Lemokey caught my attention with its P1 HE keyboard, a feature-rich and customizable gadget that’s hard to beat at its $170 price tag. With Hall-effect switches, fantastic acoustics, and a sturdy aluminum frame, this keyboard stands out in the under-$200 category. It quickly became my go-to keyboard, and I eagerly awaited testing out Lemokey’s upcoming release, the $210 L5 HE 8K. Having run a successful Kickstarter, Lemokey plans to ship this new keyboard in May. Early backers can snag it for $199 before it hits retail at $210.
At first glance, you’d be forgiven for confusing the L5 HE with my trusty P1 HE. They both sport a similar 75% layout, featuring Hall-effect switches and a detachable USB-C connection. However, the standout feature justifying the L5 HE’s higher price tag is its 8,000 Hz polling rate, a significant increase from the 1,000 Hz of the P1 HE and other models.
Theoretically, a higher polling rate means quicker response times, which sounds promising. Yet, when I tested the L5 HE against the P1 HE, I didn’t notice any real performance difference. Additionally, the L5’s 8K polling rate only works in wired mode, making it less appealing if you enjoy the P1 HE’s wireless capabilities.
Visually, there are a few tweaks, though I wouldn’t call them improvements. The L5 HE features a small RGB strip at its base and some non-standard keycaps on the modifier keys, but these changes feel more cosmetic than functional.
Using the L5 HE day-to-day is almost like using the P1 HE. Both keyboards use the same web-based software for configuring inputs, tweaking switch actuation points, and customizing RGB lighting. You can even lower the polling rate, though it’s hard to imagine why you’d want to.
Like the P1 HE, the L5 HE’s internals are pretty user-friendly for customization. The board comes apart with just six screws, and you won’t need to remove switches for minor PCB adjustments. Although the L5 HE sounds decent, I still prefer the out-of-the-box acoustics of the P1 HE.
Lemokey includes various small silicone dampeners with the L5 to tweak the board’s acoustics. However, these are tricky to handle, being both very small and situated in hard-to-reach areas on the PCB. While it’s nice to have this option, the process is frustrating, and I wish Lemokey had focused more on improving the acoustics from the get-go.
My main gripe with the L5 HE 8K is how little it sets itself apart from the P1 HE, making it hard to justify the higher price. The P1 remains a better deal with its Hall-effect switches, extensive customization options, and Bluetooth plus 2.4 GHz wireless features. While some might value the L5’s aesthetic changes and elevated polling rate, I find it hard to recommend spending an extra $30 for what feels like marginal upgrades.
