I think no one can deny that the K70 lineup of keyboards has been incredibly successful for Corsair. From the K70 Core to the K70 Max, this lineup spans everything from affordable and reliable models to high-end super-performers designed for the most demanding users. However, the lineup has had one glaring omission up until now—a middle-ground keyboard, so to speak, that could potentially bring the best of both worlds together and, in doing so, climb to the top of Corsair’s offerings.
Enter the K70 Pro TKL, a keyboard that builds on the solid foundation of the K70 Max, adding commendable improvements within a smaller, arguably more elegant frame. The question now is: does it truly deliver, or are we about to uncover some unexpected flaws?
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DESIGN
Corsair is undoubtedly one of the brands whose off-the-shelf keyboards are gradually approaching custom keyboards in terms of overall experience, and the K70 Pro TKL is no exception. Whether you opt for the black or white variant, this is a stunning keyboard crafted from a combination of high-quality plastic on the underside and brushed aluminum on the top.
K70 Pro TKL looks premium and sleek
The two segments come together beautifully to create a relatively low-profile keyboard. The rounded edges further enhance its sleek aesthetic, giving the keyboard a truly premium feel. Tasteful details complement the design without ever straying into the realm of being overly “gamer” – even though, at its core, this is unmistakably gaming hardware.
It speaks volumes about the effort put into design when a manufacturer pays attention even to parts of the keyboard that you won’t see most of the time. In this case, it’s the underside of the keyboard, which features a stunning high-tech pattern that converges on the Corsair logo, perfectly centered on the board.
The attention to detail extends even to the bottom of the keyboard
This hi-tech pattern also extends to the keyboard’s feet, which offer a single level of adjustment but are beautifully sleek, matching the overall design. On the top side, standout details include the always-welcome volume knob and two translucent keys that control specific keyboard functions—which I’ll dive into later.
The keycaps here are double-shot PBT in an ANSI layout. As is usually the case with PBT keycaps, they have a slightly textured surface that makes them more grippy and resistant to wear and tear. They feature an OEM profile and are very pleasant to type on.
The typing experience is very pleasant, too bad about the sound profile
The font is quintessentially Corsair, with relatively bold legends seemingly designed to allow as much RGB light as possible to shine through. Speaking of RGB, it’s excellent here, as expected from Corsair. Not only are the colors vibrant and impressively bright at maximum settings, but they also reflect beautifully off the aluminum, adding even more flair to the light show.
One last design feature worth mentioning is the detachable wrist rest included with the keyboard. The wrist rest features a memory foam cushion with a leatherette surface, making it exceptionally comfortable and effective at its job. Beyond functionality, its sleek design aligns perfectly with the keyboard, making it a visually pleasing addition to your desk setup. Oh, and it attaches to the keyboard via magnets. While relatively small, these magnets are strong enough to keep the wrist rest securely attached, even during abrupt hand movements or slight adjustments of the keyboard on the desk.
PERFORMANCE
When it comes to performance, the standout feature of the K70 Pro TKL keyboard is undoubtedly its switches. Here, we have MGX Hyperdrive magnetic switches that utilize Hall effect sensors to register keystrokes. Essentially, these switches don’t have a fixed actuation point, allowing you to customize it to your own preferences. This effectively eliminates the need for hot-swapping—at least if you’re looking to adjust performance rather than something like the sound profile.
The magnetic Hall Effect switches and other features offer peak performance
The MGX Hyperdrive switches allow you to adjust the actuation point anywhere from a relatively high 4mm to an insanely low 0.1mm for ultra-fast key press registration. Not only can the actuation point be customized for each individual key, but you can also assign a second actuation point to every key, which can be incredibly useful in various gaming and productivity scenarios. These versatile switches are backed by an 8000Hz polling rate and support for rapid triggering, making them even more responsive by eliminating any delay between actuation and reset for each switch.
We can’t talk about all the performance features of this keyboard without mentioning Corsair’s Flash Tap, which is essentially the same concept as Razer’s Snap Tap. In short, Flash Tap further enhances responsiveness by prioritizing the most recent input between two keys without requiring you to release the previous key.
The volume knob and the two buttons are useful addition
This is a feature so effective that it has famously even been banned in some competitive games, as it allows for near-instant directional changes that can almost feel like cheating in how impactful they are in certain scenarios. The implementation of Flash Tap here works exactly as intended and makes a noticeable difference, especially in competitive FPS games where every millisecond counts.
All of the above makes the Corsair K70 Pro TKL an absolute beast when it comes to performance and customization options. In this regard, it stands as one of the best keyboards on the market, featuring elite gaming capabilities on par with those offered by brands like Razer, Wooting, or SteelSeries.
The magnetic wrist rest is comfortable and overall a nice touch
Of course, it’s not without its drawbacks. As you might expect, the switches here are linear, and their magnetic technology allows them to bottom out even more smoothly than traditional linear switches. However, this results in a sound profile that is fairly basic, despite the two layers of sound-dampening material and the relatively solid build of the chassis.
It’s relatively loud and very clacky, falling behind even some cheaper competitors. While sound has never been a priority for Corsair, I would love to see them address this in a future keyboard—especially for enthusiasts, who are bound to cringe slightly when they hear just how unremarkable the K70 Pro TKL sounds.
As is usually the case with Corsair keyboards, the RGB is stunning
I’ve already mentioned the two buttons next to the volume knob. One of them, by default, plays and pauses media but can be customized to do almost anything you want. The other button, more interesting from a performance standpoint, is the one that activates Game Mode. This mode pushes the gaming features to their maximum potential. It boosts the polling rate to 8000Hz, enables Rapid Trigger for all keys, and includes all the expected features like disabling distractions or anything that could pull you out of the game.
Last but not least, there’s Corsair’s iCUE software. While a good portion of customization can be done directly on the keyboard using key shortcuts, it’s through iCUE that this keyboard truly reaches its full potential. Most of the options are intuitive and easy to navigate. The software allows for advanced RGB customization, key remapping, setting key actuation points, customizing the functionality of the volume knob, and tweaking virtually every aspect of performance—from polling rate to rapid trigger and more.
The knob and nearly every aspect of the keyboard can be customized
Additionally, you can create different profiles or even store presets in the onboard memory, making it convenient to use the keyboard on PCs where iCUE isn’t available.
CONCLUSION
The Corsair K70 Pro TKL is an almost perfect gaming keyboard and a fantastic addition to the K70 lineup. It essentially delivers everything you could want, from a sleek design to state-of-the-art performance for the most demanding users.
While the sound profile isn’t the best and the keyboard would feel more complete with a wireless mode for those who dislike cables in their setup, it’s still so feature-rich that it almost effortlessly justifies its relatively high price.
