Hexgears Immersion A3 Keyboard Review: Budget Price, Flagship Features

Can you get all the same features from a $300 keyboard in a keyboard that costs half the price? Well, no. But you can get pretty close. And if you’re on a budget, this is more than enough. It’s the same with the Hexgears Immersion A3, a keyboard that tries to pack flagship features at a much more affordable price.

Further reading: Best Wireless Keyboards of 2024: Best Bluetooth and USB Models

This hot-swappable screen-equipped RGB wireless keyboard hits most of the high marks of today’s name-brand mechanical designs, but it starts at $130 (and just $110 with a coupon at the time of writing). It’s strange to say that about a keyboard with a three-figure price tag, but it’s a bargain.

As you’d expect, there are a few corners cut here, and there’s clearly a lot of white-box hardware being used. But it comes with a lot of features at a good price.

Hexgears Immersion A3: Design

In terms of appearance and layout, the Immersion A3 is clearly inspired by the Logitech G915. It has the same sleek, understated look with black keycaps on brushed metal and the same TKL setup. Heck, it even has the same separate round control buttons on the extra top row. I wouldn’t call it shameless…okay, yeah. It’s shameless.

Michael Crider / Foundry

The biggest change from Logitech’s design is the small screen in the right corner, turning the volume wheel into a much smaller rocker. Screens on keyboards are a trend at the moment, with examples from SteelSeries, Asus and Razer, as well as a host of smaller mechanical manufacturers.

And I’ll say here what I’ve said in every other relevant review: tiny screens on keyboards are stupid. They are especially undesirable on wireless cards where battery is expensive. Small, disjointed screens on the device you’re using looking at another screen is an inherently bad idea and I can’t wait for this trend to die.

On the Immersion A3 this is practically useless – you can only use the switch next to it to adjust the lighting, which is already very easy to do using the function layer. (In fact, these buttons are already right below the screen). The only thing you can do with this tiny display is change the display language. Although the default is the clock, you need desktop software to actually change the time. So stupid!

Michael Crider / Foundry

I think this thing is so limited because it’s a white box piece that’s used in dozens of different keyboards that have come out recently. With a quick search on Amazon, I found five different ones, all with the same or nearly identical screen, running the same pre-loaded software, and all from different brands.

But despite complaints about this screen being dull, at least it doesn’t do anything negative on the keyboard other than wastage of physical space. Even when it’s on, it doesn’t drain too much battery since it’s mostly static. You can turn it off and extend the keyboard’s battery life by pressing the round power button. Which, oddly enough, is neither the keyboard’s power button (it’s a switch on the top edge) nor the connected device. See? Blunt.

Hexgears Immersion A3: Features

Otherwise the keyboard is surprisingly simple. You get low profile key switches that Also hot swap, a combination that is hard to find. These are supplied by Kailh, a good option with a good selection (although much less than the standard Cherry MX compatible switches). And Amazon sells this keyboard with pre-installed linear (white), tactile (black) or clicky (gray) switches. It’s great that they offer all three without having to buy additional switches.

The tactile switches included in this review sample are quite good, similar to the dedicated switches on the Lofree Edge, although not nearly as soft and quiet. I was able to adapt to typing very quickly, which was greatly facilitated by the standardized TKL layout. Finding replacement or custom keycaps for the boring ABS ones here won’t be too difficult thanks to the cross-shaped legs, although full-size Cherry keycaps probably won’t fit.

Michael Crider / Foundry

You get RGB lighting (a little dim) with the usual animation options. You get a beautiful brushed aluminum top in a blue-black hue. The plastic bottom feels a little cheap, but I appreciate the dual keyboard feet with three adjustable angles. The finish on top next to the power switch is a little sloppy, but it’s hardly unforgivable, and I like that the 2.4GHz wireless adapter can be placed right in the case.

And even for a mid-sized keyboard, you may want this. Despite the massive 5800 mAh battery – more than most smartphones! – It’s amazingly lightweight, weighing just over 1.5 pounds (0.75 kg). Between that and the thin profile, you might be tempted to throw this thing in your laptop bag… but with the sharp floating keycaps, I’d recommend the dedicated carrier first.

Michael Crider / Foundry

Overall, this is a very solid package. It’s not premium by any means – the cheap plastic on the control buttons and trim gives it away, as does the lack of a wrist rest. But the Immersion A3 is more than acceptable for a budget board that dreams of greatness.

Hexgears Immersion A3: Typing and Gaming

Actually using this thing for a few weeks surprised me. While it lacks the refined feel of low-profile boards like the Nuphy Air or Lofree Edge, it is reliable in both wireless dongle and Bluetooth modes. I could type for hours and then seamlessly switch to PC games without any problems.

Michael Crider / Foundry

I have to mention games because Hexgears advertises this as a gaming keyboard. And this commits one of my cardinal sins with gaming boards: not being able to tie specific programmed layouts to specific games. Hexgears offers its own downloadable Windows driver program that you’ll need to sync and adjust your display clock, if you’re interested. It’s boring but user-friendly, offering three different profiles, the usual color adjustments, and macro programming.

Michael Crider / Foundry

But there is no way to launch profiles with games. For a gaming board that bills itself as premium, even if it’s much cheaper than the competition, I have to criticize it. The wired G.Skill KM250, which remains my budget gaming board over a year later, can get away with under $50. Immersion A3 can’t.

Hexgears Immersion A3: Conclusion

Even after nitpicking about the software and the rudimentary screen, I have to admit that this board is a good deal at $130 and a great deal at $110. If you like Logitech’s understated look but think its gaming boards are overpriced (and they are!), this is a great alternative. If you want to use it as a base for some upgrades, I’d recommend a set of low-profile PBT keycaps and some quiet switches.

The Immersion A3 makes some notable compromises to maintain its budget price, but none of them are dealbreakers. If you need more flexible programming or prefer a smaller or larger layout, consider the Nuphy Air or Keychron K series instead.