I ought to begin this Corsair K55 RGB Professional XT evaluate by saying that I haven\u2019t used a membrane keyboard since I used to be within the first or second grade. My household had an previous desktop all of us used, and whereas I don\u2019t bear in mind precisely how that keyboard felt, it was a lot completely different from the mechanical boards we\u2019re used to these days when pondering of a \u201cgaming keyboard.\u201d<\/p>\n
The K55 RGB Professional XT, though a gaming keyboard, doesn’t really feel like one. It completely appears like one, although. With its sensible RGB and all-black physique, that\u2019s definitely. However in observe, this keyboard\u2019s nice for extra than simply gaming. It\u2019s a daily typist\u2019s dream, and it’ll doubtless grow to be the one keyboard I exploit.<\/p>\n
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Gaming On A Cloud<\/h2>\n
The very first thing you\u2019ll discover if you use the K55 RGB Professional XT is how quiet it’s. Due to its rubber dome keyswitches and plastic chassis, this board is remarkably quiet. There\u2019s no annoying \u201cting!\u201d that comes with every keystroke, so that you received\u2019t be protecting anybody up along with your noisy keyboard, and no one in your Discord name will hear you mashing a button for a QTE. That\u2019s to not say the keyboard is silent although. As a substitute, it produces a pleasant, satisfying \u201cclack\u201d with each press.<\/p>\n
No matter why you\u2019re utilizing the K55 RGB Professional XT, whether or not it\u2019s for gaming or typing up an e mail, you\u2019ll really feel such as you\u2019re typing on a pillow. Its keys are comfortable to press because of the membrane behind them. You received\u2019t get any finger pressure from typing, even after hours. For players, meaning rather less stress in your WASD fingers.<\/p>\n
The place you received\u2019t discover an excessive amount of consolation, is within the K55 RGB Professional XT\u2019s palm relaxation. It\u2019s marketed as a \u201ccomfortable textured\u201d relaxation, which is an extremely unusual option to describe a bit of laborious plastic. The palm relaxation isn\u2019t plush and doesn\u2019t supply any actual consolation. It\u2019s the palm relaxation equal of a park bench, in that it\u2019s higher than nothing. In comparison with my traditional keyboard, the Razer Blackwidow Elite, and its plush palm relaxation, having my fingers relaxation on this piece of plastic felt like a big downgrade. If you would like although you possibly can simply depart the palm relaxation off, because it\u2019s removable. However once more, a sub-par palm relaxation is healthier than none in any respect.<\/p>\n
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The K55 RGB Professional XT\u2019s structure is the place issues begin getting dicey. This can be a huge board, with Corsair describing its type issue as \u201cProlonged full-size.\u201d It earns that title too, coming in at a large 19 inches lengthy and 6.58 inches broad. Comparatively, my Razer Blackwidow Elite is a full 1.5 inches smaller length-wise than the K55 RGB Professional XT.<\/p>\n
I do should reward Corsair\u2019s engineers for one, tiny modification within the keyboard, although. There may be an indent on the rightmost facet of the CAPS key, one thing that after I first used the K55 RGB Professional XT, I discovered unusual. However in observe, it\u2019s an excellent little change. When you fumble your inputs (like me), you could possibly typically find yourself urgent CAPS in-game as an alternative of the A key. Due to this tiny indent, it\u2019s a lot more durable to press CAPS by chance. Once more it\u2019s not a large change, however one which I enormously appreciated.<\/p>\n
As for the K55 RGB Professional XT\u2019s gaming efficiency, properly, it\u2019s wholly unremarkable. In truth, it\u2019s what must be customary. Inputs are responsive, with no noticeable delay in any respect. It polls at 1000Hz\/ 1 msec, which is the usual, so that you shouldn\u2019t count on something out of this world or disappointing. When you\u2019re on the lookout for a gaming keyboard with a better polling charge, try our evaluate for Corsair\u2019s K65 RGB Mini.<\/p>\n
It must be famous, although, that should you prefer to sport on mechanical keyboards versus membrane, you\u2019ll should undergo a little bit of a course of to modify boards. The K55 RGB Professional XT connects to units through a USB 3.0 Sort-A jack. That\u2019s proper, no USB-C right here, so that you received\u2019t be capable to sizzling swap keyboards. That stated, I\u2019ve performed numerous Name of Obligation Black Ops: Chilly Conflict on this board, and the expertise has been simply tremendous.<\/p>\n
Filled with options<\/h2>\n
The K55 RGB Professional XT comes filled with additional options that some customers will discover useful or entertaining. The primary, and most blatant addition are the six buttons positioned on the leftmost facet on the board. Labeled G1 by G6, these are the keyboard\u2019s devoted macro keys. You’ll be able to handle a sequence of inputs to every key, giving customers entry to 6 macros proper at their fingertips.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, I rarely used the function for the reason that video games I play (first-person shooters and RPGs), don\u2019t actually necessitate macros. I did bind a few them to frequent instructions utilized in writing (management + A and management + C for example), however that was about it.<\/p>\n
Whereas they\u2019re not helpful to me, and I’d a lot choose a model of this board with out these keys, I can see how they might be helpful to different customers. RTS gamers can bind a sequence of instructions to 1 key, and content material creators can use the keyboard\u2019s built-in Stream Deck integration to modify scenes or enter streaming instructions. Nonetheless, I consider the typical person would somewhat have a keyboard that\u2019s an inch smaller as an alternative of six additional keys. The K55 RGB Professional XT additionally comes with brightness and home windows lock buttons. Requirements on any gaming keyboard with RGB.<\/p>\n
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As its identify implies, the K55 RGB Professional XT comes loaded with colourful lights. Every key has its personal individually lit backlight, and each gentle is individually programmable by Corsair\u2019s iCue software program. The boundaries to how this board might be lit up are your creativeness. When you\u2019re like me, although, and simply desire a good rainbow to clean throughout your keyboard, it\u2019s by no means appeared higher. The per-key RGB and membrane mixed make for some extremely vivid lighting results. That\u2019s one thing you might not get with the K55 RGB Professional, a less expensive model of this board that options 5-zone RGB as an alternative of per-key.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, after I initially plugged within the K55 RGB Professional XT, iCue had a somewhat troublesome time detecting it. Because it seems, I had an outdated model of the software program. Nonetheless, when prompted to replace, it wouldn\u2019t. I needed to uninstall and reinstall iCue, which requires a system reset, to have my keyboard detected. When you\u2019re fascinated with selecting up this keyboard, do your self a favor and obtain the newest model of iCue earlier than going to the shop.<\/p>\n
Massive efficiency in a giant package deal<\/h2>\n
Whereas Corsair\u2019s K55 RGB Professional XT is the largest keyboard I\u2019ve ever used, it\u2019s additionally among the finest. As somebody that writes lots (like I’m proper now), the K55 RGB Professional XT gives a premium expertise. Typing on this keyboard is an absolute dream, and whereas I\u2019d somewhat have a softer, increased high quality palm relaxation, I can look previous it for the delight that’s typing on such a responsive membrane keyboard. After work, I don\u2019t even have to fret about switching to a extra responsive board. The K55 RGB Professional XT will get the job carried out, residing as much as its \u201cgaming keyboard\u201d title.<\/p>\n
After all, it\u2019s not an ideal board. Whereas I repeatedly used a full-size keyboard earlier than receiving the K55 RGB Professional XT, I couldn\u2019t ignore the additional inch in size taken up by its six macro keys. When you don\u2019t have numerous desk area for this behemoth of a keyboard, it merely isn\u2019t for you. That goes double should you plan on gaming. It\u2019s nearly assured that your mouse will slam into the facet of the board.<\/p>\n
When you do have the room to spare although and might put the K55 RGB Professional XT\u2019s macro keys to make use of it would simply be among the finest all-around keyboards for the cash. It\u2019s satisfying to sort on, gives a reliable gaming expertise, and comes with excellent RGB lighting. Priced at simply $69.99 USD, the Corsair K55 RGB Professional XT is a implausible keyboard providing a premium expertise that received\u2019t break the financial institution. Corsair is setting an ordinary for keyboards with this worth level. I\u2019ll be impressed if some other producer can do higher.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n