Review of K60: The perfect keyboard that was compromised

[jwcdis]

My promised K60 Keyboard Review

 

 

Before I go into more depth I will be reviewing these 4 categories I will give out my quick scores.

 

Build Quality: 9/10

Comfort and Ergonomics: 8/10

Performance/Gameplay: 9/10

Value: 7/10

Overall: 7 or 8 / out of 10

 

(I will take about the dome membrane keys in the gameplay section)

 

Build Quality:

The build quality of this keyboard is very solid. No loose parts, scratches, dings or anything. The keys all seem to be on working order. The volume/media buttons, volume rocker, windows lock key (which lights up in blue) were all in working order. Scroll lock, Caps Lock, Num Lock lighting were there.

 

Everything about the keyboard looked pleasing except for the screw seen to the right of the Esc key.

 

When I took the keyboard out it looked ugly (the screw near the escape key) but it is something you get used to and forget that it exists after a few hours of play.

 

 

Comfort/Ergonomics:

Overall the keyboard itself is 10/10. The reason why I gave it a 8/10 is because of the terrible idea of a wrist rest.

 

The wrist rest is over-sized and slightly elevated meaning that this keyboard demands a large keyboard drawer to be played on. Otherwise you will end up with this.

 

My keyboard drawer is already pulled out to its maximum distance and it becomes really annoying that my hands need to go hidden underneath the table to be able to use it.

 

And as I said the wrist rest is elevated and the use of this is most likely a feeling that 100% have never experienced so it will need some getting use to. For me, I tried it for a couple of minutes and threw to the side afterwards. In my opinion, Corsair leave making wrist rests to companies like ******** unless it is a symmetrical design across the keyboard (a la K90)

 

If you guys want an analogy about how good the wrist rest I have story my friend who worked at Apple told me:

 

Back in the day before Apple became big the employees at the company used the original iMac. So when it was time to open a new one up they would take the computer out, take the keyboard box out and inside of the keyboard box was a small box for the hockey puck shaped mouse. They just threw it away. Why did Apple keep making this? Because only Jobs loved it.

 

Now back to the keyboard.

The Cherry MX Red keys feel great. Actuation force is very light that resting your fingers slightly on the keys can sometimes trigger button presses. However I can say this is how a keyboard for a FPS hardcore gamer should be. Your fingers need correspond to exact presses and this keyboard does it. Noise-wise there is no clicky sound. Cherry Red's sound similar to regular dome membrane keys in terms of volume but they make the unique and distinctive sound of a mechanical key of when the switches are connected when pressed. The keys also sits a little high as shown in this picture. . Adding in the height adjustment stands will make it even higher. This isn't a bad thing. It is just something you will need to get used to if you have a small profile keyboard like this Mac USB keyboard pictured.

 

Performance

Performance-wise this keyboard is so close to getting a 10/10. I played a match of Starcraft II and then about 4 hours of SWTOR and I have to say there were no issues. Adapting to this keyboard (with the wrist rest not attached was very easy). The one thing that threw me off every single time were the dome membrane keys. As you know in MMO's hitting the ESC key is pretty common such as when you need to logout, goto preferences and go to other menu options. It just felt really annoying you got that different feel. 20 key roll over looks good. The easiest way to perform a quick test is to place your left hand between the keys "QWERTASDFG" and place your right hand on "YUIOPHJKL:" This gives you a good 20 key pressed and I saw all keys entered. Volume rocker and media keys all worked fine. The Rocker has this nice feel to is but I feel that wheel is a little addicting that you would always turn it too much cranking your volume up/down too much but I like it. One thing I did not test was the USB power through the keyboard.

 

Value:

I have to say there are some tradeoffs Corsair should make with this keyboard that would turn this into a crowd pleaser. I will just list them I think they are self explanatory.

 

Changes that can make this keyboard perfect

1. Remove the dumb wrist rest or make one that covers the entire keyboard like the K90

2. Don't use dome membrane keys just make them all mechanical.

3. I don't feel like I need to use the contour rubber keys. Just sell those as accessories.

4. Add the blue LED backlight.

 

 

Final Impressions:

 

7 of 10: If you disliked the idea of Corsair cost cutting on their keyboard by adding dome membrane keys.

 

8 of 10: If you don't mind.

 

After switching to mechanical keyboards I really come to hate dome membranes and this keyboard brings back my hate for them but I know this can be fixed. The keyboard is so close to perfection but the cost cutting compromises Corsair made were critical.

 

Fix up these mistakes Corsair. I know this is your first run in the keyboard market but once you have your stuff together people will gladly give you their money (extra if necessary) for the new and improved model.

 

 

 

Oh yes for me? I will keep this keyboard I've always been an early adopter in Corsair peripherals and performance-wise this is what I want.

I will put the wrist rest back in the box and enjoy the rest of this product.

 

Thanks for reading. I'll post this on amazon for customer awareness.

[jwcdis]

My apologies the first picture you can't really see the screw near the escape key but it is there if you look hard.

Pictures were taken with the new Galaxy Nexus if you are interested in what the photo quality looks like.

[eviltiki100]

This is pretty much exactly what I expect my experience to be like whenever mine comes. Thanks for the honest review. Are there fold out feet that can tilt the keyboard more? Here's to hoping I can overlook the awkward membrane keys...

[jwcdis]

Yep there are fold out feet they're pretty neat since they fold out differently what would you would expect.

[fvbounty]

Thanks for the review!

[RAM GUY]

JWC

 

Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like you are pretty happy with the keyboard / key feel but didn’t like the wrist rest. We will take that into account for future product and accessories.

 

Question: would the slimmer (K90), full sized wrist rest fit in your keyboard pull out drawer?

[jwcdis]

JWC

 

Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like you are pretty happy with the keyboard / key feel but didn’t like the wrist rest. We will take that into account for future product and accessories.

 

Question: would the slimmer (K90), full sized wrist rest fit in your keyboard pull out drawer?

 

Yes. Pretty much the wrist rest is a piece of junk. I'd be much happier if the resources used to make those were placed into somewhere else.

 

As far as keyboard drawer goes the wrist rest definitely requires a large one but since I will not be using it, it will just barely fit (picture one is the setup I will be using)

[eviltiki100]

Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like you are pretty happy with the keyboard / key feel but didn’t like the wrist rest.

 

He didn't like the feel of transitioning between the mechanical and membrane keys. I feel most people looking for mechanical keyboards won't like it either... I would think most people buy mechanical keyboards because they don't like membrane keys.

[Micmal]

Great review, I agree with you in most of the stuff that's applicable (I have the K90).

 

I actually like seeing the screws in the aluminum, but that's just because I like the industrial look.

 

Have a look at the picture I took of the underside of my K90 from my picture thread:

 

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/attachment.php?attachmentid=9802&d=1323910713

 

Does the underside of the K60 look like it will fit the K90's wrist rest? If so Corsair could just sell this wrist rest as an accessory for the K60.

Of course the K90 is longer and the wrist rest will stick out, but it's an easy and feasible solution.

 

Note: There are two screws at each end of the wrist rest. And the two plastic brackets.

[Wired]

Does the underside of the K60 look like it will fit the K90's wrist rest?

No. 6 min mark:

[jwcdis]

He didn't like the feel of transitioning between the mechanical and membrane keys. I feel most people looking for mechanical keyboards won't like it either... I would think most people buy mechanical keyboards because they don't like membrane keys.

 

This is true. I'm a bit :( about it right now but hopefully it will grow on me.

[mastek]

@jwcdis very good review. Thank you very much. My K60 is on the way. I will write a review soon.

[Micmal]

No. 6 min mark:

 

To bad. Those bottom flaps to raise the keyboard look like they are in the same spot as the K90, but I don't think it'll work.

[s74r1]

I just have my K60's palm rest hang off my keyboard tray a bit. but yes it does kinda suck, it's too high. but still better than nothing.

 

and as I've said in about half a dozen other threads, yeah I'm pretty annoyed at the dome keys too. that and the lack of symbols on 123456 keys as advertised.

 

Actuation force is very light that resting your fingers slightly on the keys can sometimes trigger button presses.

 

I notice this too, it's most annoying on the WASD keys. makes me almost want to get a cherry black keyboard, but I hear those cause finger fatigue. if only there was something inbetween red and black without the tactile bump.

 

also, about the mechanical sound you're talking about, the MX red's are virtually silent. what you're hearing is the keys wiggling and bottoming out. (rubber o-rings help somewhat with this)

[Paddiruku]

Anyone having issues with their shift key? I can tell it doesn't press down as far as the other keys do, and it is very annoying especially playing BF3 where you expect the shift key to depress further but it doesn't depress far enough...

[Jipper]

Custom PC have a review in issue 101 that agrees with much of what the OP said. Scored at 86% with a very good review.

 

The only thing they didn't like was the use of the damned dome keys, describing the transition between the two types as 'jarring'. This is a deal breaker for me. I thought I might get used to it, but why should I? This is a premium product, cost cutting at this end of the market is just plain stupid.