Alienware Keyboard AW310K, AW410K and AW510K

What do Alienware gaming keyboards offer?

In addition to PC desktops and laptops, Dell is expanding in its gaming sub-brand Alienware in headsets, mice and keyboards, and we will now take a closer look at keyboards. Specifically for a series of current keyboards designed for players in different levels of equipment.

We have three models from the AW series and namely the lower AW310K, the compromise AW410K and the highest AW510K. It cannot be said that some are significantly worse or better in terms of use, each with only a different offer of accessories. They all have a backlight, mechanical keys and even that they come without a wrist pad. They have tilting legs to the sides, on two levels, as well as solid rubber protrusions against slipping. The differences between the versions are mainly in the menu of switches, key types and media keys.

At the same time, they are all wired, and it is interesting that Alienware decided to go to USB hubs, so each keyboard has a double cable with two USB ports. One powers the keyboard and the other is just for connecting an optional USB port on the keyboard. It can be used either for a USB key, an additional SSD or HDD, or to connect a mobile phone. At the same time, however, the cable connecting the keyboard makes it rough and less flexible.

Alienware AW310K

Source: Amazon

310 is a lower version of the keyboard, in which Alienware went for the price, or those that do not need a color keyboard backlight, and it brings a pure white backlight. It adds quality Cherry MX Red switches. So quiet linear switches very good for playing but also writing. This is associated with the standard higher keystroke, where the only thing you hear is a tap on the plastic. The keys have a duration of 50 million clicks, each is individually backlit.

The keyboard has a full menu of keys to which it adds basic media keys, namely the sound and mute keys. There is no roller and additional play, pause and stop keys are functional on F9 to F12. In terms of speed, expect 1000Hz pooling.

You can buy the AW310 for 77 euros , it’s a bit more than it should cost in this equipment.

Alienware AW410K

Source: Dell

410 is a higher version that already offers fully RGB backlight, higher keystroke. What changes, however, are the switches that are now Cherry MX brown. These are as quiet as Red, although they are not linear compared to the Red versions, but they also have a subtle compression feedback. It’s mainly about habit, it can be more pleasant or natural for you than just pure linear compression.

If you like higher keys and full backlight, this can be a good choice. The backlight is relatively good here, although Alienware has not set the best RGB lights and although the backlight is intense, some shades of color are not mixed well enough. For example, orange and yellow are too similar to green. You won’t get such good contrasts, but it’s probably not a big problem.

Alienware AW510K

Source: Dell

The top keyboard is different from the previous two, because it is low-profile. So it has lower keys, which together with the red low-profile switches ensures completely quiet operation without additional knocking of the keys on the plastic. It offers very pleasant writing and playing.

The keyboard has a full menu of keys, there is no numpad, while above the numpad it offers a large volume roller and a separate mute button. A roller is a very good thing to comfortably increase or decrease the volume. Some keyboards also have a roller with acceleration, where the more you twist, the faster the volume changes, here it is fixed and every small turn adds or subtracts 4 percent. It’s well set up.

Among the additional functions, the keyboard also offers functional secondary options on the F keys, namely lowering and increasing the lighting, blocking the Windows keys, changing profiles and also play, stop, pause.

You can buy AW510  from 116 euros , which is a reasonable price for this offer. The keyboard is in both black and white, if you prefer. However, white has a front with a black logo.

Alienware also has its own Alienware Command Center application on their devices, which automatically captures, updates, and allows you to capture keyboards or other equipment of this brand. The devices here have a linked illumination between the keys, but you can also set it yourself as you wish, whether you just illuminate the keys with your own colors or choose some lighting effects. In the application, you can choose one or predefined units to change the backlight, which are not ideally arranged. In general, it would come down to the user-friendliness of the application to work on.

However, there is the advantage that the application does not have to be started and the keyboard remembers its settings. Just run it when you want to change something and save your settings to profiles. The application also offers power saving settings after a certain period of inactivity, as well as a summary of games for which you can create settings and select a backlight theme.

Overall, Alienware surprised with its offer. Although it is a pity that it does not offer a pad under the wrists, but otherwise they are very decent keyboards, the special AW510 can compete with the top offer. It has quality keys, good construction, although a thicker cable, but this is not a significant problem.