Lofree has succeeded in resolving several mechanical keyboard pain points with its newest Hyzen keyboard. Its support for just about every keyboard switch available as well as a physical lever that enables a virtual function row make it a keyboard unlike any other, at least for now. This is a keyboard that has guts to innovate in ways that will only benefit the keyboard category. It’s a stunner worthy of its pricetag given its premium construction and design, too!
No – there is no typo in the title of this review. Lofree has done something unthinkable by creating a hybrid mechanical and magnetic keyboard. It looks like a Cybertruck, I know, but don’t let that put you off from recognizing a major accomplishment found within this keyboard. Lofree has solved two major pain points in the mechanical keyboard space with their release of the Hyzen – a mechanical magnetic keyboard that is now available on Kickstarter.
You’ve probably heard of the Lofree brand from their line of well-designed low-profile keyboards that look as though they came out of Apple’s design studio. I’ve been fortunate to try out and review their premiere Flow keyboard (along with several sequels). It’s been an easy recommendation for those who have been wanting keyboards fit for an Apple-clad office, albeit one with a need for the goodness that mechanical keyboards provide. Their brushed aluminum and minimal aesthetic ooze premium design while boasting supreme functionality. Even the Lofree Flow 2, a keyboard with a slightly large (okay, maybe it’s big) bezel on the right-hand side, has been a keyboard I have recommended to office workers because it can slide so well into most users’ workflows.
Check out the Hyzen on Lofree’s website! (non-affiliated website)
The Hyzen is Lofree’s newest keyboard. Rather than releasing directly on Lofree’s website, it’s following a timed release schedule where you can pre-order it at discount via Kickstarter before it inevitably releases soonish on Lofree’s storefront at a slightly higher price. I’ve seen some users online criticize this method of releasing a keyboard, but let’s face it – this method of releasing a keyboard is nearly the same as interest checks (ICs) and group buys from other keyboard manufacturers. The question now remains: Should you jump at the chance to get this keyboard while it’s on discount?
I think you should, especially if you’re a fan of smaller 60% keyboards. It’s effectively a massive block aluminum that’s being priced at $189, nearly $100 off, for a few more days before the price jumps up to nearly $300. At the $300 range, it becomes more of a statement piece. Regardless, it’s an incredible keyboard.
Up until now, choosing a new keyboard has been tough. If you choose a fancy mechanical keyboard, you give up the customizable actuation and incredible durability of Hall Effect switches. If you choose a most-likely premium Hall Effect keyboard, you’re effectively stuck with a limited pool of Hall Effect switches with moderately decent acoustics. This decision-making calculus is a catch-22 of lame proportions.
With the Hyzen, Lofree has done something novel – they’ve created a keyboard that somehow (somehow) supports both mechanical and hall effect switches. Think of it like this: If you wanted to use Hall Effect switches for a while…you can. If you wanted to swap to mechanical switches for work because you found the perfectly tuned switches…you could do that, too. All you need to do is just pop out the old switches and the keyboard just…recognizes the new switches that are inserted.
It’s just strange that Lofree didn’t simplify it as such in their marketing materials. They spent quite a bit of time talking about the “magnetic mechanical switches” that combines the advantages of magnetic and mechanical switches all at once. After testing these switches, I guess they feel precise like magnetic switches and somewhat satisfying like mechanical, but I don’t see these specific switches as a major draw for a keyboard. Instead, I see the tech within the keyboard itself – the Hyzen’s tech is utterly groundbreaking.
I didn’t believe it when I removed the switches that came pre-installed on the Hyzen. I thought that by inserting mechanical switches, the keyboard wouldn’t recognize the switches at all. It did. When I switched back to Hall Effect switches (and calibrated them using the driver – more on this in a moment), the keyboard recognized what I had installed with no issues whatsoever. I cannot stress enough how impressive this technology is, as every keyboard I have tested to date has used one type of switch – mechanical or Hall Effect. It’s slightly disappointing that this tech is first available on a 60% keyboard (a format which is usually too small for my liking), but this opens the door for future keyboard manufacturers to follow suit and create the universal keyboards that we deserve.
Personally, 60% keyboards don’t cut it for me on a daily basis. I can use them in constrained settings, but I need the Function row at the bare minimum to get through my workday. A numberpad would be even better, but I won’t get ahead of myself here. Lofree has solved a major painpoint in the 60% category on the Hyzen: They have added physical side knob on the left-hand side that transforms the top row of number keys into function keys. All it takes is the simple switch and I get my F-row again – rejoice!
From these features alone, the Hyzen is a groundbreaking keyboard that is pushing the envelope of keyboard design and functionality. The additional knobs and features aside, this keyboard features two things that no other keyboard in my collection has at this time. With that said, let’s talk about the rest of the keyboard!
In the Hyzen’s box is a massive felt pill-shaped case that straps the keyboard securely in place, along with some additional red keycaps. This keyboard was strapped in exceptionally tight – so tight that I was worried about damaging the keyboard when I was trying to remove it. I don’t expect to take it out / put it back on a constant basis, but it’s relieving to know that the case keeps the keyboard secure!
Moving onto the keyboard’s design, I’ll recognize the elephant in the room and note that the keyboard looks suspiciously like Tesla’s Cybertruck. I’ll avoid getting political in this review (especially knowing the contentious stances some of us have of Tesla), but I’ll admit that the keyboard is eye-catching in person. It’s made of some heavy, durable, and expensive feeling CNC-milled aluminum (which is something that the Cybertruck wishes to be). The Cybertruck-inspired edgy thematic isn’t for me, but I can appreciate that the keyboard is made up of premium materials and feels great in hand with its neat and clutter-free aesthetic. The bottom-mounted LED adds a nice splash of color to my desk, as well.
The transparent keycaps let the keyboard shine ever so brightly. Their frosty transparency make their legends legible, a benefit for those who are relearning how to use a 60% keyboard.
When the Hyzen officially launches, it can be customized using Lofree’s online driver. I wasn’t able to test the web version of the driver, but I was able to use an executable. It’s a decent driver, albeit one that feels less fully realized than the likes of Wooting’s Wootility and Keychron’s Launcher. Upgrading the keyboard’s firmware, calibrating each key, and enabling the Rapid Trigger (RT) took a bit of time, but I’m confident that the experience will be largely improved in a few weeks when the keyboard launches.
Moving onto the features, the launcher supports the hallmark Hall Effect benefits like Rapid Trigger (instant activation of a key when pressed, instant deactivation when released, and so forth), Dynamic Keystrokes (multiple keybindings set to a single key depending on how far the key is pressed), and SOCD (assigning specific inputs when multiple keys are pressed simultaneously). This requires Hall Effect switches to be installed, so don’t go expecting these features when using mechanical switches! I lightly tested these features out with the stock Nexus switches and they worked just fine (as I assumed they would).
Beyond that, the keyboard has tri-mode connectivity (wired USB-C, Bluetooth wireless, and 2.4GHz; selected using a knob on the backside of the keyboard), an utterly massive 10,000mAh battery, and a gasket mount that gives the keyboard a relatively deep yet clacky acoustic profile. The 10,000mAh battery is a benefit here, especially when attempting to use the wireless dongle that supports up to 8000hz polling rates. While I prefer to use my keyboards wired, the Hyzen’s massive battery encouraged me to use the wireless mode when playing multiple games. It holds up very well under pressure, folks.
Aesthetic wise, it’s a stunning keyboard, even if I have my reservations on its similarity to a weird-looking vehicle. Functionality wise, the Hyzen is a marvel that elevates the keyboard space in so many ways. Lofree’s implementation of a TMR PCB has made it possible for an enthusiast like me to use my favorite switches on a keyboard, regardless if they’re mechanical or magnetic.
I’ve held off on stating which types of specific consumers who should consider this keyboard only because that it behooves you, the reader, to see the Hyzen’s novel advancements rather than a TL;DR that other outlets might use to give you the rundown. In my perusing of Reddit and other keyboard enthusiast spaces, there’s too much of a focus on the Hyzen’s price and very little discussion about the tech within this keyboard. If you’ve gotten to this point in our review, I hope that you now see that the Hyzen has some really impressive stuff.
For the average gamer, I’m inclined to lightly recommend the Hyzen only because of its 60% layout. The physical switch helps to quickly reconfigure the keys, but some folks need the extra keys and space to type comfortably. For the keen-eyed keyboard enthusiast who has reached this point in our review, I’ll go on the record and say that now is the literal best time to snag the Hyzen before it jumps up to its official launch price of nearly $300. It’s a marvel of a keyboard that looks stunning and is worth showing off to anyone in your immediate circle.
Lofree has succeeded in resolving several mechanical keyboard pain points with its newest Hyzen keyboard. Its support for just about every keyboard switch available as well as a physical lever that enables a virtual function row make it a keyboard unlike any other, at least for now. This is a keyboard that has guts to innovate in ways that will only benefit the keyboard category. It’s a stunner worthy of its pricetag given its premium construction and design, too!
