Wooting 60HE v2  Keyboard Review

The Wooting 60HE v2 has a standard 60% size, so it's much smaller than a full-size keyboard and lacks a numpad, arrow keys, navigation cluster, and function row. The upside is substantially more desk space for mouse movement.

We bought the ANSI Split version, which uses a split-spacebar layout, but the overall dimensions are identical to those of the standard ANSI version. See the Hardware Customizability section for more details about the key sizes on the ANSI split option. 

We also purchased the heavier aluminum case version, though Wooting also offers a lighter ABS plastic case that it lists at 1.35 lbs (0.606 kg).

The Wooting 60HE v2 has outstanding build quality. We bought the aluminum case version, which has an anodized finish with no apparent blemishes or flaws. A less expensive ABS case is also available, which we expect will feel somewhat less premium overall, though we haven't seen any significant reports of build quality issues with either version.

Thick silicone feet on the underside do a good job of keeping the keyboard firmly in place, and the added weight of the aluminum case certainly helps.

Internally, the keyboard uses an FR4 plate along with several layers of dampening material. These include a thick silicone sheet at the bottom of the aluminum case, a PET film on top of the PCB, and a tape mod on the underside. It also uses a friction-fit mounting design, with a Poron layer under the alphanumeric keys and silicone around the edges that keeps the module securely seated in the case without screws or other hard mounting points. This provides a small degree of cushioning while typing, though it's not nearly as springy as a typical gasket-mount design.

The new generation of Wooting's Lekker switches has good tolerances and slightly less noticeable stem wobble compared to earlier iterations. Both the switches and stabilizers are pre-lubed from the factory and operate very smoothly, though we did encounter some faint rattling on several stabilizers.

We bought this keyboard with Wooting's more premium doubleshot PBT keycaps, which have a pleasant, slightly textured finish. A more budget-oriented ABS keycap set is also available, but ABS is generally less durable than PBT and tends to develop a slippery, shinier texture over time.

This keyboard has a moderately tall, standard-profile design with the same home row height as the original Wooting 60HE. Unlike the Wooting 80HE, it doesn't include silicone feet for adjustable incline levels.

Reaching the keys requires angling your wrists upward somewhat, and while this isn't immediately fatiguing, it can cause strain over long sessions.

This keyboard doesn't include a wrist rest, though Wooting sells a silicone wrist rest on their website.

For the ANSI split key layout version of the Wooting 60HE v2 we purchased, the keycap sizes on the bottom row from left to right are 2.75u, 1.25u, and 2.25u.

The standard ANSI layout uses a more conventional 6.25u spacebar keycap and stabilizer spacing.

Note that magnetic switch pole orientation alone doesn't guarantee magnetic switch compatibility and should only be used as a general guide. A switch's physical dimensions and magnetic flux range also contribute. For more guidance on switch compatibility, Wooting has compiled a compatibility and sound database.

This keyboard uses a friction-fit mounting system without hard mount points or screws. It includes a tool that lets you slide out the entire module and install it in compatible aftermarket GH60 cases.

The aluminum case version we purchased also lets you customize the strap mounting point on either the left or right side, and a decorative plug is included to fill the unused mounting position.

Also note that the ANSI Split layout uses a different PCB design, so once you choose either the ANSI Split or standard ANSI layout at purchase, you can't convert between them without buying a separate PCB module.

Wooting also states that you can use the Wooting 60HE v2 module version of this keyboard, which comes without a case, and install it in a Wooting 60HE+ ABS case. However, you'll need to remove the friction pad and install the foam sandwich pad instead.

This keyboard has full RGB backlighting with individually addressable keys. You can adjust the backlighting using hotkeys or with the configuration software.

While the legends are generally easy to read, there are some minor obstructions visible on some keys, such as the W in the image above. Additionally, the white-only lighting has a very noticeable reddish hue that may irritate you if you intend to sync multiple white-only RGB devices in your setup.

This keyboard includes a braided cable with a black-and-yellow pattern, though it retains noticeable kinks from its packaging.

The Wooting 60HE v2 has no dedicated macro keys, and you can't program macros using the keyboard alone. However, you can use Wooting's standard Wootility software to create simple 1:1 macros, as well as somewhat more advanced macros using the Dynamic Keystrokes (DKS) feature. Unfortunately, the software doesn't support multi-step sequences, delays, repeats or loops, or conditional logic.

Previously, Wooting maintained a separate open source software utility called Wootomation for macro creation. Unfortunately, while Wootamation is available on GitHub, it's no longer maintained or actively promoted by Wooting, leaving no clear option for advanced macro creation outside of commonly used third-party tools such as AutoHotkey or Key Manager. Be aware that using third-party macro programs can also risk triggering anti-cheat measures in some competitive games.

You can reference the quick start guide on Wooting's website for a list of supported hotkeys and other helpful information.

This keyboard has optional strap mounting points (left mounting point pictured above), which we cover in the Hardware Customizability section.

• USB-C to USB-C cable.
• USB-C (female) to USB-A (male) adapter (pictured attached to the cable)
• Alternate EPDM dampening foam pad
• Wooting strap
• Strap attachment piece (stainless steel)
• Decorative no-strap piece
• Module puller tool
• Switch and keycap puller
• 20x 'Switchy Heist' Lekker Tikken switches (founder/pre-order bonus)
• Spare strap attachment screws (M2 x 3 mm)
• Spare PCBA screws (M2 x 4 mm)
• Spare silicone plugs
• Stickers
• Postcard
• Documentation

The Wooting 60HE v2 provides impressive typing quality that feels more refined than most prebuilt gaming keyboards, with clear emphasis on sound tuning. The stabilizers and Lekker Tikken switches are pre-lubed from the factory, and the switches feel very smooth, with no noticeable scratchiness and minimal stem wobble. This is an improvement over the original Lekker switches we tested on the Wooting 60HE.

Like earlier iterations of Wooting's Lekker switches, these use a slightly longer standard travel of around 4 mm, compared to the roughly 3.5 mm travel common among many other magnetic switches with shorter springs. This contributes to a less abrupt typing feel, especially if you're used to mechanical switches with full travel.

The switches also use a closed bottom design which, combined with the longer total travel, results in a more rounded, thocky bottom-out sound compared to the clackier sound that's common to many magnetic switches with shorter travel and open-bottom stems.

The friction-fit mounting design provides very little cushioning, though in terms of overall stiffness, it feels closer to a typical tray mount than to a softer, springier gasket mount. The FR4 plate is softer than aluminum or steel and has a mild muting effect on the sound profile.

Inside the case, there are multiple layers of dampening and sound treatment, including a Poron foam sheet sandwiched between the PCB and switch plate, a PET film on top of the PCB, and a tape mod on the underside. These layers, along with the friction-fit mounting, help reduce overall vibration and contribute to a slightly deeper typing sound. The aluminum case version also includes a thick silicone dampening sheet at the bottom, which further reduces impact noise.

The sound signature differs somewhat between the ABS plastic case and the aluminum case we tested, though we don't expect either to be significantly louder than the other.

In addition to the other sound treatment layers discussed in more depth in the Typing Quality section, the aluminum case version includes a thick silicone layer at the bottom of the case to help mute and dampen sound. It also comes with an EPDM foam layer that you can swap in if you prefer less dampening. By comparison, the ABS case uses an EPDM foam layer at the bottom and doesn't include an alternate silicone sheet.

For an in-depth comparison, Wooting has a sound test video on their YouTube channel using the stock Lekker Tikken switches with various build configurations.
 

We performed this test with the default actuation setting of 1.6 mm and with Rapid Trigger off.

The Wooting 60HE v2 has outstanding input granularity, with a high degree of linearity, extremely small deadzones, and virtually perfect detection across the entire keystroke. This results in fast and accurate initial and follow-up inputs, with physical travel distances that consistently track software setpoints, making it particularly effective for competitive techniques like tap-strafing in FPS titles.

It also supports true analog output that closely follows physical displacement across nearly the entire travel. This makes it a strong option for games that benefit from gradual input, such as racing sims, flight sims, and platformers.

This new version of Wooting's Lekker switches have a nylon bottom housing, polycarbonate top, and POM stem.

Wooting sells several other compatible switch options on their website, including GEONWORKS Raw L50 Linear, and Wooting x TTC KOM switches. For more notes on switch compatibility, see the Hardware Customizability section.

The Wooting 60HE v2 maintains exceptionally low single-key latency to deliver an extremely responsive and consistent in-game experience.

This test was conducted using the following settings:

• Tachyon Mode enabled
• 8000Hz scan rate
• 8000Hz polling rate
• 0.1 mm actuation
• 0.15 mm Rapid Trigger (press and release)

The Wooting 60HE v2 provides exceptionally low and consistent multi-key latency performance. It's extremely well-suited for playing any game that requires additional keystrokes while multiple keys are pressed and maintained.

This test was conducted using the following settings:

• Tachyon Mode enabled
• 8000Hz scan rate
• 8000Hz polling rate
• 0.1 mm actuation
• 0.15 mm Rapid Trigger (press and release)

The Wooting 60HE v2 provides excellent chord split performance, with very low 4-chord and 8-chord split delay. It's an outstanding option for playing rhythm titles or other games requiring many simultaneous inputs.

The companion software is available as a web-based or downloadable client with feature parity.

The software is clearly laid out and fairly intuitive to use, despite the complexity of its feature set. It also runs smoothly, with responsive changes and quick transitions between pages and settings, which sets it apart from many competing software suites that feel slow or occasionally buggy. Settings are arranged on multiple pages, but there are helpful tooltips with definitions for many features. Unfortunately, macro creation support is limited, and Wooting's previously separate Wootomation software is no longer in active development. See the Macro Keys and Programming section for more details.

In addition to expected features such as actuation adjustment, the software supports a broad range of more advanced adjustable actuation features. We've added our own explanations of the most important of these features below, but Wooting has helpful explainer videos on their YouTube channel that demonstrate and explore several of these features in greater depth.

• Rapid Trigger: This setting lets specified keys use dynamic actuation and reset points based on distance rather than being fixed to specific points along the keystroke. This enables faster response times for actions that trigger on key release, as well as quicker follow-up inputs, which can be especially beneficial in scenarios like counter-strafing in FPS games.
• Tachyon Mode: This mode is designed to ensure the best possible input latency performance. When turned on, it disables RGB lighting effects, which can impact the keyboard's processing power, and it locks the keyboard to its maximum 8000Hz scan rate.
• Dynamic Keystroke (DKS): Allows you to program up to four different actions to a single key based on press depth.
• Mod Tap: This is the ability to set two different actions to a single key based on whether you tap or hold down the key.
• Toggle Key: You can lock a specific action between an on or off state by tapping the key. Holding down the key activates the key's normal function.
• Rappy Snappy: This setting monitors the press depth of two opposing directional keys and prioritizes the key that's pressed down the farthest.
• Snappy Tappy (SOCD): Specifies a pair of keys to activate based on custom trigger parameters. For example:
  • Last input priority: The last pressed key overrides the first if both exceed the actuation point.
  • Absolute priority: One key overrides the other if both exceed the actuation point.
  • Neutral priority: When both keys are triggered, neither registers.

Disclaimer: Using Snappy Tappy isn't allowed in some competitive online games, like CS:2. Wooting has more information on their website.

• Gamepad: This collection of settings lets you map gamepad controller inputs to keys on your keyboard. This includes face buttons and shoulder buttons, but it also allows you to take advantage of true analog output, so specified keys can mimic joysticks with gradual input. This can be particularly useful in games like flight simulators or racing games, giving you more precise control. Note that analog controls only work in games that support either Xinput (Xbox controller) or DirectInput (generic controller) simultaneously with keyboard and mouse input.

The companion software for this keyboard works with all major operating systems.

The companion software for this keyboard works with all major operating systems.