After the release of the CORSAIR K100, it was evident that the flagship was introducing new features that would eventually trickle down the product segment. Adopting a new keycap mold for PBT doubleshot keycaps using the more standard bottom-row spacing also meant it would happen sooner rather than later, so an overhaul of their keyboards was due in 2021. I expected maybe a new K70 keyboard, but CORSAIR instead surprised us with the all-new K65 RGB MINI, which is a 60% form factor keyboard and thus the smallest keyboard the company has launched to date. It uses the same PBT keycaps as the K100, albeit with added front-facing legends on this small form factor keyboard, in addition to an updated CORSAIR's AXON tech for far more processing power than before in terms of up to 8000 Hz polling (on Windows anyway, macOS is still on 1000 Hz) as well as significantly more hardware control over function and form alike.

There is a lot to like about the keyboard, which is one of the most minimalist designs from the company yet. It saves space galore on your desk and adds further to the portable factor by using a detachable cable, which is another first for CORSAIR. The adaptation of Type-C connectivity is also nice as it future-proofs the keyboard. I suspect the design will be a double-edged sword, however, in that it lacks the ID CORSAIR keyboards are immediately recognized for, and the for CORSAIR typical volume wheel and media controls might have differentiated it further from the plethora of other 60% keyboards that have come out recently or are going to come out soon. As it is, this is a stealth keyboard in that you might well fool even the snobbiest of mechanical keyboard enthusiasts by showing this front on and telling them it is from a niche brand (take your pick) instead. The feature set sure seems like it addresses a lot of the usual complaints about CORSAIR keyboards to date as well, especially considering the heavy customization possible purely with onboard controls, as well as the pretty good pre-programmed layers.

Unfortunately, the first keyboard sample sent to me should have never made it out of quality control. A physical key was not working at all, no matter what I tried with the tools at my disposal and after talking to CORSAIR about it. While the review embargo was active, I also had no other unit to base my opinions on. Shortly after this review was published, in came not one, but two separate replacements. I took the rest of the day to test both units thoroughly, and arguably even more than usual since I was specifically looking for bugs at this point. I am happy for CORSAIR in that both units worked flawlessly and indeed made me want to play around with iCUE and the keyboard even more. CPU utilization is also lower with the new iCUE, at least until you choose a polling rate higher than 1000 Hz, which is no doubt going to please many who balked at the resource utilization of iCUE before.

There are a few things I would have liked to see improved, such as making better use of that plastic case which is hollow and has a cable-routing cutout for no reason. Add in some foam to dampen the downstrokes, or even make a wireless version of the keyboard by adding a sizable battery inside. I am also not sure why CORSAIR stuck with the Cherry MX switches only, and the switch options are not all available in every region even so. The company's OPX switches got rave reviews and user feedback when they debuted with the K100 last year, and I will have my own hands on them soon in a follow-up of the same, and the K65 RGB MINI would have been better with those as an option. Perhaps a K65 RGB MINI SE is to follow soon, similar to what the K70 got a couple of years ago, in a different color scheme and with the OPX switches. CORSAIR did just silently release new keycap sets too. Yes, a faulty unit slipped by CORSAIR's quality controls and made its way to me. All I can say is that the odds of that happening to you are extremely slim, especially as the two other retail units as well as every other review I have gone through confirmed no such issues. So if the K65 RGB MINI checks off your to-buy list requirements, go ahead! The overall feature set is one of the most complete offerings in the market today, and the $110 price tag makes it a pretty decent value too.