Corsair K70 RGB TKL keyboard review - Introduction

Corsair K70 RGB TKL review
The K70 goes tenkeyless

The Corsair K70 RGB TKL comes from a range of keyboards that we already presented here on Guru3F. We reviewed the K70 RGB Rapidfire Mk2, which comes also in a low-profile version. So, the first major difference this time is the tenkeyless format. Other than that, this keyboard has not changed much as far as the general concept is concerned. It is, of course, still an RGB mechanical keyboard, but this time it comes in a smaller package. What else? The key switches in the review sample were the Cherry MX Reds (which we’ll write a bit more about later). The RGB lighting is provided individually for each key, and it’s possible to customize it through Corsair’s iCUE software (which has seen a bit of a revamp recently, but we’ll get to that, too). iCUE lets you change the controls for lighting, profiles, macros, media, volume, etc. We find here 8 MB of onboard storage, thus it’s possible to save up to 50 onboard profiles, with custom macros and your own RGB lighting effects, with up to 20 lighting layers. It won’t come as a surprise that you also get 100% anti-ghosting technology and full n-key rollover in the K70 RGB TKL. So, this has been a rather standard list of features so far, but what are some of the highlights that make this product stand out? Well, of course, it’s the form factor, which I’ve already mentioned. This is a tenkeyless keyboard, so you won’t find a Numpad here, which makes the product more compact. And that’s not all. This time, the keycaps are made of PBT, which brings more durability than ABS. Wear, fading and shine should be much less significant, and with 1.5 mm of thickness, stability will be improved as well. But that’s still not everything. The provided braided USB Type-C cable is detachable, so that makes this keyboard more mobile (and it’s nice that they’ve used the Type-C connector, which you’ll find e.g., on mobile phones).

The Corsair K70 RGB TKL is powered by CORSAIR AXON Hyper-Processing Technology, which should allow transmission of inputs to your PC up to 8x faster than in conventional gaming keyboards with 8,000 Hz hyper-polling. One other feature that also makes it quite unique is the tournament mode switch, which automatically swaps to distraction-free static backlighting and disables accidental macro activations.

 
Cherry MX Red switches have a linear characteristic. Combined with low spring resistance, they trigger directly. The CHERRY MX Red is the go-to switch for beginners in the world of mechanical keyboards. This smooth-running technology strikes a good balance between typing and gaming applications. 45 cN of actuation force needs to be applied for 2.0 mm pre-travel, with a total travel of 4.0 mm. K70 will be also available in Cherry MX Speed, Cherry MX Silent Red versions. The K70 RGB TKL uses a strong and sturdy brushed- aluminum finish frame that comes as black or anodized. The keyboard is priced at 149.99 USD. Is it worth it? Let’s check the Corsair K70 RGB TKL in practice on the following pages.