Corsair K70 RGB TKL Champion Series Keyboard Review
Corsair K70 RGB TKL Champion Series Keyboard Review
With several key features from the Corsair K100 series, the K70 RGB TKL mechanical gaming keyboard is built towards competitive gaming with AXON 8000Hz Hyper-polling and Cherry MX switches. It also includes standard bottom row PBT double-shot keycaps, a tournament mode switch, and dedicated media hotkeys with a volume roller. With its tenkeyless design, detachable USB Type-C cable, and 8MB of onboard memory for up to 50 profiles, this makes the K70 RGB TKL a very portable keyboard to bring to the next competition. The light-weight aluminum frame also helps with portability and durability. With an MSRP of $139.99, we will go through the features and specifications of this keyboard.
| K70 RGB TKL Specifications | |
| Chassis | Plastic, black, matte finish |
| Form-factor | Tenkeyless (TKL) |
| Key switches | CHERRY MX RGB, mechanical, 45g actuation force, 1.2mm (SPEED) / 1.9mm (SILENT) / 2.0mm (Red) actuation distance |
| Backlight | Individually lit and per-key programmable |
| LED Color | RGB, 16.8 million colors |
| Keycaps | PBT double-shot keycap set, 1.5mm thick, backlight compatible |
| Other Keycaps | ABS/PC FPS / MOBA keys |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0 Type-A |
| USB Report Rate | Up to 8,000Hz hyper-polling |
| Keyscan | 4,000Hz |
| Matrix | Full key rollover (NKRO) with 100% anti-ghosting |
| On-board Profiles | Yes, up to 50 (depending on complexity) |
| Media Keys | Yes, five dedicated hotkeys (stop, last track, play/pause, next track, mute) and volume roller |
| Profile Key | Yes |
| Brightness Key | Yes |
| Windows Lock Key | Yes |
| iCUE (Software) | Supported in Windows 10 and macOS 10.15 |
| Cable | 1.82m / 6ft, USB Type-C to Type-A, detachable, black, braided fiber |
| Dimensions | 360mm(L) x 164mm(W) x 40mm(H) / 14.2in(L) x 6.46in(L) x 1.58in(H) |
| Weight | 0.93kg / 2.06lbs |
| MSRP | US $139.99 |
The K70 RGB TKL comes in a standard box with an illustration of the product. Its features and specifications are listed around the box.
Once the box is opened, we are greeted with the product documentation in a plastic bag on top of the keyboard. The keyboard is nicely packaged in its own plastic bag to protect it from dust and debris.
In terms of accessories, the K70 RGB TKL comes with several documentations, which includes a user manual, safety information, and warranty guide. The keyboard also comes with a keycap puller, a set of FPS and MOBA keycaps, and a detachable USB Type-C to Type-A cable.
Upon first impression, the K70 RGB TKL reminds me of the earlier versions of the Corsair K65. The aluminum frame is not new, but they keyboard includes four media keys that were not present on the K70. Like the K95 RGB Platinum XT and the K65 RGB Mini, the keycaps on the K70 RGB TKL have a gritty texture to them. These PBT Double-Shot keycaps are 1.5mm in thickness and includes a precision-molded keycap set with a standard bottom row layout. This allows them to resist ware, fading, and shine for long durability.
On the bottom of the keyboard, there are four large rubberized feet on each corner. There are rubber pads on the two feet as well, which prevents the keyboard from sliding around on a flat surface.
At the top left corner of the keyboard, there are four multi-media keys. Towards the right, there are two LED indicators for CAPS and Scroll lock.
On the opposite side, there is a profile switch key, a LED brightness key, and a Windows lock key. The K70 RGB TKL also comes with a volume mute button with a volume scroll wheel. The volume scroll wheel is very smooth and does provide a good amount of stiffness for scrolling. However, it does not have any feedback for each step.
On the back of the keyboard, there is a port for the USB cable to allow it to connect to a computer. The K70 RGB TKL also includes a tournament switch. When the switch is turned on, the keyboard switches to distraction-free static backlighting and disables accidental macro activations. Tournament mode will still allow for profile, media, volume, and brightness adjustment along with Windows lock. Below the tournament switch is an LED indicator light, which will illuminate when tournament mode is enabled.
Let’s take a look at the Corsair iCUE Software in the next section.