Closer Examination

As we saw before, the K55 RGB PRO XT keyboard from CORSAIR comes in a plastic wrap to keep it pristine and free of dust out of the box. Removing it, we get our first good look at the keyboard, and it is on the lighter side of average despite the larger-than-full-size form factor. The mass savings are primarily a result of the membrane switch design and ABS plastic throughout, as well as the lack of a metal frame/plate anywhere. The form factor involves a 104-key US ANSI layout with six macro G-keys on the left, similar to the CORSAIR K95/K100 or the K55 RGB this keyboard replaces. Comparing directly to the K55 RGB, this K55 RGB PRO XT (and the non-XT sibling) looks very similar, differing mostly with the branding on the keyboard and wrist rest.

We still get dedicated volume and media playback controls, albeit with buttons rather than the volume wheel of more expensive CORSAIR keyboards. There are also hot keys next to these for macro recording, brightness control, and Win lock, in addition to indicator LEDs. The top of the keyboard has a glossy finish to the plastic that extends to the sides and does become a dust magnet, which necessitates wiping it down from time to time. The rest of the keyboard has a matte plastic finish on the top, sides, and bottom. The keyboard is pretty clean-looking otherwise and predominantly black in color, with off-white laser-etched legends. The keycaps have all secondary legends underneath the primary ones, with no keyboard-specific legends. Single legend placement is right in the middle on the top surface, which is in line with RGB-backlit membrane keyboards that have the LED in the middle of the switch placement. The legend typeface is also pretty good and appropriately sized, and this keyboard as a whole will look good in any work environment as long as you have the room for it.


Flipping the keyboard around, we see the usual certification sticker in the middle. Two rectangular rubber pads on the bottom corners and two smaller, circular pads at the top corners help keep the keyboard from sliding around on the desk, and two feet at the top open up sideways to optionally elevate it. The feet unfortunately do not have rubber padding, and I did find that they occasionally collapsed as they are also smaller in size than the keyboard form factor merits. The 8° elevation angle is clearly marked, but just as clear are the cost-saving measures here.


Installing the wrist rest is fairly simple. Just align the plastic clips with the cutouts in the case on the underside and push the wrist rest into place to lock it there. No magnets or soft foam top, this is just the older CORSAIR plastic wrist rest with an updated look across the top. It does look nice and fits the keyboard aesthetics, too.


We have a fixed cable that comes out the middle from the side facing away from the user. This cable has a black rubber sleeving, with no braided sleeve to be found on this budget-friendly model, is the usual 6' long, and terminates in a USB Type-A connector. CORSAIR recommends the use of USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB 3.0) for power and data connectivity.


The K55 RGB PRO XT is a rubber dome membrane switch keyboard, so talking about the keycap profile is only relevant as far as it relates to mechanical keyboards and the six contoured rows that mostly resemble the OEM profile. The six G-keys on the left do not follow this trend, which does make it easier to distinguish them from the rest of the keyboard when touch typing. The keycaps are your standard thin mainstream ABS plastic with laser-etched legends, which is generally what you get with membrane keyboards. Average wall thickness is 0.91 mm, and as expected, the keycaps support backlighting.


We already knew the CORSAIR K55 RGB PRO XT uses membrane switches, and removing the keycaps confirms it. These switches have walls on the outside, which helps provide the IP42 dust and spill rating the keyboard enjoys. The walls in question are also made out of plastic and translucent white to diffuse the light coming from the LEDs underneath the switch rubber dome, which in turn provide central lighting as opposed to the usual north-facing LEDs on mechanical keyboards. The larger keycaps use a basic wire and clip stabilizer, and these are bone dry with no lubrication anywhere, which makes for a less-than-satisfactory typing experience, especially on the space bar key.