Usage
Touted as the “ultimate choice for gamers”, our first stop on the testing train was straight into some Fortnite Battle Royale. As was expected, the Kailh Blue switches performed great, though my preferred gaming switches are Red or Brown-style. The tactile click of the Blue switches always takes me a bit to transition to in gaming mode, but after a few rounds, I was gaming at the average level I always do. Where I really enjoyed the INFAREX K20 was in typing duties. I really love the feel of Blue mechanical switches when typing, and the K20 provided a great example of their implementation. In addition to standard day to day typing, this entire review was written with the INFAREX K20, and it was an enjoyable experience.
Past the standard usage, there isn’t really much to comment about on the INFAREX K20 . As there is no software available to customize the lighting or macros, the installation and use of this keyboard is pretty straightforward. With that said, I am not really sure why ADATA chose to market the K20 as the “ultimate choice”, as it is pretty far from being a top-tier keyboard.
Final Thoughts
As my first experience with an ADATA XPG peripheral, the INFAREX K20 has provided a decent experience. The build quality is quite nice, and the metal top plate really provides a nice and sturdy base that didn’t flex at all during our use. The Kailh Blue switches used on the K20 are tried and true, so that is a factor you don’t really have to worry about, which makes buying decisions a little easier.
Where we found the INFAREX K20 lacking was in the lighting and customization arena. Sure, the keyboard has illuminated switches, but you can’t change their colors, and the lighting effects are limited to those that are provided on-board. Once you have selected a lighting mode of your choice, you are done with customizations. The lack of software to control things like key mapping and macros really limits the K20 to being a bare bones mechanical keyboard, aside from the limited lighting options.
So while we definitely wouldn’t consider the INFAREX K20 to be a top-tier keyboard, it does offer the most basic gaming feature set. Currently priced at $44.99 over at Amazon, the K20 definitely doesn’t break the bank, and would be a good option to get into the mechanical keyboard market if you don’t require all of the bells and whistles found on high-end boards. I was ultimately left wanting a bit more from this keyboard, and that leads us to give the ADATA XPG INFAREX K20 a 7 out of 10.
Pros
- Solid build
- Proven Kailh switches
Cons
- No software
- No USB pass-through
- Very limited lighting options, not RGB