The Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT is a very good, entry-level gaming keyboard with rubber dome switches. It's an update of the Corsair K55 RGB with acceptable build quality, very low latency, and acceptable ergonomics, including a detachable wrist rest and one incline setting. It has dedicated media and macro keys and companion software that's compatible with Windows and macOS. Unfortunately, the rubber dome switches only provide mediocre typing quality as all keys wobble significantly and feel fairly heavy to press. It has RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys, and you can customize the lighting on a per-key basis. It's very similar to the Corsair K55 RGB PRO, but that one lacks individually-lit keys as it only has five customizable lighting zones and doesn't support dynamic in-game lighting with certain games through Corsair's iCUE software.
Our Verdict
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT is a great gaming keyboard. However, its build quality is only adequate, and the rubber dome switches are fairly heavy to press and have a high pre-travel distance. It has very low latency, dedicated macro keys, and companion software for customization. It also has RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys that are independently customizable.
- Remarkably low latency.
- RGB backlighting with individually lit keys.
- Acceptable ergonomics.
- Dedicated macro keys and all keys are macro programmable.
- Keys feel heavy to press.
- Only adequate build quality.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT is satisfactory for office use. It has very quiet rubber dome switches and acceptable ergonomics with a detachable wrist rest and one incline setting. Unfortunately, the typing quality is mediocre because all keys wobble noticeably, have a fairly high pre-travel, and feel heavy to actuate.
- Acceptable ergonomics.
- Very quiet rubber dome switches.
- Keys feel heavy to press.
- Only adequate build quality.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT is a wired-only keyboard that isn't designed for use with tablets or mobile devices.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT is alright for programming. It has adequate build quality and mediocre typing quality. That said, it has acceptable ergonomics with a detachable wrist rest and one incline setting. It has RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys that you can customize on a per-key basis. There are also six dedicated macro keys, all keys are macro-programmable, and the companion software is compatible with Windows and macOS.
- Acceptable ergonomics.
- Dedicated macro keys and all keys are macro programmable.
- Keys feel heavy to press.
- Only adequate build quality.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT is bad for home theater PC use. It's a wired keyboard with no wireless connectivity options, and it has no trackpad, so you may need to use a mouse to navigate menus. On the other hand, it has dedicated media keys and RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys.
- RGB backlighting with individually lit keys.
- Dedicated media keys.
- Wired-only.
- No trackpad.
- Only adequate build quality.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3.1, which adds a new estimated PCB latency test to the Single-Key Latency section and a new Analog test to the Switches section of this review. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Oct 27, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3, which overhauls how key input is evaluated. We've added new tests for Single Key Latency, Multi Key Latency, Data Transmission, and Chord Split. We've also introduced a new Raw Performance usage and adjusted how the Gaming and Office usage scores are calculated. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated May 12, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update introduces new Backlight Features and Backlight Clarity test boxes. We've also added a new Switches test box, added additional test comparisons to our Hardware Customizability test box that we introduced with our last Test Bench. For an in-depth look at our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
- Updated Mar 22, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.1. This update adds several new tests addressing Hardware Customization, Macro Keys And Programming, and Wireless Mobile Compatibility. We've also added new objective evaluations to the Typing Noise test, and we've simplified several tests and removed several others that were no longer relevant. For an in-depth look at all our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT comes in black, and there are no other switch types available. The Corsair K55 RGB PRO is a very similar keyboard, but it lacks individually-lit keys and doesn't support iCUE integration with certain games for dynamic lighting effects. You can see the label for our unit here.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT is a satisfactory, entry-level gaming keyboard. It has improved latency, backlighting with individually-lit keys, and better RGB customization than its predecessor, the Corsair K55 RGB. It can make a good pick if you're looking for a budget gaming keyboard with solid performance and customizable RGB without getting into mechanical switches.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best keyboards, the best gaming keyboards, and the best Corsair keyboards.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO and the Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT are nearly identical wired gaming keyboards with rubber dome switches. The K55 RGB PRO XT has RGB backlighting with individually lit keys that are customizable on a per-key basis. It also supports dynamic lighting effects with certain games through Corsair iCUE.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT and the HyperX Alloy Origins are full-size, wired keyboards, but the HyperX is a better gaming keyboard. The HyperX is a mechanical keyboard available with linear HyperX Red, tactile Aqua, or clicky Blue switches. It also feels much better-built and has full RGB backlighting that you can customize on a per-key basis using the companion software. It also has a detachable USB-C cable and two incline settings, but it lacks a wrist rest. On the other hand, the Corsair has rubber dome switches and RGB backlighting with individually lit keys that are independently customizable. It also has software compatible with Windows and macOS. Both keyboards have exceptionally low latency, and while the Corsair's is slightly lower, it's unlikely to be a noticeable difference.
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 K55 RGB PRO XT and the SteelSeries Apex 3 are non-mechanical gaming keyboards with comparable performance. The Corsair has significantly lower latency, individually-lit keys that are independently customizable, and its companion software has onboard memory, but you can't sync settings to the cloud. On the other hand, the SteelSeries has ten zone RGB backlighting, but the keys aren't individually backlit. That said, it feels sturdier, it has a wheel on the top right, and it has more stable keys that offer a better typing experience than the Corsair.
Test Results
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