Corsair K68 RGB gaming keyboard with customizable backlighting. Chic Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard Gamdias Hermes P3 RGB Keyboard with RGB Backlit Keys

Often, when choosing a product with backlighting, you can find the abbreviation RGB in the specifications and characteristics. But few sellers think that such a seemingly simple thing is not at all obvious to users.

What does the abbreviation RGB mean? RGB denotes the first letters of the three primary colors in English (Red - red, Green - green, Blue - blue). With these three colors it is possible to obtain any color by mixing. This principle is explained by the peculiarities of color perception by the retina of the human eye.
In theory, three primary colors are enough to create any tone.

In practice, RGB elements do not modulate very well white, it always turns out slightly colored. In light electronics, this property is considered an advantage rather than a disadvantage!

When mixed, the highest intensity of each of these different colored lights will produce white light, while a mixture of low or no intensity will produce black light.

Of course, when displaying colors on screen, the RGB system will use decimal numbers 0 - 255 to represent the intensity for each color. With 256 intensities for each color, a total of 16,777,216 (256 x 256 x 256) colors can be reproduced.

The RGB value is a hexadecimal number in which the first and second digits represent red, the third and fourth digits represent green, and the fifth and sixth digits represent intensity levels, respectively. Although many new technologies are coming to the market, RGB lighting is still used significantly in wide range applications and devices.

Only professional lighting engineers suffer from the inability to obtain pure color, so an RGBW lighting option has been developed for them, which includes white diodes. But that's a completely different story...

We are welcoming a revolution in keyboard backlighting with the ability to change color shades. This is exactly what the new product from Corsair has - the K70 RGB Cherry Red mechanical gaming keyboard, which I will introduce readers to in this review.

Introduction.

Corsair, founded in 1994, continues to delight consumers with its products to this day, still introducing innovative technologies in manufactured computer components and peripheral devices, meeting the high demands of overlockers, enthusiasts and gamers around the world.
In January last year, Corsair attracted attention with the MX RGB project - the prototype was a keyboard with mechanical switching of Cherry MX keys and dynamic backlighting with a palette of 16.8 million shades of colors, the ability to set each key a different color on the keyboard. A few months later, Corsair presented its finished products - the K70 RGB and K95 RGB mechanical keyboards with dynamic backlighting, as well as the M65 RGB gaming mouse with multi-colored backlighting. The new keyboards feature high-precision Cherry MX RGB key switches made in Germany.
The Cherry MX RGB series keyboards also feature the signature characteristics of Corsair products: a distinct design, rigid construction using anodized aircraft aluminum, high-precision operation and long service life.
But in this review we will talk about the K70 RGB Cherry Red keyboard, which has mechanical switching with backlit keys, which can program level change the color of each of the 105 keys on the entire keyboard individually, as well as highlight the number blocks in different colors with a wide range of shades.
I will talk about all this in this review.

Specifications:

Switch type - mechanical Cherry MX Red;
Key travel 4mm, before actuation 2mm;
The service life of mechanical switches is 50 million clicks;
Backlight type – RGB LED, with the ability to set a different color for each individual key;
Connection type – two USB 2.0
The polling frequency is adjustable – 8*4*2*1ms;
Number of multimedia keys – 6 pcs;
Built-in memory – yes;
Number of keys – 104 (100% anti-ghosting and 105 Key Rollover)
Keyboard dimensions (L*W*H) – 436mm*165mm*32mm;
Keyboard weight with packaging - 1.75 kg;
Keyboard weight – 1.2 kg;
Manufacturer's warranty 2 years;
Compatible OS – Windows 8/7/VISTA.

Packaging and delivery.

The K70 RGB Cherry Red keyboard is packaged in a massive glossy cardboard box with a dark background color.
On the front side there is a new Corsair logo, consisting of crossed pirate sabers and identifying the keyboard as belonging to gaming peripherals along with the yellow edging of the packaging. In the center is a keyboard with information about mechanical key switching and the presence of a backlight with a gamut of 16.8 million colors.

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The reverse side is more informative, but all text is in English. But even without knowledge English language You can understand what advantages this keyboard has.

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The technical specifications are indicated at the top and bottom of the packaging, system requirements, color settings that the keyboard keys have.

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Having opened the presentable information packaging, we find another box made of durable cardboard. It contains the keyboard with subsequent equipment.

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The scope of delivery includes the following:

The keyboard is the queen of mechanics;
Wrist rest;
Instructions for use;
Manufacturer's limited warranty manual.
The key removal key is not included due to the lack of replacement keys for the keyboard. But the key, of course, could be useful and help to remove the keys when cleaning the keyboard.

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Appearance of the keyboard and its features.

Introducing the K70 RGB Cherry Red keyboard!
The keyboard is of standard size, but the black color and smaller keys at the top visually make the keyboard compact and elegant. The impressive weight of the keyboard comes from the front panel, made of 2mm thick aluminum sheet. The surface of the aluminum panel is treated with abrasive and painted black. And it is on this that the Cherry MX Red mechanical switches are mounted. The remaining parts of the keyboard housing are made of matte black plastic. A wrist rest is included in the kit, which is important, since the keys on the keyboard are high and the stand smoothes the height of the keys and gives some chic.

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The K70 RGB Cherry Red keyboard uses the standard Cyrillic font layout, and in general uses the IBM/Windows standard keyboard layout. But this is the first time I’ve come across such a layout, where next to the left (Shift) there is a key (vertical bar), thereby shortening the left (Shift). In games it will be difficult to get used to the short left (Shift) key, but in the game settings you can duplicate the left (Shift) key with an adjacent key (vertical bar) and play calmly. But such little things as small (Enter) and shortened left (Shift) are forgivable on a keyboard with such innovations.

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A specialized key block along with cursor keys and a numeric keypad are standardly located on the keyboard.

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The upper right block contains control buttons, light indication and additional multimedia keys. The first button is responsible for changing the brightness of the backlight - it has three selection modes and a shutdown mode. The second is for blocking Windows keys. Nearby there are light indicators for key activity; Caps Lock, Num Lock, Scroll Lock. To the right are multimedia keys: volume on/off; wide volume control wheel; stop/backward/play – pause/forward.

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Additionally, I would like to note the large height of the keys, which, combined with the easy movement, introduces some discomfort when playing in the first days of getting to know and working with it. The hand is in constant voltage, but you can get used to it quickly. The arrangement of the keys from a distance resembles a mechanical typewriter with a characteristic clicking sound of the keys. The top edge of the key is cylindrical, and is used on most keyboards. I think many typesetters will like this.

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On the back of the keyboard there is:

A toggle switch with which you can switch the polling delay 1,2,4,8ms;
Firmware reset button.

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The keyboard is connected to the PC via a fairly powerful 7mm cable, which splits into two USB 2.0 connectors. If connected to USB ports 2.0 on a PC you need to connect two USB connectors. When connecting to USB 3.0 located on a PC, connecting one USB connector will be enough. The cable itself is in a fabric braid. Such a “boa constrictor” will be quite difficult to break during long-term use. The USB connectors are Corsair-style and are often found on gaming peripherals.
Length USB cable is 1930mm, which will allow you to connect the keyboard at a considerable distance from the PC.

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The wrist rest is made of black plastic, and the top surface has a soft-touch coating interspersed with it.

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The stand is attached to the keyboard using classic locks and tilts downwards by more than 45 degrees. This tilt allows the unit to be used with the front legs extended. The edges of the stand have legs with rubber inserts for better grip on the table surface.

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On back side The keyboard has four retractable legs that allow you to raise the keyboard completely above the table surface, or use the classic and reverse tilt of the keyboard. There are also rubber inserts along the edges of the keyboard.
The center contains the following information; serial number keyboards, country of origin (China), maximum current consumption of 5 volts – 1A.

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The rear folding legs are made of plastic and have a rubberized surface.

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The front folding legs are made of plastic.

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Keyboard Features.

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The type of switches on the keyboard is mechanical Cherry MX Red, and the RGB prefix adds the possibility of a wide choice of color palette for backlighting the keyboard keys.
Mechanical switches Cherry MX Red:
Keypress type – tactile;
There is no recoil when pressing a key;
There is no click when the switch is activated;
Switch actuation force – 45g, peak 55g$
Depth of pressing – 2mm before the switch is activated, 4mm key travel until it stops.

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In the photo below you can see that the switch housing is made of transparent plastic, and the pusher is made of red. It is the color of the pusher that determines the type of switches.

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The LEDs are located on one side, on top just below the English font, which affects the dim glow of the Cyrillic alphabet. But somehow you need to separate the boundaries between fonts - and in in this case, the Cyrillic letters were damaged, small and dull.

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BACKLIGHTED KEYS.

I present the options for effects found in the Corsair-Utility-Engine-v1.5.108 program.
Rainbow.

Color change.

Ripple.

Illuminated printing (keys).

Print backlight (pulsation).

How the backlight works before starting the PC and then before loading the keyboard setup program.
Before starting the PC, the keyboard backlight begins to advertise itself, look how beautiful I am, while shimmering with all colors and shades.

Working with the Corsair-Utility-Engine-v1.5.108 program to configure the K70 RGB Cherry Red keyboard.

The Corsair-Utility-Engine-v1.5.108 program provides a wide range of settings for the user of this RGB series keyboard and mouse. In the working window you can see the display of the M65 RGB mouse.
On the “profiles” tab, you can create profiles with custom settings. Change each key individually, changing assignments, then save the settings in the profile, as well as import/export settings at your discretion. At the user's request, you can use all the keys to record macros and enter text. There are many key settings and the advanced macro function will please many users.

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In the “backlight” window, you can create many options for key backlighting, both with classic colors and with shades of colors on each key. At least draw emoticons. The user can save 16 shades of color and use them together with the primary colors.

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In the “performance” window you can change the Win Ljck function.

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In the “actions” tab, you can create your own macros, as well as import ready-made macros created by other users.

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The “backlight” tab, as well as the “action” tab, provides ample opportunities for creating keyboard backlights with my own hands with the possibility of import and export.

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In the last settings window in the “device” window, you can find out: polling (response) frequency, firmware (bootloader) version, keyboard status and the ability to update the firmware version. This keyboard has latest version firmware and does not need updating.

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Additional keyboard settings and technical support with access to the forum are located in the “program” and “support” windows.

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The Corsair-Utility-Engine-v1.5.108 program is generally understandable, but it will take some time to fully master it, and there are no instructions in Russian yet.

My impressions after a short acquaintance with the K70 RGB Cherry Red keyboard.

The first acquaintance in my life with a mechanical keyboard, and even with a cool backlight, caused a storm of positive emotions. It's a pleasure to type on, and the backlight allows you to print in the dark. While listening to music, switch the backlight to “wave” or other effects and enjoy it twice as much. In the game, the keyboard is at its best - the response is instantaneous. Externally, the keyboard looks beyond praise! The surface of the keys is matte and fingerprints are not visible. The keyboard sits on the table surface like a glove, thanks to the rubber feet and considerable weight of the keyboard. I was pleased with the K70 RGB Cherry Red mechanical keyboard.

Conclusion.

I’m summing up the results of my acquaintance with the K70 RGB Cherry Red keyboard. Strict style The performance of the keyboard is pleasing to the eye when placed on the table. The quality of the keyboard as a whole, even gaps along the edges of all the keys, like an expensive car, deserves praise from the assemblers. Impressive weight, which additionally gives stability on the table. Backlighting, consisting of both classic colors and shades of color with the ability to change the color of each key. With such lighting, New Year will not pass by your house. Wide range of macro settings. The matte surface of the keys does not reflect fingerprints. The noise of the keys when typing on the keyboard is not annoying, but you won’t be able to type at night either; you can get hit in the neck by your household with the same keyboard if you disturb your sleep - it will withstand the impact, thanks to the aluminum sheet. The easy key travel with instant response will please many gamers and Corsair fans. The K70 RGB Cherry Red keyboard is worthy of attention, but you will have to pay a lot of money for exclusivity. All that remains is to check the service life of the keyboard - my membrane keyboard, after 9 years, continues to work. But with the arrival of a new one, it remains in reserve, and I no longer want to return to the membrane keyboard.

Pros:
Beautiful backlighting, with a wide range of settings for each key;
Strict appearance and high-quality assembly of the keyboard in general;
Software that provides great opportunities for flight of thought;
Long and durable interface cable;
Cherry MX Red mechanical switches with an impressive service life;
Easy key travel;
Availability of a wrist rest;
Polling frequency 1000Hz.

Cons:
The Cyrillic font lacks both brightness and letter size.
There is currently no software instruction in Russian.

I express my sincere gratitude to Corsair and the administration of the DNS store chain for providing a keyboard for review to participate in the competition.
Goodbye!

Backlit Keyboards Review

The article presents an overview of backlit gaming keyboards. Considered technical, functionality, the advantages and disadvantages of several of the most interesting examples.

Always an advantage

Backlit gaming keyboards take into account the needs of real gamers who can spend night time at the computer.

Backlit buttons are not the only thing that manufacturers have worried about.

From working models, gaming ones differ even visually: in a specific set of keys.

When choosing a keyboard case for a game, you need to pay attention to standard issues.

Mechanical or membrane model? , or with a cord? How comfortable the chosen option is is especially important during a long gaming session.

Those who take part in competitions know how important it is to feel confident in their strengths and capabilities.

A good choice is a mechanical wired one, equipped with backlighting.

The wireless principle of the button impulse can cause important fractions of seconds to be lost.

Mechanical cases are characterized by increased precision and pressure control.

What the computer owner plays plays an important role.

The comfort of using the buttons is one when playing strategy games, and another when conducting the popular “shooting”.

These keys are rubberized, it is easy to change them by taking others from the package.

The sound of membranes differs in relative volume.

Comfort throughout a long gaming session is ensured by a barely noticeable, short press of the stroke. Bloody B120 Black is equipped with an interface and protection from liquids - these are clear advantages.

The backlighting is somewhat weak, but four-level.

The cost of Bloody B120 Black, relatively similar, high-quality options in lighting, is extremely low - about 2000 rubles.

The most significant disadvantage of Bloody B120 Black is the lack software settings, but practice shows that most gamers do not use such software, even if it is available.

General characteristics and requirements of the gaming keyboard case with the backlit function Bloody B120 Black:

• wired type;
• for desktop computer.

Apex M500

The backlit mechanical gaming keyboard - Apex M500, from the Danish manufacturer SteelSeries - is one of the best wired ones today.

The cost varies from 7,000 rubles to 10,000 rubles, however, it has been popular among gamers since its appearance in 2016.

The convenient functionality was appreciated by both ordinary fans of mechanical keyboards and fans of the SteelSeries brand.

The strict minimalist design of the case is equipped with pleasant buttons, and there are no fingerprints.

The manufacturer's logo is printed on the sides.

Thoughtfully designed legs and stands hold the keyboard body securely during the most intense moments.

Lighting blue has five brightness levels, is equipped with animation elements, and is particularly bright.

SteelSeries Engine 3 software allows you to change some settings: type, brightness, frequency.

Setting macros allows you to set reassignment for each button.

The ability for a gamer to set functional buttons independently is very important, and the mechanical wired Apex M500 allows this.

It is ergonomic, functional, attractive, and has a two-meter cord. Its only minor drawback is the lack of other color lighting options.

Attack X3 RGB

Gaming keyboards with RGB backlighting, fashionable today, belong to the above-average price category.

Cougar presented its version of an ultra-modern keyboard.

This is a wired mechanical Attack X3 RGB, with original German CHERRY MX switching mechanisms, thanks to which the manufacturer provides a guarantee of 50 million clicks.

The cost is about 10,000 rubles. The proposed option is designed taking into account all possible needs computer games shackles

The goal is to help them achieve even greater, devastating results.

Elegant design complemented LED backlight RGB, allowing the use of 16.8 million color shades.

The key backlighting device is capable of storing up to 30 macro-level commands.

The difference between this and similar offers on the market is that it provides comfortable text input.

This is achieved through aluminum inserts on the body.

Thanks to the N-Key Rollover function, which does not limit simultaneous presses, parallel use of buttons is possible.

With Attack X3 it is easy to control media functions (FN + F keys) or sound settings.

Legs - stands with a rubberized base resist sliding on the table surface, even during very intense sessions.

Specifics technical characteristics Attack X3 RGB:

• Cherry MX Brown switches;
• FPS, MMORPG, MOBA, RTS - games that you can give preference to;
• backlight function;
• presence of N-key rollover;
• 1000 Hz / 1 ms – polling frequency;
• built-in memory;
• COUGAR UIX™ SYSTEM – software;
• made of aluminum;
• USB interface, gold-plated connector;
• braided cable, 1.8 m;
• 170/467/40mm;
• 0.9 kg.

Requirements (32/64 bit):

Attack X3 RGB Backlit Keyboard Specifications Overview

RGB Corsair K95 RGB Platinum

Gaming keyboard With RGB backlit keys, the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum is the perfect device for PC gaming.

High quality, with standard functional characteristics, stability - allow you to fully use this keyboard for ordinary purposes: work, printing texts, entertainment on the Internet.

This system is illuminated with all the colors of the rainbow.

The provided special program Corsair Utility Engine allows you to fix this, if desired.

The body is made of ultra-high strength plastic and anodized aluminum.

Therefore, the K95 Platinum is suitable for those who are worried about the appearance of scratches or stains - on such a surface they will definitely be absent.

Retractable legs – stands can easily be pulled out when necessary, providing greater stability relative to the table surface.

The black background highlights the silver volume control and blue macro buttons.

The stylish K95 RGB Platinum case has dimensions of 465/171/36 mm and a weight of 1.3 kg.

These are quite impressive characteristics, even taking into account the fact that the equipment is for gaming. At the same time, you may be surprised by the relatively short wire - its length is only 1.5 m.

The media content control keys do not have springs, but for this reason they can hardly be called less convenient.

The equipment is equipped with a pad for the wrists of both hands, which is convenient and relieves stress during hours-long battles.

There are only six microkeys.

Corsair's proprietary Utility Engine software will solve this problem, as it allows you to install all the necessary commands under these few switches.

8 MB of keyboard memory will store up to three profiles.

This is especially convenient when more than one player is using the computer.

The reliability of the K95 Platinum is ensured by state-of-the-art Cherry MX Speed ​​and Brown mechanical switches.

It is possible to install guaranteed protection against clicks - phantoms, which is especially useful for beginners.

Weightless, high-speed response is the hallmark of this impeccable new addition to the gaming keyboard market.

The K95 Platinum will certainly captivate those users who will be completely delighted by the excess of backlight color when turned on for the first time.

The cost of this offer is not less than 15,000 rubles.

Requirements:

• operating room Microsoft system Windows;
• standard USB interface;

Review of the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum mechanical keyboard

ABOUT overview mechanical keyboard CorsairK95RGBPlatinum

Logitech G810

Mechanical keyboard equipment for computer games Logitech G810 compares favorably with other exclusive switches and intelligent backlighting.

The simplicity, yet functionality of the model will conquer the most biased player.

The design is impressive with keys, available in several colors.

Multimedia switches are installed on the right side, which will certainly appeal to lovers of increased comfort.

The push-button case has a matte surface that makes it impossible to leave marks. The entire device is fully compliant with cutting-edge RGB lighting.

Weighing 1180 grams, the case has dimensions of 443.4/153/34.3.

The proprietary Logitech Gaming Software utility allows you to customize each of the keys, which players with significant experience will certainly appreciate.

Contrasting your most-used keys with a backlit feature will provide a huge advantage in difficult situations.

This keyboard has 16.8 million colors at the user's disposal.

In some cases, a similar method of highlighting particularly important switches a certain color may even replace the macro setup function.

Romer-G pushbutton switches delight with instantaneous response - they are ¼ faster than all others.

Both experienced and novice players will certainly appreciate this, since every gamer knows that in most computer games, reaction speed is extremely important for successful play.

G810 requirements for operating system computer:

• Windows 10;
• or Windows 8.1;
• or Windows 8;
• or Windows 7;
• standard USB interface;
• the presence of a connected Internet for the successful launch of additional software.

The Logitech G810 keyboard device for computer games is stylish, reliable, high-quality, and functional. The only disadvantage of this model is the high cost, around 18,000 rubles.

When illuminated, gaming models have a significant advantage over conventional guidance devices.

The additional lighting that a gamer receives during the game, especially at night, allows you to make fewer mistakes, thus achieving better results.

Market computer equipment provides the opportunity to choose equipment for games, taking into account individual preferences and wishes.

The backlighting device is available for keyboard devices of any category:

• expensive;
• budgetary;
• mechanical;
• membrane;
• wired;
• wireless;
• ergonomic;
• classic;
• popular;
• new products

Even the simplest backlit button equipment is a significant plus for any player.

Even if a gaming keyboard device has disadvantages, they depend more on other characteristics, for example.

The Corsair K68 RGB gaming keyboard features Cherry MX Red mechanical switches, full-color backlighting with ten operating modes, and protection against small debris and liquid splashes. Actually, this is the already familiar Corsair K68 keyboard, the review of which you can read here, only with advanced RGB backlighting.

The device is sold in a cardboard box, decorated in a traditional corporate style. Includes wrist rest and quick guide user.

Video review

The keyboard has standard dimensions and a classic look. There is a steel plate inside the body, which gives the structure rigidity and stability.

Each of the 110 keys is equipped with a Cherry MX Red mechanical switch in a translucent housing, characterized by a total travel of 4 mm, a travel before the contact is activated by 2 mm and a force of 45 cN.

Each switch is equipped with an LED, which is located at the top edge of the key, which is why Cyrillic and Latin characters are illuminated differently. Cyrillic characters are not highlighted as well, but are readable.

The keys are raised 16 mm above the keyboard surface, this is the so-called skeletal design. The height of the keycaps is 11 mm. The keycaps are equipped with a cylindrical recess for the user's finger pads.

The keyboard is protected from small debris and moisture in accordance with the IP32 degree. This means that debris larger than 2.5mm is not affected by the switch mechanisms. For example, these could be loaf crumbs. Also, the switches in the keyboard are not afraid of drops of liquid accidentally falling at an angle of up to 15 degrees, when knocking over a mug of coffee or a glass of kvass during a heated argument in a game chat using untranslatable idiomatic expressions. The main thing is that if an incident occurs, immediately shake off the keyboard from debris and drops of liquid. Then the device will not be damaged, and you can safely continue the game.

The keyboard is equipped with a set additional keys: multimedia (system player and volume control), WinLock and backlight brightness adjustment. There are three brightness levels in total, and the backlight can be turned off if necessary.

On the right top corner keyboards are located LED indicators Num Lock, Caps Lock and Scroll Lock modifiers.

The Enter key is “single-story”, and the surface of the Spacebar is endowed with a relief that is well tactilely felt by the pads of the thumbs.

The keyboard body is made of black plastic, on which fingerprints are clearly visible. On the bottom of the keyboard in the corners there are four rubber strips that prevent sliding on the table, and two folding legs that allow you to change the angle of inclination relative to the surface.

The interface cable has a uniquely shaped plug, made in black and gray tones.

The included wrist rest is made of pleasant-to-touch textured plastic that is resistant to stains. The stand snaps into special slots.

The combination of modifier keys Fn and with numbers from 1 to 0, as well as “dash” allows you to quickly select the backlight operating mode without installing proprietary software. The following modes are available to the user: spiral rainbow, rain, rainbow wave, visor, key backlight when pressed, circle backlight, color change, color pulsation, color wave and static backlight. In some modes, using a combination of the Fn modifier and the left/right arrows, you can change the direction of the backlight, and with the up/down arrows you can change the speed of the backlight.

If you install the proprietary Corsair Utility Engine application, then with its help you can not only control the backlight, but also create and edit macros, as well as change the assignment of key actions.

There is noise from the mechanical switches when typing or playing games. It's inevitable. But the user tactilely feels the keys being pressed with minimal effort.

Diagnosis

The Corsair K68 RGB keyboard is great for gaming and speed dial texts. The presence of protection against liquid drops and small debris is a nice positive feature. Customizable full-color lighting allows you to create the desired atmosphere while playing or working.