Just Buy the Non-Apple Version

Certainly one of Corsair’s hottest mechanical keyboards now has an Apple-exclusive paintjob. I had a whole lot of enjoyable with the Glacier Blue K65 Plus, however I am annoyed by its software program limitations and its inflated price ticket.

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Corsair K65 Plus

$120 $160 Save $40

The Corsair K65 Plus mechanical gaming keyboard options pre-lubed, hot-swappable MLX Purple linear switches and two layers of sound-dampening foam. It gives a tender, silky key response and connects over USB-C cable, 2.4GHz dongle, or Bluetooth.

Execs

• Pre-lubed linear switches present a tender really feel when gaming
• Nice construct high quality regardless of the all-plastic chassis
• Distinctive coloration choices
• USB, 2.4GHz wi-fi, and Bluetooth connectivity

Cons

• Apple-exclusive colorways are overpriced
• Customized RGB lighting would not work in Bluetooth or 2.4GHz mode
• Corsair did not tweak its lighting presets for the Arctic Blue colorway
• 1,000Hz polling price is not nice at this worth

Worth and Availability

Corsair’s K65 Plus keyboard is accessible at most main retailers with costs beginning at $160. Nevertheless, the Glacier Blue colorway that is featured on this assessment prices $180 and is offered solely on the Apple Retailer.

The K65 Plus comes with a keycap and change remover, a 2.4GHz wi-fi USB dongle, and a USB-C to USB-C cable (you need to use a USB-A to USB-C cable if that is what you favor).

Designed and Constructed Like a G3

At a practical degree, the Apple-exclusive K65 Plus is an identical to Corsair’s commonplace K65 Plus. They provide the identical specs and options, together with Home windows and macOS connectivity. This Apple revision merely has a novel coloration scheme and Mac-specific keycaps.

Nonetheless, the unique Glacier Blue colorway is beautiful. The keycaps have a novel powder-blue shade, whereas the chassis is a translucent arctic coloration. It really jogs my memory of the iMac G3, which feels acceptable for an Apple tie-in. If I had some time and cash to burn, I might seek out an iMac G3 for a bit photoshoot—would not that be cute?

Sure, this coloration clashes with completely every thing on my desk. It should in all probability conflict along with your stuff, too. However in a world of boring black and grey tech peripherals, I am simply pleased to see one thing that pops. It is a good time to say that the Apple Retailer sells a Frost White version, for many who need one thing extra modest.

By way of construct high quality, the K65 Plus is top-notch. Do not let the plastic chassis deceive you—this factor is heavy. It additionally sports activities hot-swappable, pre-lubricated linear crimson switches, a powerful noise-dampening system (it is extraordinarily quiet for a mechanical keyboard), high-quality ABS keycaps with shine-through legends, and vivid RGB backlighting.

A Very Tender Typing Expertise

I am a full-time author and editor. So, I spend a whole lot of time typing. And whereas some folks may get pleasure from typing on the K65 Plus, I discovered that the “silky easy” design simply makes me a sloppier typist.

The K65 Plus options hot-swappable elements—you need to use no matter switches and keycaps you need. However Corsair sells the keyboard with its personal high-quality, pre-lubed MLX Purple linear switches and easy, shine-through ABS keycaps (the unique black colorway doesn’t have shine-through keycaps).

There are two layers of sound-dampening foam contained in the keyboard’s chassis. The froth minimizes typing noise, after all, nevertheless it additionally provides a pillowy, tender feeling to every key press.

I make a whole lot of errors when typing on the K65 Plus. Its non-clicky linear switches simply do not present sufficient tactile or auditory suggestions. And though the switches have a good quantity of journey (4.0mm), they actuate at simply 1.9mm. For those who can kind on the K65 Plus with out fat-fingering the incorrect keys, I salute you.

Nevertheless, my complaints about sloppiness soften away after I hearth up a recreation like Counter-Strike. There’s one thing concerning the tender, shallow response of the K65 Plus that makes WASD keys really feel extra responsive and fluid. The dampened linear switches additionally proved to be extra snug than tactile switches, at the very least when performing repetitive key presses or holding a single key in place.

I do not plan on utilizing a linear keyboard for day-to-day typing, however the K65 Plus has satisfied me to maintain one readily available for gaming. I hope I am not being spoiled by the pre-lubed switches and dual-layer dampening foam as a result of I am undecided that I might wish to spend this a lot cash on a keyboard.

Anyhow, as somebody who tends to make use of a low-profile keyboard, the K65 Plus feels very tall. It measures slightly below 1.5 inches, and that is earlier than you flip out the legs, which offer an additional half inch of slope at their tallest setting (sure, the ft have two peak settings). A tall keyboard is truthfully a superb factor. It forces you to “hover” your wrists within the air, which reduces your danger of carpal tunnel and different repetitive stress accidents.

The draw back is that, in case you’re unwilling to maintain your wrists within the air, you may want a comparatively thick wrist relaxation to comfortably kind.

As for the keyboard’s format—it is advantageous, however I want that Corsair had copied the format from Apple’s Magic Keyboard. I might actually choose to have the Operate key on the left facet of the Spacebar, slightly than the best. I notice that this is able to power the Spacebar off-center, however I might truthfully choose that, as it could make it simpler to succeed in the Command key with my left thumb.

Stable Specs, With Some Exceptions

We have already coated the K65 Plus’ most essential {hardware} specs—the switches, the journey distance, and so forth. Nonetheless, the satan’s within the particulars, so it is time to discuss among the invisible stuff that may make or break a keyboard.

The Apple-exclusive K65 Plus prices $180, however its polling price is locked at 1000Hz (even in wired mode). A quick 8000Hz polling price will not make you a greater gamer, and most of the people cannot inform the distinction, however a whole lot of fans (and non-enthusiasts who spend an excessive amount of time on Reddit) refuse to purchase a keyboard that is not super-duper-extra responsive.

Corsair markets the K65 Plus as a wi-fi keyboard, which might be why it went with 1000Hz in wired mode. Admittedly, the wi-fi choices listed below are fairly compelling. A low-latency 2.4GHz USB dongle is included within the field (the keyboard has a storage slot for this dongle, too), and you may swap between three Bluetooth connections by holding the Operate key whereas urgent Residence, Web page Up, or Web page Down.

The K65 Plus additionally contains a dense 4,200mAh battery. It is rated for 266 hours when linked over 2.4GHz wi-fi or Bluetooth, offered that you simply depart the RGB backlight disabled. So, even in case you use the keyboard for eight hours a day, it ought to final effectively over a month on a single cost.

I examined the keyboard with RGB turned on. And, predictably, the backlight chews via battery. I needed to cost the K65 about as soon as each 10 days when utilizing it for work. Sure, I in all probability might’ve eked out some further battery life by lowering the backlight brightness (or by often turning the backlight off—there is a handy button for this), however I selected to torture myself by leaving the backlight at most energy.

I ought to make clear that the K65 Plus would not have any cutting-edge software program options like adjustable actuation or “Snap Tap.” It is a meat and potatoes keyboard. The one exception is the macros system, which we’ll discuss in a minute.

Ugly RGB and Bizarre iCue Nonsense

Like every fancy-pants gaming keyboard, the K65 Plus has a vivid RGB backlight with per-key lighting, wealthy animations, and a bunch of choices for consumer customization. There are ten animated lighting presets burned into the keyboard’s onboard storage, although you’ll be able to choose further lighting schemes or create your individual lighting profile within the iCue app in your Mac or PC.

Full disclosure—I do not care about RGB backlighting. A modest mild that helps me learn the keyboard is all I actually need. However the RGB state of affairs right here is simply silly.

Corsair did not take the time to create lighting presets that complement this keyboard’s powder-blue paintjob. The built-in RBG choices, accessed via the Operate key, are straight-up fugly. Like, tons of main colours, greens, and reds that completely conflict with the blue chassis, terrible. These lighting presets in all probability look good in a black or white chassis, however they need to’ve been tweaked for the unique blue colorway that I am reviewing as we speak.

You may say, “settle down, Andrew, simply arrange a customized lighting profile in iCue.” However customized lighting solely works in wired mode. There is no strategy to save customized lighting profiles to the keyboard’s onboard storage. So, in case you choose Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wi-fi, you are caught with Corsair’s gaudy presets. A $180 wi-fi keyboard that loses one in every of its core options in wi-fi mode—ridiculous.

This drawback extends to iCue’s customized key mapping characteristic, which solely works over a wired or 2.4GHz connection. You’ll be able to’t save customized key bindings to the K65, and you may’t use these bindings in Bluetooth mode. I choose to remap my keys on the OS degree, so it would not have an effect on me, nevertheless it’s a wonky design selection.

Fortunately, customized macros can be saved to the keyboard’s onboard storage. Maintain the Operate and M keys, kind out a macro, assign it to a key mixture (or a single key), and also you’re good to go. No have to open iCue or fuss round with totally different connectivity strategies; macros simply work. You’ll be able to even program macros whereas using the keyboard with a game console or cellphone.

These complicated limitations are kinda-sorta talked about within the user manual, however they don’t seem to be defined in any super-explicit approach. And I’ve learn at the very least two product opinions from individuals who incorrectly assumed (maybe justifiably) that the K65 Plus can save customized lighting profiles to onboard storage.

I ought to reiterate that the K65 Plus is marketed as a wi-fi keyboard. You and I’ll choose a wired connection (I definitely do), however I do know for a indisputable fact that some clients will purchase the K65 Plus, set up iCue, and throw a match after they notice that customization is nerfed in wi-fi mode. It is a weird and foolish limitation, particularly at $180.

Ought to You Purchase the Apple-Unique K65 Plus Keyboard?

Corsair’s Apple-exclusive K65 Plus is a superb gaming keyboard, at the very least by way of {hardware} high quality and fundamental efficiency. There are many issues to complain about, together with the weird RGB state of affairs and the Apple-inflated price ticket, however Corsair nailed a very powerful stuff. I am going to preserve utilizing my tactile keyboard at work, however I wish to preserve the K65 Plus readily available for gaming.

Nonetheless, I might wish to make one final criticism. The one factor that is “Apple-exclusive” about this product is the truth that it is trapped on the Apple Retailer and offered at a markup. In any other case, it is only a good mechanical gaming keyboard with a novel paint job and a few macOS-specific keycaps.

If Apple insists on promoting an unique gaming keyboard, I might actually choose an all-new mannequin with a MacBook-inspired format, type of just like the Vissles LP85 that I reviewed a number of years in the past. There are additionally fashions just like the NuPhy Air75 V2 that are designed to suit excessive of a MacBook keyboard, which is a neat trick.

The Glacier Blue and Frost White variations of Corsair’s K65 Plus are offered solely on the Apple Store for $180. I counsel that you simply look into the standard black colorway first, because it frequently goes on sale for $145 at Amazon and is functionally an identical to the Apple-exclusive mannequin that I examined for this assessment.

Your modifications have been saved

Corsair K65 Plus

$120 $160 Save $40

The Corsair K65 Plus mechanical gaming keyboard options pre-lubed, hot-swappable MLX Purple linear switches and two layers of sound-dampening foam. It gives a tender, silky key response and connects over USB-C cable, 2.4GHz dongle, or Bluetooth.