Corsair Gaming launched late last year with an impressive array of gaming peripherals, capably demonstrating the company’s new commitment to deliver high-quality products for gamers.
I recently reviewed the Corsair Gaming K70 Keyboard and was half-tempted to copy and past the review, because the K65 is essentially the same (incredible) mechanical keyboard, just smaller. It's got the same incredible construction, the same key feel- the only difference is that it’s as if someone took a machete to the right side of the keyboard and hacked off the number pad and media controls.
Depending on your gaming style the loss of a number pad might be a dealbreaker, but there are actually some decent benefits. The keyboard is now smaller (14 inches vs 17 inches) and lighter (1.90lbs vs 2.73lbs) and thus that much more portable. I barely able to squeeze the K70 into a backpack to carry with me to and from the office but the K65 can fit in a laptop or messenger bag with ease.
It’s clear that this is the perfect option for a gamer on the go, whether he or she is going to conventions or events or anywhere else, not to mention anyone with a smaller desk.
The smaller size does mean that the media controls of the K70 are gone, sadly, but it still has volume and mute buttons on the top. (How often do you use the media controls, anyway?)
The K65 exclusively uses Cherry MX Red key switches, not the Cherry MX Brown or Blue ones, which means that if you like that tactile clicky feel from the Blues and Browns you should look elsewhere, but most gamers seem to enjoy Reds. (For more on Cherry MX Switches you should check out this great video.)
But otherwise, all my same points stand- I’ve been using the K70 nearly exclusively for the last few months and this keyboard has the same wonderful feel. It's got 100% anti-ghosting with full key rollover just like its bigger sibling, and the detachable wrist rest is just as springy and comfortable. It's a better keyboard for a gamer than for a writer, since the deep grooves in the keys are meant to hold your fingers in the midst of frantic gameplay.
The big feature for the RGB series is of course its insane amount of lighting customization, and this doesn’t fail either. Each and every key on the keyboard features backlighting that can be customized individually, allowing you a nearly limitless number of options for your keyboard. There's a flourishing community of people creating their own themes for the keyboard and sharing them online. You can find everything from specific patterns to highlight important keys for specific games to fun themes that take advantage of the lighting effects, making every tap on the keyboard send waves of lights across the keyboard, for example. If you don't like what's been created you can easily create your own using Corsair's Utility Engine software.
It's a remarkable, heavy-duty keyboard that will stand up to a ton of abuse. Corsair Gaming's first line of products is near-flawless, all of them getting strong recommendations from us.
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The Corsair Gaming K65 RGB Keyboard is a Best Buy exclusive and will run you $149, $20 less than the K70.
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