Logitech G Introduces PRO X Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

[AleksandarK]

Logitech G, a brand of Logitech and leading innovator of gaming technologies and gear, today unveiled the Logitech G PRO X Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. This new keyboard features multiple switch types including Clicky, Linear and Tactile in a tenkeyless design to fit the needs of current and aspiring esports pros.

"I loved the original PRO keyboard, but really wanted a version with clicky switches," said Broken Blade, TSM League of Legends. "Now that I have a PRO keyboard with blue switches, I can't wait to use this in our next tournament." Designed to the exacting standards of the world's top esports professionals, the PRO X gaming keyboard is built to provide esports professionals and competitive gamers with competition-grade reliability and features designed to enhance gaming without getting in the way.





"Gamers, especially pros, have different preferences when it comes to keyboard switches," said Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager, Logitech Gaming. "That's why we wanted to design and build a new PRO keyboard that featured swappable switches. By giving gamers the ability to choose the right switch to match their style of play, we've delivered a new level of performance that is optimized for each individual's unique needs."

The new keyboard builds upon the pro-approved Logitech G PRO Gaming Keyboard's space-saving tenkeyless design, making it easy to pack for tournament travel and freeing up table space for low-sensitivity mouse movement. In addition, a detachable Micro-USB connector ensures that the cable won't break at the connection point when bouncing around in a bag and transported between events. The three-pronged design features support arms for an easy, reliable connection. The keyboard also features customizable RGB lighting which can be stored to an onboard memory profile.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech G PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard comes in two variants which are expected to be available in October of 2019; the Logitech G PRO X Mechanical Gaming Keyboard retails for $149.99 with user-swappable GX Clicky, Linear or Tactile switches, and the Logitech PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard with non-swappable clicky switches retails for $129.99. Packs of 92 replacement GX Clicky, Linear or Tactile switches for the PRO X keyboard can be purchased from LogitechG.com for $49.99. For more information please visit our website, our blog or connect with us @LogitechG.

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[Space Lynx]

If it doesn't have analog switches I will pass.

Analog is the future. Wooting's Lekking Switch is the future actually. That is what I am waiting for.

 

[Gungar]

If it doesn't have analog switches I will pass.

Analog is the future. Wooting's Lekking Switch is the future actually. That is what I am waiting for.

Analog switches is the futur for some of us, but a lot of people prefer clicky keyboards that analog switches can't provide.

 

[DJ_Casper]

I do not understand a point in changing the mechanical keyboard to a new one. My G710+ rocks for over 5 years

 

[goodeedidid]

What is analogue switches?

 

[silentbogo]

I like the board. Pricing is on the higher side, but still fair. I'll wait for reviews, but in the long-run this is the best replacement candidate for my crumbling semi-custom TKL mutant.

If it doesn't have analog switches I will pass.

Analog is the future. Wooting's Lekking Switch is the future actually. That is what I am waiting for.

Very questionable future. While analog switches are fun, they are no more than a gimmick for gaming. With current trend of reducing travel time, It'll be hard to control anything with partial presses.
And when it comes to e-sports, there's definitely no use for it. All these people need is reliable and fast response, e.g. once again: short travel and good feedback (not necessarily tactile or clicky, but you've gotta feel that keypress). Plus, decent magnetic and optical variants are still several times more expensive than regular mechanical switches, and require a lot more control circuitry, like additional power rails for sensors and supporting circuitry, ton of analog multiplexers and faster/bigger MCUs with equally speedy multi-channel ADC.
There are many uses for such switches, but gaming keyboard is probably somewhere near the bottom of the list.

What is analogue switches?

It's a type of switch, which gives you the ability to not just register press/depress, but read-out the position of the switch anywhere in-between. Kinda like a trigger or a thumbstick on a gamepad, but with only a couple mm of travel.

 

[Sybaris_Caesar]

What is analogue switches?

Basically like gas pedal or accelerator in cars.

Only use case I can see is for people who play car/racing games with KBM *shudder* or archaic games that use the CS movement system (knife to run faster).

All modern games have walk and sprint button and also are controller/gamepad compatible which also have analog buttons (trigger and analog stick).

So analog keyboards ain't the future chief. It can however be a good option for people who prefer linear switches. You can change the actuation point to your liking.

I wonder if the hot swap board is compatible with other switches. Might give GMMK run for its money.

If it's limited to Logitech's proprietary switches Boo! DOA. Outemu switch boards are also limited to their own switches but unlike Logitech, Outemu has many different switches available. The vanilla Cherry clones, later ICE and now SKY series of switches.

 

[silentbogo]

If it's limited to Logitech's proprietary switches Boo! DOA.

Their GX switches seem to be Cherry-compatible, so I guess that $149 switchable board can be equiped with anything you like: Cherry, Gateron, Kaihl, Outemu etc.
Would be nice if you could get that as a kit, or without switches. I'd re-use my box of Gateron Browns. Those are the most durable switches I've ever used. The only thing they don't like is coffee

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

I still want macro keys.

 

[oxidized]

Their GX switches seem to be Cherry-compatible, so I guess that $149 switchable board can be equiped with anything you like: Cherry, Gateron, Kaihl, Outemu etc.
Would be nice if you could get that as a kit, or without switches. I'd re-use my box of Gateron Browns. Those are the most durable switches I've ever used. The only thing they don't like is coffee

I'm still using my 6+ years old QPAD Mk80 with brown cherry switches, i've eyed a cheap model from Cooler master, the CK 550 which uses gateron sws, but i honestly got a little bored of brown switches, and want to get the red sws version, do you think gateron are actually good switches or just another cheap cherry knockoff? Also this from logitech is quite interesting too, but i don't really like the design of it, and it'll probably cost too much for what it offers, but i'll keep an eye on it surely.

 

[silentbogo]

do you think gateron are actually good switches or just another cheap cherry knockoff?

Gaterons are fine. When Kaihl was making cheap crap for Razer, these were probably one of the best alternatives on the market. Their brown switches are a bit on the stiff and loud side, but in terms of reliability - almost on par with Cherry. I'm using mine with o-rings, but the noise is still quite high.
Also, from what I've heard, Kailh finally got their s$#t together and started making some decent and most importantly - more reliable switches. For the past year I've been tempted to get some of Kailh's low-profile switches for my custom bluetooth KB, but every time either their official Aliexpress store out-of-stock on LP switches/keycaps, or my wallet is in "out-of-cash" state.

Also this from logitech is quite interesting too, but i don't really like the design of it, and it'll probably cost too much for what it offers, but i'll keep an eye on it surely.

Supposedly it's around $50 for a 92-key set, which is very decent price for brand-name switches. In contrast, back in a day I paid a little under $40 for 100-something bag of gateron browns from a private seller (probably leftovers from one of his projects). Original Cherry MX is around double that... So, the price on GX is actually pretty good.

 

[oxidized]

Gaterons are fine. When Kaihl was making cheap crap for Razer, these were probably one of the best alternatives on the market. Their brown switches are a bit on the stiff and loud side, but in terms of reliability - almost on par with Cherry. I'm using mine with o-rings, but the noise is still quite high.
Also, from what I've heard, Kailh finally got their s$#t together and started making some decent and most importantly - more reliable switches. For the past year I've been tempted to get some of Kailh's low-profile switches for my custom bluetooth KB, but every time either their official Aliexpress store out-of-stock on LP switches/keycaps, or my wallet is in "out-of-cash" state.


Supposedly it's around $50 for a 92-key set, which is very decent price for brand-name switches. In contrast, back in a day I paid a little under $40 for 100-something bag of gateron browns from a private seller (probably leftovers from one of his projects). Original Cherry MX is around double that... So, the price on GX is actually pretty good.

Well 150$ will probably translate into 160€ and for something that hasn't got cherry switches i'm not sure it's that good, true it has swappable switches, but at the end of the story it's the same stuff for the rest. Besides we're still talking about a tenkeyless board so...Also do we know who manufactures logitech GX switches?

 

[MazeFrame]

I still want macro keys.

Same here, yet my desire for mechanical was stronger.
If Logitech could remake their G13 with mechanical (preferably Cherry/Kailh silvers), that would be great.

Swapable switches sound like an interesting idea.
I could see having Silvers (or silver-like) switches in the main typing area and blues for the numpad and function keys.

 

[Sybaris_Caesar]

Also do we know who manufactures logitech GX switches?

Logitech's Romer G switches were made by Omron. Since GX switches are Cherry clone it could be made by themselves. Cherry's patent expiration has been the greatest boon for mechanical keyboard lovers imo. Not that Outemu, Kailh, Gateron etc. ever abided the law (they're Chinese and had been making Cherry clones even before patent expiration).

 

[oxidized]

Logitech's Romer G switches were made by Omron. Since GX switches are Cherry clone it could be made by themselves. Cherry's patent expiration has been the greatest boon for mechanical keyboard lovers imo. Not that Outemu, Kailh, Gateron etc. ever abided the law (they're Chinese and had been making Cherry clones even before patent expiration).

Oh so that's why so many were able to copy Cherry design, interesting i thought they were somewhat different so they couldn't have been sued by Cherry, anyway i tried logitech's Romer G, i had a G513 till some months ago, it had Linear Romer G, gray, i have to say that i really wanted to like those, but there was something way too "membranic" with them and then i decided to sell it.

 

[Franzen4Real]

Very questionable future. While analog switches are fun, they are no more than a gimmick for gaming. With current trend of reducing travel time, It'll be hard to control anything with partial presses.

From what I understand, with analog switches you will be able to define the "bottom" of the key press, or its actuation point. It does not necessarily require full travel to register the press in a non-analog use (typing for instance). The benefit in gaming is if you are playing something like a twitch shooter, you can define the "bottom" of the press to be so shallow that all you would need to do is bump the button and it registers as a full press. So if you do happen to mash the buttons all the way down, it still will have registered your action at the extreme top of the travel. If you are familiar with calibrating any of the Logitech driving wheels/pedals, this is how the analog gas and brake pedals work (as in, setting where full throttle/brake occur in the travel). I'm sure manufacturers like Corsair or Logitech would also offer per-game profiles, so if you change from a twitch style game to say, Tomb Raider where you may be able to use the long press of analog, you could have different key travel settings to toggle between through the software.

I'm a clicky/tactile/mechanical switch type myself though...

 

[AnarchoPrimitiv]

Analog switches is the futur for some of us, but a lot of people prefer clicky keyboards that analog switches can't provide.

That's me, I'm a fan of the clickiest, "bluest" switches with the largest force needed to press them.... Speaking of which, I just ordered the Kailh Navy Box... Can anyone recommend the most exaggerated blue switch they know of?

P.S. - I can't comprehend how anyone likes linear red switches with no tactile bump (or even brown switches for that matter). The only thing I can come up with is that people buy red switches because they think that's what they "should" buy to be a "gamer". They're just the most unsatisfying switch to type on.
-
P.S.S. - There needs to be more WHITE, RGB, TKL (I'll use 65% to TKL, but I don't like 60% because I want my damn arrow keys) keyboards made...I'm so tired to the same black RGB 104 key keyboards that all look exactly the same

 

[Space Lynx]

I used a Wooting Two at a friends house briefly, black switches, and Dishonored game was extremely fun with Analog switches... not sure what you mean by gimmick, for some games they are a godsend, for other games they don't matter.

Analog switches is the futur for some of us, but a lot of people prefer clicky keyboards that analog switches can't provide.

Not sure what you mean, Wooting has a blue switch that also is analog...

 

[Sybaris_Caesar]

That's me, I'm a fan of the clickiest, "bluest" switches with the largest force needed to press them.... Speaking of which, I just ordered the Kailh Navy Box... Can anyone recommend the most exaggerated blue switch they know of?

Then you're looking for MX Green or derivatives.

P.S. - I can't comprehend how anyone likes linear red switches with no tactile bump (or even brown switches for that matter). The only thing I can come up with is that people buy red switches because they think that's what they "should" buy to be a "gamer". They're just the most unsatisfying switch to type on.

Same here. But I think people generally don't mind membrane boards but just hate the squishiness during bottoming out. Linear is best of both worlds for them I guess. No squishiness and no tactility. Smooth bottom out.

P.S.S. - There needs to be more WHITE, RGB, TKL (I'll use 65% to TKL, but I don't like 60% because I want my damn arrow keys) keyboards made...I'm so tired to the same black RGB 104 key keyboards that all look exactly the same

There are options but statistically speaking any color other than black is hard to match with the system.

And funnily enough 60-65% boards offer the best variety. They come with wireless, battery, non-black scheme cause most people buying 60-65% boards use them on-the-go. You pack your smol mech kb in the backpack with your work laptop or tablet and voila! You have a satisfying mobile office setup.

I used a Wooting Two at a friends house briefly, black switches, and Dishonored game was extremely fun with Analog switches... not sure what you mean by gimmick, for some games they are a godsend, for other games they don't matter.

Kinda like everything in this world ain't it? Some people even don't like mechanical switches. The difference is people thinking analog switches are future are almost the same percentage of people saying they hate mechanical switches, very small.

Not sure what you mean, Wooting has a blue switch that also is analog...

Actuation point, tactile point, reset point and bottom out point are different things.

Any keypress not reaching the actuation point and then travel to bottom out after actuation point is 0, no input.
Only the actuation point registers the keypress so it's 1.

Then there's a reset point above the actuation point. Until the pin reaches the reset point it won't register new keypress even if you reach the actuation point again. This is the main reason Blue/Clickies are usually frowned upon for gaming. The distance between actuation point and reset point is farthest compared to Red/Linear or Brown/Tactile by their inherent design. But realistically very skilled light double/triple tappers will notice.

Then there's the tactile point that tactile and clicky switch have. Nothing electrical happens here.

Same for bottom out point.

Iirc wooting one/analog switches have 256 or so points between no keypress and bottom out that you can set any of those points as actuation or reset. And yes those 256 or so points act as analog. Kinda like many dots make a line or sth.

In my and many tactile afficionados opinion we would like a switch that can also change the tactile point like the above. Don't ask me how since actuation point is electrical while tactile point is mechanical. But weird things have happened. Who could foresee those miniscule little mobile cameras having changeable aperture few years ago?

 

[chstamos]

So for some reason, Logitech thinks we need replaceable keyboard switches while it keeps hawking 100-dollar mouses that need actual desoldering to replace their lousy button switches that only last for a couple of years' use. Maybe they should take a lesson from Asus and take easily replaceable switches where it matters most.