Corsair Gaming K70 RGB RapidFire keyboard review - Article

Corsair Gaming K70 RGB RapidFire Mechanical Keyboard

Corsair Gaming released their all new RapidFire K70 cherry MX mechanical keyboard with RGB LEDs and the fastest Cherry MC switches on the globe. The K70 RGB RapidFire is the successor of the REGULAR K70 in terms of the overall basis and concept, but it adds RGB lighting per key configurable with full RGB LED lit keys that can be animated and profiles. Also the keyboard uses a new type of Cherry switches, ready for some keyboard madness ?
Obviously being part of the Corsair Gaming label they release the K70 with the very cool RGB programmable and per key configurable K70 RGB Cherry MX tech based mechanical keyboard. The K70 RGB RapidFire is the successor of the REGULAR K70 and RGB models in terms of the overall basis and concept, but it adds a new type of switch called the MX SPEED-switch. Simply put, the actuation point on these linear switches is shorter than on Cherry MX Reds, now 1.2mm compared to 2mm, respectively. Now realistically you’re looking at an extremely small change here switch-to-switch, on average, from cherry reds to the new fast ones. In fact they share the same 45g actuation force, too. It's not just all about the RGB LEDs and faster switches though, the keyboard once again comes in excellent looking black anodized aluminum, it just looks incredible.

The K70 RGB RapidFire is not replacing the RGB cherry red version, it's an edition in the line-up. The K70 once again is 100% mechanical with per-key adjustable back-lighting, using RGB LEDs, so that you can customize which keys are lit, according to the game you’re playing. As you'll be able to see, the K70 RGB comes with a detachable full-sized wrist rest as well, in fact it is quite similar to the one used on the K90. The specs overall remain the same, including a 1000Hz polling rate, 100% anti-ghosting, and the media keys and USB pass-through on the rear remain too.  The K70 RGB is a full n-key rollover keyboard. A funny addition to the K70 is a four way BIOS switch located at the backside of the keyboard. It allows you to reduce the polling rate from 1000Hz to 500, 250 or 125Hz, or even strip it back to a basic BIOS mode. Corsair states that this is basically just to aid compatibility with some BIOSes. So in general very few people will ever need to touch the switch.

The product will be priced at 169 USD (MSRP). Will it be worth it ? Let's have a peek at that first ... and then browse our way into the review, in a colorful fashion.

The K70 RGB RapidFire keyboard is advanced with Cherry MX interchangeable keys for rapid fire, full-key rollover, windows key lock, a contoured wrist rest as well as support for a 1ms report rate and more. This is a 100% fully mechanical gaming keyboard which has Cherry MX SPEED-switches, the K70 RGB allows for 16.8 million per-key color animated backlighting by utilizing an onboard ARM processor and a powerful lighting controller that uses new Corsair Gaming software to display fully customizable lighting effects such as gradient and ripple patterns. The included software will allow for powerful key sequencing actions across multiple modes and profiles in conjunction with the lighting. Furthermore, all standard keys on the K70 are re-mappable, replacing the need for dedicated macro keys. The K70 RGB features all of the attributes of the original Vengeance K70 and RGB versions such as  black anodized brush aluminum, 100% anti-ghosting technology with 104-key rollover, dedicated media control keys, adjustable dimming, and a removable, perforated wrist rest.

The press release

Corsair launches their newest mechanical keyboards, the K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE, K65 RGB RAPIDFIRE and K70 RAPIDFIRE. The first keyboards in the world to feature the all-new Cherry MX Speed switch, the Corsair RAPIDFIRE family’s linear mechanical key switches actuate at a distance of just 1.2mm.
40% Faster than a standard Cherry MX key switch, the Corsair RAPIDFIRE range gives gamers the edge when every millisecond counts and the outcome of a match rests on a single key press.
The RAPIDFIRE family of gaming keyboards build on Corsair’s legendary legacy of quality and innovation, retaining the aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminium construction and German-made Cherry MX key switches that has helped make the Corsair K70, K70 RGB and K65 best-sellers among gamers, PC enthusiasts, or anyone who simply demanded more from their keyboard.
With the new Cherry MX Speed key switch, the K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE, K65 RAPIDFIRE and K70 RAPIDFIRE offer a new choice for those who demand the fastest key switches available. An ultrafast 1.2mm actuation point and light 45g actuation force make them ideal for split-second key presses or clutch gaming moments where every millisecond counts. With the speed you need to stay ahead and the accuracy you need to win, Cherry MX Speed is the standout choice for gamers who demand the shortest path to victory and is exclusive to Corsair.
Beneath the brushed aluminium and exclusive key switches, the RAPIDFIRE range is just as smart as it is fast. The K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE and K65 RGB RAPIDFIRE feature upgraded per-key multi-color dynamic vibrant back-lighting, allowing users to customize the color, pattern or lighting effect of every single key, while the K70 RAPIDFIRE offers the same effects in single-color red LED lighting. Whichever gamers chose, they’ll benefit from a host of easily downloadable profiles online to instantly light up their keyboard, or a host of pre-sets built into Corsair’s powerful software, Corsair Utility Engine (CUE).
What’s more, the RAPIDFIRE range of keyboards can be paired with the rest of the Corsair Peripheral range to unlock the full lighting potential of CUE. Synchronize the lighting effects of both your mouse and keyboard with CUE LINK, compatible with any Corsair RGB mouse, or see your sound by turning your keyboard into a dazzling graphic equalizer with VOID Visualizer, compatible with any Corsair VOID USB Headset.
Specifications

• Ultrafast mechanical gaming keyboard: Ultrafast 1.2mm actuation and light 45g switch force for truly unrivaled response time.
• 100% Anti-ghosting and full key rollover over USB circuitry: No matter how fast you go your keypresses will always register.
• Aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminum frame: Light weight and rugged durability you need for a keyboard that’s going to see a lot of action.
• 100% Cherry MX Speed RGB key switches: Ultrafast performance with the precision and durability of Gold contact Cherry MX mechanical gaming key switches. (K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE and K65 RGB RAPIDFIRE Only.)
• Advanced lighting control and large font keycaps: Experience dynamic, vibrant multi-color backlighting.
• The power of CUE: Sophisticated macro programming and fast, fluid dynamic multicolor illumination for an enlightened gaming experience.
• Detachable soft-touch wrist rest: The comfort you need for marathon gaming sessions.
• Dedicated multimedia controls: The control you need to adjust your audio without interrupting your game.
• USB Pass-through port: Positioned for uninterrupted game play and ready for your mouse or wireless headset adapter,
• FPS and MOBA keycap sets: Textured and contoured keycaps provide maximum grip and enhanced feel,
• MSRP: K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE - $169.99, K65 RGB RAPIDFIRE - $139.99, K70 RAPIDFIRE - $129.99

All three RAPIDFIRE keyboards are also packed with features to give owners the edge, whatever game they play. The entire RAPIDFIRE family use 100% anti-ghosting gaming-grade circuitry and full key rollover over USB to ensure every key press counts. Replacement textured and contoured key caps are included for FPS (WASD) and MOBA (QWERDF) layouts, alongside a key-puller to make removing keys for replacement or maintenance simple. A USB 2.0 pass-through port allows you to easily connect a mouse, headset or any other USB device to your PC, while a full array of dedicated media controls and volume scroller means your game doesn’t have to stop to skip a track or pause the music. Finally, the included detachable soft-touch wrist rest provides the comfort to game for long as your fingers can keep up

Product Showcase

Okay, we're going to have a closer look at the product guided with the help of lots of photos. As always packaging and bundle first. The core features of the K60 / K70 K70 RGB and K70 RGB RapidFire are the same, and include Cherry MX keys (most popular is RED) with the Rapdifire having the new speed MX switches , 1000Hz polling, full-key rollover though, over USB and 100% anti-ghosting. Obviously the packaging has changed to suit the professional Corsair Gaming line of products with the new (and final) logo.

Unpacking shows the bundle kit, the keyboard, the soft touch wrist rest and a manual/warranty guide. The K70 RGB RapidFire luckily does come with extra red replaceable WASD and 1 to 6 rubberized keys. The K70 is marketed as a FPS keyboard, albeit with most games it'll get its freak on'. Across the keyboard you will notice RGB back-lights on the K70 RapidFire, these can be dimmed, colored and configured. We'll show you the keyboard powered on over the next few pages of course. And to demonstrate the coolness factor, we'll have a little Ultra HD video up as well.

Once we have a better and closer look at the keyboard the word sturdy comes to mind. If you didn't know it, you'd figure to have the regular K70 in front of you, once you plug it in a smile on your face will appear. The keyboard once again is heavy, made out of a plastic base with brushed aluminum on top of it. The anodized brushed black aluminum looks just kicks the proverbial you know what here. The aluminum top base gives the product a rather unique look and feel. It will also help with dampening vibrations. It shares 99% of the DNA of the previous K70 products though, there are subtle changes.

Programmable keys will be hard to find, however some basics media function keys are present on the keyboard and very functional. The metal volume knob is really handy. There is also a windows lock mode key, which allows you to disable the Windows key and get dropped back to the desktop by accident in a hefty gaming session. These functions are all supported at default, there's no need to install any software whatsoever. The keys themselves are exposed though, simple cleaning works out well with say a can of compressed air. However, being exposed like that has another effect as well, the base will collect dirt more quickly. It's not massively different with normal keyboards, but the base is exposed and can be a little more susceptible to dirt.

Once connected and the PC powered up, subtlety. No flashing bright LEDs just yet, just red LEDs indicating caps-lock, scroll-lock and Num-lock. There's another button for the keyboards back-lit (red) keys, which can be adjusted in three brightness modes and off.

Basically you can cycle from off as shown above towards three stages of brightness as shown below.

Obviously we only have red LEDs activated here, but that could be any color preference (even per key) programmed.

The backside, plain and simple. We mentioned the rubber feet already. You can use standoffs as well to allow a little more height and create an angled position. Here you can clip on the wrist rest as well. The K70 RGB RapidFire is a heavy weight product, and combined with rubber feet will prevent you from the keyboard sliding away. It has a very firm grip on my desktop. The K60 and K70 model lacks extra programmable gaming keys that it's bigger brother the K90 and K95 do have. Some stuff however is programmable with the Corsair CUE software, but we'll address that later on in the article.

The K70 RGB Rapidfiyaaah uses a dark and nicely braided cable that is roughly two meters in length. It is however a bit thick, something I personally dislike a little. What's the reason for that you might wonder ? Well, you probably spotted it already but there are two USB connectors at the end of the cable. One is for the keyboard of course, the other is being used as a pass-through for say your headset our mouse. At the backside you will spot an extra USB connector.

To you right you can see a BIOS switch, as explained this allows you to reduce the polling rate from 1000Hz to 500, 250 or 125Hz, or even strip it back to a basic BIOS mode. Corsair states that this is basically just to aid compatibility with some BIOSes. So in general very few people will ever need to touch the switch.

Guru3D blue backlighting , freekeeeh :) All keys are mechanical, in our case making use of Cherry MX SPEED RGB switches. The idea behind mechanical switches is that they give a key press a more perceptible feel than the standard rubber membrane used in cheaper keyboards yet offering fast performance. Gamers seem to prefer mechy's very much over dome based keys and ever since the past year or two mechanical keyboards have been on the rise. The keyboard registers ALL keys pressed at once, as such this is full key rollover.


The RGB Cherry MX speed switches should be able to withstand over 50 million key presses, personally I lost count after 43 clicks, so I'll trust that assessment. Each key switch is mounted directly onto a top metal (aluminum) plate that ensures structural rigidity, topped with a translucent ABS laser-etched keycap to enable back-lighting.
Back-lighting on a Cherry MX switch is much sharper than that of a membrane keyboard because each key is lit by an individual LED and not in an array. This means that if the user removes the keycap, he or she should see an LED directly under it that maximizes the lighting effect.


Our keyboard houses SPEED Cherry MX switches. Cherry offers many switches these days with silent and speed being the new ones.

• Cherry MX Black - Linear switch with Actuation Force: 60g (40g-80g overall)
• Cherry MX Brown Switches - Tactile Switch with Actuation Force: 45g (55g Peak Force)
• Cherry MX Blue Switches - Tactile & Clicky with Actuation Force: 50g (60g Peak Force)
• Cherry MX Red Switches  - Linear Switch with Actuation Force: 45g
• Cherry MX SPEED Switches - Linear Switch with Actuation Force: 45g
• For the Silent MX model switches we have are based on the red variant with 45g of actuation force.

Each color switch feels different and Corsair actually has this keyboard available in several color switches (for your personal preference). Cherry red is the most common preferred switch type so it's not a surprise to see the new SPEED MX switches to get the very same actuation. 

Back-lighting on a Cherry MX switch is much sharper than that of a membrane keyboard because each key is lit by an individual LED and not in an array. This means if you remove the keycap, you should see an LED directly under it that maximizes the lighting effect. 

The keys overall are curved a little and are fairly slippery which gives them a unique feel. Above I replace the WASD keys with included curved and rugged ones. You can easily install the rugged keys by using the supplied key cap puller tool, just pull them up gently and they'll be lifted out of place. 

The included custom gaming keycaps offer a good feel. The keys are curved a little and are rubberized which gives them a unique feel. I should call them 'contoured' WASD keys I guess. And if you don't like them, just replace them back with the standard ones. It's all about customization with mechanical keyboards. Heck, if you game intensely and the letters fade away, you want to be able to replace the keys, right? I lighted the WASD keys in white. Obviously you can choose yourself how you color the WASD (or any key for that matter). But since we see them activated here, let's talk about the LED back-lighting a little shall we ?

The wrist res is detachable. You don't have to use it as you can clip it on or off, but admittedly it is quite comfortable to use it during gaming. The surface is made using somewhat dimpled rubber that helps ventilate and grip your wrist even when it is sweating. The rest itself is made out of plastic, for both gaming and productivity it feels good. It depends on personal preference whether or not you'll use this rest.

All keys on the K70 RapidFire have little RGB back-light LEDs, these are all configurable in color and animation. With the two buttons located at the top you can choose to en/disable them or alternatively dim the keys in three stages as explained on the previous page already, this obviously also can be done in the CUE software.

As you can see, now there's much ambient back-lighting on, based on your preferences you can light up the keys in three dimmed stages. The brightest mode as shown above can actually be too bright at twilight and night time I feel. It's great to have that option really. This all certainly brings a little niche to the K70 RGB. It's good looking set of keys alright.

You can also opt to just enable the WASD, arrow or numeric keys. Overall a great looking motherboard. Sturdy design, the wrist rest, the mechanical keys, the anodized black aluminum finish just makes this keyboard pop out.

Also I need to mention that the keys can be individually lit. You hit the program software, then select the keys you want lit, assign a color or animation, and done. It all works out well, especially since there are many profiles you can download, import and use.

Now I dimmed the room a bit, but these remain poor photos nonetheless. Here are some RGB examples once you have the software installed and some profiles activated. At the end of the article we'll have a Full HD video which demonstrates all this much better.

Functional usage

As we always do, a little history first. Keyboards have always been a part of computing since the very beginning. The original IBM PC came with one, the Model M, which I used as a kid. The Model M, of course, set the standard for all keyboards that came after it. There are some variations in layout, but it's all based off the 101-key Model M. The modern keyboard, thanks to Windows, now has 104 keys, and depending on your location, you can have many more keys than that. Suffice it to say, keyboards are still the most efficient way of interacting with your computer, even with the great strides made in voice-recognition, touch screens, and GUI optimizations. I think the chances of humans ever growing out of the keyboard are pretty slim. In the early days of personal computing the keyboard really meant something because it really was the only way to interact with the machine. Having a good-feeling keyboard was very important, at least until the mouse and GUI came along, and shifted the focus a little bit. Mechanical keyboards have always been around, though, part of the collective geek consciousness, and the enthusiasts that inhabit that world are as hardcore as their keyboards.


The million dollar questionSo, why would you want to spend over $169 on a keyboard? Is it really worth it? Yes, we think so. Mechanical keyboards really are in a class on their own and the RGB lighting on this one is SO COOL. Once you have used a mechanical keyboard, there is no going back to a regular keyboard. The differences are just too great, typing is better, faster and gaming is better. It's just no comparison. The one downside though is that they do make a lot more noise and this applies to gamers mostly. Making high-end gamers keyboards is nearly an art form these days with a very enthusiastic crowd that is very critical. As such we are glad that Corsair Gaming made the K70 all mechanical, they received some critique with the K60 and K90 sets as the function row keys where  rubber dome based. Personally I honestly did not mind, but Corsair received some heat on that from the enthusiast crowd as people tend to swap out all keys after a while. This has been altered for the K70 and K95. Also, and mostly due to their price range mechanical keyboards try to sweeten the deal with extra audio ports, USB hub, lights, knobs, wrist rest, or something, Corsair chose to keep the features a little more basic, aside from the one USB port and wrist rest, but kept the quality high. New of course is the LED key backlighting, which we think is awesome. Now you don't need a fancy mechanical keyboard to play a game well, but it can make a game much more enjoyable to play. On the other hand, there are keyboards that are better for noise than others. The Corsair mechs are in the noisy keyboard category, it does have a decent clicketyclack though! Gaming wise I definitely liked the keys.

Corsair Utility Engine Software
The Corsair LED lit keys make use of what is now called Corsair Utility Engine, the software has once again been overhauled and is looking quite good (albeit remains somewhat complicated to use). You get to use options like configure both the lighting portions of the keyboard as well as create powerful actions such as macros, re-mappable key assignments, timer countdowns, dpi adjustments, and more.

Each and every standard key is configurable with both actions and lighting that work in conjunction. So basically you may perform a combination and key sequence action with the press of a button, but you can also incorporate a lighting profile on the keyboard to reflect the actions being initiated. So loading a weapons macro could make the function keys flash twice as a visual indicator. The background refers to the colors that will remain static on the keyboard much like back-lighting. As one of its many features, Corsair incorporated groups of keys into the software.



Corsair Gaming software contains a wide variety of actions. Additionally, users can configure the size of the text, transparency, and/or color to best fit their needs. Users can also select from a pre-populated list of the most popular media players or add their own so they can control the application while in the midst of gameplay.



The CUE software will also allow gamers to create multiple color profiles as well as different modes that will enable separate lighting and action configurations based on the game or application with an adjustable OSD (on-screen display). Users will be able to export and import profiles/actions/lighting.



You have red LED backlighting and animation available on a per-key basis. This color option is hence referred to as “the background.”

Users can configure certain variations of foreground lighting in distinct patterns like visor, rain, pulse wave, etc. After the lighting profile is created, it can be dragged from the “Lighting Effects List” to any Group of Keys. Profiles can be shared on Corsair's website so you will end up with some new animations at some point as well.

Final words and conclusion

First off, we are a little late with this review, our apologies but we received the sample extremely late. So then, realistically the Corsair gaming K70 RGB RapidFire is very little different from the regular K70 RGB, while there are some subtle differences this release is all about the fast MX switches. Other differences are the return of the single USB pass-through port, but that one still has not received an upgrade to USB 3.x yet. So while handy; it certainly isn't a fast one intended for your storage needs on your desktop. Realistically it will be used for connecting headsets and mice. The second addition is the return of the BIOS switch at the backside, you can use it to adjust the USB polling rate which makes it compatible with more motherboards. Last but not least there are some aesthetic changes to be found like the gray/black theming on the USB connectors, well that and the final new Corsair Gaming logo. Also you'll notice that the actual lighting seems a bit better than the standard K70 RGB, due to larger key font. But yeah, it's all about the Cherry MX Speed RGB switches. As explained, it is an MX red switch with the similar 45g actuation force and per-key RGB lighting. However it has a reduced actuation distance, basically the plastic riser was cut from 2mm to just 1.2mm, and that makes it a new switch. One could argue if it makes a difference at all, but the truth is, the keys do feel faster as once you press them, the distance simply is shorter. It's kinda a real-world latency thing that is being solved. So while it does make a difference, I am not sure if it makes enough of a difference for many of you though. But go to a shop, give it a try and you'll realize the tactile pressure feel seems faster. Obviously there's the RGB coloring that can make complex animation in any color you like. That requires some powah! Inside this keyboard an ARM processor is housed. That is the golden combination as alongside an overall excellent keyboard all by itself, you now get to play around with per key programmable lighting. Now first a word of warning, this keyboard seriously is a lot to digest once you connect it for the first time. The software programming is far from easy, is over engineered, is far from mainstream and there are just too many features. So simply take a step back, download a few profiles and let the product do the work for you. I've recorded a quick video that demo's some of the RGB LED animations, have a peek, in Ultra HD ya'll !

Aesthetics & functional usage

You just watched the video ... overall a pretty terrific looking product right? I like the inclusion of the extra switchable, somewhat rugged gaming keys is a thing worthy of mentioning, it's not for everybody but when used they definitely bring that priority feel to the important game WASD keys. The LED back-lighting animation system and true silent keys all are the icing on top of the cake as far as I am concerned. For the Strafe, the primary functionality and feel is just great. You really are receiving something well designed and comfortable to play games on, plus you get the added benefit of one of the coolest LED lighting systems a keyboard can ever have. In terms of aesthetics and design, I seem to really dig this RGB Strafe. But here again taste is subjective and realistically I can see some users complaining that the board only has red back-lit keys for this particular model and not white, blue or whatever your color of preference is. But me personally, I adore the design and color scheme, I really do. Don't forget that this keyboard has a nifty set of features and improvements:

• Every key is mechanical, using (in our review) Cherry MX Speed key-switches (red actuation) – so the keyboard is 100% mechanical. 
• Per-key adjustable back-lighting, you can customize which keys are lit.
• Included are contoured WASD key-caps.
• 1000Hz polling rate (configurable)
• Full key rollover, 100% anti-ghosting.
• And then extras like USB pass-through.

Corsair is to release the K70 RGB RapidFire at 169 USD.

The keyboard itself

With all the RGB madness you'd almost forget that we are reviewing an actual mechanical keyboard. For the K70 RGB RapidFire again the primary functionality and feel is just great. And sure I know, this is not a cheap set of keys at 169 USD / 150 EURO price-tag. But you really are receiving something well designed and comfortable to play games on. For me the K70 RGB is a keeper as the feature-list is miles long aimed at professional gamers with specs that baffle even me. Now the RGB lighting can be busy at times to continuously have enabled. Hey, you can dim it, disable it or just have it show one color just as well, remember this puppy can be tweaked to any and all of your desires and wishes. I like this anodized black aluminum version that Corsair started with the original K70 it just just looks so nice. That's all good stuff alright. But then again, you are paying for it, so you may expect extensive features and specifications.

Final words

The new fast/speed MX switches do make a difference, as silly as it that riser being cut from 2mm to just 1.2mm does give this mechanical keyboard a quicker feel, that's the honest truth. Much like any mechanical keyboard, please do give yourself a few days with the keyboard to fully understand it and get a feel for it. See, using a mechy definitely is a little different compared to your run of the mill keyboard. We do have to warn you though that if you use the keyboard for productivity (typing letters etc) then noise and feel might become a factor to consider. Mechanical keyboards are simply more noisy when you type on them. Feel and mechanical functionality wise this keyboard is 99% similar to the original K70 and K90. This release is all about the faster keys and RGB LEDs of course, but the most important thing remains the actual feel and functionality, so we'll deal with that first. The Corsair CUE software is improving, but still can be a complex flurry of registers and settings that you can alter. Corsair definitely is on the right path with the new software, but it will need a few more touches to become user friendly and idiot-proof. I do miss some extra programmable profile keys though - say macro programmable G keys to the left side, but that is my only remark as the the K70 RGB RapidFire really is a truly terrific keyboard. Right, let's wrap it up. This keyboard would fit very well in a professional series gaming perhipereals, and as such it sits nicely into the Corsair Gaming segment. The K70 RGB RapidFire will sell for 169 USD, and though that is a lot of money, realistically you can immediately see where the money goes to, the insane lighting options are amazing. Remember, you can have as many lighting, or as little as you want to. Per key on/off/rgb/dimm/brightness settings are at your disposal under your control. That functionality also will make the product more difficult to understand and control. So take our advice, grab this cool sucka, download some profiles and let the downloaded profiles do the work for you. You will, be nothing short of being amazed as the RGB lighting is really fantastic. Once again the K70 receives our Guru3D Top Pick product award worthy alright. The super K70 keyboard managed to get even a notch better.

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