This burly keyboard has no lighting effects or even any media control features, but it is as quiet as the name suggests. The whole package is overkill for the typical user, though even I can admit the powerful and color-rich backlighting makes for quite a conversation piece.Ĭherry doesn't just make switches, it also makes whole keyboards, including the Cherry MX Board Silent ($150, RATING: 5), which uses a redesign of the Cherry MX Red switch, with similar characteristics. A detachable wrist-rest and extra key-caps with a different feel (again, for gamers) are also included. The keyboard features a USB pass-through port, but it does require two USB connections on your PC. Look down and the keyboard is a sea of light, to the point where it's hard to see the actual keys-although setting the backlight brightness to the lowest level helps. Here the keys are suspended high above the metal chassis, with lots of space around them, all of which makes for a ton of light leakage on the board.
My biggest issue with this keyboard is not the loss of tactile feedback (I scored 85 wpm with it) but rather the way its color backlighting is implemented. The Corsair K70 LUX ($120, RATING: 6) uses Cherry MX Red switches, which again are favored more by gamers over typists.
That said, at 86 words per minute, my typing speed was roughly the same as with the G610. Logitech suggested Romer-G switches benefit from a few days of break-in, but even after sustained use I found I was getting a small incidence of doubled-up letters in my copy. Once you use color backlights it's hard to go back to plan old white, but those uninterested in flashy palm effects won't care. First, it uses Logitech's home-grown Romer-G switches, and it includes full-color, highly customizable backlighting instead of just white. The Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum ($160, RATING: 6) looks the same as the G610 at first, but it has two key differences. The keyboard is also available with Cherry MX Red switches, which lack the tactile "bump" and are considered more appropriate for gaming. When typing on the G610, I scored a sustained 88 words per minute, considerably better than the 78 wpm I managed on a membrane keyboard, as the tactile feedback and higher profile of the keyboard help to keep your fingers on target and moving fast. The 12 function keys can be programmed with macros, as well.
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The keyboard features white-only backlighting, which can be tweaked to light up certain keys or roll in patterns if you install Logitech's software.
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It's a solid choice for typing, but it's also fine for gaming, with a dedicated gaming mode (like many of these boards) toggle that disables the Windows key during play. The keyboard is compact and sturdy, and it offers a helpful volume adjustment wheel and media controls within easy reach. It uses Cherry MX Brown switches, which have ample resistance, critical for typing accurately, but aren't so loud that you will make your cube-mate go postal. If you want to type fast, error-free, and reasonably quiet, the Logitech G610 Orion Brown ($120, RATING: 8) is one of the best all-around choices you will find.
Keyboards are generally built with either gaming or typing in mind as the primary application, and while the following keyboards could go either way, they are all good examples of streamlined, compact keyboards without too many distracting extras.