Whirlwind FX is fairly new to the gaming peripheral market only founded in 2016 by a group of PC gamers. A nice contrast to our recent reviews to have the chance to check out another 60% mechanical gaming keyboard. I would put the Whirlwind FX Atom 60% in more of a hardcore Esports category due to its lack of daily lifestyle use functionality. I mean let’s be real though, we don’t buy 60% keyboards to type essays. Today we will look at the Whirlwind FX Atom 60% Mechanical Gaming Keyboard featuring ABS Matte Keycaps, Gateron Blue mechanical switches, premium lubricated stabilizers all power by SignalRGB Beta software priced at $79.99.
I have had the chance to review most of the big box gaming keyboards and I must say Whirlwind FX does make a quality product. No doubt this has to be one of the sleekest minimal designs I have ever seen on a gaming keyboard to this date. While the bottom frame is a bit taller than most keyboards everything just remains so nicely tucked and compact from corner to corner. Nothing fancy here just let the RGB do the talking. It does have a plastic bottom which I do not like but the frame still feels ultra-sturdy because of its small 60% size. They market it as an ultralightweight keyboard but at 1.7 pounds it’s almost as heavy as some full-size models. In my opinion, I think this is a good thing, it speaks durability. It uses a Function key system to access buttons like DEL, INS, PG UP, etc but the markings on the keys are very hard to see. It’s clear Whirlwind FX was not too concerned about daily lifestyle use when they designed this keyboard.
The Atom boasts a 3000hz polling rate which is a bit of overkill. While it does feel just as responsive as any other gaming keyboard I have tested, I am just not sure you will notice too much of a difference past 1000Hz. If you have never had a chance to use Gateron mechanical key switches they are one of the better switches on the market. This Gateron Blue switch features a 55g actuation force, 2.3mm of actuation travel, and 4.0mm of total travel. These are solid numbers and are tested up to 50 million keystrokes. Just don’t forget like all blue switches they are very loud and clicky. It takes a special type of gamer to play on blue switches. The double shot ABS matte keycaps and premium lubricated stabilizers I don’t feel add any significant extra performance to the keyboard. Response and actuation are Esports quality and comparable to other keyboards at this price point.
Atom features a white anodized aluminum backplate which just makes the RGB lighting hit different. Mad props to the engineer who came up with this idea it really enhances the aura of the RGB lighting. We tested the RGB customization with the Whirlwind FX SignalRGB which is currently in beta. “No cap” this software is really dope! It has a robust library of premade RGB patterns to download from. What really sets this software apart is the in-game integrations. The team at Whirlwind FX has created lighting effects that react to in-game actions like needing to reload your weapon or being low on health which triggers a lighting pattern on your devices. Right now the library has over 50+ top AAA games including Among Us, COD Warzone, Minecraft, and Valorant, with New integrations dropping every week. SignalRGB also works with other brands like Razer, Corsair, SteelSeries, LogitechG, and more. Mix and match your hardware without having 10,000 customization programs open. While the SignalRGB free version does cover all of the functionality features and includes some lighting templates, there is a Pro version also. Pro offers access to a deep library of game integrations and unlimited effects across your entire RGB ecosystem.
It’s clear to me now that Whirlwind FX is making an effort to build strong quality performance gaming products. Most impressive is the ingenuity put into the RGB lighting from not only the hardware standpoint but also the software. There really isn’t much bad to say about the Atom 60% it’s a great keyboard priced to sell at $79.99.
