Corsair K95 Platinum Keyboard Review

 

As an avid fan of Corsair keyboards, having previously owned the K70 and now using the previous generation K95 with my personal set-up, eager anticipation is the flavour of the day as I dive into a review of Corsair’s latest K95 offering.

 

Corsair K95 Platinum Keyboard – In Review

Corsair’s latest keyboard, as expected, is stunning. With a brushed metal finish, stunning RGB lighting, and the familiar media key set-up, it’s a beautiful keyboard, not too unrecognisable from many previous Corsair products. It seems Corsair have found what works on a high-end keyboard and don’t seem interested in changing the formula, which seemingly suits people fine – myself included.

The board consists of a full QWERTY keyboard, complete with a numpad, and 6 macro keys on the left side. Across the top are several buttons, for functions such as changing profiles (for key macros and lighting effects), a Windows key lock, and a brightness toggle. Further along, you’ll find Corsair’s familiar volume roller and mute key, though compared to my K95’s roller, it’s made of metal and feels a bit chunkier than previous iterations – which gives it a more premium feel. Below the roller are the media keys for play, pause, fast-words and previous.

The keyboard features full RGB lighting for a virtually unlimited colour customization. The Corsair logo at the top of the keyboard, as well a strip of lighting across the top of the board, also light up, which shines in a rainbow cacophony when booting my PC or shutting down; a nice reminder of the nifty colour combinations on offer.

Finally, the USB pass-through is back on the rear of the keyboard, something I missed on my own board. An easy to attach wrist-rest comes with the keyboard, and the board also features feet to raise the profile if that’s something you look for. On the bottom, you’ll find some wire channels, perfect for audio or mouse cable-tidying.

Overall, plenty of thought has gone into this keyboard, and the finished product displays that well, with a variety of user-focused features and a beautiful design.

 

What Comes In The Box?

• K95 RGB Platinum Keyboard
• Wrist-rest
• Leaflets and Warranty Information
• Textured replacement keys for WASD, WDRFQF and key pull

The Numbers:

Price: £180 (as of publishing)
Key Switches: Cherry MX Red RGB
Connection: USB
Backlighting: Per-key RGB LEDs
Anti-Ghosting: N-key Rollover
Report Rate: 1ms
Macros: All-keys programmable
Cable: 1.8m braided cable dual USB.
Dimensions: 46.5cm x 17.1cm x 3.6cm
Weight: 998g
OS Support: Windows 7, 8.1, 10

 

Corsair Utility Engine – The Software

Corsair have always offered strong software to go with their hardware, and their latest version of CUE is no different. Featuring 3 distinct sections (Actions, Lighting Effects, and Performance), it’s easy to navigate to the section you need, and everything looks visually pleasing.

In each section, you’ll be offered a multitude of options, but nothing ever feels confusing or overwhelming, which is refreshing. Typically, I find similar software that feels like they’ve rushed to include everything (kitchen sink included), and not spent time testing and using it themselves to find what works well.

Summarily, CUE is easy and pleasing to use. Everything works well and the common actions you’ll be using in CUE are  simple to find and a breeze to manage.

 

The Corsair K95 RGB Platinum – What Is It Like To Use?

So, to the meat of the review – what’s it like to use Corsair’s latest keyboard, especially compared to my last-generation model? As both keyboards feature the same Red Cherry MX switches, the typing is the same – that is to say, quick, satisfying and quite clicky.

As previously mentioned, the volume roller is heftier, giving it a more premium feel. The media keys are squared off more in comparison to my own keyboard, adding a more futuristic feel, but not something I’m overly fond of. The Platinum has a USB pass-through, something I’m sorely missing on mine, but is countered by 12 less macro keys.

The RGB lighting is more prevalent on the Platinum, and overall, I think the aesthetic is better and more eye-catching. It’s a pleasure to type on – something I’m not surprised by, given Corsair’s track record – and the added textured keys you can replace the normal keys with are a nice bonus.

Where the Platinum falls short for me, however, is the wrist-rest. It’s more rubberized than mine, which is great for grip. However, it quickly picks up dust and marks. Thankfully, Corsair seem to have realized this and have allowed users to remove the rubber and wash it – very handy, but something I’m likely to need to do regularly.

 

The Corsair K95 RGB Platinum – Conclusion

 

Honestly, there’s little to negatively remark upon with the Platinum. The typing experience is fantastic, the software is great to use, the keyboard looks visually stunning, and Corsair have clearly understood what users want from a high-end keyboard and delivered exactly that.

While I miss the 12 additional macro keys and the wrist-rest could be less mark-prone, the keyboard is a great update, and something I could strongly recommend to anyone looking for their next keyboard.