The Corsair K65 LUX RGB is a good TKL mechanical keyboard for gaming. Its frame feels well-built and has minimal flex, but the ABS plastic keycaps feel a little cheap. It's comfortable to type on and comes with a magnetically-attachable wrist rest. You can set macros to any key and customize the RGB backlighting with the iCUE software. It has great typing quality and the Cherry MX Red switches have a low actuation force, but the high pre-travel distance isn't ideal for gaming.
Our Verdict
The Corsair K65 LUX is good for gaming. This well-built keyboard is comfortable to use and comes with a wrist rest. You can fully customize the RGB backlighting and set macros to any key you want. The Cherry MX Red switches have a low actuation force, but the high pre-travel distance isn't ideal for gaming.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Great built quality.
- Great typing experience.
- Customizable RGB backlighting.
- Wrist rest connectors feel fragile.
- ABS keycaps feel cheap.
- High pre-travel distance.
The Corsair K65 LUX is wired-only and isn't designed to be used with mobile devices.
The Corsair K65 LUX is very good for office use. It's comfortable to use and comes with a decently comfortable wrist rest. The typing quality is great, but the slightly wider spacing and the high pre-travel distance may cause some fatigue if you aren't used to it. It feels well-built and it's quiet to type on, so it shouldn't bother those around you.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Great built quality.
- Cherry MX Red switches are quiet.
- Great typing experience.
- Wrist rest connectors feel fragile.
- ABS keycaps feel cheap.
- High pre-travel distance.
The Corsair K65 LUX is great for programming. It feels well-built and comes with a decently comfortable wrist rest. It has a great typing experience, but the slightly wider spacing and the high pre-travel distance may cause some fatigue if you aren't used to it. Additionally, you can set macros to any key through the iCUE software.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Great built quality.
- Great typing experience.
- Customizable RGB backlighting.
- Wrist rest connectors feel fragile.
- ABS keycaps feel cheap.
- High pre-travel distance.
- Great built quality.
- Wrist rest connectors feel fragile.
- ABS keycaps feel cheap.
- High pre-travel distance.
Changelog
- Updated Oct 05, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Dec 01, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Nov 18, 2020: Early access published.
- Updated Nov 13, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Corsair K65 has no variants and it's only available in Cherry MX Red switches. You can see the label of our unit here.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Corsair K65 LUX RGB is a good TKL mechanical gaming keyboard and performs very similarly to the Corsair STRAFE RGB MK.2, although it may feel less responsive for gaming due to the high pre-travel distance of the Cherry MX Red switches. Although it doesn't have dedicated macro keys, those looking for a TKL gaming keyboard should be pleased. For other options, see our recommendations for the best gaming keyboards, the best RGB keyboards, and the best mechanical keyboards.
The Corsair K65 LUX RGB and the Corsair K63 Wireless are similar TKL gaming keyboards. The K65 LUX feels much better built, it has RGB lighting, and it has a USB passthrough. However, the K63 is more versatile thanks to its wireless capabilities, and its Cherry MX Red switches have a slightly lower pre-travel distance than the Cherry MX Red switches on the K65 LUX.
The Corsair K65 LUX RGB is better than the Corsair K60 RGB PRO Low Profile. The K65 LUX comes with a detachable wrist rest and it has a USB passthrough. Its Cherry MX Red linear switches have a high pre-travel distance that might feel less responsive for gaming; however, they're less sensitive than the K60 PRO's Cherry MX Low Profile RGB Speed switches which may cause more unintended keystrokes. However, if you prefer a full-sized keyboard, the K60 PRO is better.
The Corsair STRAFE RGB MK.2 and the Corsair K65 LUX RGB are very similar gaming keyboards, but the STRAFE is better for gaming. Its Cherry MX Red switches have a much lower pre-travel distance than the K65's Cherry MX Red switches, so they should feel more responsive for gaming. However, the K65 is more compact, so there's more space to move around your mouse next to it.
The SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL is better than the Corsair K65 LUX RGB. The SteelSeries feels better built, and it's fully compatible with macOS. Also, the SteelSeries Brown tactile switches on our unit might feel more responsive for gaming than the Cherry MX Red linear switches thanks to the lower actuation force and pre-travel distance. However, the Corsair has a Windows Key lock and might present better value for some people.
The Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM XT is better than the Corsair K65 LUX RGB. The K95 feels better built, has a plushier wrist rest, dedicated macro keys, and a volume control wheel. Also, the K95's Cherry MX Blue switches have a much lower pre-travel distance than our K65 unit's Cherry MX Red switches, so they should feel more responsive. However, the K65 is a TKL size and is perfect if you don't want a Numpad.
The Corsair K65 LUX RGB and the Logitech G Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard are both TKL keyboards, but the Logitech is slightly better for gaming. The Corsair comes with a wrist rest, all of its keys are macro-programmable, and it has onboard memory. However, the Logitech has two incline settings, and its Cherry MX Blue switches have a lower pre-travel distance than the Corsair's Cherry MX Red switches.
Test Results
It's a small, TenKeyLess (TKL) keyboard that is slightly smaller than the Corsair K63 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard.
The Corsair K65 has great build quality. Its base is made of plastic, and it has a brushed aluminum top plate that feels solid and doesn't flex. However, the edges of the aluminum top plate are quite sharp and it can cut your skin. The ABS plastic keycaps have a nice, smooth finish, and they don't wobble while you type; however, they feel a bit on the cheap side. There are four rubber feet underneath, and another three under the wrist rest, but they aren't very grippy as the keyboard slides around easily. The wrist rest connectors feel fragile and are difficult to attach, but the wrist rest feels sturdy once connected.
It has good ergonomics. It has one incline setting and it comes with a wrist rest that is made of soft plastic. Although it isn't as plushy as the Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM XT's wrist rest, it still helps to reduce fatigue. The incline feet open to the sides, so they shouldn't accidentally retract when pushing the keyboard forwards.
The Corsair K65 LUX RGB has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys. You can customize the colors and effects through the iCUE software, and you can also control the brightness level directly from the keyboard.
The cable is thick and braided, and sadly it retains kinks from the packaging. It has two USB plugs at the end, one for the USB passthrough and the other for the keyboard.
This is a wired keyboard that can't be used wirelessly.
There are a few extra features on the Corsair K65 LUX RGB. Although most of the media keys are hotkeys, the volume control and mute buttons are dedicated. There's a Windows Key lock button at the top right to prevent you from accidentally minimizing your game.
- Corsair K65 LUX RGB Compact Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
- Wrist rest
- Extra keys (2x W, 2x D, A, S, E, R, Q, F)
- Keycap puller
- User manual
The Corsair K65 RGB uses Cherry MX Red switches. They require a bit of force to actuate, and they have a high pre-travel distance. This can result in a better typing accuracy, but it can also feel less responsive, especially for gaming. The pre-travel distance is higher than the advertised 2.0mm, but this may be due to manufacturing tolerances. Since the switches are linear, they don't provide any tactile feedback, so it may be hard to know when a keypress is registered. If you're interested in a similar TKL gaming keyboard that's available with tactile switches, check out the ROCCAT Vulcan TKL.
The Corsair K65 LUX RGB we tested has great typing quality. The ABS plastic keycaps are smooth and a little slippery, and sadly they feel a little cheap. On the plus side, they feel stable and don't wobble while typing. The key placement is slightly more spaced out than standard spacing, and while this shouldn't cause more typos, it may cause a bit of fatigue in the fingers since you may need to extend them more than usual. Nevertheless, you shouldn't feel much fatigue while typing on this keyboard, especially when used with the wrist rest.
The linear Cherry MX Red switches are quiet and shouldn't bother those around you in an open office environment.
The iCUE companion software is fantastic. You can set macros or presets to any key you want, as well as customize the RGB backlight on each key. Sadly, the software isn't very intuitive or user-friendly for new users.
The Corsair K65 is fully compatible with Windows, and only the Pause Break and Scroll Lock don't work on macOS. Since the software isn't compatible with Linux, you can't customize the settings, but all of the keys should still work properly.