NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL review: A middle-of-the-road Hall Effect keyboard

Tom's Guide

6 days ago

Magnetic keyboards are growing in popularity, and they often offer better value for money than the best mechanical keyboards. NZXT is well-known for making high-quality PC gaming hardware, and it has dabbled in the world of magnetic keyboards with the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL.
This keyboard features highly responsive dual-rail Hall Effect switches, 8,000Hz polling and Rapid Trigger to give competitive players an edge. It's built well and features lovely RGB lighting. It's also a delight to type on, and its compact form factor makes it easy to travel with. But you're paying a premium for all of its features, and it has some noteworthy drawbacks, such as wired connectivity only, finicky RGB lighting and limited switch choice.
Is this the best gaming keyboard for you? Read my full NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL review to find out more.
Specs
NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL
Price
$199 / £169
Switches
NZXT dual-rail magnetic
Keycaps
Double-shot PBT
Construction
CNC aluminum + plastic
Mount
Gasket
Layout
75%, 87 keys
Operating system
macOS, Windows
Backlighting
Per-key RGB
Polling rate
8,000Hz
Paired devices max
1
Connectivity
Wired
Measurements
13.72 x 5.23 x 1.49 inches
Weight
2.4lbs
Colors
Black, white
From its lovely design, intuitive companion software, and plethora of magnetic gaming features, the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL is a great keyboard for gaming and typing.
The NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL has a striking design. It comes in either black or white colorways, and both sport a strip of RGB lighting that runs around the top plate's frame. The black variant I tested looks subdued, but the RGB strip adds an element of fun. The shine-through keycaps also have per-key RGB, which you can customize via the companion software (more on that soon).
The Function Elite's sturdy build is one of its most appealing aspects. The keyboard is encased in aluminum metal that gives it a premium look. The bottom plate has a textured rubber material along its edges, which keeps the keyboard from moving around on your desk.
As its name suggests, the Function Elite MiniTKL is a tenkeyless keyboard, which means there's no number pad. This helps reduce the keyboard's size, making it easier to travel with. The keyboard measures 13.72 x 5.23 x 1.49 inches and weighs 2.4 pounds, and I had no issues carrying it to and from work.
As you'd expect from a Hall Effect keyboard, the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL boasts a plethora of premium gaming features. Firstly, it's fitted with NZXT's dual-rail magnetic switches, which the product page describes as 'linear and silent.' That's slightly misleading as this keyboard is not silent, and my coworkers even pointed out that it was quite loud and clacky — something to keep in mind before buying this keyboard.
Now, let's talk about the switches. They are extremely light, needing just 30g of force to activate, which makes them feel airy in use. They have adjustable actuation down to 0.6mm and up to 4mm. You can adjust each key's sensitivity according to the game you're playing.
To adjust actuation, you'll need to download NZXT CAM on your Windows machine. I downloaded it onto our shared office Windows 11 laptop and set the actuation of all the keys down to 0.6mm for highly-responsive gameplay in Counter-Strike 2 and Hitman.
The Function Elite MiniTKL's performance is on par with the Keychron Q3 HE ($239) and the Wooting 80HE ($199). Executing quick, consecutive headshots in both Hitman and CS2 is effortless since the switches are so sensitive. Since I didn't need to press the switches all the way down for them to activate, I can swap weapons easily or quickly crouch after throwing a grenade. However, I would have liked the switches to be adjustable all the way down to 0.1mm, but I'll discuss that later.
On the plus side, the Function Elite MiniTKL's switches feature dual-actuation points. This means that you can assign two actions to one key based on how deeply you press it: one action on the downstroke, another on the way back up.
For example, I used the companion software to customize the W key so that short-pressing it made my character in CS2 walk, while long-pressing it made them sprint. This made gameplay more intuitive and eliminated the extra action of holding down the shift key to run.
To top it off, the Function Elite MiniTKL boasts an 8,000Hz polling rate, which blows many other magnetic keyboards' measly 1,000Hz polling away. 1K polling is usually sufficient for most players, but competitive or pro-level eSports players will be pleased with 8K polling since that ensures inputs aren't missed due to latency issues.
The NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL's other gaming features include Rapid Trigger and Snap Overrides. Let's talk about Rapid Trigger first. Enabling it through the software basically ensures that the keyboard recognizes every single input when keys are pressed in rapid succession. Rapid Trigger guarantees near-instantaneous switch reset when lifting.
Similar to the magnetic keyboards, the Function Elite MiniTKL features Snap Overrides. It's a fancy term for what's commonly known as Snap Tap or Last Key Prioritization, a type of Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Direction (SOCD) resolution, which is banned by Valve in titles like CS2 and DOTA 2.
It's basically a cheat code, where the keyboard prioritizes the last key pressed, making actions like counter-strafing easier. You can draw to a complete stop from a sideways strafe by pressing the opposing direction key — see why it's banned? You can find use for it in single-player titles, though, like in Hitman and Lies of P. There is some sick pleasure when standing in front of a large but slow boss in the latter, rapidly typing A and D to strafe, drawing to an immediate stop, and whooping it with a heavy attack.
If you're dropping nearly $200 on a keyboard, chances are you're going to use it to type on, too, alongside gaming. The good news is that the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL is a lovely keyboard to type on.
The keyboard is fitted with textured double-shot PBT keycaps that feel soft to the touch and comfortable for long periods of typing. PBT keycaps are also more durable than ABS ones, so it's nice to see that NZXT hasn't compromised here.
Keyboard
Type test speed (WPM)
Type test accuracy
NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL (3.2mm actuation)
95
92.2%
NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL (1.5mm actuation)
97
93.06%
NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL (0.6mm actuation)
89
88.42%
Epomaker HE65 Mag (0.5mm actuation)
101
89.41%
Gamakay TK75 HE (0.5mm actuation)
85
88.9%
Keychron K4 HE (0.5mm actuation)
104
94.56%
I took a few typing tests at 10fastfingers.com to see how the Function Elite MiniTKL fared against other magnetic keyboards. I adjusted all the keys' actuation points after each test, and you can see the results above. Typing at 1.5mm actuation resulted in my best typing score, and I'm satisfied with the overall result — it's in line with other Hall Effect keyboards I've tested.
NZXT CAM, your one-stop shop for customizing all NZXT peripherals, is extremely clean and intuitive to use. Here, you can adjust each key's actuation or choose from four performance presets: MOBA, RPG, FPS, Typing. The pre-key and strip RGB lighting are also fully customizable — from their colors to speed.
Since 8,000Hz polling is draining on system resources, you can choose between seven different rates: 125, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000 and 8,000. The Function Elite MiniTKL's internal memory can also save up to four custom profiles, so you can create specific ones for work and gaming.
While a good keyboard, the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL has some shortcomings. Its switches aren't as sensitive as some others, the RGB lighting is frustrating, it can't be used wirelessly, and it's heavy on the wallet.
While the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL's lightweight switches are very responsive, they aren't as sensitive as many others you can buy today. And by that, I mean you can drop their sensitivity down to 0.6mm only. Most other Hall Effect keyboards I've tested, like the Keychron Q3 HE, let you adjust the actuation all the way down to 0.1mm, making the switches extremely sensitive.
This may not seem like a world of difference to most casual players, but those playing competitively will want to gain all the edge they can, which is why it's worth considering whether 0.6mm actuation is enough for you.
The NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL has another significant shortcoming: it can't be used wirelessly. There's no 2.4GHz dongle included in the box and the keyboard isn't equipped with Bluetooth technology. Given its mini size (it's in the name, after all), it's easy to travel with the keyboard in your backpack, but that doesn't mean you can use it on the move.
If you want wireless connectivity in a keyboard that's still a beast for competitive gaming, consider the Epomaker HE65 Mag ($99) or the Keychron Q3 HE.
I've praised the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL's RGB lighting that wraps around the top plate. However, I would have liked it more if the lighting weren't so finicky. If your laptop or PC goes to sleep, the keyboard does too. But what's annoying is that, in my testing, it didn't turn itself back on after I woke up my laptop and the keyboard.
I thought this was a problem with my MacBook Air M2, so I tried it with our shared office Windows 11 laptop, and it didn't negate the issue. I haven't encountered this with any other magnetic keyboard I've tested, so it's disappointing to face this here.
Like I mentioned up top, while the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL's switches are great for typing and gaming, they are far from being as silent as advertised. The bad news is that switch choice is, at the time of writing, extremely limited. There aren't any other switches you can get for the keyboard.
This is a common issue since magnetic switches are still making their way into the mainstream, but most other magnetic keyboards mentioned throughout this review offer at least two (and sometimes three) switch sets.
Given its shortcomings, I don't think the NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL's price is justified. Good things can be expensive, but this is a middle-of-the-road keyboard, and it retails for $199 / £169 at Amazon. Keychron and Lemokey decks come cheaper (sometimes much cheaper) while offering the same features and more.
Keyboards like the Keychron K4 HE ($134) and the Lemokey P1 HE ($169) feature quad-actuation over the Function Elite MiniTKL's dual-actuation. Heck, even the budget Epomaker HE65 Mag features quad-actuation and provides 8K polling over wired and wireless connections.
The NZXT Function Elite MiniTKL can be best described as a middle-of-the-road keyboard. Its dual-rail Hall Effect switches are extremely responsive, and it boasts 8,000Hz polling and features like Rapid Trigger and Snap Tap — all of which provide a competitive advantage.
But is it worth $199? I don't think so, especially when competitors like Keychron and Lemokey offer all of these features at lower price points. The Function Elite MiniTKL also falls short due to its finicky RGB lighting, limited switch choice, lack of wireless connectivity, and that the lowest you can adjust the switches is only 0.6mm.
I'd recommend spending your hard-earned money on the Lemokey P1 HE or the Keychron Q3 HE. The Function Elite MiniTKL isn't the worst keyboard I've tested but it's far from the best.