hephaestus P1 to headsets from other brands, look within the $80-120 price range. This headset is for use with whatever platforms accept a USB connection, but you’re sure to lose the RGB feature.

I do have to state that it’s a shame this headset doesn’t come with a carry bag.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES P2 RGB Keyboard Review

The Hephaestus P1 RGB gaming headset is available for purchase on Amazon for approximately $60 (see link at the bottom of this page.)

What do you think of this Gamdias Hephaestus P1 RGB gaming headset review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

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Don’t hesitate to head over to the Gamdias homepage to see their current line-up of products. The Hermes P2 RGB gaming keyboard comes with a 1-year + 2-months warranty.

FTC Disclosure: Gamdias provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Hephaestus P1 RGB gaming headset sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES P1 RGB Keyboard Review

Gaming: Gamdias HERMES P2 RGB Keyboard Review

11/13/2017 By Zach Can

As 2017 comes to an end, Gamdias continues to roll out new gaming hardware with two new successors to the Hermes P1 RGB keyboard. These are, of course, the Hermes P2 RGB and the Hermes P3 RGB keyboards. This review focuses on the former, the Hermes P2 RGB. This latest piece of gaming hardware adds “innovative optical technology with dust and spill resistance, individually hot swappable keys, and a host of new features and improvements” to the Hermes lineup. We’ve seen how the Hermes P1 performs. Is this successor able to hold up against its predecessor? Will it stand out on its own? Let’s take a peak in our Gamdias HERMES P2 RGB keyboard review.

Key Features of the HERMES P2 RGB Keyboard

Easily removable keys
Sturdy wrist plate
Gamdias Mechanical Switches
100% Anti-Ghosting Support
N-Key rollover
Multimedia Controls

Read: Patriot Viper V770 Gaming Keyboard Review

Gamdias HERMES P2 RGB Keyboard Review

HERMES P2 Design and Features

The Hermes P2 keyboard has the standard fare one USB slot requirement working in both 3.0 and 2.0 formats. It has everyone’s favorite multimedia keys, but unlike its predecessor, it has a volume scroll wheel. Gamdias’ trademark keys are not forgotten, such as the key to lock the keyboard from an input, right mouse button input, brightness control, lighting modes, screenshot, and the WASD-Arrow Key flip. The font has returned to a much more generic, basic look. I prefer the stylistic approach which made the Hermes P1 pop. It’s a tad wider than the original model plus it grew in length, thanks to a sturdy non-removable wrist plate which is a very welcome addition.

The switches have a 50 million push-button life cycle that will probably outlast your use for the keyboard, but it’s way better than the other way around. Looking below the volume scroll wheel, you’ll find that the toggle keys light up in blue when activated instead of your standard green or red.

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The lighting effects aren’t going to blind you like Patriot’s V770 (see inline post above,) but they aren’t as impressive as the Hermes P1. Maybe it’s because of the metal plate stabilizers, but the colors were brighter and more vibrant. Honestly, it’s a bit short in the lighting department. The Hera software that works with Hermes P2 appears to be rushed, as is not on par with other Gamdias components. There’s more on this topic below. A lot of the lighting patterns have been carried over, nearly all of which are still limited to just one color. “Neon” and “Wave” are the only ones that cycle through colors.

The keys are well protected from dust and any spills, with a switch cover on each key preventing any liquid from getting inside.

[envira-gallery id=”9651″]

Read: Gaming: Patriot Viper V570 Mouse Review

Specifications

• Key Switch:
• Switch Lifecycle:
• Dimensions:
• Weight:
• Processor:
• Polling Rate:
• Profile Keys:
• Programmable Keys:
• Multimedia Keys:
• Graphical User Interface:

• Optical switches
• 50 Million
• 19.5″ x 9″ x 1.52″
• 3.1 lbs
• TBA
• 1000 Hz
• Yes, 5
• Yes, 109
• Yes
• Yes, HERA Software

Read: Gaming: Sennheiser GSP 350 Headset Review

Gamdias HERA Software

I’m somewhat upset with what’s happened here with the software. On previous Gamdias keyboards it was good-to-great, but on this keyboard not so much. Recently I sent Gamdias a support request informing them of the issues I encountered. It’s only been a couple of days since. Once the problems have been resolved, I’ll be sure to update this write-up.

Currently, it’s messy under the “Keyboard Luminance” tab. The sliders for the RGB don’t work and are not clickable by mouse. Values have to be manually edited by number. The whole part of the keyboard is to be able to make the “16.8 million colors.”

[envira-gallery id=”9668″]

On the “Custom Pattern” screen where one can bind colors to any key they want, some keys that aren’t bindable. It’s just not registered by the software, such as F10, Home, and Num 4.

Furthermore, why has the Fn-Windows button switch has been removed? It was such a great option. Consecutive attack mode is missing as well. There are more lighting options on Hermes P1 with 3x more color presets.

[envira-gallery id=”9676″]

Read: Gaming: Sennheiser GSX 1200 PRO Amplifier Review

Conclusion

Pros:
• Sturdy build wrist rest

Cons:
• Buggy software at the moment
• Lacking in lighting options over predecessor
• $20 increase in price

Straight up we preferred the predecessor over this current model. There doesn’t appear to be any improvements, nor is the board “cutting edge.” If you wanted a similar-looking gaming keyboard, you should purchase the Hermes P1 RGB. With more options and better lighting, the original version is simply a better keyboard.

The Hermes P2 RGB keyboard lists for $140 on the Gamdias site, while the Hermes P1 RGB lists for $120.

[envira-gallery id=”9650″]

What do you think of this Gamdias HERMES P2 RGB keyboard review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

• Follow Gamdias on Twitter
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Don’t hesitate to head over to the Gamdias homepage to see their current line-up of products. The Hermes P2 RGB gaming keyboard comes with a 1-year + 2-months warranty.

FTC Disclosure: Gamdias provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Hermes P2 RGB keyboard sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

Read: Sennheiser GSP 301 Gaming Headset Review

Gaming: Gamdias HERMES P1 RGB Keyboard Review

08/23/2017 By Zach Can

It seems like a month doesn’t pass without the folks at Gamdias introducing something fresh to the PC Gaming market. Back in July, they’ve expanded their line by one with the introduction of a new mechanical gaming keyboard with Kailh blue switches. This new board–the HERMES P1 RGB yields 16.8 million colors, four game modes, and a dozen lighting patterns. There have been some design changes since the previous HERMES RGB keyboard such as an all aluminum front plate. How does this keyboard stack up with Gamdias’ others keyboards? Without further delay, let’s take a closer look in this Gamdias HERMES P1 RGB keyboard review.

Key Features of the HERMES P1 RGB Keyboard

16.8M color illuminated backlighting
Four pre-configured lighting zones
Twelve lighting effects
Kailh Blue mechanical switches
On-the-fly record macro key settings
Six key / N-Key rollover
100% anti-ghosting support
Aircraft-grade aluminum front plate

Read: Gamdias HERMES RGB Keyboard Review

Gamdias HERMES P1 RGB Keyboard Review

Hermes P1 RGB Design and Features

[envira-gallery id=”9056″]

Like its predecessor, the HERMES P1 RGB is mechanical gaming keyboard with a 50 million push button life cycle. It comes with 16.8 million colors, a dozen different lighting effects to choose from, and four preset gaming modes: League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Dota 2, and World of Tanks. You can change the brightness (4 levels) and speed of the effects to your liking. The brains of the keyboard are in the ARM® Cortex®-M3 32-bit microprocessor.

The keys have a new font design that is refreshing and still easy to read. The aircraft-grade brushed aluminum front plate is a nice touch which doesn’t smudge easily. Metal plate stabilizers return from the HERMES 7 Color keyboard adding more flair. (The metal front plate have become quite popular in 2017.)

Consecutive attack mode also makes a return. The keyboard comes with its own key puller. It has all those standard Gamdias’ features like the multimedia keys, two macro buttons, and the key locker if you wanted to vacuum your keyboard real quick.

[envira-gallery id=”9058″]

The HERMES P1 RGB can be used with or without the HERA software. One option which pleased me is the ability to switch out the Windows Key with the Fn button. I was like, “Oh yeah. That’s a nice touch.”

Flipping the keyboard over, you’ll notice three channels to direct the 1.8 Meter braided cable. The keyboard legs have improved over its predecessor and are now much wider. (We hope it was our suggestion that led to the upgrade.) The key puller is now attached to the underside.

To be completely honest not too much has changed from the HERMES RGB to the HERMES P1 RGB. It’s more of a hybrid combination of its former self and the HERMES 7 Color keyboard bringing their greatest features into one keyboard.

Sadly, there are two disappointments to report, first being the removable wrist rest. In our tests, it came off too easily. We wish it fit more securely because as soon as you even move the keyboard, it pops right off. Finally, most of the lighting effects are one color only. On the 7 Color board, the lighting effects played across all colors. The HERMES P1 RGB would have been near perfect if it were not for these two small issues. The keyboard handles and performs very similarly to the HERMES RGB.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

Specifications

• Key Switch:
• Switch Lifecycle:
• Dimensions:
• Weight:
• Built-in Memory:
• Polling Rate:
• Programmable Keys:
• Multimedia Keys:
• Graphical User Interface:

• Kailh Blue mechanical switches
• 50 Million
• 17.64″ x 6.16″/7.97″ x 1.45″ w/o and with the wrist rest
• 2.86/3.44 lbs w/o and with the wrist rest
• 72 KB
• 1000 Hz
• 2
• 6
• Yes, HERA software

Final Thoughts

Pros:
• New keyboard font
• Switchable Fn/Windows key
• Complete customization
• Twelve lighting effects

Cons:
• Most lighting effects are one color only
• Wrist rest pops off quite easily
• Very similar to the Hermes RGB

If you were having trouble deciding on whether to purchase the Hermes RGB or 7 Color keyboard, then you need to look towards this newer one. It’s got everything they do and a little more. I’m pleased with this Hermes P1 RGB keyboard. Still, I’m kind of sad about the lighting effects being mostly one color though. I unquestionably recommend this board. It’s already become my new main gaming keyboard.

The Gamdias Hermes P1 RGB mechanical keyboard has a list price of just under $120 and is available for purchase at Amazon and the Gamdias website.

[envira-gallery id=”9057″]

What do you think of this Gamdias Hermes P1 RGB keyboard review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

• Follow Gamdias on Twitter
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• Follow Beantown on Twitter
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Don’t hesitate to head over to the Gamdias homepage to see their current line-up of products. The Hermes P1 RGB Mechanical keyboard comes with a 1-year + 2-months warranty.

FTC Disclosure: Gamdias provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Hermes P1 RGB keyboard sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

Read: Gaming: Tt esports MEKA PRO Keyboard Review

Gamdias ZEUS P1 RGB Gaming Mouse Review

06/25/2017 By Zach Can

It’s now 2017, and Gamdias has made its presence known in the gaming market. With their love of customization and RGB lighting, you (design your gaming environment) make it the way that best suits you. Their ZEUS P1 RGB mouse represents it well with 16.8 million colors of RGB lighting and 12,000 DPI at your disposal. I’ve spent this month of June with this mouse, customizing and learning every detail of it. So without further delay, let’s take a closer look in this Gamdias ZEUS P1 RGB gaming mouse review.

Pros:
• The mouse has a much smoother feel, more appealing to casual user
• Much higher DPI — 12,000 compared to 8,200
• RGB color scheme
• Textured rubber grips on the side

Cons:
• Only five extra buttons
• No ridges for thumb and pinky finger
• No weight system
• Couple of HERA settings are missing

Read: Gamdias ZEUS eSport Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Gamdias Zeus P1 RGB Gaming Mouse Review

Design

When compared to the ZEUS eSport Laser mouse, the P1 RGB has a much simpler design. The latter has five extra customizable buttons instead of the eight on the ZEUS eSport. The streaming lighting on the P1 RGB is hard to creatively put into words. There are 13 small segments that have their own illumination. The Gamdias logo’s color is not customizable, and will always glow red.

Unlike the ZEUS eSport, the P1 RGB has textured rubber grips where your thumb and pinky rest, giving you more grip to the mouse. The mouse fits in my hand comfortably and doesn’t displace any discomfort. Resolution can go up to 12,000 DPI delivering insane accuracy. It comes with HERA software support that configures the lighting, macros, buttons, timer, DPI, and sounds.

The P1 RGB is missing a couple of settings from the eSport mouse such as “Straight Path Correction,” the ability to change X-axis and Y-axis DPI independently, and the “Lift Off Setting.” The P1 RGB isn’t the eSports model, and it isn’t trying to be. The P1 RGB does not have a customizable weight which did not bother me, as the weight for the mouse felt right. This could be an issue for others though. The P1 RGB tracks optically (using LEDs) rather than a laser. In the past, laser mice have been able to hit higher DPI’s. It’s obviously not a problem for the P1 RGB as it’s capable of 12,000 DPI. The eSports mouse can only achieve 8,000 DPI.

[envira-gallery id=”8481″]

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

Specifications

• Tracking Method:
• Dimension(L x W x H):
• Weight:
• Keys:
• Resolution:
• Polling Rate:
• Switch Lifecycle:
• USB Cable Length:
• Graphical UI:

• Advanced Gaming Optical Sensor
• 127.26 x 72.45 x 40.85 mm
• 125 grams
• 8
• 1600/2400/5600/8200/10800/12000 DPI
• 1,000 Hz
• 20 Million
• 1.8 Meters
• HERA

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES 7 Color Keyboard Review

Performance

I ran the ZEUS P1 RGB mouse at 2000 DPI for most of the testing but did try several different resolution settings. The 12,000 DPI setting was insanely accurate especially if you’re flicking the mouse around to make quick shots like in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO).

[envira-gallery id=”8482″]

Read: Gamdias HERMES RGB Keyboard Review

Conclusion

As a big fan of the ZEUS eSports laser mouse for its grip, for me, the ZEUS P1 RGB comes in a close second. It can’t beat the thumb and pinky ridges of the eSports mouse. It was an easy transition switching from the eSports mouse after falling for the P1’s lighting scheme.

Both are great mice! The P1 RGB can compete in the eSports sector in terms of DPI/accuracy, but the grip comes short of the mark.

The P1 RGB works great. It fits my hand perfectly, is quite responsive, and its optical LED is highly accurate as it lights up alongside the HERMES 7-Color mechanical keyboard. If you’re just getting into gaming and unsure of what mouse to get, or you’ve finally decided to ditch your old standard mouse, this ZEUS P1 RGB is a solid winner.

The list price of the ZEUS P1 RGB mouse is $79.99. Fortunately, you can get it on Amazon for $49.99. In the US, each gaming mouse comes with a 1-year warranty from date of purchase.

What do you think of this Gamdias ZEUS P1 RGB gaming mouse review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

• Follow Gamdias on Twitter
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Don’t hesitate to head over to the Gamdias website to see their latest gaming hardware. The mouse comes with a one-year limited end-user warranty.

FTC Disclosure: Gamdias provided Beantown LLC with one (1) ZEUS P1 RGB gaming mouse sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and is not a paid product ambassador.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES E1 Keyboard Combo Review

Gaming: Gamdias HERMES E1 Keyboard Combo Review

11/18/2016 By Hakan Can

Review: Gamdias HERMES E1 Combo

It’s been one heck of a busy year for the gaming hardware manufacturer Gamdias. With dozens of products introduced in 2016, they’ve created quite the buzz around their brand in and out of the gaming arena. With the end of year approaching, they kept their right foot on the pedal and continued to introduce new products like HEBE headsets, ZEUS mice, and the HERMES E1 keyboard and mouse combo. So without any further delay, welcome to our Gamdias HERMES E1 Combo review.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

Want to win this HERMES E1 combo? In cooperation with Gamdias, we’re giving away this keyboard + mouse combo beginning Monday at 12:01 AM. Enter the Giveaway. It could be yours before Christmas. Good luck.

Introducing the HERMES E1 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Design and Features

For those of you who own or have looked at a HERMES keyboard, you’ll notice many similarities in this HERMES E1 keyboard. When it comes to appearance and features, the HERMES E1 looks closest to the HERMES LITE. As a mechanical gaming keyboard, the E1 has the same GAMDIAS certified Kailh blue mechanical switches/TTC switches as found in the HERMES RGB. Because it uses the Kailh switches, the HERMES E1 has a 50 million push button life cycle. Like the previously reviewed Gamdias keyboards, this board is connected via one USB port.

On the HERMES E1, the keys are raised making it easy to see the red lights underneath them. The keys have an handsomely-finished aluminum plate for added durability. When it comes to gaming keyboards, I’ve noticed complaints from reviewers about the use of metal plates. But I disagree with them. I believe an aluminum (metal) plate stabilizer is an excellent addition to a keyboard. Not much force (45 cN) is needed to register as a key press. While the keys are audible, they are not loud or annoying.

There’s a removable wrist plate, which I believe is a good thing for hardcore gamers. Keyboard dimensions are 17.64 x 7.97 (or 6.2 w/o wrist plate) x 1.45 inches. Flip the keyboard over, and you’ll notice three channels to direct the nearly 6′ braided cable. Like previous reviews, this HERMES E1 keyboard has very stiff legs. Unless you have a thin thumb, you’ll be using an index or middle finger to raise the legs. There’s also a handy key puller attached to the underside of the board. You can also completely lock the keyboard out, for when you want to vacuum it or pull a key out.

Read: Gamdias HERMES RGB Keyboard Review

Specifications courtesy of Gamdias, Inc.

When it comes to features, this HERMES E1 keyboard comes loaded with them. The keyboard comes with three lighting effects: Normal, Breathing, and Responsive Fade Out. There’s also the ability to change the five backlight brightness levels (Off, 30%, 60%, 100%, and Monochrome Breathing) to your liking.

The media player controls are well marked on function keys F2, F3, and F5-F8. You can switch “WASD” to the arrow keys and vice versa. The Windows key is located on the left side while the Fn key is center-right on the board.

Wondering about N-key rollover? Here are the 21 keys: Q, W, E, R, U, I, O, P, \, 7, 8, 9, +, Enter, Backspace, F9, F10, F11, F12, Scroll, and Pause.

Upon downloading and installing the HERA software, you’ll have access to the listed features. This software has to be installed if you want to use all the keyboard features. Your customizations are where the built-in 256K of memory comes into play.

• Six customizable gaming profiles: Fn+PF1-PF6
• Six multimedia short keys: Fn+F2-F3 & FN+F5-F8
• Backlight brightness levels: Fn+8 to increase
• Backlight brightness levels: Fn+2 to decrease

• Game mode: Fn+Windows key
• Lock keyboard keys: Fn+F11
• Snap between WASP and Arrow mode keys:
• OTF macro recording and indicator light: Fn+F9

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES 7 Color Keyboard Review

I have only one complaint with this keyboard, and that is the type font. Even though I’m well versed in the use of a QWERTY keyboard, the futuristic font initially threw me for a loop. It took about two weeks to get past particular letters and numbers having gaps in them.

Introducing the DEMETER E2 Optical Gaming Mouse

Fortunately, the DEMETER E2 mouse is not as complex a device as the HERMES E1 keyboard. The DEMETER E2 is your standard gaming mouse. The mouse comes in a black matte color with a very comfortable texture to it. Looking at the photos, you would see that if you were to cut the mouse down the middle, it would be nearly identical on both sides with one exception being the two buttons on the left. Additional specifications are listed below.

If you install the HERA software, you can control the cursor speed, enable acceleration, configure the DPI level from 1200 to 3200, set the polling rate, vertical scroll speed, double click speed, lift-off setting, and straight path correction. The mouse produces an attractive repeating color pattern of blue, violet, and red.

In our testing, the DEMETER E2 gaming mouse, like the HERMES E1 keyboard, worked perfectly without any glitches.

[envira-gallery id=”6868″]

I have only one complaint with this mouse, and that is its shape. My critique may apply to some of you readers. You see, I like to firmly grasp a mouse with all of my fingers. As a right-handed person, my hand would be better suited if the right side of the mouse did not have the protrusion to rest the ring or pinky finger on. To get around this, I had to learn to hold the mouse with a less firm grasp so as to not cause soreness in those two fingers. I now keep the pinky finger away from the mouse entirely. Hence the discomfort has dissipated.

Read: Gamdias ZEUS eSport Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Specifications courtesy of Gamdias, Inc.

Final Thoughts

Keyboard and mice combo sets have their purpose in the gaming and non-gaming sectors. These products make good purchases for the budget-conscious consumer (or business) by providing plenty of bang for the buck. It also removes one purchasing decision as you only have one product to consider as opposed to two (i.e. separate mice and keyboard purchases.) I can say from first-hand experience that there will always be something you don’t like about a combo as having previously purchased ones from the likes of Microsoft, Logitech, and Thermaltake. None of those three combos came with a mouse pad. While my two peeves (as stated above) are legitimate concerns, they won’t affect the minds of all potential buyers as we’re unique creatures with slightly different habits.

Read: HyperX Cloud Revolver Headset Review

The list price of the HERMES E1 combo is $79.99. The great news about this combo is that while Amazon is out of stock, the folks at Newegg currently have it for $49.99. I would call this a steal. Here in the USA, each gaming keyboard combo product comes with a 1-year warranty from date of purchase.

Have you tried the HERMES E1 keyboard and mouse combo? Do you agree (or disagree) with any part of this Gamdias HERMES E1 combo review? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

Feel free to follow Gamdias on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube as well as this very blog on Twitter and Facebook. And don’t hesitate to head over to the Gamdias website to see their latest gaming hardware.

FTC Disclosure: Gamdias provided Beantown LLC with one (1) HERMES E1 keyboard + DEMETER E2 mouse combo sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

Read: HyperX Cloud II Headset Review

Gaming: Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

11/01/2016 By Zach Can

Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

This one is for all you gamers out there. In case you haven’t noticed, the folks at Gamdias have made some recent additions to their product line-up. Additions that we would place at the upper end of their brand. For the past few weeks, we’ve had the opportunity to test their then unreleased 7.1 virtual surround sound headphones, the all-new HEBE M1 RGB. This pre-release opportunity will make some of you readers envious. The HEBE M1 RGB headset is designed for “enhanced competitiveness” and “unique gaming experiences.” How did this new gaming headset fare in our testing? Let’s take a closer look at this first-on-the-internet Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB headset review.

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Pros:
• Modern design
• Oversized leatherette earcups
• 50mm neodymium drivers
• Great 7.1 virtual surround sound

Cons:
• Earcup design does not allow for rotation
• No Bluetooth capability (which is fine by us)

Read: Moshi Avanti Headphones Review

RGB Design

If you’re familiar with the HyperX Cloud Revolver headset, then you’ll recognize the manner in which the HEBE M1 RGB conforms to your head. Like the former, the HEBE M1 RGB is fashioned with a metal bar at the very top, with a cushioned bar just below that rests on your head. As I mentioned in our Cloud Revolver review, some people may dislike the non-adjustable metal bar. On this new headset, I guarantee it won’t bother you one bit.

With the RGB model, the earcups don’t rotate like those on the Gamdias Hephaestus V2 headset. They’re fixed in place, thus a solid part of the frame. Now, it doesn’t bother me that they don’t rotate. You see, some gaming headsets have a tendency to turn too much, to a point where I have to constantly readjust them. It’s one of the things that can unnecessarily take up a lot of time with constant use.

The HEBE M1 RGB has over-the-ear, leatherette covered ear pads. In my experience, leatherette tends to get hot and sweaty. This is not the case with this earcup design. These earcups leave some open room just below and behind your ear allowing air to pass through. The result is you’ll be comfortable and not have sweat upon your ears.

The microphone is extendable and retractable. With its gooseneck design, you can position it almost however you want. The headphone and microphone cable is braided and encased in a plastic shielding. While this prevents virtually any possible damage to the cable, the positioning of the cable becomes more difficult because of its more stable build. The cable is somewhat short, 2 meters in length. For me, this is fine as the cable doesn’t hang on the ground. This length prevents me from running over it with my chair. The headset also comes with inline control; that has options for the volume, microphone mute, and earcup lightning. These colors look great in a dark setting; they’re vibrant and well-saturated.

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Read: Gamdias ZEUS eSport Laser Gaming Mouse Review

HEBE M1 RGB Specifications

• Sensitivity: 119 ± 3db
• Driver Diameter: 50 mm
• Microphone Size: 6.5 mm
• Microphone Pick Up Pattern: Unidirectional
• Cable Length: 2 M (6.6′)

• Impedance: 32 Ohm ± 15%
• Driver Magnets: NdFeB
• Microphone Sensitivity: -40db ± 3 db
• Vibration Unit Size: 30 mm
• Dimensions: 188 mm x 104 mm x 230 mm

Performance

After playing numerous games with the HEBE M1 RGB headset, playing Doom (2016) in particular leads to a most spectacular experience. The 7.1 virtual surround sound provides great audio cues to the demons’ locations. When you activate the bass mode on the inline control, the heavy metal in the game gets turned up to the level of euphoria. The heavy bass vibrations from this headset are its coolest and most redeeming quality. I’ve never tested a headset with this feature. It’s done well and sounds awesome! With the heavy metal and demons screeching, I’m mute to the surrounding environments due to the superb noise canceling properties. I know this may sound like a broken record, but the HEBE M1 RGB is another quality Gamdias headset for competitive games such as Counter-Strike Global Offensive and Overwatch.

The headset does have Hera support. At the time of this writing, the support was not yet available. We’ll update this review shortly after it becomes available in November. Based on the headphones alone, that is without Hera; they’re outstanding.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES 7 Color Keyboard Review

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a very comfortable higher-level headset to game for hours, then the Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB may be just what you’re looking for. Priced a good $30-50 below its competition, this 50mm-driven gaming headset is worth a very long look. Who doesn’t want a quality gaming headset at a lower price point with some money left over for that game you want to play?

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Read: Gamdias HERMES RGB Keyboard Review

The list price of the HEBE M1 RGB headset is $69.99. It’s currently available on Amazon (see link at bottom) and Newegg. In the USA, each gaming headset comes with a 1-year warranty from date of purchase.

Have you tried the HEBE M1 RGB headset? Do you agree (or disagree) with any part of this Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB headset review? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

Feel free to follow Gamdias on Twitter and Facebook as well as this very blog on Twitter and Facebook. And don’t hesitate to head over to the Gamdias website to see their latest gaming hardware.

FTC Disclosure: Gamdias provided Beantown LLC with one (1) HEBE M1 RGB headset sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

Editor’s Note: My nephew (the author/reviewer) liked this gaming headset so much that it’s highly unlikely that I’ll ever see them in my home again.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES E1 Keyboard Combo Review

Gamdias ZEUS eSport Laser Gaming Mouse Review

09/30/2016 By Zach Can

Back in the old days of gaming, just before hardware-accelerated graphics took off, we had games that all ran on the build engine (Duke Nukem 3D, Blood, Shadow Warrior.) At the time, most gamers never used the mouse for aiming; it was all done with the keyboard. With today’s games, using the keyboard to target is nearly impossible. Games just aren’t designed that way anymore. Today, every game uses the mouse for aiming. The mouse has and always will be (in one form or another) one of the most integral parts of a PC. Whether it’s a standard or a gaming mouse, you’re going to need one. Let’s take a closer look at this Gamdias ZEUS eSport Laser Gaming Mouse review.

Gamdias ZEUS eSport Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Read: Gamdias HERMES RGB Keyboard Review

eSport Design

Right in the product title, you see the word “eSport.” If you’re one of the millions of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) players out there, this mouse is a solid choice for you. Upon unboxing, the mouse looks intimidating. I’m not going to exaggerate; unless you’re already using an MMO or MOBA gaming mouse, it has a very different design than most other mice. As soon as I put my fingers and palm on it, I understood the design choice; it is very flattering to the hand. What I immediately found different is the fact there is a separate ridge for your ring and pinky finger; this is an excellent design. Instead of having these two fingers competing for the same space, there’s separation.

The ZEUS eSport laser mouse has three adjustable “grip areas.” In addition to the two previously mentioned, there’s a third for your thumb. All three are adjustable using these little gears under the mouse. You can manipulate the grip to be closer or farther from the mouse, customizing it to your liking. From my perspective, this is what Gamdias seems to be all about. They want you to be happy with their products and want you to be able to fine-tune them to your heart’s desire. I respect that.

If the mouse feels too heavy for you, feel free to take some weight out from underneath the mouse. There’s a total of five 4.5 gram mini-weights, so play around with them to see what you like best.

Gamdias Zeus eSport Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Specifications courtesy of Gamdias, Inc.

Some reviews have complained about the mouse wheel, about how there are vertical “dips” instead of horizontal ones. They claim that it makes the mouse wheel very hard to grip. I haven’t had a single problem with the wheel; it works like every other mouse wheel should.

Unlike other mice, the ZEUS eSport laser has four additional buttons on it, two beside the “back” button on the side, and two more below the mouse wheel. It has a total of nine programmable keys, place a single command on there or a giant macro, a media player shortcut, or even a keyboard key.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES 7 Color Keyboard Review

eSport Performance

As with the HERMES RGB keyboard, the ZEUS eSport laser mouse comes with HERA support. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, I feel that the HERA software is a bit sluggish and in need of an upgrade. I also said it does get the job done.

The Gamdias ZEUS eSport laser mouse can be configured from a mere 300 DPI to a whopping 8200 DPI. If you do install HERA, you can control the cursor speed, enable acceleration, set the DPI level, set the polling rate, vertical scroll speed, double click speed, lift-off setting, and straight path correction.

Now for full disclosure, I want to mention something that happened with the mouse. While I was fine tuning the DPI, I found that as soon as I hit apply, it rendered the left and right clicks inoperable. I wasn’t 100% sure if the problem occurred due to the mouse or software. Regardless, I contacted customer support, and they responded without haste, and a new replacement arrived quickly. Once again I attempted to fine tune the DPI, and this time, it worked as advertised. With some common sense, I can say that the mouse was at fault, not the software.

Along with the HERMES RGB keyboard, you can set macro timers or sound timers and under the “Muscle Memory” tab. You can see a list of stats about your mouse, how many left clicks you’ve done, how far you’ve scrolled the wheel, and how far have you dragged that mouse around.

In our evaluation, the mouse goes perfectly with the HERMES 7-Color keyboard as you can change the color of the mouse wheel and the profile indicator lighting to red, orange, yellow, cyan, blue or purple. And they don’t have to be the same color so you can have the mouse wheel yellow, while the profile indicator blue. On the underside of the mouse, you can set the brightness level or to a pulsing mode. But there’s one downside, the color can only be set to red.

You can save all your macros, color choices, sounds, macro timers to any of the 6 profiles that are stored in the mouse itself. There’s 512KB of built-in memory.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

Conclusion

The mouse is quite responsive, works great, fits my hand, and the laser is highly accurate as it lights up alongside the HERMES 7-Color mechanical keyboard. If you’re just getting into gaming and unsure of what mouse to get, or you’ve finally decided to ditch your old standard mouse and buy a gaming mouse, this one’s a solid winner.

The list price of the ZEUS eSport laser mouse is $69.99. Fortunately, you can get it on Amazon for $44.99 on any given day. In the US, each gaming mouse comes with a 1 year warranty from date of purchase.

What do you think of this Gamdias ZEUS eSport Laser gaming mouse review? Do you agree or disagree with our analysis? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

• Follow Gamdias on Twitter
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Don’t hesitate to head over to the Gamdias website to see their latest gaming hardware.

FTC Disclosure: Gamdias provided Beantown LLC with one (1) ZEUS eSport laser gaming mouse sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and is not a paid product ambassador.

Read: Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT Headphones Review

Gaming: Gamdias HERMES 7 Color Keyboard Review

09/21/2016 By Zach Can

Review: Gamdias HERMES 7 Color Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Gamdias, Gamdias, Gamdias. Does the name sound familiar? If it does congratulations, either you’re familiar with the brand or you’ve read our recently published HERMES RGB Keyboard review. If you haven’t heard the name, then shame on you! While rather new to the marketplace, Gamdias is a good, up-and-coming gaming company who stand by their motto of “Gaming Art in Motion.” Believe it, their HERMES keyboards and ZEUS mice look crazy all lit up with these zany lighting effects. In this review, we dive into one of their ‘art-pieces,’ the HERMES 7 Color mechanical gaming keyboard. So without any further delay. Welcome to our Gamdias HERMES 7 Color Keyboard review.

Introducing the HERMES 7 Color Keyboard

Read: Gamdias HERMES RGB Keyboard Review

Design Features

I’m going to start off on a bizarre note. It has to do with the seven colors of the HERMES 7 Color keyboard, so I’ll get right to it. Unless I’m color blind, and I’m fairly sure that I am not, there are only six colors on the HERMES 7 Color keyboard: green, blue, violet, pink, orange, and red. Look at the pictures here and on the Gamdias website. Can you spot all seven colors? I’ve looked everywhere, and the theory I have is that the Num-lock “panel” lights up a different shade of red than the red that lights up the bottom row. Like I said, it’s a weird note about the lighting, but an interesting observation as the packaging states “7 Color.”

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES E1 Keyboard Combo Review

Moving on, the HERMES 7 Color keyboard has a pleasant aesthetic that I thoroughly enjoy; even more so than the HERMES RGB. The keys are raised, at which point you can see all the lights underneath them. The keys have metal plate stabilizers for added durability. I noticed some reviewers complained, but I believe metal plate stabilizers adds to the keyboard quite well. The HERMES 7 Color is not as compact as the HERMES RGB. The former’s exact dimensions are 18.03 x 8.66 x 1.73 inches. What it lacks in compactness, it makes up for in comfort. The former has a larger wrist plate.

The keys are a bit touchy; it doesn’t take much force at all (45cN) for it to register as a key press. Key presses are quite audible and might drive a few people mental if you’re in the same room with them. Aforementioned occurred with said reviewer using said keyboard while writing this review.

The HERMES 7-Color keyboard has its Windows key on the left side, not on the right side like that of the HERMES RGB keyboard. And now, the Fn key is on the right side of the keyboard, unlike the HERMES RGB, where it’s on the left. As someone who uses the left Windows key a lot, this design choice pleases me. If you like it on the right, like on the HERMES RGB, then great. What I’m saying is it comes down to personal preference.

Wondering about N-key rollover? There’s no need to. Here are the 21 keys: Q, W, E, R, U, I, O, P, \, 7, 8, 9, +, Enter, Backspace, F9, F10, F11, F12, Scroll, and Pause. (Yes, this took a bit of research.)

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

Performance

When it comes to features, this keyboard is very similar to the HERMES RGB. It has the media player shortcuts, a keyboard lock, etc. There’s the “Gaming” lock/button which locks out the Windows key. There are options for brightness control, the ability to change the light pattern speed, and capacity to swap WASD to the arrow keys. The scroll lock notification is still missing from the Num-Lock panel while the key to right click on the keyboard is there. Each key has a 50 million button life cycle.

Both (HERMES 7 Color and RGB) keyboards have very stiff legs to pull up. The HERMES 7 Color legs aren’t as troublesome as the HERMES RGB, but still, I needed a flat head screwdriver to pull them up due to the lack of available finger space. Like the HERMES RGB, the HERMES 7 Color keyboard has Gamdias certified Kailh blue mechanical switches/TTC switches, and the whole thing is connected in with one USB.

They differ in lighting options, size, an extra feature on the HERMES 7 Color, the absence of any macro keys for the keyboard and the fact that the keyboard is not Hera-supported. The HERMES 7 Color keyboard has nine preset lighting modes, while the HERMES RGB has thirteen modes. A couple of these modes are the same on each keyboard. The nine lightning modes are as follows: Normal, Wave, Breathing, Circular Marquees, Marquee, Colored Ribbon, Rotation, Responsive Fade Out, and Ripple. My two favorites are the Colored Ribbon and Ripple as they have the most interesting patterns to them.

The keyboard also has five customizable profiles where you can choose which keys to light up. The HERMES RGB is the same way, but the HERMES 7 Color does this without the HERA software. One big difference is that each key on the HERMES RGB can light up with a unique color, while on the HERMES 7 Color, the color goes by row. As an example, the row containing the “Esc” key and “Pause Break” is green and only green.

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The extra feature on this HERMES 7 Color keyboard is the Consecutive Attack Mode which is activated as quickly as changing the lighting mode. Once it’s enabled, you just press and hold down whatever key you used to attack, and you won’t have to spam it anymore. The keyboard doesn’t have any special macro keys. Since I never use macros, it’s not a problem for me.

You can take the absence of the HERA software as a good or bad thing. Personally, I like its absence because I felt the software was a bit sluggish and buggy, though it got the job done.

Read: Gamdias ZEUS eSport Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Conclusion

I truly like this HERMES 7 Color mechanical gaming keyboard. I like the feel, the aesthetic, and all the color schemes. This keyboard is going to be my principal gaming keyboard until such time when something significantly better comes along.

I don’t have any huge complaints with this keyboard. If I had to pick one, it would be the design itself, not on the keys, just the outside of the keyboard, the outline if you will, is somewhat plain.

The list price of the HERMES 7 Color Keyboard is $99. Fortunately, you can get it for around $50 at Amazon (see link at the bottom of this post.) If you’re looking for a replacement or just tired of your old keyboard, we suggest you pick this one up. In the US, each gaming keyboard comes with a 1-year warranty from date of purchase.

If you’re looking for that entry-level or lower-priced mechanical gaming keyboard, we can definitively say the Hermes 7 Color is a great choice. We recommend you check out this product before making your next purchase.[soliloquy id=”6139″]

Do you agree or disagree with any part of this post? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

FTC Disclosure: Gamdias provided Beantown LLC with one (1) HERMES 7 Color Keyboard sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and is not a paid product ambassador.

Read: 12 Monkeys Season 2 DVD/Blu-ray Release Date Announced

Gamdias HERMES RGB Keyboard Review

09/10/2016 By Zach Can

Gamdias, what’s that? My friends, Gamdias is a relatively new company into the gaming hardware and peripherals market. It’s only been four years since they arrived on the scene. On the Gamdias homepage, they showcase their lineup of gaming keyboards, mice, headphones, mouse pads and other accessories. How do we know if their gear is worth your hard-earned money? Well, that’s why you’re, here isn’t? Below, we answer these questions. So without any further delay. Welcome to our Gamdias HERMES RGB Keyboard review.

Review: Gamdias Hermes RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES 7 Color Keyboard Review

Design Features

The HERMES RGB is mechanical gaming keyboard with a 50 million push button life cycle. It comes with 16.8 million colors and 13 different lighting effects to choose from. Of these 13, two in particular: “Wave” and “Rainbow Drops,” are very cool. You can change the brightness (4 levels) and speed of the effects to your liking. The brains of the keyboard lie in the ARM® Cortex®-M3 32-bit microprocessor. Unlike its sister keyboard, the HERMES 7 Color, this keyboard has a small, non-removable “wrist plate.” Again, in contrast to the HERMES 7 Color, this keyboard is more compact. Its exact dimensions are 17.3 x 6.7 x 1.46 inches. Personally speaking, while I don’t find the size of the keyboard uncomfortable, I think it would fare better with a slightly bigger “wrist plate.”

Flipping the keyboard over, you’ll notice three channels to direct the braided cable. While this is good design, the keyboard legs are not. Trying to raise the keyboard legs is not so easy as there’s hardly any space to insert a finger or thumb. The HERMES 7 Color is better in this regards. And unlike say the Logitech G710 series keyboard; the HERMES RGB has only one USB connector to plug into your desktop.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES E1 Keyboard Combo Review

The HERMES RGB keyboard comes with your standard Num-Lock, Caps-Lock, and Scroll-Lock, but it has another lock which is appropriately titled “Gaming.” Enabling “Gaming” disables the Windows key preventing any accidental press of the Windows key fatal. One thing that’s a bit odd is in the top right corner where it shows locks are enabled, it only has three: Num-Lock, Caps-Lock, and Gaming. Scroll Lock isn’t shown at all. The key is there and still toggles, but you have to remember if you left it on or off because it isn’t displayed. Fortunately, I don’t know a single person that uses it.

You can also completely lock the keyboard out, for when you want to vacuum it or pull a key out. A key puller is supplied as part of the package contents. It has the now standard media player controls such as “Previous”, “Next”, “Pause/Play”, “Mute”, “Audio Down”, and “Audio Up”. You can switch “WASD” to the arrow keys and vice versa. Another strange quirk is on the lower left of the keyboard where the Windows Button would be. It’s missing. There’s no actual Windows key, having been replaced with the Fn key. Now, it turns out there is a Windows key, but it’s shared with a “Game” key with the Windows logo beneath it.

On the HERMES 7-Color keyboard, the Fn key and the Windows key are still there. I don’t know about you, but I’m used to the left Windows key. On the right of the keyboard is the only remaining Windows key next to a “right-click” button. It performs the action of right-clicking on the mouse. The icon is a little strange looking, kind of like a pair of headphones eating a string. Seriously.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

Performance

I had hoped to get through this Gamdias HERMES RGB keyboard review without mentioning anything bad, as the keyboard is quite good.

Speaking of that good, the keys press smoothly and evenly. And the sound they make when pressed it just right. They’re not loud, soft, or annoying. This keyboard utilizes ABS plastic key covers and Kailh blue switches. These switches require 45cN of pressure to actuate. These key covers are made of one plastic, while the lettering of another. You’re going to have to work very hard to get the lettering to come off.

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Sadly, and this is my personal take, HERA is a bit of a pain. This software has to be installed if you want to use all the keyboard features. These features include the following: macros, re-assigning keys, customizing the keyboard lights, setting up sounds and timer, editing the alarm sound for the timer, and setting macro timers. It’s a slow software, with some glitches. The problems with it are a bit larger than I would have liked.

I want to enforce the hardware is great, but the software is not up to par. The software saves every change into 1 of 6 profiles which are stored into the keyboard itself. The HERMES RGB keyboard comes with only two macro keys “G1” and “G2,” not as many as say the Logitech G710. You can trick the HERMES RGB keyboard and assign two macros into each of the six profiles for a total of 12 macros. You can assign the sounds to different keys to give yourself a makeshift soundboard. I found the timer function unnecessary for my needs.

Read: Gamdias ZEUS eSport Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Conclusion

The good thing is you don’t have to use the HERA software to enjoy the Gamdias HERMES RGB keyboard. You can still change the lighting effects using the shortcuts Gamdias placed on the keyboard. But, like I said earlier, you wouldn’t be able to customize them.

My biggest complaint on the HERMES RGB keyboard is the missing left Windows key; it bugs me. And hopefully, you can overlook the delays and bugs in the HERA software. The keyboard itself is beautiful and sturdy. The LED lights are bright and vibrant.

The list price of the HERMES RGB Keyboard is $129.99. Fortunately, you can get it for $85-90 on any given day at Amazon (see link at the bottom of this post.) Don’t hesitate to head over to the Gamdias homepage to see their current line-up of products. The Hermes P1 RGB Mechanical keyboard comes with a 1-year + 2-months warranty.

If you’re looking for a mid-priced mechanical gaming keyboard, we can definitively say the HERMES RGB is a good one. We recommend you check out this product before making your next purchase.[soliloquy id=”5868″]

What do you think of this Gamdias Hermes RGB keyboard review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

• Follow Gamdias on Twitter
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FTC Disclosure: Gamdias provided Beantown LLC with one (1) HERMES RGB keyboard sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and is not a paid product ambassador.

Read: Silicon Valley Season 3 Release Date Announced for Digital HD