Product Showcase
Product Showcase
Okay, we're going to have a closer look at the product guided with the help of lotsa photo's. As always packaging and bundle first. The core features of the K60 and K90 are the same, and include Cherry MX Red keys (awesome for gaming), 1000Hz polling, 20-key rollover over USB and 100% anti-ghosting.
Unpackaging shows a simple bundle, the keyboard, the soft touch wrist rest and a manual/warranty guide. For the programmable G keys A software installation is needed and you should download the latest version from Corsair.
Interestingly enough the K90 does not have the extra red replaceable WASD rubberized keys that the K60 offers. We feel that is a bit of a miss really. But the K90 is marketed more as an MMO and RTS keyboard, which is why it doesnt have the FPS-inspired rubberized keys of the K60 (their FPS board). Also, you have backlights on the K90, as an alternative method of seeing the keys.
Once we have a better and closer look at the keyboard the word sturdy comes to mind. The keyboard once again is heavy, made out of a plastic base with brushed aluminum on top of it. The keys are placed onto (not into) the keyboard. The aluminum top base gives the product a rather unique look and feel. It will also help with dampening vibrations.
The heavy weight combined with rubber feet will ensure you from the keyboard sliding away. It has a very firm grip on my desktop. The overall look and feel of the aluminum gives the keyboard again ... a sturdy, stylish finish.
Where the K60 model lacks extra programmable gaming keys the K90 does have them. The 'querty' keys itself are mechanical (except the function row which are are rubber dome based), making use of Cherry Red MX 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. 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 up to 20 key presses at once.
The media function keys on the keyboard itself are basic yet 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.
The keys themselves are very 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 sure ... the base is simply very exposed and thus more susceptible to dirt.
