Alienware Tenkeyless Gaming Keyboard

AW420K

User’s Guide

Keyboard Model: AW420K

Regulatory Model: AW420K

Internal Use - Confidential

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if instructions are not followed.

WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death

Copyright © 2022 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.

2022– 10

Rev. A00

Internal Use - Confidential

What’s in the box ........................................................... 4

Features ......................................................................... 5

Setting up your gaming keyboard ................................ 7

Using your gaming keyboard ...................................... 10

Alienware Command Center ...................................... 11

Installing AWCC through Windows Update ......................... 11

Installing AWCC from the Dell Support website .................. 11

Using Alienware Command Center ............................ 12

Setting up lighting and animation on AWCC ............ 13

Setting up device setting on AWCC .......................... 14

Disabling the modified keys temporarily ................... 15

Specifications ............................................................... 16

Troubleshooting ........................................................... 17

Statutory information .................................................. 18

Internal Use - Confidential

1

2

3

4

5

1.

USB-A to USB-C cable

2.

Alienware 420K Tenkeyless (TKL) Gaming Keyboard

3.

CSERI

4.

QSG

5.

Alienware sticker

NOTE: The documents shipped with your keyboard may vary depending on the region.

Internal Use - Confidential

What’s in the box | 4

1 2

3

Callout Features

1 Multimedia key

2 Volume control

3 Three-angle adjustable feet

Description

Enables you to forward/play/stop/ backward the movie and music

 Press to mute the speaker

 Press to increase volume

 Press to decrease volume

Enables you to adjust the keyboard feet tilts in three different angles

Internal Use - Confidential

Features | 5

Alienware 420K Tenkeyless Gaming Keyboard is a compact, minimalist mechanical gaming keyboard in a slim, space-saving tenkeyless layout.

Compact & Portable

 Space-saving Tenkeyless form factor

 Integrated cable routing on the underside of the keyboard (routed left, right or center) for improved comfort

 Detachable USB paracord cable to make travel and storage simpler

 Flip-up risers offer three different keyboard height settings

High Performance Gaming

 Cherry MX red mechanical switches with 100 million keystroke life-span

 Double-shot PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) keycaps for dependable rigidity and wear resistance

 Fully programmable keys with anti-ghosting and N-key rollover

 Onboard memory for effortless control

 Dedicated audio control allows for distraction free gaming

 4.0 mm total travel distance

 1000 Hz (1 ms) polling rate

 Five-profile onboard memory

Premium Experience

 Alien FX per-key RGB lighting configurable with Alienware Command Center with up to 16.8 million colors

 Mechanical Switches mounted directly on smooth metal top plate

Internal Use - Confidential

Features | 6

1.

Connect the USB cable (USB-C) to your gaming keyboard and connect the USB cable (USB-A) to the USB port on your computer.

 Connect the USB cable for accessing all the keyboard functions such as typing, macro, or lighting animation.

Internal Use - Confidential

Setting up your gaming keyboard | 7

2.

Steps to download the Alienware Command Center application

1.

Go to www.dell.com/support.

2.

In the Enter a Service Tag, Serial Number, Service Request, Model, or

Keyword field, type the model number of your device.

3.

Select the product from the results to load the product page.

4.

On the product support page, click Drivers & downloads.

5.

Click Find drivers .

6.

Select the operating system as Windows 10 or Windows 11 from the

Operating system drop-down list.

7.

Choose the category as Application from the Category drop-down list.

8.

Locate the Alienware Command Center application package.

9.

Click Download . Turn on your computer.

3.

Install Alienware Command Center

Prerequisites

 Download the latest Alienware Command Center application package from www.dell.com/support. See, Download the Alienware Command Center application package.

 Ensure that Microsoft Store updates are turned on before installing

Alienware Command Center 5.5 manually.

NOTE: From version 5.5, Alienware Command Center Package Manager is introduced. Alienware Command Center core application, overclocking controls, and peripheral installer packages are installed together using the Alienware

Command Center Package Manager. There is no separate package for overclocking profile.

Steps to install

1.

Browse to the location where you have downloaded the application package file and double-click the file. The Dell Update Package window is displayed.

2.

Click Install.

The Alienware Command Center Package Manager window is displayed.

3.

Click Next >.

Dell Software License Agreement is displayed.

4.

Read through the license agreement and select the I accept the terms in the license agreement radio button to continue.

Internal Use - Confidential

Setting up your gaming keyboard | 8

5.

Click Install.

The installation of the Alienware Command Center application is initiated.

Alienware Command Center core application, overclocking controls, and peripheral installer packages are installed automatically through the

Alienware Command Center Package Manager.

NOTE: Alienware overclocking control package is only installed on computers that support overclocking, and you must restart the computer to complete the installation.

6.

Click Finish.

You can restart now by selecting the check box. Do not select the check box if you prefer to restart the computer later. The Alienware Command

Center application is installed successfully.

4.

Updating Alienware Command Center from Microsoft Store

If you have an older version of Alienware Command Center, it gets updated automatically to the latest version from Microsoft Store. You must ensure that the

Microsoft Store update is turned on. If there is an update, when you launch the

Alienware Command Center application, a message that states Additional components required is displayed. The additional components are automatically fetched from Microsoft Store. Wait for the installation to complete and restart the computer if required.

NOTE: To enable or disable Microsoft Store updates, click the profile icon at the upper right corner of the Microsoft Store page, and go to App settings . Use the

App updates toggle switch under App settings to enable or disable Microsoft

Store updates.

5.

Launch the Alienware Command Center application on your computer

You can launch the Alienware Command Center application from the Start menu.

If you have an Alienware Command Center desktop icon, you can also launch the application by double-clicking or tapping the icon.

Internal Use - Confidential

Setting up your gaming keyboard | 9

1 2

Callout Function

1

2

3

4

3 4

Function keys

8

5 6

Keyboard behavior

7

Fn Lock

Win Lock

+ Esc to toggle

+ (Fn+F1)

Locks the F1 to F12 mediacontrol functions

Disables the Windows key function

Profile switch + (Fn+F3)

(press once to cycle)

Brightness control

 + (Fn+F5)

Enables you to switch between profiles stored onboard

Decreases the keyboard- backlight intensity

 + (Fn+F6) Increases the keyboard- backlight intensity

NOTE: Default keyboard-backlight is at maximum intensity.

5 Media playback

 Press + (Fn+F9) Fast backward

 Press + (Fn+F10) Play/Pause

 Press + (Fn+F11) Stop

6

7

8

Mute

Volume control

(computer)

Fn Toggle

 Press + (Fn+F12) Fast forward

The mute key Mutes the speaker

Press to increase

Press to decrease

Increases computer volume;

Decreases computer volume

Press and hold Fn + F1~F12 Toggles different Fn function for F1 to F12

Internal Use - Confidential

Using your gaming keyboard | 10

Alienware Command Center

Installing AWCC through Windows Update

1.

Navigate to the program folder to ensure that the AWCC installation is complete.

2.

Launch AWCC and perform the following steps to download the additional software components:

In the Settings window, click Windows Update , and then click Check for updates to check the Alienware driver update progress.

If the driver update is not responding in your computer, install AWCC from the Dell Support website.

Installing AWCC from the Dell Support website

1.

Download the latest version of the following applications at www.dell.com/support/drivers .

2.

Navigate to the folder where you saved the setup files.

3.

Double-click the setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the application.

Internal Use - Confidential

Alienware Command Center | 11

Using Alienware Command Center

Keyboard basic color function

1.

Launch Alienware Command Center application from the start menu.

2.

Select FX and edit Lighting .

3.

Select Effect from the drop-down list.

4.

Define the effect of the keyboard LEDs.

5.

Adjust the brightness.

Internal Use - Confidential

Using Alienware Command Center | 12

Setting up lighting and animation on AWCC

1.

Select Effect from the dropdown list for Static or

On Key Press modes.

2.

Select Standard key groupings.

3.

From the menu of supported animations: Color,

Pulse, Breathing, Morph, Spectrum, Single

Color Wave, Scanner, Rainbow Wave , and

Static Default Blue .

4.

Adjust the tempo of the animation effect.

5.

Choose color using the color wheel bubble.

6.

Define the color of the keyboard animation effect.

7.

Adjust the brightness.

Internal Use - Confidential

Setting up lighting and animation on AWCC | 13

Setting up device setting on AWCC

1.

Click FX menu and select Settings tab, then choose the AW420K keyboard device.

2.

Click Update to view the firmware version and check if any new firmware is available. Or you can click Restore Factory Defaults button to reset the device to the manufacturing state.

Internal Use - Confidential

Setting up device setting on AWCC | 14

Disabling the modified keys temporarily

Query

Working behavior of modified keys

Disabling the modified keys

Solution

When a key is programmed with macro, it will continue to send macro commands during normal usage.

Press Fn + any key (except Function keys).

Using modified keys

Example:

Q key was programmed to “ABCD” and in order for Q key to output “Q”, press Fn + Q.

Password entry for log in.

Internal Use - Confidential

Disabling the modified keys temporarily | 15

Specifications

General

Model number

Connection type

Supported operating systems

Electrical

Operating voltage

Operating power current

Physical Characteristics

Height

Length

Width

Weight

Environmental

Operating temperature

Storage temperature

Operating humidity

Storage humidity

Internal Use - Confidential

AW420K

USB

Microsoft Windows 10 – RS3 and higher

5V

Max. to 900mA

19.01 mm. ( 0.5mm

.)

367.3 mm. ( 0.5mm

.)

147.7 mm. ( 0.5mm

.)

KB: 787g ( 10g) ±

0°C to 40°C

-40°C to 65°C

90% maximum relative humidity, non-condensing

90% maximum relative humidity, non-condensing

Specifications | 16

Troubleshooting

Error

Keyboard is not functioning

Keyboard lighting is off

Possible solution

 Disconnect the keyboard and connect it back in to the USB port on your computer.

 Connect the keyboard to another USB port.

 Restart the computer.

 Make sure the light is not dimmed off, press

Fn+F6 to light up the keyboard.

 Disconnect the keyboard and connect it back in to the USB port on your computer.

 Connect the keyboard to another USB port.

 Restart the computer.

 Adjust keyboard brightness via AWCC

(Alienware Command Center) .

The selected configuration is not working in Alienware

Command Center

 Ensure that the Alienware Command Center is running on your computer.

 Open the Alienware Command Center and ensure that the configuration for your gaming keyboard is set properly and is stored by clicking on the SAVE THEME .

For more information about the Alienware Command Center features

1.

Open the Alienware Command Center .

2.

Click the Help icon. The Alienware Command Center Online Help appears.

3.

Click the Contents tabs.

4.

From the Contents tabs, click the required topic to find more details on

Alienware Command Center features.

Internal Use - Confidential

Troubleshooting | 17

Statutory information

Warranty

Limited warranty and return polices

Dell-branded products carry a two-year limited hardware warranty. If purchased together with a Dell computer, it will follow the computer warranty.

For U.S. customers:

This purchase and your use of this product are subject to Dell’s end user agreement, which you can find at www.dell.com/terms .

This document contains a binding arbitration clause.

For European, Middle Eastern, and African customers:

Dell-branded products that are sold and used are subject to applicable national consumer legal rights, the terms of any retailer sale agreement that you have entered into (which will apply between you and the retailer) and Dell’s end user contract terms.

Dell may also provide an additional hardware warranty—full details of the Dell end user contract and warranty terms can be found by going to www.dell.com

, selecting your country from the list at the bottom of the “home” page and then clicking the “terms and conditions” link for the end user terms or the “support” link for the warranty terms.

For non-U.S. customers:

Dell-branded products that are sold and used are subject to applicable national consumer legal rights, the terms of any retailer sale agreement that you have entered into (which will apply between you and the retailer) and Dell’s warranty terms. Dell may also provide an additional hardware warranty—full details of

Dell’s warranty terms can be found by going to www.dell.com/terms , selecting your country from the list at the bottom of the “home” page and then clicking the “terms and conditions” link or the “support” link for the warranty terms.

Internal Use - Confidential

Statutory information | 18