Lighting and Performance

The MSI GK50 LP 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, unlike most modern keyboards, the expected Fn key replaces the Menu key instead, with MSI deciding to retain the right Win key. Seen above are all the functions that get dedicated keys on the base layer, which is plenty for productivity on this TKL form factor keyboard.

When first powered on and running, the keyboard lights up in a very quickly moving rainbow wave lighting effect, which is the default option without the software running. The transition animation is smooth, but faster than I'd like personally, and the effect is also a good demo to ensure the keyboard is powered on and working properly. Notice the light bleed around the edges making for some form of side lighting courtesy the low-profile keycaps.


MSI is good about providing plenty of onboard controls here, including for the backlighting. Fn + Ins toggles through 11 lighting effects, including off, with Fn + Del/Home/End/Pg Up/Pg Dn/Up/Down/Left/Right allowing further customization, such as lighting effect speed, direction, brightness in six levels, and even a quick change of color. This means you can avoid MSI Center if the pre-programmed layers and lighting effects suffice, and I only used MSI Center for further testing. Seen above are more images and another video of the keyboard lit up, whereby light bleed certainly is a thing and a half! Testing for color fidelity also meant using the software drivers to set all the LEDs to 255/255/255 (white) since RGB LEDs tend to have a hard time putting out a true white. As such, I will give props to MSI for programming and compensating the LEDs to put out a very good white after all. In general, the design choices make for a pretty bright light show to where those prioritizing RGB lighting will not be left wanting.

The TKL form factor means there are no extra macro buttons or even dedicated volume control or media playback buttons. Instead, MSI has chosen to have these and a few other shortcuts pre-programmed with other keys to allow for an Fn + layer for further productivity. We saw the use of this layer for lighting control, and the Fn key row also comes in handy for volume control and media playback in addition to pulling up and activating MSI Afterburner profiles if you have both MSI Center and MSI Afterburner installed on the system, with at least MSI Center running in the background. This means you can quickly activate an, say, OC Afterburner profile by pressing Fn + F1 on your keyboard when in a game. While it never crossed my mind as necessary while gaming, it is something I never anticipated being able to do with a keyboard. The TKL form factor is generally more conducive to gaming than full-size units, especially since it allows for the mouse to be closer to the keyboard, and thus has your hands better align with the width of your shoulders for added ergonomics in use.


As we saw before, the MSI GK50 Low Profile keyboards come with a single switch option, and this is the case with the TKL version, too. Going with the Kailh Choc White is an.. inspired choice, shall we say? I would have personally gone with the Choc Red linear switch if I had to pick one, especially given the gaming marketing in play for the GK50 LP TKL keyboard. The Choc White is a tactile and clicky switch, and a very good one at that when it comes to the physical limitations of the low-profile switch form factor. It is 15x15x11 mm, as opposed to the ~16x16x15 mm for the equivalent Kailh BOX White switch, and cuts actuation and total travel down to 1.5/3.0 mm compared to the usual 2.0/4.0 mm for full-size switches. Granted, this in itself isn't novel since you can get "Speed" switches in the full-size footprint that can actuate and bottom out even faster, but you are using these for the convenience of cutting down on switch height in particular. Going with the Choc White also means having a heavier spring inside even compared to the Choc Blue tactile and clicky switch, with a pre-travel of ~1.4 mm before the tactile bump that takes 60 +/-10 gf of force. The rated actuation force of 50 +/-10 gf happens just after, so you will inevitably actuate the switch after hitting the tactile bump anyway, with a peak force of 70 gf when bottoming out before the upstroke begins. As such, the tactile and clicky feedback is closer to the actuation distance than most such switches, and it is a crisp bump, which will satisfy users looking for it. It just is not a switch that makes this keyboard office-friendly, nor is it the first choice for gaming.


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 MSI Vigor GK50 Low Profile TKL keyboard sample at ~100 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Kailh Choc White RGB switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with tactile and clicky switches. I did bottom out more often than not, and the shorter travel distance combined with the tactile force being quite close to the peak bottoming out force means you will likely end up doing the same. The clicky feedback is the dominating sound signature, though I also hear the switches pinging off the frame when bottoming out. This makes for a fairly high-pitched sound overall, which the lubed stabilizers add positively to but the thin ABS keycaps detract from. The lower-profile keyboard means there isn't much scope for reverberations in the plastic case.