Hall effect gaming keyboards are still more expensive than their mechanical siblings for the most part, but NZXT's Function Elite Mini TKL has just taken a record-breaking price drop that looks to change that. The RGB-laden deck has slashed its price by 50% at Amazon right now, for the first time ever.
That means you can now pick up a fully magnetic deck (with an 8,000Hz polling rate no less) for just $99.99 - $100 off the $199.99 MSRP. That starting price meant the Function Elite Mini TKL has been a little tricky to recommend alongside the best gaming keyboards until now. Coming in under the three-figure boundary though? Now that's excellent value.
The NZXT Function Elite Mini TKL has only ever dropped to $150 in previous sales, and I've only seen that discount once before. We've sailed past that position today - impressive, considering the next cheapest HE deck I've tested is the Corsair K70 Pro TKL, currently on sale for $149.99 at Amazon.
Should you buy the NZXT Function Elite Mini TKL?
This is one of the few HE decks with a competitive spirit. That 8,000Hz polling rate makes the NZXT Function Elite Mini TKL a fantastic fit for those hitting ranked online matches, but at $99.99 you don't need to be an esports star to find value here.
The compact deck manages to squeeze all the controls you'd usually find in a larger TKL model into a super versatile form factor. Of course, you're getting the customizable actuation, dual-step triggers, and rapid trigger features synonymous with these magnetic switches (check out my guide to what Hall effect gaming keyboards are and whether you need one if you're after a refresher).
Those are all premium features you'd be hard pressed to find for under $100 all too often. I've been watching these magnetic deck prices for some time and the cheapest I usually see them go is $150, sometimes dipping to $130.
Refreshingly, I was also actually impressed with NZXT's CAM software during my testing. It's super easy to use, with intuitive menus and sliders for settings that other brands' software can often make particularly laborious.
It's also got a surprisingly bouncy typing feel. The only drawback of HE switches I've discovered so far is their slightly woolly feel. There's more resistance under each keycap compared to mechanical options, and that's still true here - but there's an energy to the top plate that makes that heavier press a little easier to contend with.
There's one caveat to these switches. While competitors like the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 and Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid can be configured all the way down to actuation points of 0.1mm, the most sensitive the Function Elite can go is 0.5mm. That means you won't be able to get a super-flyweight tap.
- See all Hall effect keyboards at Amazon
- NZXT Function Elite Mini TKL |
$199.99$99.99 at Amazon - Corsair K70 Pro TKL |
$179.99$149.99 at Amazon
Check out the best wireless gaming keyboards I've tested if you're after something with a cordless connection, or take a look at the best hot-swappable keyboards for more customization options. I'm also rounding up all the best gaming mouse models for a full setup refresh.
