Performance

The CORSAIR K55 RGB PRO XT supports what the company calls selective 12-key rollover USB out of the box, which basically only means that the usual FPS/MOBA keys will allow for higher key rollover without ghosting, but the keyboard generally supports the standard 6KRO expected of membrane keyboards, and it tested successfully using Aqua's test. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys either, and as with most modern keyboards, an Fn key replaces the right Win key here. All keys were working just fine.

When first powered on and running, the keyboard lights up in a "Watercolor" lighting effect, which is the default option without the software running. The transition animation is smooth, and the effect is a good demonstration to also ensure the keyboard is powered on and working properly.


Having recently tested multiple RGB backlit keyboards, including the CORSAIR K65 RGB MINI, the backlighting intensity here is definitely lower. I manually set all the keys to white using the software driver to test for color fidelity since RGB LEDs have a hard time depicting white, and it was one of the most accurate whites thus far, so props to CORSAIR for good programming and compensation. In a separate test via one of the preset multi-color options, I tested for light bleed, and it was definitely present at the common edges because of the floating keycaps, but not to where it was distracting.

Here are some more of the lighting effects demonstrated, including a rainbow wave, rain (drop), and spiral rainbow making full use of the hardware and software alike.


For those who would rather not use the software driver a lot, the onboard functionality with hardware playback comes in handy. Indeed, a lot of the lighting effects are already stored on the keyboard, so you can toggle through the lighting presets as described in the user manual, using Fn + the number row, in addition to changing speed and direction of the effect. There are dedicated buttons for media playback and volume control, the backlighting brightness toggle button in multi-steps, Win lock button, and even a button for macro recording. The manual does a decent job describing macro recording as well, which is nerfed compared to the software profile options in iCUE but still plenty for most target customers.



The key-assignment options in iCUE allow for users to also go with layouts other than QWERTY, and here, I used the source code from an older keyboard review in a layout tester (courtesy of Patrick Gillespie). The results above indicate that QWERTY is not even close to the most efficient layout for me, and very likely you as well. If you are willing, try out Colemak or Dvorak as they will result in lower finger travel and fatigue overall. As such, the software drivers offer a significant functional tool if you are willing to devote some time to adopting either Colemak or Dvorak. Here is the link to the full results if you are interested, including a detailed analysis on key presses and distances moved.


As always, the sound of a keyboard is based on more than just the switch type. So when comparing sound clips, consider the keyboard as a whole. In this case, I have provided above an example sound clip of me typing on the CORSAIR K55 RGB PRO XT sample at ~85 WPM as it comes out of the box with the rubber dome membrane switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with tactile switches. I did bottom out since there is no way not to with membrane switches, which does affect the sound signature. Note that the keyboard is on the quieter side, so background noise is also being picked up by the microphone in an attempt to increase the signal.