CORSAIR - Gaming K95 RGB PLATINUM XT Wired Mechanical CHERRY MX Speed RGB Silver Switch Keyboard with RGB Back Lighting - Black

Is a really good keyboard I love it, I bought one for me and my brother and they both have worked great. THIS IS IMPORTANT! To note for those of you buying a mechanical keyboard for the first time or are not an expert at knowing your types of keyboards. THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THIS KEYBOARD. Linear (Silver), Tactile (Brown), and Clicky (Blue). They look exactly the same! You can tell which type it is by the color in its name. This isn't a reference to the color of the keyboard but the color of the type of keys that the keyboard uses. There are actually 12 or more different types of mechanical keyboards in the world, however, this manufacture simplifies it and only produces one of each of the major types. FOR REFERENCE! Linear is Silver, Tactile is Brown, Clicky is Blue. LINEAR is designed more specifically for gamers, or people who like not to feel the keyboard respond to them. The keys are very smooth to push and give no response to being pushed. They are preferred by gamers who like fast responses as it doesn't take much force to trigger them. Also because the keys don't fight you much you can type on them for long periods of time without getting a workout. However, unlike Tactile (the Brown one), there is no response when you push them, so there is no click when you push them down, the key just keeps going down until it bottoms out on the base. This is the SILVER one. Sometimes however other manufacturers refer to this one as the RED keyboard, Red keys and Silver keys are basically the same keys, the silver one is just a special version of Red that responds a bit better. TACTILE is if you like it when you push the keys down you feel a click or a bump when the key is pressed. Almost like a 'click' feel when you push it. This is the most common type of mechanical keyboard out there. So for a lot of people, it feels really familiar. This is a really good keyboard for those who do a lot of typing work and is preferred by people who do things like coding or writing because the keyboard lets you know when a key was pressed, so it responds to you. This is the BROWN one. CLICKY is just as it sounds, it is a tactile keyboard but with a loud click. It's very similar to the brown one the only difference being is that is very noisy. This is for people who love the sound of their keyboards. However, it may also lead to becoming divorced, dismemberment, or cause you to become the most hated employee at work. So only buy this one if you are single, and like living alone. It's the same thing as the Brown one but is clickier. If you love the sound of clicky keyboards then this is the one for you. This one is the BLUE one. When discussing the different types of keyboards and which one you should buy, there isn't a correct answer here. It's just what you prefer. We also couldn't tell the difference in the types either when we were looking at keyboards so we bought a little test kit called a "mechanical keyboard test kit" to play with the different types. I preferred the Silver/Red one and so did my Mom and Sister, but my Dad and Brother preferred Brown. It's a little like a personality quiz. It's just a matter of personal preference. Both my brother and I are gamers, in fact, he does a lot of Twitch streaming and speedrunning, and yet he still prefers Brown, (even though Silver is for gamers). So it goes to show that you simply can't know by the description. I thought I would prefer brown but after feeling silver I loved it. So I bought one each, Silver and Brown, I bought a Silver for myself and a Brown for my brother, and we play on both. So having both and being able to compare them side by side to each other I would say there is a difference between them. They appear identical but feel different. My recommendation is if you going to spend $200 on a keyboard you might want to spend a few extra bucks and buy a kit because it really helps and is hard to tell which one you will prefer from just reading the descriptions. Plus you can keep the kit and when your friends come over you can blow their minds and show how knowledgeable you are with your superior knowledge about all the different types of mechanical keyboards there are out there in the world. (Actually it is fun, like one of those quizzes on Facebook, "Which button do you prefer?"!) As for the keyboards themself I really like them. The palmrests are really nice and the keys type great, they give a slight click sound which isn't so loud that it is annoying, but enough that it can be heard on our professional microphones, it's not annoying in any way, but for recording quality, we are considering buying the rings (You can buy to limit sound) to put under the keys so that when you push the keys down it keeps them quiet. As for the RGB lights. I'm not really a fan of RGB. In fact, I actually hate them and I think that they are kind of annoying. So when I bought this keyboard I thought I would just turn it off or flip it to a plain color, but actually now that I have had it for a bit, it's not so bad, in fact, I like it, it's kinda fun. I have my keyboard do a slow roll from left to right changing colors, it's a very slow transition and your keyboard is always changing colors, so every time you come back to the keyboard from a break it's a different color set, which is cool! Also, the lights on the keyboard are very nice colors and really are not annoying, I thought I would be blinded by them, but no they are very pleasant to look at, they did a great job on the colors, making them look nice. So if you worried about the RGB you shouldn't be, it looks great. Even if you don't like RGB you won't mind this design. So final thought on this keyboard, it's really great! It's a very premium keyboard. After all the research I did I picked this one as the one I wanted and I have no regrets, this is one of the best ones if not the best keyboard out there. That said while I myself wanted the keyboard to finish up my gaming computer and make it a premium working PC, as I am a very big computer geek. I would not recommend everyone because, for $200 it's great, I love it, but at the end of it all, it's a keyboard and that's all it is. If you're low on money this isn't a necessity. You should wisely spend your money somewhere else, like on a better graphics card or something. That said if you don't want to spend money on a K95 a K70 is only about $70 and has 90+% of all the capabilities of this one. So if you strapped on cash buy that one, the big difference is the macros on the side, which most people don't use anyway. So your not losing much by buying a K70 instead of a K95. That said the K95 is fantastic as I said no regrets, but if you low on cash it's cousin the K70 is a better bang for the buck. Would buy it again, in fact, I have I bought 2! It's a great keyboard!

Packing is very premium looking and in the box is keyboard in black adonized brushed aluminum color, keycaps, detachable wristpad . Detachable wrist rest is changed in this version compared to earlier models and the wrist pad is now a leatherette soft cushion which feels better. RGB lighting on this keyboard is very good and looks premium. There are 19 zones that can be individually customized with 16.8 million colors that can be selected on users choice. This keyboard is equipped with a double-shot PBT keycap set and six dedicated macro keys with Elgato Stream Deck software integration. You need to download the Elgato stream deck software from corsair website. But it works better once corsair ICUE software is downloaded for better integration. You can program special streaming commands and swap the included S-key keycaps for convenient command over your stream. You need to download the corsair iCUE software and once downloaded you can set different custom profiles to the keyboard itself that includes lighting effects, macros, settings. There are dedicated buttons on the top of keyboard where these custom profiles are saved can be stored to the keyboard. This is a great feature to store profiles to keyboard that way you don’t need to download the software for any machines you want this keyboard to install. This is achieved by its 8MB of internal onboard storage for storing profiles and macros to the keyboard itself that allows to take your profiles on the go. Lighting setting can be adjusted in advanced mode from static, gradient, ripple, solid, wave. Each individual key can be assigned to different color or effect. The volume dial on top looks very premium with dial and the dedicated media keys with play, pause, skip forward and skip backward and stop button is very handy for playing videos. There are 6 dedicated keys for storing micros with the textured keycaps on the left side of the keyboard. On the back of the keyboard there is a USB 2.0 passthrough that comes handy to attach mouse or usb headphone devices. On the back of the keyboard, there are grooves for cable management that can be used to route the headphone wires. Overall, great gaming RGB keyboard but this new version does not substantiate the price point of $199 when you can purchase the same functional keyboard K95 older model for much cheaper on sale.

The Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT keyboard was designed with the must have features for competitive gaming and streaming. I think Corsair is a gold standard when it comes to making a quality and well thought-out product. Pros: * Cherry MX switches: As with other top keyboards, this keyboard boasts linear cherry MX switches. These are in my opinion the best switch for gaming as they are the most responsive. The keys are fairly quite and do not make the "traditional clicking sound" mechanical keyboards are known for. They also have a subtle texture (especially the space bar) which I found nice. * Aesthetics: All I can say is WOW. This keyboard is absolutely gorgeous. It has a nice dark brushed aluminum look with stunning RGB backlighting. * Software: It uses the Corsair iCUE interface which is user friendly and allows you to fully customize the keyboard. It has 5 preset profiles and of course the ability to add your own. There is an actions tab which allows you to macro any key with some pretty advanced commands. This comes in handy when performing combo movements/actions in games. Lastly, there is a performance tab that allows you to disable key combinations such as alt + tab and set the lock indicator colors. The iCUE software interfaces with other Corsair products for full system synchronization. * USB Passthrough: This keyboard requires 2 USB slots on the motherboard. It offers a USB passthrough on the back middle of the keyboard. * Media Keys: In the top right corner of the keyboard there is a rolling volume adjust and mute button. In the top left corner there are profile, lights on/off, and windows key lock buttons. * Packaging: A nice looking box with minimal packaging. This is always a plus for me as it is respectful towards the environment. Way to go Corsair! Intermediate: * Ergonomics: While this keyboard comes with a click in cushioned leatherette palm rest which I found nice, the key spacing feels off. I think this is because the Stream Deck software integrated buttons are to the left of the keys (TAB/CAPS/etc). When I place my hands on the keyboard, they do not line up with the asdf and jkl; keys naturally. I would prefer the stream deck keys to be placed on the top left and to move the three keys (profile, lights on/off, and windows key lock) next to the other media keys. This is my first keyboard with keys to the left of TAB so maybe with continued use I will get used to it. Overall: Overall, I think Corsair hit all the marks when designing a keyboard for gamers and streamers. It has nice integrations, easy to use software, and a high quality build. I have owned many Corsair products in the past and will continue to do so as they are leaders in the industry.

After some looking around for a mechanical keyboard and i found this one, at a glance yes it is expensive, and yes you can find a lower priced mechanical one. but this does feel like a premium keyboard, if you are looking for one, it is safe to say this is one of the better ones, now with that said, this is a cherry mx speed silver switch if you don't know what that means it is a linear key switch, it is sensitive, i my self like that, you will need to get use to it if you have never typed in one of this type of switches, but for gaming its just amazing you will notice the difference, you will not miss an input and it comes with some extra moba keys, fps keys and stream deck keys that are same texture as the macro keys or G keys, also this does have pbt key caps, they have better texture and don't get all shiny from your natural oils as fast so that is a plus, it has a usb pass trough, that does mean you need two usb ports free to plug it in but on the other hand you have a closer usb port for use, now i don't really care for RGB but oh boy this is customizable, with the software you can do a lot with this and if you don't want the software in your pc this keyboard has on board profile so you can custom your profile and then just save it on board and delete the software, now me I don't really mind it but i do know people that do, also the hand rest is pretty great and comfortable and lastly the macro keys or streaming keys. this is pretty good for people that stream they have ELGATO stream deck software integration that just goes over my head, I don't really use or know how to use that, for me I just use them as macros for games. to end if you don't mind the price this is definitely a very good purchase, if you find it on sale don't over think it that much.

Overall— this is a beautiful keyboard! Fantastic build quality! A solid brushed aluminum frame that should last for many years. So far a very positive experience. The extra key caps are icing on the cake. Only wish I could buy the same key caps for the rest of the keyboard. Aesthetics— Just beautiful. Beautifully backlit keys shine more than enough for use in both day or night, although you’d find more gratification of its luminosity at night. Under the highest brightness, and due to the light that shines into my desk environment some colors appear washed out. Software— The software is top notch. Customization is almost limitless. My biggest issue, and it’s probably an isolated issue, is customizing and cycling through the onboard profiles. I can only seem to cycle the iCue profiles which change the RGB fans/LEDS/AiO colors. The only time I can change with the onboard profiles is during the boot sequence or in the BIOS. The onboard profiles change the profile key color from blue, red, green, yellow, and purple if I’m not mistake (not in that specific order). The Stream deck integrated functionality is amazing (and this is from someone who doesn’t stream, create videos, or any other content creation). For someone like me, the amount of functionality capable is overkill. I’ve only been able to meaningfully use key-binds but there are so many possibilities from posting to twitch, controlling smart lights, starting other apps, opening a specific local video/audio file, and beyond. Performance/Features/Setup— The wrist rest included with this is perfect. Not too soft but neither hard. The leathery like material feels cool to the touch and hasn’t made the base of my palms sweaty during gaming sessions. The keyboard, for the most part, is relatively silent compared to other mechanical keyboards I’ve used. Customizing the keys for gaming is relatively easy. The least intuitive thing (coming from someone who hardly ever reads instruction manuals) is selecting specific keys to be a set color. “CTRL” + selecting the keys on the onscreen keyboard in the iCue app will accomplish this. In my case I setup WASD to be red, QERF for blue, CTRL ALT Space for green and a dimly lit keyboard for white. This along with the LOCK key at the top of the keyboard is my preferred setup for gaming. Also, a note about the LOCK key at the top. Toggling it prevents OS keys from activating certain functions. I do wish it prevented most OS embedded key commands however. It only prevents the windows key from bringing up the start menu. It doesn’t prevent (the oldest trick in the book) ALT+F4, CTRL+W, the minimize or maximize keystrokes from functioning. The braided 3.0 USB cable is lengthy enough for most setups. I’ve used this keyboard on a traditional desk environment but also in a less traditional living room entertainment setup. The USB cable measures around 5’ - 6’. My biggest gripe with the USB cable is that the packaging states it requires 2 USB 3.0 ports but the passthru port is only a 2.0. The keys responsiveness is amazing, very quick. I’ll often be typing something out and in the middle of the sentence or phrase my mind suddenly shifts the wording. My fingers will shift to type out the new phrase but many times I’ll have barely tapped on a previous word structures key and it’ll pick it up. I’m literally talking about a tap where the key hardly moves, that’s how responsive it is. Overall, I highly recommend any gamer or anyone looking for an ergonomic keyboard to buy this. This just packs a little more of a punch than your typical ergonomic keyboard.

Great Keyboard with very good response times and vibrant RGB. Had the keboard for more than a month and have had no issues with macros and media keys

I came from an older K70 with cherry red switches that died (cat spilled a drink on it). Feel wise, I prefer the reds, tho these speed switches are growing on me. So much so that I enjoy typing on it as much as I ever did my old K70. Aesthetically it's great. Palm rest is real comfortable. Extremely well built. But so much of mechanical keyboards comes down to the feel you want. If you like the feel of these speed switches you'll love it.

It has short throw switches. 1.2mm compared to the 2.0mom I been using for over a year. Took a day or 2 to adjust to it. Now that I have....they call them MX speed for a reason. LOL The improved padded wrist rest is a huge improvement. You can but white key caps or use hyper x pudding top caps (black on top white on bottom) just understand that corsair keyboards are not bottom row standard. So 4 caps will not work in that hyper x kit. The keys that dont work are both windows keys spacebar and 1 next to the windows key. (See pictures below) The effect is awesomeness. even with them keys still present. Beats having to spend 115$+ on a full set like them. The hyper x kit is 25$ and corsair doesnt make pudding top caps. Corsair ice is great has its issues mind you.....like all software does.