Corsair K70 RGB Professional Mini Wi-fi overview: Teeny very small, tremendous expensive

In the last couple of decades it would seem like each Personal computer gaming accessory maker has experimented with its hand at a 60 p.c mechanical board, from time to time a lot more than as soon as. They see keyboard fans dropping hundreds on semi-custom bespoke builds and want a piece of the pie. But I’ve however to see one particular of these compact keyboards appear out as an unqualified success. 

The Corsair K70 RGB Professional Mini Wireless is the hottest entry. It’s technically just about flawless, packed with virtually every single feature a gaming board can have, and arrives with top quality upgrades like PBT keycaps, sizzling-swap keys, multi-level connections, and case lights. It’s definitely a stage over the competitors, assuming that you’re alright with what is now “basic” switch tech. 

But in between my own private programming pet peeve and the high quality pricing, this very small keyboard is decidedly mid-tier in general. It’s in all probability the finest alternative if you will have to have a wireless gaming board at 60 per cent, but for anybody without bottomless pockets or a with a lot more normal-use concentration, there are much better (and more affordable) alternatives.

See our roundup of the best wi-fi keyboards for a lot more tips and solution comparisons.

K70 RGB Professional Mini Wi-fi: A characteristic listing as extensive as its name  

Identify a mechanical keyboard attribute, and the K70 RGB Pro Mini Wireless (I’m just gonna get in touch with it the K70 Mini from now on) almost certainly has it. RGB lights? Look at. Premium PBT plastic keycaps? Yup. Wi-fi? Two various flavors (USB and Bluetooth), 3 various units. It’s rocking the at any time-well-known 60 p.c kind element, chopping off the perform row and all the things east of Enter, and it even has a quite special angular look with reward lighting all over 360 levels of the situation. 

This is a gaming-centered board, so it would make do devoid of some of the far more preposterous excesses like a full steel situation or gasket mounting. But its actual physical customization recreation is on stage, thanks to a regular vital layout suitable with most keycap sets. You can also swap out the switches by themselves for any Cherry MX-appropriate designs. But with exceptional authentic Cherry parts on board (“Speed Silver” linear switches on our overview unit), you could possibly not want to, in particular if you bought this matter for gaming. 

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What is that? You want much more? Effectively you must, thinking about the cost tag. How about a spare place bar that can present off that RGB mild exhibit, dedicated keycap and crucial change pullers, and a sweet 6-foot braided cable for when the battery operates out? Corsair also involved a branded alternative Escape essential, in situation the conspicuous badge on the front is not enough. Spherical it out with one-phase keyboard toes and an aluminum deck, and you appear to the bottom of a lengthy characteristic list.

High quality everything

Leaping in, typing on the K70 Mini feels quality ideal away. The silky-easy switches and the gritty, grippy texture of the keys combine for an fantastic practical experience. I normally have to have a working day or two to acclimate to a new keyboard, because I’m used to spoiling myself with premium sections. It only took an hour or two this time many thanks to all that expensive plastic, even though I desire a keyboard rest could have been included, like other Corsair styles. Chalk it up to the K70 Mini’s transportable variety aspect. 

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And moveable it is. Likely with a plastic physique and leaving steel for the deck was a wise transfer, as even with all the bells and whistles this keyboard weighs in at just about a pound and a 50 %. That would make it unbelievably quick to throw in a bag for your future LAN occasion or a very little on-the-go Genshin Impression with your cellular phone or pill. True, competing 60 per cent boards are just as superior in that perception, but the multi-stage Bluetooth gives the Mini an benefit in this space.     

Just one little bit of bodily structure I’d like to spotlight: a large, uncomplicated-to-locate electrical power change, hanging out proper earlier mentioned the Escape button. Too many modest boards make it challenging to flip the point on and off, and that is an important depth with a design and style that will suck down battery power with the gentle demonstrate enabled.

Application leaves out one compact (major) element

With around-countless customization of the keycaps and crucial switches, you’d expect the software program for the Mini to be similarly customizable. And you’d be right… up to a level. Mechanical keyboard purists will be unhappy that you just cannot program the keyboard by way of open up source QMK or By using firmware, but Corsair’s iCue is astonishingly well-geared up and incredibly straightforward to navigate. That’s extra than I can say for some competing “gaming” driver deals, like Logitech’s G computer software. 

There’s a staggering sum of solutions in iCue. Polling charge, brightness, nationwide structure, debounce time, even a toggle that lets you function the keyboard in “PlayStation mode” for console lovers. And all of it can be saved to one of two onboard memory slots. If only the programming of the keyboard’s real capabilities was so finish. 

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Like so a lot of other mini keyboards, it is not possible to shift the Purpose button, so definitely customizable layouts are incomplete by definition. That incorporates my favored format, with arrow keys on the major layer at Alt/Fn/Windows/Ctrl, and the Fn button replacing Caps Lock. It’s quick in QMK, unattainable in iCue. For 60 percent keyboards that stay and die on user customization, that’s a large disadvantage. 

Modest board, major value tag

Programming deficiencies aside, the K70 RGB Professional Mini Wi-fi does tick all the regular packing containers for avid gamers. But it is also $180, much more pricey than a lot of wi-fi mechanical boards. It is about on par with Razer’s BlackWidow V3 Mini, but that board’s also wickedly expensive—take a look at the Logitech G613 or even the Asus Falchion for anything a lot more affordable. And even though it’s a matter of flavor, the latter manages to get comprehensive arrow keys in the design with scarcely any further dimensions. 

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If cash is no item and you want each and every probable element you can consider (minus the possibility to transfer that Fn essential all-around), the K70 RGB Professional Mini Wireless suits the exceptionally particular area of interest of tiny wireless gaming mechanical keyboards extremely nicely, with the standout aspect of incredibly hot-swappable switches. But if you’re in any way frugal, if you never will need every feature beneath the solar, and you want more versatile programming, glimpse somewhere else.