Corsair K70 RGB Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Feature
Loaded with features
The click, click, click of tapping keys
It has been a while since I’ve acquired a new gaming keyboard. The existing mechanical keyboard I have, has served me well – giving me several years of service. This has been much to the detriment of my family due to the loud Cherry MX Blue keys, so when the option of testing out a new keyboard - the Corsair K70 RGB Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - I jumped at the chance for my sake, and that of my long-suffering family.
Design
On removing the keyboard from the box, I immediately noticed that this is not your standard office keyboard. The K70 RGB Pro has an aluminium frame giving the keyboard considerable weight (1.15kg without the palm rest). A magnetic palm rest slots in perfectly to the keyboard. There are two slots at the bottom of the keyboard that guide the palm rest into place. The palm rest is patterned with raised triangular bumps, which seems to make it more comfortable. The only issue is that the minute gaps are prone to collecting dust and food particles. A couple of fold-out feet can be used to give the keyboard an incline.
The K70 RGB Pro comes with a braided USB-C to USB-A cable The cable is fully detachable and allows gamers to transport without fear of bending the connector. The cable is around 1.8m long, and so there is plenty of length for those who don’t want to sit right next to their PC.
The RGB Brown Cherry MX keys aren’t as load as that of my current mechanical keyboard and it’s Cherry MX Blue switches, but they are still reasonably loud. The Doubleshot PBT keys come with a guarantee of 100 million keystrokes further adding to the durability aspect of the K70 RGB Pro.
Functionality
After plugging the keyboard in, it comes to life with colour, but it is not just the RBG that makes me take notice. At the top of the keyboard sits a small screen highlighted by the Corsair logo. Either side of the logo are indicators for Scroll Lock, Num Lock and Caps Lock. Each are clearly identifiable, allowing users to have a quick look to see what has been activated.
The top right corner of the keyboard houses a scroll wheel. By default, the scroll wheel is used as a volume control with media keys (stop, play/pause, fast forward, and rewind) positioned below it, allowing gamers or office workers quick access to controlling their Spotify playlists. There is also a mute key for quick silencing of the volume.
One of the less obvious, but important features of the K70 RGB Pro is the Tournament switch. Positioned at the rear next to the cable input, the tournament switch disables macros and customized actions so that they cannot be used in a tournament scenario. The switch also removes any customized lighting and instead has a static red colour so that reduces any distractions to gamers. Most people probably won’t use the switch and would prefer the customizable RGB, but for those professional gamers out there, I can definitely see a use for it.
The iCue software allows gamers to customize the RGB lighting as well as macros and key allocation. It is a pretty powerful piece of software, helped by the 8MB of on-board memory that enables the storage of up to 50 profiles. The iCue software can be used to assign RGB to each individual key on the keyboard, so gamers can have any layout they choose, as well as having several lighting effects at their disposal. The iCue software also allows for macro recording and key assignments, with the process being a simple one made easier by a step-by-step tutorial.
Verdict
The K70 RGB Pro Mechanical Gaming keyboard is an awesome device. With the sturdy aluminium frame, Doubleshot PBT key caps and thick braided cable, it gives the impression that it will make it through any gaming session without issue. The media keys and the scroll wheel ensure that everything is at your fingertips, and the per-key RGB functionality means that the keyboard can be customized to any gamers desire.
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