Each week on Thursdays we get together with some friends to play CS2 on a private server I am managing. This week I decided to finally unbox HK25 to try it out and compare it to my trusty Wooting. I’ve tried a few rounds in Spectre Divide before the CS, then spent the whole evening with it, and I did a write-up with thoughts on it, upsides and possible downsides.

Design and Build

It features a 25 key layout specifically for increasing the desk space and just focusing on the WASD and nearby buttons, it’s mostly targeting FPS players. It also features 2 volume knobs / encoders which can be rotated or pressed in. By default one changes the volume, and the other changes RGB brightness and presets, both can be re-programmed . I decided to pick up the lighter version for a change, there is also a darker version.

Polling rate

Teamwolf advertises 8k polling rate on this keyboard, if we are taking their Raven68 keyboard as an example, I’d wager in practice it’s not at 8000hz yet, but they are patching up the firmware regularly, so I’d hope we will get a rock solid drivers at some point. For now I haven’t noticed ANY hiccups during gaming, everything was rock solid, and im 99% it was above 1k hz anyhow, which is more than enough, and I haven’t noticed any delay on keypresses compared to Wooting60.

Switches

So by default the board is using Gateron HE switches, they feel extremely soft to the touch, in a good way, and they don’t feel so easy to depress (unlike me) that you would accidentally press them, and yet when you do it feels really comfy.

Performance

The keyboard works flawlessly, I’ve had zero issues while testing it, one thing I would mention is, the space feels kinda strange, soft like other keys, but also mushy/sticky, I didn’t have any issues with it actually not sending the input, but it felt strange pressing it at times. I would also love it if the space was positioned in the same way as it is on the Redragon DITI 585, where you can just tap on it with your thumb, but that would also mean the whole thing is larger, so it’s a reasonable trade-off, if I had to pick one of the devices I’d go with the HK25 10/10 times. Here is the Redragon DITI 585 so you can check out their space button. One thing I did kind of miss is another column of buttons, as it is the column with “T, G, B” are missing, and G is usually bound to drop weapon in shooters, and B is the buy menu. I did set that to layer 1 as they are not so frequently used, and went with fn+v for buy, and fn+f for drop, but it requires some getting used to, not a dealbraker though.

RGB lighting

The RGB lighting is nice, nothing special here, but wasn’t expecting it anyway. You have several presets for the lighting which you can cycle through by pressing the second encoder button, and turning it left and right changes the brightness. You can also rebind those buttons to anything you want.

Connectivity and Compatibility

HK25 is a wired keyboard connected with a USB-C cable, and to my knowledge there aren’t any wireless options, there is cable included with the package, so you are all set when buying it.

Price and Value

The Team Wolf HK25 is priced at around $50 USD on Aliexpress, which makes it quite affordable, but on the second hand, you get 1/3 of a keyboard, so you will likely need a full keyboard for other stuff anyhow. For gaming and if you want to maximize space on the desk, this is a very good option though. I’d say it’s a good value item if you want a small keyboard on your desk, while still retaining all the features you would need in a competitive FPS game (or perhaps OSU!)

Software and Customization

The software is not the easiest to find, I uploaded it to my server, so you can download it without worries, I am using the same setup as I linked, so if there is any spyware here, we all have the same one, comrade. It’s actually quite good to use, the bindings took me a few tries because the logic is a bit weird, but once you figure it out it works like a charm. It has 2 layers, default one and the layer 1, which is more than enough. You can also record macros, simulate mouse clicks, bind multimedia controls, set DKS (dynamic keystroke), which allows you to set multiple bindings to a key, for example half press on “W” walks normally, full press is running in a game. You can also set rapid trigger and set the actuation point for a key from 0.1 to 4.0mm, the configuration is truly good, there isn’t a scenario where I couldn’t set something.

Conclusion

The Team Wolf HK25 appears to be a niche but potentially powerful tool for gamers and professionals who can benefit from a dedicated left-hand input device. Its magnetic switches, RGB lighting, and specialized layout make it stand out in the market of gaming keypads. However, as with any peripheral, personal preference plays a significant role, and users should consider their specific needs and usage scenarios before purchasing.

Buy link and drivers

If you would like to support me, you can use this link for purchasing the HK25 on Aliexpress, I do this with hopes of making it my job, so I will be extremely grateful for your help. https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DnKZS4x

And here is the promised link for the software: Teamwolf HK25 driver download