Nothing beats a wired connection for great gaming keyboards, at least on paper. If you want the absolute best performance and lowest latency, you’ll have to deal with a cable. But wireless keyboards are getting good enough that they’re a real solution for people who prefer a wire-free experience. Dell’s new Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard is an option intended to please professional gamers in the wireless, 75% form factor. In many of the ways that matter, the Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard is one of the best wireless gaming keyboards available today.

I’m a casual gamer, and not a very good one at that, but I noticed my competitiveness increased almost immediately after switching to the Pro Wireless Keyboard. Accuracy, kills-per-death ratio, and a few other first-person shooter metrics all shifted in my favor. Aside from gaming, the Pro Wireless Keyboard offers versatility with its removable key caps and hot-swappable switches. Although it was more than good enough for my needs, it does fall short against some wired mechanical gaming keyboards.

About this review: Dell sent us an Alienware Pro Keyboard for review. The company did not have input in this article, and did not see its contents before publishing.

Pricing and availability

The Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard retails for $200, putting it near the high end of the market. You can buy it from either Dell or Best Buy, and it comes in Dark Side of the Moon (black) or Lunar Light (white) colorways. The keyboard works over Bluetooth, with a 2.4 GHz receiver, or with a cable.

Specs

What I like

The keyboard's low latency will elevate your gaming performance

Latency and polling rates are a bit of a mixed bag on the Pro Wireless Keyboard, so let’s start with the good stuff first. Whether you use the 2.4GHz USB-C receiver or a hardwired USB-C connection, the Pro Wireless Keyboard will sustain 1,000 Hz polling rates. That means there isn’t much incentive to use the keyboard in wired mode. Battery life is also excellent, which means you can use it wirelessly without issue. We didn’t manage to kill it in our review, and Dell says that it can last up to 798 hours — provided RGB is off and you’re using the USB receiver.

In simple terms, higher polling rates correlate to lower input lag from your peripherals to your computer. When you meet or start exceeding 1,000 Hz polling rates, you start to experience diminishing returns, where it’s hard for humans to perceive the difference. In my case, there was no noticeable input lag when using the Pro Wireless Keyboard. Not only that, using the Pro Wireless Keyboard with a high refresh rate monitor improved my overall gaming performance in multiplayer games and first-person shooters.

The switches feel great, and more importantly are hot-swappable

Alienware’s Pro Wireless Keyboard ships with custom Alienware Linear Red switches. They feature completely transparent bodies, which helps the RGB backlighting shine through the switches. There are also lenses built into the switches that magnify the lights, filling in just about all the space between the keys. The clear design and built-in lens makes a bigger difference on this keyboard than most, because it doesn’t have a raised edge that covers the switches. Instead, the casing of the keyboard sits well under the keys, and it’s so tiny you’ll barely notice it is there.

Typing on the Pro Wireless Keyboard was incredibly satisfying thanks to the smooth feel and low actuation force required. Your fingers can fly around the keyboard, especially while gaming. However, it was enjoyable while typing as well. The Pro Wireless Keyboard has a relatively low-key design as far as gaming keyboards go, so I can definitely see it being used as a dual-purpose board.

You aren’t locked into one type of switch forever, because the Pro Wireless Keyboard features hot-swappable switches that can be replaced with most three or five-pin switches. Keyboards that support hot swapping are becoming more common recently, and I’ve reviewed a few in the past, including the Lofree Flow. Unlike that one, the Pro Wireless Keyboard includes a keycap and switch puller in the box. This tells me that Dell actually wants to empower users to customize their Pro Wireless Keyboard if they prefer.

The Pro Wireless Keyboard has just about everything we want to see from a mechanical keyboard in 2024, from the hot-swappable switches to keycaps. They’re double-shot PBT keycaps, which are more durable than ABS plastic keycaps. In the middle, the keyboard offers two layers of sound dampening material.

What I don’t like

The polling rate isn't up to par with competitors

I mentioned that the good thing about the polling rate of the Pro Wireless Keyboard is that it’s consistent whether you’re using the USB receiver or a wired connection. Well, the bad thing is that the consistent 1,000 Hz polling rate is well behind the competition. For example, the Razer BlackWidow V4 75% is our top-rated keyboard in the 75% form factor right now, and it has a polling rate of 8,000 Hz. It’s true that the BlackWidow V4 is wired, and that 1,000 Hz is probably good enough for most people.

However, it’s also true that 8,000 Hz is eight times that of 1,000 Hz, and Dell is targeting professional gamers rather than everyday people. If there’s anyone in the world that can pick up on the difference between 8,000 Hz and 1,000 Hz, it’s them. So, unless you’re looking for a wireless keyboard specifically, there are objectively better options out there.

Alienware's Command Center software could be better

The Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard can be customized with the Command Center software, which is just fine. It’s a bit clunky, but I like that you don’t have to use it at all. There are pre-set RGB lighting patterns and modes on the Pro Wireless Keyboard that you can switch between without even using the custom software. You will need to use it for deeper customization, though.

Should you buy the Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard?

You should buy the Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard if:

• You want a wireless gaming keyboard with a 75% layout
• You’re willing to pay a lot for premium materials and good build quality
• You’d rather use a wireless keyboard than have the best specs

You should NOT buy the Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard if:

• You want a full-size gaming keyboard
• You’d rather get a wired keyboard with better specs
• You’re on a tight or medium budget

The Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard is a great mechanical keyboard for gaming, and might be the best 75% wireless keyboard for gaming. However, there are better wired keyboards out there, like the Razer BlackWidow V4 75%. Razer’s option costs less than the Pro Wireless Keyboard, and includes a wrist rest. But for people who want an elegant and functional wireless gaming keyboard, the Pro Wireless Keyboard checks nearly all the key boxes.