Performance

The CORSAIR K70 RGB TKL supports N-key rollover USB out of the box, which tested successfully using Aqua's test. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys either, and as with most modern keyboards, we have an Fn key replacing the right Win key here. Also seen above are all the keys that get a dedicated function on the base layer, which is pretty much the alphanumeric section and Esc on this 60% form factor keyboard.

Except.. the Q key isn't working on this sample. I could not believe it when I found out and did the disassembly earlier than usual to check if there was any physical damage to the PCB or the switch. There was nothing faulty I could see physically, and doing a firmware update as well as an EEPROM reset (holding down Esc while plugging in the keyboard) did nothing. The firmware update brought along another set of issues altogether as seen on the previous page, so I clearly got a lemon here, and quite a sour one at that. It is unfortunate that this happened at all, and CORSAIR is sending me a new unit as quickly as possible as I write this. If anything is different with the new unit, I will update this section accordingly. But until then, this just made a bad thing worse with the iCUE issues and now this detracting from the basic keyboard functionality.


[Update: March 16] I can also now confirm that both replacement units are absolutely fine, with all keys working out of the box.

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 demo to also ensure the keyboard is powered on and working properly. So at least all the LEDs are working fine, even if not all the switches are.


Even in a static image taken of one of the dynamic lighting effects, the K65 RGB MINI shines nicely. I suspect the white steel plate helps here, too. 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 better whites albeit still with a light pink hue to it. 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 semi-floating keycaps, but not to where it is distracting. Indeed, the light show from all the RGB LEDs underneath the keys makes for a bigger attention grab anyway.

Here are some more of the lighting effects demonstrated, including a rainbow wave, spiral rainbow, and color shift effect 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, most of the lighting effects are already stored on the keyboard, so you can toggle through the lighting presets as described in the user manual, by using Fn + C, in addition to changing effect direction and speed using Fn + V and Fn + B respectively. Given the smaller form factor, layers are critical with the K65 RGB MINI, and pre-programmed functions even more so. CORSAIR has made good use of the hardware capability with AXON, and a good set of functions are in place already to help replace those missing and then some. The front-facing keycap legends help visually identify what does what, although you will need the manual to be sure, as some are vague still. Indeed, a lot of iCUE functionality is available onboard the device now, including macro recording, key assignment, and profile switching. The layout is generally reasonable; some I like since positioning of the modifiers follows the natural resting positions for the thumb and index fingers, but others require users to forego muscle memory or perhaps give key mapping a serious look.



Speaking of which, 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.


AXON is CORSAIR stating that if they can do Slipstream for wireless tech and improve signal strength for faster, multiple simultaneous connections, they can do the equivalent for wired devices. Indeed, they have managed to get in a 8000 Hz polling rate here, an increase from the already ludicrous 4000 Hz on the K100 that introduced AXON. Your average mechanical keyboard boasts a polling rate of 1000 Hz by default, which just means the PC is set to check for a signal every 1 ms from the USB port, and the USB connector in turn does the same to every single key on the keyboard. Most keyboards can slow this down to ~125 Hz (8 ms), especially if an older BIOS has trouble recognizing it, but practically, there is not a whole lot of a difference given mechanical switches take longer to actuate feedback. So this step, which is one of several comprising the process of you pressing down on a key and the signal showing up on your screen, is not a bottleneck in itself.

That has not stopped companies from trying to lower the response rates and even claim faster switches, however. The latter has come in the form of companies using shorter actuation distances, as with the Cherry MX Speed (Silver) switch for a "faster" response with all other things being equal. Others have gone with the use of optical switches, for example, which aims to negate the time for the mechanical parts to actuate, another reason why CORSAIR has introduced the OPX switch with the K100, which is not an option for the K65 RGB MINI. Finally, there are technologies such as RealKey Analog from Cherry, which aims to reduce the debounce delay between keystrokes. AXON from CORSAIR is effectively on this pathway and uses a real-time running OS on a SoC to quadruple USB throughput, which in turn allows for a polling rate of up to 8000 Hz (0.125 ms) here.


As we saw before, the CORSAIR K65 RGB MINI comes in three linear switch options, and mine used the aforementioned MX Speed switch. This switch is based off the extremely popular Cherry MX Red RGB, but is modified to a pre-travel distance of 1.2 mm as opposed to the 2.0 mm for the MX Red, with the total travel distance also reduced from 4.0 mm to 3.4 mm. The force characteristics are the same for these updated actuation and bottoming-out points, at 45 cN and ~70 cN respectively. You can find more information on the official product page, and I will say right away that these are not necessarily the best for touch typists. Indeed, designed with fast actuation for gaming, the Cherry MX Speed (Silver) can actuate unintentionally if you like to have your fingers over the keys. This mechanism has since been used by other switch makers, including Kailh and Gateron, for linear, tactile, and also clicky switches with a shorter actuation distance.


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 K765 RGB MINI sample at ~75 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Cherry MX Speed (Silver) RGB switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. I did bottom out more often than not given the shorter travel distance and low-medium actuation force. One thing I would have liked was filling out of the hollow space in the plastic case we saw before, which otherwise results in some reverberations that can lead to a tonal disharmony at times.