Gaming

Pre-Lubed Switches and a Comfy Wrist Rest Make the ‘Corsair K70 Pro TKL’ a Typist’s and Gamer’s Dream (Review)

The Corsair K70 Pro TKL is a fantastic addition to my setup and provided me with far more comfort than I could have imagined.

Corsair-K70-Pro-Featured-Image
Screenshot: Shaun Cichacki

Besides a comfortable chair, the most important thing for any gamer or writer is a great keyboard. And while I’ve messed around with Corsair keyboards in the past, nothing could have prepared me for how good the K70 Pro TKL actually is. As someone who is terminally online and usually always typing or gaming? I wasn’t expecting this keyboard to make as big of an impact as it did. There’s always room to be surprised, I guess.

The Corsair K70 Pro TKL on a desk
Screenshot: Corsair

Don’t Discount the Corsair k70 Pro TKL Due to Its Size

Over the years, I’ve grown rather fond of the tenkeyless setup. While I do miss the ability to use specific keyboard shortcuts, the amount of space I’m saving is worth the sacrifice. Plus, once you finally find that perfect keyboard, it’s hard to go back for anything else.

Videos by VICE

Since last year, I’ve been using the nerdytec CYKEY keyboard. It’s one of those boards that has just felt perfect for everything I needed it to do, from standard typing to even the most in-depth gaming needs I’ve had. But, honestly? I’ve been beyond impressed with this offering from Corsair. Out of the box, the K70 Pro TKL feels smooth as butter. That’s likely thanks to the pre-lubricated hall effect switches, but I think it’s going to be difficult going back to anything besides this keyboard.

As I spend the majority of my day typing away behind a screen, it’s also been fantastic for that purpose. I feel like my general accuracy has improved, and my typing speed has followed suit. Even swapping back and forth between my original customized Redragon K552 that I’ve modified to high heaven, my nerdytec CYKEY, and the K70 Pro TKL, there’s an obvious winner here.

Technical SpecsTechnical Details
Keyboard SizeTenkeyless
Wrist RestLeatherette Cover, Memory Foam, Magnetic
Keyboard Report RateUp to 8,000hz
Keyboard Matrix87 Keys
Number of Profiles5 Profiles
Key SwitchesCORSAIR MGX V2 Hall Effect, Pre Lubricated
Key RolloverFull Key with 100% Anti-Ghosting
Windows Key LockYes, Dedicated key
Adjustable HeightYes
Weight1.46 lbs
Wired or WirelessWired, no Wireless option
Media KeysFN Shortcuts, Dedicated Media Wheel
Keyboard Warranty2 Year Warranty via Corsair
A top view of the Corsair K70 Pro TKL
Screenshot: Corsair

Satisfying Clunks From Fantastic Keys

My wife and my family like to always poke fun at me for my love of mechanical keyboards. I can’t help it that I love how they clunk when you slap down on these keys. And as with many mechanical keyboards, the K70 Pro TKL features that delightful sound we’ve all grown to love over the years. It’s one of the quieter boards in my collection, with a nice thocking noise compared to the harsh clicks of my customized K552.

It also makes its usability in an office space or gaming room with a significant other a much easier thing to handle. It’s not going to be as creamy as some of the other mechanical keyboards available, but it’s a good in-between. I’ve been happy with the noise level, as well as satisfied with the general sound that this board produces.

Since the Corsair K70 Pro TKL does feature two layers of sound dampening, it does make it one of the quieter mechanical boards on the market. One thing I’ve been very happy about is the lack of hollowness in this particular board. I have yet to hear a single echo from a keyclick, and it feels incredibly sturdy. It’s a hefty board that feels like it could withstand the rage of even the angriest ragequit. But, please, don’t try and test it; I’m not responsible for someone breaking their board in a fit of rage.

Even the standard keycaps feel great. Normally, I want to swap out their keycaps for something different shortly after getting a new board. My K552 has seen about 6 different sets of keycaps over the years, at least. But the standard keycaps that come with the K70 Pro TKL feel great.

A side view of the Corsair K70 Pro TKL
Screenshot: Shaun Cichacki

Icue Is Better, but Still Not Perfect by Any Means

While I’ve been familiarized with iCue over the past few years, I’m still not the biggest fan of the program. However, I would be disingenuous if I didn’t mention that the program has gotten significantly better. There is still room to improve, but the fact that I can get into here and just change things around much easier than ever before is a major point in my book.

That being said, what makes the Corsair K70 Pro TKL live up to its “Pro” moniker? Well, several different things help it stand out from the crowd. The first is its dedicated “Gaming Mode”, which reduces the somewhat distracting RGB color to a single, non-changing scheme and increases the polling rate to a whopping 8,000hz. At first, I wasn’t convinced that this was anything beyond some fancy buzzwords, but after trying it for myself, I was convinced.

Quick strafing in games like Counter-Strike or Marvel Rivals was easier than ever before. It felt like the keyboard knew what I was doing before I could even press the key. Enabling Rapid Trigger in iCue made the difference even more noticeable, and is something I’m keeping on when I jump into some more competitive games. It also locks the Windows Key, ensuring I don’t accidentally press it and exit out of my game. Something that can happen embarrassingly often if you’re in the heat of the moment.

Since the included keycaps offer an ample amount of grip, I also never found my fingers slipping off during intense moments. I also never knew how much of a difference a memory foam wrist rest would make during a gaming or work session. But, it genuinely feels like it’s saving my wrists. Plus, it’s magnetic. How cool is that?

Red LEDs active on the K70 Pro TKL
Screenshot: Shaun Cichacki

the corsair is An Extremely Competent Addition to My Setup

When I first received the K70 Pro TKL, I figured I was going to feel like it was more of the same. There is only so much you can do with a keyboard. Or so I initially thought. After spending over a week gaming and typing with the Corsair K70 Pro TKL, I can’t go back to any of my other boards. It’s just that good.

It’s extremely satisfying to type on, and even better when it comes to gaming. It sounds great, feels great, and is just genuinely great. It’s a bit of an investment, coming in at an MSRP price of $179.99. But, if you’re hoping to push your setup to the next level? There aren’t many that do it better than this.


A sample unit was provided by the manufacturer for the sake of review. The Corsair K70 Pro TKL is usable on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.