The keyboard is solid and has a good action. However, I think that it has a couple of issues, the main one being the programmble column of keys on the left hand side which I keep hitting instead of Escape – I think that the keys could have been better positioned. The other problem is the software which doesn’t seem to be that easy to use, and and seems to be the norm these days, there’s no user guide.

Initially I ordered a keyboard at the same time and wireless receivers interfeered one with the other driving me crazy. You can use only one receiver and all will work fine. The iCue software is clunky and difficult to use to begin with though. I am Corsair’s loyal customer and I was hoping for something a bit better.

So when I was looking for a new keyboard to replace my ancient (it was so old it kept going on about “Ze war!”) Logitech keyboard that decided to die, I wanted a few things.

First, something with an illuminated keyset – it gets stifling hot in the summer where I live and I like to work without lights on so I can open the window for whatever fresh air might be available without my room turning into a remake of Starship Troopers. Not being a touch typist, being able to see what the keys are is always helpful.

I also wanted some macro keys for… reasons. Don’t judge me! I can play games however I want! It’s totally not cheating…no, no, no!

Finally, it had to be wireless. I like to sprawl back in my chair. Wires are not conducive to that.

So after some searching I settled on this model. After some time using it, I can honestly say it is pretty decent as far as keyboards go.

Typing is fairly good, though the keycaps are a little “wobbly” when pressed, but you get used to that. Required effort to depress the keys is small and they have a positive feel about them despite the wobbliness.

Battery life is also pretty good. I can get several days general use out of the thing. I confess that I only use the RGB at night and then only as a static colour on the lowest intensity. I’m sure the battery life would not be anywhere as good if I was running it in full-on disco mode. But supposedly, that mode requires you to connect up the charging cable to run it, which defeats the whole wireless part, if you ask me.

As for the macros, they are simple enough to program and worked flawlessly for the times I needed them.

Other notes…

The aforementioned charging cable is of a decent length and is just long enough for me to maintain my “sprawl” when using the keyboard. But of course, it depends where your PC is in relation to you and where the USB ports are, of course.

There is an on/off switch on the back of the unit to help save battery life when not using your PC. The unit also powers off the RGB if left unused for a few minutes, which also helps. However, in the process of shutting off your PC at night, the lights might go out on your keyboard which may mean you forget to use the on/off switch on the back of the KB. I am always forgetting this but, fortunately, this did not appear to impact the battery life very much in practice, so clearly the main power hog is the RGB itself.

The “lights off” thing also seems to send the keyboard into a standby mode which can be irritating. Let’s say your just browsing, watching youtube, using your mouse etc. Then you need to google something. You click in the search bar and start typing, only to realise that the first 1 to 3 keypresses (depending on how fast you can type) have not registered because the keyboard was napping. That can be frustrating and it happens a lot unless you are constantly typing all day long. It would be easy to say “Just prod the keyboard and wait a moment before typing, but in practice you just don’t have that kind of awareness. So the frustration continues.

It IS possible to disable the standby mode if it aggravates you too much, but I’d rather have the battery life, so I am stuck with it.

More useful is the fact that you can also use the keyboard with up to three computers etc. via two additional bluetooth channels. A couple of key presses are all that is required to switch between different PC’s, making the keyboard a lot more useful than multiple keyboards or a KVM unit. The bluetooth takes a moment or two to connect, but then you are good to go typing on the second or third machine.

There are also multimedia buttons and volume/mute buttons top right which are nice, but hardly essential.

All in all I am pleased with the unit so far and it is doing fine after some six months of use. As I say, biggest gripe is the “typing whilst its asleep” thing. But its not a deal breaker.

Would I recommend it? Sure. Takes a bit of setting up but if you use it as I do, as a wireless, illuminated keyboard then it is fine. Serious gaming…maybe not via the bluetooth, though the main connection is RF and works reliably. Just remember if you stop for a few minutes you might need to poke it with a stick to wake it up before resuming.

All in all, quite a decent membrane keyboard.

EDIT after 2 years of use: Still going strong, though I have managed (due to mad gamer scrabbling at keys) to degrade the A and S keycaps somewhat, so a couple of new keycaps (or just a bit of enamel paint/varnish) may be required soon. The napping keyboard problem remains and has been joined by the “typing on one computer, whilst actually inputting on the other” irritation. I suppose I should be glad I don’t have three machines, or God knows what trouble I could get into typing the wrong thing to the wrong machine! Still, the KB itself still works flawlessly, so I am content.

The first one I ordered the “e” key didn’t register at all, but the replacement one is working perfectly.
Great keyboard, love the lights and programmable buttons.

Its beautifully made, easy to use and reliable. I like it very much, and the Icue system is amazing. However, be warned that this a gaming keyboard, and is not good for typing with! I still have to plug in my old keyboard to write!

Great quality keyboard. Not mechanical but still feels very nice to type.

It’s slightly big for my sister but she doesn’t have much desk space so great for those who do have a lot of room.

She didn’t like the G1 keys on the left so she easily plucked them off.

Solid as a rock, dependable and the battery has great life to it. Not too bulky though, its just right.

The key presses are solid and responsive and the sound reflects the better quality of keys. It also has macro keys which I’m sure are great if you know how to use them as well as music and volume controls which are a godsend.

It also lights up, giving your set up that little bit of “oo-la-la”.

Ultimately this keyboard was returned unopened as I was having micro stuttering with the mouse and decided to return everything.

As a Corsair keyboard it is well built and featured and colourful, if that is your bag, but ultimately it is a good typing keyboard.

Very nice keyboard, not silent but the clicks are quiet, nice solid feel when pressing the keys, not quite clicky but more clicky than squishy, perfect for me. Rgb brightness is adjustable and the rgb itself is very customisable, the 6 dedicated macro keys are a nice touch too. Only thing is there isn’t really any advantage to it being wireless, its too big to sit on your lap and you’ll have to plug it in to charge anyway