Corsair K70 RGB Pro overview: Ping ping ping ping ping

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Mechanical keyboards are additional common than any specified superhero movie, particularly when you limit your search to the gaming keyboard subset. So in order for a large-close, expensive board to get a advice, it demands to nail pretty a lot each individual factor of its style and efficiency. The Corsair K70 RGB Pro does not do that. It’s merely great. And in a market this crowded, that is plenty of to set it at the rear of the leaders of the pack. 

Even though the keyboard has a solid create and goes for legitimate Cherry switches that are specifically tuned for gaming, a couple of lapses in execution imply there are better alternatives available. Keyboard purists will be instantly repelled by the constant “ping” I professional in the assessment device, and some others will be unimpressed by the lack of top quality extras. In limited, it’s just not really worth the $170 inquiring cost. 

Hardware

The complete-measurement version of the Corsair K70 RGB Pro will come in an completely massive box, and you before long see why. It is a huge, beefy keyboard, with a big region previously mentioned the purpose row dedicated to LED standing lights, a total metal scroll wheel, and excess buttons that management mute, brightness, profile, and locking system. The keyboard also will come with a generous magnetic palm relaxation that I found both cozy and sturdy, and a quality 6-foot USB-C-to-A braided cable. 

Corsair did not low cost out on the products, at minimum in the most evident areas of the design and style. The board takes advantage of a fashionable brushed metallic deck, which is just one stable piece likely about the many angles, as effectively as premium PBT plastic keycaps. They are double-shot, so not only will they show the RGB lights evenly and brightly, they’ll never use down no make a difference how numerous hours of sweaty gameplay you matter them to. That is a definite plus: some competing manufacturers make you fork out for the PBT improve. The structure is conventional, so you can conveniently swap in your have caps if you care to. 

Michael Crider/IDG

Underneath the caps are legitimate Cherry switches straight from Germany (by way of China), recreation-friendly linear MX Reds on my assessment unit. MX “Speed” switches with lighter springs and faster activation are obtainable, as perfectly as MX Brown and Blue for tactile and clicky typers and “silent” Reds if you require your keyboard to be a very little considerably less noisy. I enjoy the options…but on a board this highly-priced, a modular structure that will allow hotswapping switches is starting to be considerably extra frequent. Its absence is felt in this article.

On leading of all that you get focused media controls over the 10-crucial zone, twin-stage keyboard ft for three separate typing angles, and a devoted change for “tournament mode” (which disables personalized profiles and macros). The K70 isn’t Corsair’s most bombastic gamer keyboard, but it’s probably the greatest and priciest a person that most customers would take into account stretching their price range to accommodate.

Typing 

Typing with the K70 RGB Professional was, frankly, irritating as hell. The PBT keycaps, metal keyboard plate, and hollow plastic physique made a distinctive “ping” sounds with every single keystroke. And I mean each and every one one particular. When I’m no stranger to noisy keyboards — I have developed some with Kailh BOX Navy switches! — this ringing echo with every tap threatened to push me up the wall. 

Michael Crider/IDG

If you consistently perform with audio or headphones on, this isn’t definitely an situation. But I think most users would find this very aggravating, especially if they opt for the “silent” switch solution. A minor Googling shows that it isn’t an isolated issue and is commonly expert with Corsair board layouts that element steel plates, so I’m not well prepared to chock this up as a lemon assessment unit. Stabilizers are also a minor loose and have some rattle to them, but that’s pretty usual of gaming boards. 

Michael Crider/IDG

Over and above the dreadful noise, making use of the keyboard for operate was serviceable if not remarkable when I place some sound-canceling headphones on. The keycaps are a distinct substantial note, with a a little bit grainy texture that designed adjusting from my common board incredibly effortless. The adjustable toes and a bit rubbery wrist rest are very comfortable. The volume wheel is helpful, but it has a sleek motion that doesn’t notch, so it feels unfastened and a bit unsatisfying blended with the Home windows electronic quantity controls.

Gaming 

Working with the K70 to game was a far better practical experience than typing, if only since my target was taken away from that awful pinging noise. I discover that keyboards are commonly interchangeable in phrases of efficiency for Pc gaming, due to the fact your layout is usually established in-sport. But for people who will need it, the K70 can simply handle customized keystroke assignments in the chaotic but useful iCue application. The typical macros and for each-software profiles are existing. 

Michael Crider/IDG

There are some thoughtful additions listed here. Nearly all gaming keyboards have a recreation lock purpose that disables the Windows vital, but in iCue this manner can also disable Alt-Tab, Change-Tab, and if you are significantly susceptible to historical memes, Alt-F4. There’s a 1000Hz/1Ms polling amount, quicker than just about any human can detect, and even an choice to regulate for “switch debounce time” to retain from an accidental hardware-triggered double-faucet. 

Michael Crider/IDG

Lighting alternatives are substantial, with extra than a dozen preset animations, customized programming, and syncing with other iCue-enabled equipment and even Google Home or Alexa routines. If you’d like to roll your individual lighting which is also an alternative. There are 3 distinctive LEDs beneath the area bar, which add unquestionably practically nothing to functionality but are appreciated for the sake of aesthetics. While this huge board lacks some of the more flashy extras like aspect-mounted lights, the brilliant LEDs will suffice if you like your desktop to appear like a very small thumping rave.

On leading of the normal important structure, the K70 gives you focused profile, lighting, and recreation lock buttons on the leading still left, and cease, again, engage in, and forward media controls on the top ideal under the quantity wheel, and a devoted mute button. None of these are mechanical, but they don’t truly will need to be. 

Michael Crider/IDG

Once more, the focused scroll wheel feels unfastened and unsatisfying. I really desire it was both notched and pressable, which would negate the need for muscle mass memory for each quantity and mute capabilities. One very last neat small contact: There are committed grooves in the base plastic part of the case for semi-long-lasting cable routing. It is a great addition if you’re not completely ready to leap to wi-fi just yet.

Value 

The K70 RGB Professional prices $170. And that is a determine I really can’t get in excess of. A $100 board with as quite a few characteristics as this a person has could be forgiven for merely all right extras and very irritating ping sound. For as a great deal as Corsair wishes for this one particular, I can’t recommend it.

Michael Crider/IDG

That kind of revenue could get you a high quality structure with a entire metallic situation and warm-swap switches, if not quite so numerous gamer options. Razer’s broadly equivalent BlackWidow V3 is $30 less costly, although you drop that if you want PBT keycaps. HyperX presents all the very same controls at about half the rate on the Alloy Elite 2, with an even a lot more deluxe design at the exact same rate. And at this value there are various deluxe wireless choices. 

The K70 is ok, and if you can overlook the awful sound of the switches and body, even excellent. But in this market, that’s just not good adequate.