Performance

The CORSAIR K57 RGB wireless keyboard supports 8-key rollover USB or Slipstream wireless out of the box, which is more than typical for a membrane keyboard without added hardware, and tested successfully using Aqua's test. Note that modifier keys do not count towards this limit, and I have not had a situation to date wherein I needed more than 6KRO anyway. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys either, and you can also see which keys out of the standard 104-key US ANSI layout are supported by default here. As with just about any keyboard these days, there is no right Windows key, having being substituted by an Fn key instead.

When first connected, regardless of iCUE running or not and whether wireless or wired, the keyboard lights up in a spiral rainbow lighting effect, which is the default option in their basic lighting mode. The transition animation is smooth, and the effect is a good demo to also ensure the keyboard is powered on and working properly.


I then 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 more accurate whites here, which is a good start to the CORSAIR Capellix LEDs in action. We can also see how the secondary legends are not as well lit as the primary ones, but with the location of the backlighting source for each switch closer to the center and Capellix LEDs being brighter than typical RGB LEDs, it is mitigated to an extent. In a separate test via one of the preset multi-colored options, I tested for light bleed, and it was definitely present at the common edges because of the floating keycaps, but, again, less so relatively due to the white layer underneath allowing for better light reflection and diffusion.

Here are some more of the lighting effects demonstrated, including a rainbow wave, rain (drop), and color wave, making full use of the hardware and software alike. I think it is fair to say that the stock keycaps on the K70 RGB MK.2 SE will last longer while providing a brighter, arguably more impressionable backlighting experience.


For those preferring not to use the software driver a lot, onboard functionality includes controls for backlighting brightness and effects, as well as recording macros and toggling Win lock. There are also dedicated buttons for media playback and volume control, in addition to the dedicated macro keys that no doubt can be put to good use depending on applications and/or games of your choosing. Here, however, iCUE comes in handy in associating a software profile with a program such that the macro keys can be programmed specifically as well.



The key-assignment options in iCUE allow for users to 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 driver offers 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.

I will gladly eat my own words to CORSAIR reps at CES as my skepticism about Slipstream proved to be unfounded. Indeed, it was a pleasure to work with wirelessly as I was not able to perceive any side effects of the wireless connection relative to the USB connection in terms of functionality. I even was tempted to game a little before the membrane switch reality kicked in and I soon found myself wanting something else. But I will give the company props for making a feature this close to all the marketing spiel with minimal compromises as far as I can tell—except for cost, but we will get to that soon enough. For those who came in late, peripheral makers realized that there is a market for higher-end wireless keyboards, mice, and headsets in the gaming sector. This had them going for the 1 ms response time metric which, until recently, meant needing a dedicated USB dongle for each device. With Slipstream, CORSAIR is able to get better connection speeds (as much as 50% improvement claimed over the conventional 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity over USB) and latency (sub-1 ms). The K57 RGB wireless is not necessarily the best keyboard to make use of this, however, but it it what it is and also supports Bluetooth 4.2 LE for other devices.

Battery life is exceptional too for what is ultimately an RGB-backlit keyboard with over 110 keys and per-key lighting. Slipstream may have been my favorite topping on this ice cream, but Capellix LEDs made for that warm fudge sauce that enhances the experience in more ways than one. I was admittedly frustrated with the poor battery life of CORSAIR's previous wireless keyboard attempts which, with single-color backlighting, had me charge it once every two days. I ended up turning the lights off completely to get more time before charges, and even so, it was not very satisfactory. The K57 RGB wireless keyboard is rated for a whopping 175 hours of continuous use with no backlighting, 35 hours on level 1 (33% brightness), 20 hours on level 2 (67% brightness), and 8 hours at max brightness, which is extremely bright. In practice, I never had to go beyond level 2 even in a dark room and used 100% brightness only for the photos and videos seen above. You can also set the keyboard to go to sleep after a certain time of your choosing, which will translate to weeks, if not months, before charges. I only had to charge once during my testing, and even then, it was at ~50% battery so the charging time was only ~3.5 hours (rated charging time from 0-100% is 6-8 hours).


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 K57 RGB wireless keyboard sample at ~90 WPM as it comes out of the box. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with membrane and tactile switches. I did bottom out here, which is a must, but the rubber dome sheet does help dampen noise to where it would not be a distraction in a shared workspace.