Corsair K100 Air Wireless Review

Corsair airs its finest board at an exorbitant price

PROS

• Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connection options
• Ultra-thin profile
• Can create up to 50 user profiles via Corsair iCue app
• Multi-device connectivity

CONS

• Very expensive
• Keys aren’t very comfortable
• RGB is subdued compared to other Corsair keyboards
• 8,000Hz polling rate is overkill

CORSAIR K100 AIR WIRELESS SPECS

Corsair has delivered two of our favorite keyboards this year: the full-size Corsair K70 RGB Pro and the K70 RGB Pro Mini, the latter being one of the best 60 percent keyboards we’ve seen to date. With sky-high polling rates, excellent wireless connectivity, and comfortable, clicky keys, Corsair keyboards seem like they can’t do any wrong. The company’s latest, the K100 Air Wireless ($279), is an ultra-thin mechanical gaming keyboard that seems to mirror the recent the K70 RGB Pro. However, as slim and light as it might be, it has more in common with a general-use productivity keyboard than a gaming one, and the change to scissor key switches is less than ideal for gamers looking for a comfortable key press. Couple that with a very high price, and it’s a tough sell, though it undeniably has tech appeal.

Corsair’s Latest Keyboard Takes to the Air

The K100 Air is a familiar sight for those who have tried any of Corsair’s recent peripherals. Sharp corners give the keyboard a blocky, industrial look, complemented by a brushed aluminum frame. The top half of the board has a slight bump so that the media buttons and indicator lights sit just above the rest of the keys. The keys themselves are also perfect squares, reminding me of the chiclet keys found on laptops.  From a layout perspective, it’s no different than the aforementioned K70 RGB Pro.

Under the hood is where the differences lie, and they might make or break the keyboard for serious gamers. The K70 RGB Pro makes use of the standard Cherry MX key switches you’d find in just about any premium gaming keyboard. But to reach the thin dimensions of the K100 Air, Corsair opted for the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile scissor switches. The shallowest model in Cherry’s product range, the key switch has a 65g actuation force, 0.8mm actuation distance, and a mere 1.8mm of travel distance. This leads to very short response times per press, but I’m not a fan of scissor switches in general, especially in a gaming keyboard.

Scissor switches are normally found in productivity or general use keyboards. The most notable desktop keyboard to make use of them is probably Apple’s Magic Keyboard. These are fine for general typing, but they’re not ideal when it comes to gaming. The keys provide a loud-enough click, but are noisier than expected, probably most similar to a Cherry MX Blue switch. The plus side? The unique design of the switch allows for an LED to be placed directly under the switch, evenly illuminating the key in the process. So while you lose the RGB lighting that normally leaks out from underneath the keys on a bulkier board, you’ll still be able to achieve rich colors through the translucent lettering.

Source: PC Mag
Images: Molly Flores