Upcoming Qpad Flux 65 Model 5 Review

QPAD has burst back onto the peripheral scene with a fantastic little Hall effect keyboard that's not only great for gaming but also for typing. The clack this thing outputs is simply gorgeous. It's not entirely without flaws, though, and while it might be small enough to pack in a bag, you'll have to pack its cable, too, as it doesn't offer Bluetooth connectivity.

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Ah, QPAD, my old friend. For those unaware of the brand, it isn't just your average third-party attempt to replicate mainstream offerings for cheap. QPAD has been around for a long time, and back in the day it was somewhat of a leader in gaming peripheral tech. In the early 2000s, I recall its mice and keyboards being recommended pretty often on various forums.

QPAD didn't give me my first ever mechanical keyboard—that honour goes to the original Razer BlackWidow—but it gave me my second, becoming one of my favourite upgrades I've had over all my years PC gaming. Back then, the QPAD MK-50 was one of a handful of great value mechanical gaming keyboards in what was then a pretty niche market. That keyboard lasted me years, and offered simple quality for a great price.

Then the company all but disappeared, (in the UK at least, where I'm based). But now it's back, with a new stack of products in the UK and hopefully elsewhere as QPAD looks to expand globally again. These products include the keyboard I'm happily typing away on right now, the Hall effect-boasting Flux 65 Model 5. I'm glad to see the company hasn't lost its knack for making quality, no-nonsense peripherals that go some way to bridging the gap between 'gamer' and 'enthusiast' products.

Now, admittedly, that gap isn't so wide anymore; in fact, it's pretty nonexistent considering the existence of brands like Keychron. But at least QPAD is landing on the right side of that divide, by offering a quality typing experience in addition to gaming features such as Hall effect switches and RGB lighting.

Form factor: 65%Switch: Gateron Hall effect Dual RailKeycaps: Double-shot PBT (hot-swappable)Lighting: RGB, keyboard- or software-controllable, per-keyExtra ports: NoneConnection type: USB Type-C wiredPolling: Up to 8,000 HzCable: USB Type-C/USB Type-A, detachableWeight: 720 g / 1.59 lbsColours: Black or WhitePrice: £120 (UK and EU only for now

Source: PC Gamer