Corsair K70 RGB RapidFire

Fast and furiously premium.

Corsair is clearly aiming for the premium with the K70 RGB RapidFire, and for the most part, its aim is true. The switches and keys are all surface-mounted and look particularly striking atop the brushed aluminium face — especially when the RGB lights are in full swing. The detachable palm rest is a pleasant rubberised plastic to alleviate the harshness of the brushed aluminium.

It has a wealth of included conveniences, including USB passthrough port, dedicated polling rate switch, kick-feet, dedicated media controls and a volume slider. The keycaps have a slightly shorter face than standard and come with a larger font, plus Corsair is using Cherry MX Speed (Silver) switches which have a shorter actuation distance for faster typing. While the majority of the smaller keys feel solid, snappy and responsive, the larger keys have an uncomfortable wobble and loud rattle when typing, and the spacebar comes with the same faux diamond plate texture found on the replacement keys. The USB cable is braided and exceptionally chunky thanks to the dual-USB plugs on the other end — you’ll need both if you’re using USB 2.0 but only one for 3.0. Corsair’s software is incredibly detailed in both its macro and lighting configuration options, ideal for tweaking but a bit of a hindrance for simple adjustments.

The premium build and unique aesthetic far outweigh the shortcomings of the K70 RGB Rapidfire, but you’ll have to decide if this balances out to $195 worth of keyboard.

Verdict

A premium in both style and price, but with lots of added extras to soften the hit to the wallet.