CORSAIR K70 RGB MK.2 Low Profile Keyboard

[VSG]

A long overdue review in the making, we finally check out CORSAIR's low-profile mechanical keyboard. It was the first on the market with Cherry's recent low-profile switches, including the MX Low Profile Speed switch, and aims to bring all the features of the excellent K70 RGB MK.2 to those wanting a smaller full-size keyboard.

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[Octopuss]

Not offering these super overpriced keyboards with any type of switch (OR at least including the brown) is completely retarded.

 

[VSG]

Not offering these super overpriced keyboards with any type of switch (OR at least including the brown) is completely retarded.

There is no Cherry MX Low Profile Brown switch. This, as with the Cooler Master SK series and a few others, is meant to offer those Cherry MX Low Profile switches only, which are only two in number.

 

[bob3002]

This article agrees with pretty much all my experiences daily-driving this keyboard for the last 6 months. It feels solid in use and has a nice accessory pack, but the speed silver switches are prone to unintentional presses from resting my fingers if I'm inattentive. The reason I'm using this one instead of my old MX Brown board is the slightly lower profile, nice set of media controls, and usb pass-through. Ironically, I feel that for gaming the low-profile speed silvers are actually worse than regular browns because I can't feel the actuation point as well in the heat of the moment.

I'd also rather not run iCue software in the background. For users who do value the RGB abilities of this board and are willing to give up that chunk of CPU and memory, the customization could be a nice value-add. For me personally the RGB stays firmly off. (I got the board through a raffle so price wasn't a consideration).

 

[VSG]

This article agrees with pretty much all my experiences daily-driving this keyboard for the last 6 months. It feels solid in use and has a nice accessory pack, but the speed silver switches are prone to unintentional presses from resting my fingers if I'm inattentive. The reason I'm using this one instead of my old MX Brown board is the slightly lower profile, nice set of media controls, and usb pass-through. Ironically, I feel that for gaming the low-profile speed silvers are actually worse than regular browns because I can't feel the actuation point as well in the heat of the moment.

I'd also rather not run iCue software in the background. For users who do value the RGB abilities of this board and are willing to give up that chunk of CPU and memory, the customization could be a nice value-add. For me personally the RGB stays firmly off. (I got the board through a raffle so price wasn't a consideration).

iCUE is also good for key assignment and macros, so you can just turn off the fancy lighting entirely and use it for function over form.

 

[Octopuss]

There is no Cherry MX Low Profile Brown switch. This, as with the Cooler Master SK series and a few others, is meant to offer those Cherry MX Low Profile switches only, which are only two in number.

Yea, pretty retarded they don't exist, isn't it?

 

[bob3002]

I've been using AutoHotKey for macros for years, but the ease-of-use of iCue might be better. I can definitely see people going for that if they're going to run it for RGB anyways.

 

[Xzibit]

iCUE is also good for key assignment and macros, so you can just turn off the fancy lighting entirely and use it for function over form.

I actually bought this for $89 on sale and liked it for the low profile over my K70 RF but I would prefer Browns. K70 RF is uncomfortably high if you don't use the wrist rest to elevate your palms but the Mk.2 LP i can use it without the wrist rest on the desk and its comfortable.

iCUE still loads drivers in the background for monitoring temps for the lighting effects. Newer versions are nice due to the on-board memory but the rest pad is also harder and more textured then the old versions. PCWorld (Gordon) asked Corsair for a iCUE lite version due to the bloat a couple a months back during their Corsair visit which would be nice.

 

[VSG]

I actually bought this for $89 on sale and liked it for the low profile over my K70 RF but I would prefer Browns. K70 RF is uncomfortably high if you don't use the wrist rest to elevate your palms but the Mk.2 LP i can use it without the wrist rest on the desk and its comfortable.

iCUE still loads drivers in the background for monitoring temps for the lighting effects. Newer versions are nice due to the on-board memory but the rest pad is also harder and more textured then the old versions. PCWorld (Gordon) asked Corsair for a iCUE lite version due to the bloat a couple a months back during their Corsair visit which would be nice.

Funny thing is, iCUE (as CUE before) used to only be for peripherals and they had Corsair Link for fans, PSUs, coolers etc. Combining it all together of course makes the new software bulkier, and having to support a lot of products also makes it worse. It's reasonable in my books, but of course is contingent on you having at least a decent quad core CPU.

 

[Xzibit]

GN did the most recent testing on a 9600K with 2080 TI.

 

[Legacy-ZA]

I own the speed/linear version of this keyboard. It's the best keyboard I have ever owned, the keys are so responsive, you almost just have to whisper and they will respond. I just don't have words to describe the joy I have with it. Oh and if you are worried about a noisy keyboard, this keyboard is soft, it's not noisy at all or disturbing.

On another note, I spilled sugar tea on it recently, much sadness, but I drained the keyboard and the keys are starting to respond again as old. ^_^

 

[VSG]

I own the speed/linear version of this keyboard. It's the best keyboard I have ever owned, the keys are so responsive, you almost just have to whisper and they will respond. I just don't have words to describe the joy I have with it. Oh and if you are worried about a noisy keyboard, this keyboard is soft, it's not noisy at all or disturbing.

On another note, I spilled sugar tea on it recently, much sadness, but I drained the keyboard and the keys are starting to respond again as old. ^_^

You might want to follow the disassembly steps in the review and make sure the PCB is dry completely.

 

[InhaleOblivion]

This is my current keyboard and honestly one of the best I've ever owned. It's my first RGB board and I like that certain games(The Division 2 and Far Cry New Dawn) have their own RGB profiles baked in(mostly Ubisoft games). I use the grey textured WASD keys and they help with various games I play such as Warframe and Black Desert Online. Appreciate the solid and concise review VSG.

 

[Legacy-ZA]

You might want to follow the disassembly steps in the review and make sure the PCB is dry completely.

No worries, I opened it and did check for flood damage. Luckily, I didn't need an assembly/disassembly manual or w/e, it was pretty easy to take apart. I just had one screw that I couldn't remove due to it being very very tiny., which was no bother to be honest, the hairdryer got in where it needed to.

If the keys remain or become unresponsive in the future, I will just solder them off and replace, or use some silver-sol oil and dry any excess that might drip somewhere. I always try and fix things myself before getting a new one, you can only fix your already broken item and you learn as you do. If it should break after that, well, replace.