GK80 - Under the hood?

GK80 - Under the hood?

As I said before, the GK80 isn't lacking in any features that one would expect on a 2018 flagship keyboard. Naturally, one of the things this keyboard does lack is waterproofing, which is perhaps the flagship feature of Corsair's relatively recent K68. I get the feeling that higher waterproofing ratings will soon start to become 'the norm' in 2018. Look how easy it is to knock your drink flying.

Specifications:

• Cherry MX RGB Red Switches backed with lightweight aluminum construction.
• Full RGB LED Illumination, millions of colors and several astonishing light effects can be easily controlled by RGB Mystic Light.
• Fine-tune detailed settings with Gaming Center.
• N-Key Rollover and Windows Key Lock for smooth gaming experience.
• Dedicated Multimedia Hotkeys.
• 4x Luxury Metal Keycaps (Default) and 12x Rubber Keycaps provides excellent typing feedback.
• Sturdy palm rest for extra comfort.
• Braided Cables + Gold-plated Connector.

The GK80 comes with the long-standing German-made Cherry MX Red switches. These are, incidentally, per key backlit. The MX Reds are traditionally seen as the 'gamer' orientated switch, offering a totally linear response with an actuation force of just 45g. The linear response (with no feedback) and low force required to activate the switch means they are absolutely perfect for gaming, allowing for quick actuation of the keys. Cherry has actually released MX Speed and MX Silver switches, that are even lighter/shorter to activate. I will be covering the typing experience with the board later. Whilst all MX Red switches are, naturally, the same, the implementation of the switch (e.g. board depth, cap quality, cap type or material) can make or break a keyboard and turn it from a good experience into a great one, or vice versa. I'll say right away that I 100% prefer switches with tactile feedback, so Cherry MX Browns or Blues are my go to, depending on whether I want to annoy my work colleagues to death or not. A small point, but the keycaps are by no means a 'floating' style, and wrap around the entire key almost down to the keyboard's case.

The GK80 has the now fairly common per key RGB lighting behind every keycap, controllable by MSI's Mystic Light sofware. You'll notice that there are two apps needed to control the keyboard to the fullest extent. I will look at the software later in the review. The suites itself promises numerous different lighting presets, as well as the ability to integrate with other MSI 'Mystic Light' enabled pieces of MSI gear. As you would also expect, the GK80 also supports the programming of macros through the other bit of relevant software, the 'MSI Gaming Centre.' This catch-all bit of software also allows for the finer control of other MSI products, and it makes me wish that Mystic Light could be integrated into it. Maybe something for the future, MSI?

MSI also takes the liberty of including a bunch of extra keycaps. By default the WASD keys are sporting a smoother silver finished set of caps. I, however, really do not like these, so they're going to be immediately replaced by the included rough topped/ rubberized caps. Naturally, we'll go through these later, and there will be photos.

MSI isn't well known for its gaming peripherals, is most well regarded for their motherboards and graphics cards. However, it is interesting that MSI has chosen to enter the high-end market in such a big way, with a keyboard that seemingly offers all the bells and whistles. It's a brave move, charging $160.00, but so far the signs are looking good for a decent product. That said, the acid test will - naturally - be in the using of the product. All the features in the world will do your item no good if it's terrible to use. I do not think for one second, however, that it will be. MSI is a company that produces gaming peripherals, and they've been in the game long enough to know what gamers want. As goes warranty, the GK80 appears to come with MSI's one-year standard warranty. This might be a little disappointing, but from what I have seen, build quality and (therefore) reliability shouldn't be an issue, especially for the switches (which are rated to Cherry's standard 50 million keystroke count). Having said that, for 160 USD, I do expect more, and I cannot put that either gently or nicely.