Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take)

Corsair's K70 RGB PRO is a wired mechanical keyboard that pulls out all the stops, from low latency performance to a comfortable and feature-packed build.

Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard  (Kosta's take)
Published Oct 10, 2022 7:40 PM CDT
Manufacturer: Corsair (CH-9109410-NA)
7 minute read time
TweakTown's Rating: 98%
TweakTown award

The Bottom Line

As far as wired keyboards go, the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard ticks all of the right boxes, while delivering impressive low latency performance.

Pros

  • + Robust build with comfy wrist rest and an aluminum top plate
  • + Linear Cherry MX switches and double-shot keycaps perform wonderfully
  • + The best dedicated-media-buttons you'll find on a keyboard
  • + iCUE software support
  • + Easy to setup shortcuts and switch between profiles

Cons

  • - Takes up a bit of desk space
  • - Xbox Series X|S compatibility is great, but the USB cable needs to be longer

Should you buy it?

AvoidConsiderShortlistBuy

Introduction & Specification Details and Close-up

Polling Rate when it comes to a keyboard or mouse is an important measure to factor into a review because it relates to the rate at which data is sent from the peripheral to the computer. The faster the Polling Rate, the less time it takes for things like key presses and mouse movements to be registered and acted upon. For gaming, that of course, means the higher the Polling Rate, the better - and even though other factors play into latency (mechanical keyboards have their internal key-scanning), the general standard across gaming peripherals designed for performance is a Polling Rate of 1000 Hz.

The Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, with its Corsair-developed AXON technology, pushes this to 8000 Hz - an increase of 8 times. Is it overkill? Perhaps, but it's also very impressive.

Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 4

Even though the overall aesthetic and physical design of the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard errs on the side of minimal, it's a wired mechanical keyboard that aims to tick all potential boxes you might have concerning in-game performance, customization features, and productivity. We're talking dedicated shortcut buttons covering everything from profile switching to changing the overall RGB brightness on-the-fly and even muting all audio. High-quality dedicated media controls and a form factor that is larger than most floating key style keyboards make room for all of this. And Corsair has packed in a comfy wrist rest to boot.

The Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming is certainly up there in terms of impressive wired mechanical keyboards we've tested, and its performance and features are in-line with the sheer amount of desk space it takes up. Especially when you, say, compare it to the Corsair K70 RGB PRO MINI WIRELESS, which features the same Cherry MX Red linear switches and great feeling double-shot PBT keycaps. This is something for those that want it all.

Specifications & Close Up

  • Product Type: Wired Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
  • Size (Full/TKL): Full
  • Interface: Wired (USB 3.0 or 3.1 Type-A)
  • Platforms: PC (Windows 10, 11), Mac, Xbox Series X|S
  • Switch: Cherry MX Switch (Red Linear Tested)
  • Lighting: Per-Key RGB LEDs
  • Poling Rate: Up to 8,000Hz with AXON
  • Features: Full Key (NKRO) with 100% Anti-Ghosting, iCue Software Support, Up to 50 on-board profiles, Magnetic detachable palm rest, Media controls, 8MB onboard memory
  • Dimensions: 444x166x40 mm
  • Weight: 1.15kg
Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 13Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 14
Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 1Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 11
Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 6Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 9

Kosta's Test System Specifications

  • Motherboard: MSI MEG X570 UNIFY
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3800X
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Founders Edition
  • Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240R RGB AIO CPU Cooler
  • RAM: 32GB (4x8GB) HyperX FURY DDR4 3200MHz
  • SSD: Seagate FireCuda 520 SSD 2TB
  • Power Supply: Cooler Master V 850W Gold SFX Power Supply
  • Case: MPG SEKIRA 500P
  • OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Buy at Amazon

Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

TodayYesterday7 days ago30 days ago
$169.99$169.99$169.99
* Prices last scanned on 12/26/2022 at 4:02 am CST - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission.

Design & Software

Design

With the detachable wrist rest connected, which does feature a soft and comfortable finish, the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard takes up quite a bit of desk space. A size born from the specific physical design features Corsair has opted to implement, but with the overall weight sitting at 1.15kg this is something that won't move unless you want it to. With the bottom part of the physical build being hard plastic, the Corsair K70 RGB PRO features a brushed aluminum top plate that sits between the base and the keys.

Couple this with the great feel of the double-shot PBT keycaps, this is a keyboard that is premium through and through. This is of course reflected in the price point, which is currently sitting at USD 159.99 and AUD 219 - the latter being a decent discount and deal for Aussies.

The premium feel can be seen immediately when looking at the dedicated media controls, something that a lot of people look for when it comes to a new keyboard. Here you've got the usual play/pause, stop, previous, and next buttons, but these are of a grade you rarely see. The sort of buttons you'd find on a high-end controller or even DVD player from back in the day. On top of that, you've got a high-quality and large volume dial on the top right of the keyboard, with an added mute button. Impressive stuff.

Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 2

As far as the mechanical switches go, the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard tested here featured linear Cherry MX Red switches - with Corsair offering a variety of options to choose from. So, if you want a clicky sound (and tactile response) to match the imposing stature of this keyboard, you've got the option. With Cherry MX Red delivering smooth performance (45g actuation force, a 2mm actuation point, and 4mm of total travel), it's the best of both worlds situation in that most find the linear style best for gaming and even productivity. Corsair also rates them at 100 million keystrokes, so there's that peace of mind they'll last a while.

The full size of the keyboard also adds to the ergonomics and comfort that comes from simply typing or using WASD to dance around an enemy, with Corsair offering three levels of adjustable height. The stands come out horizontally versus vertically too, which removes the chance of them moving if the keyboard itself moves forward. There's also a tournament switch on the back that disables all high-end features, advanced RGB, and iCUE integration for those that want to go pure game mode.

Software

As with all Corsair hardware, all customization for the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is handled with the company's iCUE software. Which, although chunky in its 1GB+ install size and half-of that in memory when in use, is easily one of the most detailed, in-depth, and customizable software suites available today.

It's here where you can choose to drill down into per-key RGB lighting effects or opt for the impressive Scenes lighting, which ranges from funky Corsair yellow (as seen in the hardware pictures) through to rainbow effects and even an option that lets your keyboard change color in-line with CPU temperatures. This means if you see it go red, it's probably time to back away slowly.

Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 15

It's in iCUE where you can create all manner of key assignments and shortcuts and macros, and the interface in which you do so is intuitive once you get over that initial learning hump. However, profile saving is kind of hidden in the device preferences window. Most of it is a matter of simple point-and-click. Let's say you want to have the FN key plus the T key open a Text Editor, simply select Launch App from the key assignment types, select the two keys on the on-screen version of the keyboard (or press them), and the results are saved and immediate.

Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 17

Finally, although not iCUE related, the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is also compatible with the Xbox Series X and S consoles - which is great to see. The supplied USC cable might not be long enough to span the distance between console and couch for some, but with more and more Xbox titles supporting keyboard and mouse input - having that support is a nice little bonus.

Gaming Performance and Productivity

Gaming Performance

Okay, so it's hard to gauge exactly what difference the increased 8000 Hz brings to the table. And that's because 1000 Hz already equates to an unnoticeable 1ms of latency versus 8000 Hz's 0.25ms. It's an impressive feature to have, and no matter the setting, the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard excels when paired with fast-paced titles like Apex Legends, DOOM Eternal, and Ghostrunner.

The spacebar is sturdy and has a great bounciness, and the linear Cherry MX switches are something that you can get used to in no time. No matter the title tested, performance was flawless, and with the premium build and comfort that comes from the added wrist rest and the double-shot PBT keycaps - Corsair has delivered and then some.

Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 8

One area where there probably could be some improvement might be with game-specific customization and even lighting settings in iCUE to make profile setup and switching more seamless. Other companies allow profiles to be tied to applications a lot easier than how that's handled here.

Productivity

As great as the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is for gaming, it's just as impressive when viewed purely as a productivity keyboard. The physical design might be large, but the minimal aesthetics blend well with most traditional setups, and the ergonomics are great when you attach the wrist rest.

The linear Cherry MX Red switches in the model we tested proved to be great for typing too, and the Corsair K70 RGB PRO's keycaps have a comfy feel no matter the application. Throw in the high-quality dedicated media controls, which you're more likely to use when simply browsing, in Discord, or listening to music, and the productivity chops are up there.

Keyboard Click Sound Level

Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 18

To test the overall sound level of a keyboard, we use the Ozito Digital Sound Level Meter capturing the sentence "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" multiple times and recording the maximum dB level. This is to indicate how "loud" the switches used are for everyday usage.

The above chart showcases where the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard sits.

Final Thoughts

As far as wired keyboards go, the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is exceptional. Cutting edge, low latency features meet a robust and sleek design that features a long list of smart design choices both in terms of what you see and what lies under the hood. Designed for gamers, there's a commendable all-rounder quality.

Corsair has created the Corsair K70 RGB PRO with an eye toward what else you use a PC for. Whether it's working on a document, browsing, jumping into chat, or playing a fast-paced FPS - this keyboard has got you covered.

Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Kosta's take) 6

There are mechanical keyboards out there with a more minimal look, though that's not what the Corsair K70 RGB PRO represents. Usually, larger keyboards trade style for additional features. A wrist rest here, dedicated media keys there, and the overall look becomes too chunky and overly "gamer".

Aesthetics might not be high on the list, but when performance is this good, it certainly matters. Here you've got style and substance. A definite winner.

Buy at Amazon

Performance

100%

Quality

98%

Features

98%

Value

96%

Overall

98%

The Bottom Line

As far as wired keyboards go, the Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard ticks all of the right boxes, while delivering impressive low latency performance.

TweakTown award
98%

Corsair K70 RGB PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

TodayYesterday7 days ago30 days ago
$169.99$169.99$169.99
* Prices last scanned on 12/26/2022 at 4:02 am CST - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission.

Kosta might be a relatively new member of TweakTown, but he’s a veteran gaming journalist that cut his teeth on well-respected Aussie publications like PC PowerPlay and HYPER back when articles were printed on paper. A lifelong gamer since the 8-bit Nintendo era, it was the CD-ROM-powered 90s that cemented his love for all things games and technology. From point-and-click adventure games to RTS games with full-motion video cut-scenes and FPS titles referred to as Doom clones. Genres he still loves to this day. Kosta is also a musician, releasing dreamy electronic jams under the name Kbit.

Newsletter Subscription
We openly invite the companies who provide us with review samples / who are mentioned or discussed to express their opinion. If any company representative wishes to respond, we will publish the response here. Please contact us if you wish to respond.
Newsletter Subscription
Latest News
View More News
Latest Reviews
View More Reviews
Latest Articles
View More Articles