By David Shields
Manufacturer: Gamdias Technology Co., Ltd.
Product Name: HERMES Ultimate Black Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Model Number: GBK2000
UPC: 4710728309830 EAN: 848475001005
Price As Tested: $125.99 (Amazon)
Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Gamdias Technology Co., Ltd.
Gamdias Technology Co., Ltd. is a Taiwan based company that was recently formed in 2012. As a result, their offerings are quite small, with four keyboards, a few mice, a couple of gaming headsets and some accessories such as gaming gloves. The Gamdias HERMES is their premier gaming keyboard series, with Cherry MX switches, 512KB of memory, 32-bit ARM processor, 13 customizable macro keys, and USB / audio ports. With many already existing gaming keyboards such as the Logitech G510 and Corsair Vengeance, can the HERMES Essential make inroads in an already congested market? In this Benchmark Reviews article, I’ll discuss the design and features of the HERMES GKB2000 as well as Gamdias’s peripheral software, the Gamdias HERA.
- Cherry MX Black Keys.
- 13 Fully Customization Macro Keys.
- 512KB Onboard Memory with 32-bit ARM Cortex CPU.
- One USB and and Mic/Headphone Pass-Through Ports.
- “Military-Grade” Black Cabling.
- Anti-Ghosting Technology with N-key Rollover.
- Fully Backlit with Four Brightness Settings and a “Pulse” Mode.
- “On-the-Fly” Macro Recording Button.
| Dimensions | 474.85 x 176.74 x 39 mm |
| Key Switch | Cherry Black (50 Million Lifecycle) |
| Polling rate | 1000Hz |
| Cable Length | 2.2 Meters |
| Macro Keys | 13 |
| Multimedia Keys | Yes |
| On-the-Fly Macro Recording | Yes |
| Windows Key Disable | Yes |
The Gamdias HERMES is a pretty large keyboard, mainly due to the macro keys around the edges, as well as the solid plastic / steel design. From the moment I took it from its packaging it was obvious that the HERMES is very well built, and it weighs more than any other keyboard I’ve had. The construction will likely stand up to use over a long period of time, and should your gaming ever make you want to bang you head on the keyboard, you’ll probably damage your head more than the keyboard.
The version provided for testing used Cherry MX Black switches. Gamdias states you can obtain versions with Cherry MX Blue, Red, and Brown switches, but currently it seems that only Cherry Black versions are available for sale. The main part of the keyboard is mounted on a heavy metal plate, while the macros keys on the edges are supported only by their respective circuit boards. Five macros keys can be found along the left side of the board…
…six keys along the bottom of the board (a trio on each side of the Gamdias logo)…
…and the final two macro keys are located alongside the arrow keys.
At the top right corner of the board there are three backlit icons for the Num Lock, Caps Lock, and the “Gaming” lock. This icon lights up when gaming mode is enabled, which disables the Windows key. Above these three icons are three smaller ones denoting the USB, microphone, and headphone jacks pass-through ports.
Next up, we’ll look at a few of the more detailed features of the HERMES, followed by looking at the HERA software.
The back of the HERMES features a trio of pass-through ports : one gold-plated USB connector, and a pair of microphone / headphone jacks. Nothing particularly fancy to see here.
The cables are 2.2 meters in length, which is certainly a useful feature. You have two color-coded microphone and headphone plugs along with the main USB connector and the pass-through connector, both of which are gold-plated. The cables are very thick and have a braided sleeve, so not only do they look nice but they are difficult to damage.
The HERMES does not have any dedicated media or brightness keys, and instead those features are controlled when holding down the “Fn” key along with the corresponding key, like the F5 through F8 keys.
Here is a look at the Cherry MX Black switches. The premier HERMES model, called the Ultimate, has what Gamdias has dubbed the “Gamdias Element”. This is a small rubber membrane surrounding each key that is designed to absorb the impact from the key hitting the plate and reduce noise, but the Essential version of the Hermes lacks this feature.
No gaming keyboard would be complete without it’s accompanying software, so lastly we’re going to look at the software that Gamdias touts for use with all their peripheral products, HERA.
Like most peripheral software, you’ll have to go online to download HERA. Annoyingly, Gamdias felt it made more sense to put the download links under “Support” instead of under the official HERA page, which resulted in me having to look around a bit to find it. And it includes no instructions. Once you download the software and run it, HERA will immediately detect connected Gamdias hardware and download all the existing settings from each device, which can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few seconds. Once that’s done it will take you to a screen like the one shown here. which lists your profiles along with various sections including :
- Key Assignment (primary section)
- Macro Management
- Keyboard Luminance
- Assign Sound & Timer
- Sound File Edit
- Timer Setting
- Muscle Memory
- Olympics (not enabled in this version of HERA it seems)
- Update/Support
The Macro Management section is the best part of the utility. This extremely flexible tool allows you to use emulated mouse movements and clicks in macros, control the timing of macro actions with absolute precision (think in milliseconds), and even lets you fully edit all your macros. You can edit, delete, copy, and more with individual steps within each macro, a feature that I’m sure will appeal to many gamers who love to use macros. On-the-Fly macro recording is enabled by pressing the “Fn” key followed by the right control key, then pressing it again when done with your inputs.
Once you have fiddled with your macros to your hearts content, head back over to the Key Assignment section. Not only can you assign macro keys, but you can also assign functions such as zoom, media keys and program quick launches. The “Blueprint” option displays the current profile, but unfortunately macros are not shown with the name you give them.
This is an interesting little add-on to the HERA software called “Muscle Memory”. It provides a number of stats concerning your keyboard usage, such as total clicks, “Explosivness” (maximum number of keys pressed in 30 seconds), “Omnipresence” (number of keys hit at the same time), and “Levied Pressure” (total pressure exerted on all keys). While interesting, I’m at a loss as to what use this is short of a “cool factor”.
Again, without a manual to consult it is likely other features exist that I have yet to explore. However, I think most macro programmers will be able to use HERA effectively, and the options it provides makes it very a attractive piece of software.
Wait, did Gamdias include a soda dispenser with the HERMES? That little button down next to the control key looks like a soda with a straw coming out doesn’t it? Well, it appears that this key functions exactly like the right click on a mouse. For example, if you select a photo, then press this button, you’ll get the same options menu has you would if you right clicked using the mouse. I have no idea why this is included, I assume anyone needing to right click would use the mouse for that purpose. Perhaps its intended for use with macros?
The Gamdias HERMES works great even without the HERA software, allowing you to control media, brightness, and assign macros using “On-the-Fly” recording straight out of the box. Of course, HERA makes the process easier, but it is PC only while the HERMES can be used on both PC and Mac. The total lack of documentation is a problem, and I had to refer to David Ramsey’s article on the HERMES Ultimate for some keys and just start pressing others to find out what they did.
The bottom macro keys are position oddly, though you could use the left trio with your thumb. The layout seems intended to keep both right-handed and left-handed gamers in mind, which is a nice touch. The HERMES certainly draws attention to itself, with it’s matte-black construction, bright red LEDs and Gamdias logo with yellow LEDs. With a sturdy construction, the Gamdias HERMES will likely serve you well for a good while.
If you love macros, look no further than the Gamdias HERMES. With a total of 13 macro keys and accompanying software that offers unparalleled customization, you can’t go wrong with the HERMES. One point I would like to make is the minimal price difference between the Essential version and the HERMES Ultimate version. The HERMES Ultimate’s only differences seem to be the inclusion of the “Gamdias Elements” and the large wrist cover. It would seem Gamdias wanted a version without those extras, but the price difference is so minimal that unless you really wanted those two extras, the Essential is all you’ll really ever need. It really makes having two versions somewhat pointless.
I’m going to admit, this is the first Cherry MX keyboard I’ve used before for any longer period of time so I can’t say how the switches stack up to those on other boards, but they do feel very smooth and respond promptly to input. They aren’t any louder than the keys on other keyboards I’ve used in the past, but they might be to loud for those who prefer quieter feedback. The keyboard is well built, but large and thanks to the metal plate inside, weighs quite a bit. The HERMES has an outstanding functionality thanks to the 13 macro keys and the Hero software, but the lack of documentation means that you’ll need to figure most of features out for yourself. Value wise, for a macro gaming keyboard you can’t beat the HERMES. For a pure gaming keyboard though, cheaper options do exist, such as the Corsair K70, which also has dedicated media buttons and programmable backlighting that would likely appeal more to gamers not interested in macros. Also, I feel that the space on the back is underutilized and could fit a dedicated USB hub as opposed to just one pass-through port.
With a sturdy construction, excellent functionality, and top-notch macro programming, the Gamdias HERMES is definitely a contender in the gaming market. However, price and the utter lack of documentation hold back what could otherwise be considered a sterling product. GAMDIAS HERMES GKB2000 currently sells online for $125.99 (Amazon). The similarities between the HERMES Essential and the other HERMES keyboard (Ultimate) are absurd, and it makes no sense to have two products at at near identical price. Dropping the Essential by $15-$20 or so seems to be an appropriate choice that might also make it more competitive on the market.
+ Plenty of macros keys.
+ Excellent macro recording and editing software.
+ Sturdy construction.
+ Very attractive with multiple LED settings.
+ USB and audio ports.
– No documentation/manual at all.
– Expensive compared to other Cherry MX products such as the Corsair Vengeance series.
– Minimal price difference between this and the Ultimate makes one consider why this exists at all.
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Performance: 9.75
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Appearance: 9.25
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Construction: 8.50
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Functionality: 9.25
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Value: 8.00
