The Corsair K100 RGB is a fantastic gaming keyboard. It's very well-built and feels comfortable to use, plus it comes with a detachable padded wrist rest. It's compatible with the Corsair iCUE software, which lets you customize the RGB backlighting and set macros to any key you want. It has many extra features like dedicated media keys, a volume control wheel, a multi-function iCUE wheel, and six dedicated macro keys. The Cherry MX Speed switches on our unit feel light and responsive to type on, and it's also available in the new Corsair OPX linear switches, which may provide a different typing experience from our unit's switches. It also has a maximum polling rate of 8000Hz and an effective update rate of 4000Hz, resulting in remarkably low latency for a responsive gaming experience.
The Corsair K100 is excellent for gaming. This very well-built keyboard is comfortable to use, and it has customizable RGB backlighting. The Cherry MX Speed switches have very short pre-travel distance, and the latency is remarkably low. It's also available in Corsair OPX switches, which are optical switches advertised as having a slightly shorter pre-travel distance and will feel a bit more responsive. All the keys are macro-programmable, and six dedicated macro keys are on the left side.
The Corsair K100 is great for office use. It's a comfortable, well-built keyboard that comes with a padded wrist rest and two incline settings. The Cherry MX Speed switches provide a light typing experience that shouldn't cause fatigue when typing for a long time, although typos might be more common due to the short pre-travel distance. They're quiet to type on, so it shouldn't be bothersome in an office setting.
The Corsair K100 isn't designed to be used with mobile devices or tablets.
The Corsair K100 is great for programming. It has excellent build quality with a padded wrist rest. Also, it has full RGB lighting that can be customized to your liking, all of its keys are macro-programmable, and it has six dedicated macro keys on the left side of the board. The Cherry MX Speed switches feel light to type on, and it's also available in Corsair OPX switches which are advertised as having a shorter pre-travel distance and should feel even more responsive.
The Corsair K100 is disappointing for HTPC use. It's wired-only, so you'll need to sit close to your TV to use it. It also lacks a trackpad, meaning you may need a mouse to navigate the on-screen menu. On the plus side, it has full RGB backlighting and dedicated media keys, making it easy to skip tracks or play/pause content.
The Corsair K100 RGB has excellent raw performance. The Cherry MX Speed switches on the unit we tested have minimal pre-travel and release-travel, producing remarkable single- and multi-key latency. While it has a maximum polling rate of 8000Hz, its effective update rate is only 4000Hz. That said, this doesn't bottleneck performance in a significant way.
The Corsair K100 is available in two different switch types. Although we tested the Cherry MX Speed switches, this keyboard has a Corsair OPX variant called the Corsair K100 RGB Optical-Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, which features Corsair's new optical switches. The Corsair OPX switches are also linear, but they're advertised as having a shorter pre-travel distance than the Cherry MX Speed switches on our unit, resulting in an even more responsive feel. You can see the label of our unit here.
The Corsair K100 RGB is a fantastic full-sized mechanical gaming keyboard. However, some people may not like its linear switches due to the lack of tactile feedback, and unfortunately, it isn't available in this switch type.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best gaming keyboards, the best mechanical keyboards, and the best keyboards for programming.
The Corsair K100 RGB is better than the Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 for gaming, mainly due to its lower latency. Also, the K100 has dedicated macro keys, making it a great option for MMOs. The K100 is available with two types of linear switches, while the K70 is available in a variety of Cherry MX switches, so you can get the ones you prefer. The K100 has a multi-function wheel, and the included wrist rest is more comfortable.
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM and the Corsair K100 RGB are both outstanding gaming keyboards with similar features. They're both full-size models with extra macro keys on the left side. The K100 feels better built because it has PBT keycaps as opposed to ABS, and the wrist rest is plushier, and typing also feels better. The units we tested use the same Cherry MX Speed switches, but you can get the K95 with Cherry MX Browns and the K100 with linear optical switches instead.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Corsair K70 MAX are full-size gaming keyboards that both offer exceptional raw gaming performance. The K100 RGB is available with Cherry MX Speed switches or Corsair OPX optical switches. While it has a polling rate of 8000hz, it only has an effective update rate of 4000Hz. On the other hand, the Corsair K70 MAX has an effective update rate of 8000Hz. It uses Corsair's analog OPX switches, allowing you to adjust pre-travel and reset points of individual switches.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the SteelSeries Apex Pro are both exceptional gaming keyboards. Both are excellently built and highly programmable, but the Corsair has six dedicated macro keys, whereas the SteelSeries doesn't. However, the SteelSeries has a unique feature that lets you customize the pre-travel distance for each key.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Logitech G915 LIGHTSPEED are both fantastic gaming keyboards with different features. The Corsair is a wired keyboard with a USB passthrough, and the Logitech is a wireless option with multi-device pairing. They each have dedicated macro keys, but you can reprogram every key on the Corsair, which you can't do with the Logitech. The Corsair is available with two types of linear switches, while the Logitech is available with either tactile, clicky, or linear low profile switches.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Razer Huntsman V2 are both full-size mechanical gaming keyboards. Both boards have dedicated media keys, a volume control knob, and exceptionally low latency. However, the Corsair also has a programmable multi-function wheel, a USB passthrough, and dedicated macro keys. It's available with linear Cherry MX Speed switches and Corsair OPX switches. On the other hand, the Razer is available with Razer Linear Optical and Clicky Optical switches.
The Razer Huntsman and the Corsair K100 RGB are two fantastic gaming keyboards. They're both full-sized and have many of the same features with macro-programmable keys and RGB lighting. The Corsair is available with linear switches while the Razer is only available with clicky Razer Optical switches. The Corsair offers better typing quality and also comes with a wrist rest.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 and the Corsair K100 RGB are wired gaming keyboards with maximum polling rates of 8000Hz. Both keyboards have dedicated macro keys you can program on the board or in software. Both keyboards also have dedicated media controls, but the controls on the Corsair are somewhat more extensive, with a programmable 'iCUE wheel' that the Razer lacks. The Corsair has linear mechanical or linear optical switch options, while the Razer offers linear or clicky mechanical switches.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Corsair K70 RGB PRO are both wired-only mechanical gaming keyboards, but the K100 performs slightly better overall. It has better latency, and it also has USB passthrough, which the K70 lacks.
The Corsair K100 AIR and the Corsair K100 RGB are high-end gaming keyboards with similar gaming performance and feature sets. However, the K100 AIR is a wireless keyboard with a much thinner low-profile design and is only available with a butterfly-style tactile switch type. On the other hand, the K100 RGB is a wired-only model with linear, tactile, or clicky mechanical or optical switch types available. It also includes a row of macro keys on the left side of the board and a wrist rest.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Corsair K70 RGB TKL are both fantastic for gaming. The K100 is bigger because it's full-size, has a numpad and wrist rest, and there are also dedicated macro keys on the left side, which the K70 doesn't have. The K100 also has a USB passthrough, so you can connect your peripherals directly to the keyboard, and it has better typing quality because the Cherry MX Speed switches on our unit of the K70 feel a bit more sensitive than those on the K100. Overall, they're very similar in performance, so choosing one over the other comes down to size preference.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate are both feature-loaded gaming keyboards. They perform very similarly in their RGB backlighting customization, maximum polling rate settings, and extremely low latency. However, the Corsair only comes in two switch options at checkout, whereas the ASUS has a wider variety of switch options. The ASUS has a hot-swappable circuit board, so you can change the stock switches for whatever 3-pin switch you prefer.
The Razer Huntsman V2 Analog and the Corsair K100 RGB are both exceptional wired gaming keyboards; however, they're also quite different. The Razer uses Analog Optical switches that can function like an analog joystick, and you can customize the pre-travel distance to your liking. On the other hand, the Corsair uses more traditional Cherry MX Speed switches and is available with Corsair OPX switches as well. That said, the Analog Optical and the Cherry MX Speeds are both linear switches that require about the same amount of force to actuate and don't provide any tactile feedback. Feature-wise, the Corsair has an extra column of dedicated macro keys that the Razer lacks and a dial that you can customize to perform various functions.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM XT are similar gaming keyboards, but the K100 is much better because it has much lower click latency. The K100 is only available with two types of linear switches, but the K95 is available with clicky and tactile switches as well, so those switch types offer better tactile feedback for typing.
The ASUS ROG Claymore II and the Corsair K100 RGB are both gaming keyboards, but the ASUS is wireless, and the Corsair is wired-only. The ASUS has a modular numpad that you can place on either side of the board or remove completely, and you can use the board wirelessly via its USB receiver. The ASUS is available with linear and clicky ROG RX Optical Mechanical switches. On the other hand, the Corsair has dedicated media keys, a multi-function wheel, and a lower latency. The Corsair is available with linear switches only, and you can choose between Cherry MX Speed and Corsair OPX switches.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Razer BlackWidow Elite are both exceptional gaming keyboards. The Corsair has a few more features, such as a column of dedicated macro keys and a multi-function wheel that you can customize to perform various functions. The Corsair is available with two different types of linear switches, which have a low operating force but don't offer any tactile feedback. On the other hand, the Razer is available with clicky, linear, and tactile switches.
The HyperX Alloy Origins and the Corsair K100 RGB are two fantastic gaming keyboards. The Corsair has dedicated media keys and a wrist rest for better comfort. It also has lower click latency, but most people won't notice a difference between the keyboards. They're each available with linear switches, and the Cherry MX Speed switches on our unit of the Corsair has a lower pre-travel distance than the HyperX Red switches.
Gaming-wise, the Corsair K100 RGB is better than the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro. The Corsair is available in two types of linear switches, which are light to press, while the Razer is available with linear and clicky switches. In terms of features, the Corsair has a USB passthrough and dedicated macro keys, which the Razer lacks. However, the Razer is a wireless keyboard, which is great if you want to keep a clean, wire-free setup, and it can be paired to multiple devices simultaneously so that you can switch between them easily.
The EVGA Z15 and the Corsair K100 RGB are both fantastic wired gaming keyboards. They both have fully customizable RGB backlighting, dedicated media keys, a volume control wheel, and all of their keys are macro-programmable. However, the Corsair keyboard has a USB passthrough and a programmable multi-function dial. It also has slightly lower latency, although the difference isn't significant enough to be noticeable. On the other hand, if you like the option of changing the switches whenever you want, the EVGA is hot-swappable.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Razer Huntsman Elite are both outstanding gaming keyboards. They're both full-sized, come with a wrist rest, and have dedicated media keys. The Razer is available with clicky and linear optical switches, while the Corsair is available with two types of linear switches, including an optical one. The Corsair offers better typing quality because of how sensitive the linear switches are on the Razer, but that means the Razer is more responsive for gaming.
The Corsair K100 RGB is a much better gaming keyboard than the Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT. The K100 is a mechanical keyboard that feels much better-built, has an additional incline setting, and has a padded wrist rest, a USB passthrough, and a wheel in the top right. It also has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys, and it's available with linear Cherry MX Speed or linear Corsair OPX switches. On the other hand, The XT is a non-mechanical keyboard with rubber dome switches, a hard plastic wrist rest. It also has full RGB backlighting with independently customizable keys, but it has fewer RGB zones overall.
The Corsair K100 RGB is better than the ROCCAT Vulcan Pro. The Corsair provides a better typing experience, every key is macro-programmable, and it feels better-built. On the other hand, the ROCCAT is smaller and takes up less space on your desk.
The Corsair K100 RGB is better for gaming than the Mountain Everest Max, but they're different types of keyboards. The Corsair is a full-size keyboard with dedicated macro keys, and it feels better-built because it has PBT keycaps instead of ABS like on the Mountain. It's only available with linear switches, and the latency is much lower. On the other hand, the Mountain is a modular keyboard with a detachable Numpad, so you can remove it to make it TKL. It's available with different Cherry MX switches, and it's hot-swappable, so you can put whichever switches you prefer.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Ducky One 3 are outstanding gaming keyboards. The Corsair is a full-size keyboard available with Cherry MX Speed or Linear Corsair OPX Optical switches. It also has several features the Ducky lacks, including dedicated media keys, a wrist rest, a USB passthrough, an 8000Hz polling rate, and customization software. On the other hand, the Ducky is a full-size keyboard also available in a range of other sizes and colorways. You can purchase it with a variety of stock Cherry MX switches, but it also has a hot-swappable PCB, which means you can use whichever switches you want. Both keyboards have exceptionally low latency, but it's lower on the Corsair.
The Corsair K100 RGB is much better than the NPET K20. The Corsair is a high-end gaming keyboard with more features like macro-programmable keys and full RGB backlighting. The Corsair also feels better built and has better typing quality thanks to its PBT keycaps, but it's only available with linear switches, while you can get the NPET with linear, tactile, or clicky switches. The Corsair also has much better ergonomics as it comes with a wrist rest.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Corsair K63 Wireless are two keyboards with different designs and features. The K100 is a wired full-sized model that has full RGB lighting, while the K63 just has blue backlighting. The K100 has a unique wheel for volume control, a USB passthrough, and much lower latency. However, the K63 is a wireless model with multi-device pairing with up to two devices at once. The K100 is available with linear Cherry MX Speed and Corsair OPX switches, and the K63 is only available with linear Cherry MX Red switches.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the ROCCAT Vulcan II are wired gaming keyboards. The Corsair is available with Cherry MX Speed or OPX optical switches. It has higher-quality PBT keycaps and feels considerably sturdier overall. It also has a higher maximum polling rate of 8000Hz and lower latency. On the other hand, the ROCCAT Vulcan II keyboards are available in a full-size or compact (65%) form factor and linear Red or tactile Brown ROCCAT Titan II Optical switches.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Logitech G413 SE are both wired-only mechanical keyboards, but the Corsair performs better overall. The Corsair has individually lit RGB backlighting, and it feels much better to type on thanks to its included wrist rest. Also, its latency is much lower, and its companion software is easy to use and allows for macro-programmability and lighting customization.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the Keychron Q2 are both wired-only mechanical gaming keyboards, but the Corsair performs significantly better overall. The Corsair has much better latency, translucent keycaps, and it has incline settings and comes with a detachable wrist rest. It's a full-size keyboard and has dedicated media keys, key-locking features, and a USB passthrough. On the other hand, the Keychron is a compact board that's hot-swappable, meaning you can customize its switches and keycaps. Also, the Keychron feels slightly better built thanks to its aluminum chassis, and it's fully compatible with macOS.
The Corsair K100 RGB is a full-size wired gaming keyboard, while the Logitech POP Keys is a wireless 75% board. If you play games often, the Corsair is a much better choice thanks to its remarkably low latency and dedicated macro keys. Also, it has a multi-function wheel, a volume control wheel, a USB passthrough, and dedicated media keys. On the other hand, if you want a wireless and compact board, the Logitech can pair with up to three devices via Bluetooth. Also, it has dedicated emoji keys that you can reprogram to any other emojis you use the most.
The Razer Pro Type Ultra is a wireless office board, while the Corsair K100 RGB is a wired gaming board. The Razer can pair with up to three devices via Bluetooth, and it comes with a unifying receiver that you can connect to a compatible mouse. It's available with linear Razer Yellow switches only. On the other hand, the Corsair has more gamer-centric features, like dedicated macro keys, dedicated media control keys, and a programmable multi-function wheel. Also, it has customizable RGB backlighting. Like the Razer, the Corsair is only available with linear switches, but you can choose between mechanical Cherry MX Speed switches or optical Corsair OPX switches.
The Corsair K100 RGB and the EVGA Z20 are remarkable mechanical gaming keyboards offering similar performance and feature sets, but the Corsair is a marginally better keyboard overall. The Corsair has a sturdier-feeling build, PBT keycaps, software that's compatible with Windows and macOS, and slightly lower latency, though the difference is unlikely to be noticeable. It's available with either Cherry MX Speed switches or Corsair's linear OPX Optical switches. The EVGA is available with either clicky or Light Strike LK Optical switches. It also has a time-of-flight sensor that you can configure to perform certain functions when you approach or move away from your keyboard. Unfortunately, it has ABS keycaps that are prone to developing shine from finger oils.
The Corsair K100 is a full-sized keyboard that takes up a significant amount of room on your desk, but you can remove the wrist rest to save space. However, if you prefer a modular keyboard where you can remove the numpad to use it in TKL mode, then look into the Mountain Everest Max.
Update 07/22/2021: While the majority of the keys on the board are made of PBT, the macro keys and the extra keycaps in the box are actually ABS keycaps. We updated the text accordingly.
The Corsair K100 has excellent build quality. Its plastic base and metal top plate exhibit a slight amount of flex, but it's hardly noticeable when using it as intended. The doubleshot PBT keycaps feel solid and hardly wobble. While all the black keycaps are made of PBT, the dedicated macro keys G1-G6 and the extra FPS and MOBA keycaps included are made of ABS. The incline feet are thick and grippy, and they shouldn't collapse when moving the keyboard around. It comes with a cushiony wrist rest that attaches magnetically.
It has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys. It has 44 RGB zones on the strips of lighting on the left, right, and the top-side edge of the board. You can customize the RGB effects and colors through the Corsair iCUE software. If you're interested in a similar mechanical gaming keyboard with low-profile keycaps that allow more backlight to shine out from the switch housings, check out the ROCCAT Vulcan II Max/Mini.
The thick braided cable has two USB-A plugs: one to connect to your computer and the other for the USB passthrough.
The Corsair K100 is wired-only and can't be used wirelessly.
The Corsair K100 has many extra features. All of its keys are macro-programmable, including the volume wheel, profile switching button, and media keys. It also has dedicated macro keys on the left side of the board. It features a unique iCUE wheel that lets you adjust brightness, rewind or fast forward media, scroll through applications, and zoom in or out of windows, but you can also remap all of these to other actions. The RGB lighting around the wheel changes color as you cycle through the different functions so you know exactly which one is active.
The Corsair K100 has excellent typing quality. The linear switches don't require much force to actuate, but the low pre-travel distance may result in more typos. There's also no tactile feedback when a key is actuated. The doubleshot PBT keycaps feel stable and nice to type on. The switches shouldn't cause much fatigue, and the included plushy wrist rest also helps with reducing any fatigue.
The Cherry MX Speed switches on our unit are quiet. It shouldn't bother anyone around you in a silent office. While we haven't tested it, we expect the variant with the Corsair OPX switches to be just as quiet.
If you're interested in a similar mechanical gaming keyboard that uses Corsair's MGX switches, which let you adjust the pre-travel distance of individual switches, check out the Corsair K70 MAX.
The Cherry MX Speed switches on our unit are linear, provide no feedback, and feel very light to type on. The pre-travel distance is very low, which results in a very responsive feel, but it may cause more unintentional strokes to be registered. The keyboard is also available with Corsair OPX switches which are advertised to have a shorter pre-travel distance. If you're interested in a similar, feature-loaded keyboard that has a hot-swappable PCB, check out the ASUS ROG Strix Flare II Animate.
This keyboard delivers remarkable single-key latency performance that's extremely stable and consistent at the tested polling rate of 8000Hz.
This keyboard delivers superb multi-key latency performance that's very consistent on both key press and key release due to the high polling rate and effective update rate.
This keyboard supports a polling rate of 8000Hz from your computer, but note that the keyboard can only provide an effective update rate of 4000Hz. However, this discrepancy doesn't significantly impact the overall raw performance, which is excellent.
If you're more interested in a keyboard with an effective update rate of 8000Hz, check out the Razer BlackWidow V4 75%.
This keyboard has very good chord split performance with relatively low 4-chord and 8-chord split delay, meaning it can accurately report many simultaneous key presses quite quickly.
This keyboard is compatible with the Corsair iCUE software, which offers fantastic customization features. You can reprogram any key to a macro or a preset action, and you can customize the RGB with different colors and effects. Corsair claims you can save up to 200 individual profiles to the onboard memory. You can easily program the six dedicated macro keys to perform any task you want. It also has integration with the Elgato Stream Deck, allowing you to perform tasks like launching a program or recording a clip.
The Corsair K100 is fully compatible with Windows. Only the Pause Break, Scroll Lock, and Print Screen buttons don't work on macOS. Since the software isn't compatible with Linux, the G1-G6 macro keys are disabled by default, but you can still program them on a Mac or PC first and save them to the onboard memory beforehand in order to use them on Linux.