Performance

The CORSAIR STRAFE RGB MK.2 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.

When first connected with iCUE installed and running, the keyboard lights up in a spiral rainbow lighting effect, which is the default option in its 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 a white with a light pink hue in this case. I think part of it is possibly the color's calibration since I was able to get it to improve slightly by adjusting the individual R/G/B channels in the driver. 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. We can also see that the side lighting is very minimal this time round, especially compared to the original STRAFE RGB which had a more pronounced cutout to allow more light out the sides.

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 also created a Frankenstein's monster lighting profile in the advanced lighting menu by combining a few of the options available, and to its credit, the keyboard did very well; you have been spared from having to see that in action, thankfully.

For those preferring not to use the software driver a lot, the onboard functionality coupled with hardware playback comes in very handy. There are dedicated buttons for media playback, a volume mute toggle button, volume scroll wheel, lighting on/off button, Win lock button, and profile switches which allow users to switch between the three hardware profiles saved on the device itself. So while you will need the driver to make the most of the STRAFE RGB, especially to set up the hardware profiles, there is definitely scope to then use the keyboard as-is.



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 Gillespiep). 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.



This sample came with the Cherry MX Silent Red RGB switches; the switch is based off the vastly more popular Cherry MX Red RGB, but is modified by the addition of bumpers inside the switch to minimize downstroke and upstroke noise. The former comes in handy if you are prone to bottoming out these switches, which is very easy to do even when not in the heat of the moment, and the latter is where you get more than you would by just adding O-rings at the bottom. The addition of these bumpers does mean that the pre-travel distance is now rated at 1.9 mm as opposed to 2.0 mm for the MX Red, with the total travel distance also reduced from 4.0 mm to 3.7 mm here. The force characteristics are the same for the updated actuation and bottoming out points, at 45 cN and ~70 cN respectively. You can find more information on the official product page here, and there is also a render of the disassembled switch above (courtesy of Cherry) to play around with if you are interested.


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 STRAFE RGB MK.2 sample at ~105 WPM as it comes out of the box. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. I did bottom out here, which is not hard to do given the relatively light spring and shorter travel distance.