Lemokey truly impressed me with its P1 HE keyboard, a $170 marvel packed with features and customization options that are truly remarkable for its price point. With its Hall-effect switches, top-notch acoustics, and sturdy aluminum frame, this keyboard offers features often found only in keyboards over $200. It’s no surprise that the P1 HE quickly became my go-to choice. Naturally, I was quite eager to get my hands on one of Lemokey’s latest projects, the $210 L5 HE 8K keyboard. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Lemokey plans to ship the L5 HE to its backers in May, offering early supporters the chance to snag one at $199, while its standard retail price will be set at $210.
On first glance, you might confuse the L5 HE with the P1 HE that I’ve been using daily. Both keyboards share a 75% layout and come with Hall-effect switches and a detachable USB-C connector, just like the P1 HE. However, the L5 HE stands out with its remarkable feature: an 8,000 Hz polling rate. This surpasses the 1,000 Hz rate found on the P1 HE and many other keyboards, providing a significant upgrade in input speed, at least in theory.
Now, when it comes to putting theory into practice, things are a bit different. In my comparisons of the L5 and P1, the performance gap wasn’t all that noticeable. It’s worth mentioning that the L5’s fantastic 8K polling rate is accessible only via wired mode, which is a downside if you prefer the wireless convenience of the P1 HE.
Cosmetic tweaks are present as well, though I wouldn’t rush to call them upgrades. The L5 boasts a subtle RGB light strip at its base and includes some non-standard keycaps for certain modifier keys.
For everyday use, the L5 HE doesn’t stray far from the P1 HE experience. It relies on the same web-based configuration software as the P1 HE, giving you control over inputs, adjustable switch actuation points, and customizable RGB lighting. There’s also an option to adjust the polling rate, but honestly, I can’t fathom why you’d want to.
Like the P1 HE, the L5 HE is quite user-friendly when it comes to internal customizations. It’s held together by six small screws, allowing for modifications without needing to remove switches for minor changes to the PCB. The acoustics of the L5 HE are decent, although I personally fancied the P1 HE’s sound fresh out of the box.
Lemokey packs the L5 HE with an assortment of tiny silicone dampeners, which you can use to tweak the keyboard’s acoustics. However, dealing with these dampeners can be extremely tricky since they are quite small and positioned in hard-to-reach areas on the PCB. While having this option is nice, the process is undeniably tedious, which makes me wish Lemokey had simply enhanced the acoustics from the start.
Ultimately, the main downside of the L5 HE 8K is its striking resemblance to the P1 HE, making the higher price tag a bit hard to swallow. The P1 shines even brighter in comparison, offering Hall-effect switches and extensive hardware customization for less money, plus Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless capabilities. For some, the aesthetic tweaks and higher polling rate might be enticing, but for me, shelling out an additional $30 for these dubious upgrades is hard to justify.
