With that monolithic appearance comes a seriously heavy chassis, thanks to the aluminum construction.

Perhaps because of this weight, the L5 HE 8K has no fold-out feet.

Some might not like the idea of having to run a peripheral tool in a surfing app, either.

Rear of Lemokey L5 HE 8K on table with pink wall and plant in background

The movements arent smooth enough, and I found that presses didnt offer enough resistance to provide adequate control.

In other performance-related areas, though, the L5 HE 8K does better.

The L5 HE 8K is undeniably expensive, eclipsing many of its rivals.

Close-up of volume wheel on Lemokey L5 HE 8K on table with pink background

However, it’savailable now for Kickstarter backersat the discounted price of $199.

This makes it about the same price as the SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3, already a pricey keyboard.

However, its about the best analog keyboard Ive experienced when it comes to performance.

Close-up of keys on Lemokey L5 HE 8K with one keycap removed, exposing switch underneath

Theres also a wireless variant which is naturally more expensive, but the difference isnt huge.

Thankfully, this look is kept to a minimum.

The sharp angles of the body add to its industrial aesthetic too.

Close-up of modifier keys on Lemokey L5 HE 8K with RGB lighting on

Its also reasonably thick, but not as substantial as some other gaming keyboards.

The L5 HE 8K can be customized using Lemokeys web app, which opens in a surfing app.

The web app isnt without its issues, though.

But unless youre on the esport circuit, youll likely not require this polling rate boost in a keyboard.

The Hall effect switches are clicky with minimal dampening, which may deter certain gamers and like others.

It isnt the quietest around, though, with the space bar being especially noisy.

Some may prefer this positioning, but others will fall into the same camp as me.

Performance: 3.5/ 5

Should I buy the Lemokey L5 HE 8K?

2.5 / 5

Design and features

Its very heavy and the gamer-style markings on some keys arent particularly tasteful.

The web app offers plenty of analog tweaks, but it only runs in browsers.

A wired variant is available for slightly less.

Read ourSteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3 review.

Whats more, it offers controller emulation, which the Apex Pro doesnt.

However, the implementation isnt the best, and Lemokeys is slightly better.

That aside, though, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is still a solid performer.

Read ourTurtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro review.

I have reviewed many keyboards before, and have been PC gaming for over a decade.