Corsair Gaming K70 Rapidfire RGB Gaming Keyboard Review

Performance

Corsair has been nice and uniform with their software for a while now, and the new K70 is no exception, using the same Corsair software we’ve seen on many recent peripherals. This means you can control your keyboard, headset, mouse and any other compatible devices from a single interface. This opens up the possibilities of syncing lighting effects, profiles, macros and more.

Now that we’ve got the basic out-of-the-way, how does this keyboard really perform? Well, on the surface, it looks just like many other K70 keyboards, the RGB lighting is absolutely stunning and has a virtually endless array of effects. What you will be glad to hear is that it is going to be completely compatible with any lighting profiles for previous Corsair keyboards, so you can get downloading and install them as you see fit, or export them from your older models if you’re upgrading to this one.

The biggest difference in the lighting is easily found in the key caps, as the much bigger font lets a lot more light through and makes the keyboard really pop and the letters really stand out much more than they used to. If you want RGB lighting, you’re going to want to see as much of it as possible, so this can only be a good thing in my opinion.

The new switches are really cool, on one hand they still feel and perform like MX Red switches. They’re linear and don’t have the tactile bump found on Brown, Blue or Green switches, which makes them super fast and smooth for typing and gaming. However, the shorter throw of the switch is very noticeable and does take some getting used to. I found myself typing too hard for them and this resulted in a lot of clunky noises from the key caps. A few hours of use, however, and your fingers will learn that you can be much lighter, faster and more nimble with them and still get a keystroke to trigger. This is great for gaming and touch typing as it really helps you pick up a little extra speed and expend a little less effort over time.

The lighting is easy to configure, and the key caps looks and feel great under your fingertips. If I have one criticism, it’s that the keyboard is a little noisy, particularly the space bar which seems to clunk quite loud. Fortunately, the stems are still compatible with O-Ring mods, and after installing a few on the noisier keys as a trial run, we found it really transformed the keyboard and make it much smoother and quieter overall. Of course, this is a subjective thing, and your mileage may vary on which way you prefer your keys to feel and sound.