Our Verdict
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM is an excellent gaming keyboard. It feels responsive thanks to the very short pre-travel, and the keys are light to press on in order to register. The build quality is great; it offers dedicated macro keys and is also fully RGB-lit, which is great for playing in the dark.
- Very well-built design.
- Dedicated macro and media keys.
- Very low actuation force and pre-travel distance.
- Need to be customized on another OS before using on Linux.
- Not a lot of different switches options.
The Corsair K95 is wired-only and isn't designed to work with mobile devices.
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM is a good office keyboard. The typing quality of this keyboard is great with linear Cherry MX Speed keys, but some might prefer going with the MX brown variant, as those switches provide a more tactile feedback with a bump before the actuation force, but we didn't test that variant. The keyboard also comes with a nice wrist rest, which helps with the ergonomics, and is quiet enough to not disturb surrounding colleagues.
- Very well-built design.
- Dedicated macro and media keys.
- Very low actuation force and pre-travel distance.
- Need to be customized on another OS before using on Linux.
- Not a lot of different switches options.
The Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM is a great programming keyboard. The typing experience is great, but the short travel distance before actuation might be too sensitive for some, especially that it makes typos more frequent. However, the spacing of the keys help and the board is very durable.
- Very well-built design.
- Dedicated macro and media keys.
- Very low actuation force and pre-travel distance.
- Need to be customized on another OS before using on Linux.
- Not a lot of different switches options.
- Very well-built design.
- Dedicated macro and media keys.
- Very low actuation force and pre-travel distance.
- Need to be customized on another OS before using on Linux.
- Not a lot of different switches options.
Changelog
- Updated Apr 08, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Jan 27, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Jan 23, 2020: Early access published.
- Updated Jan 21, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This black version of this keyboard is available with linear Cherry MX Speed switches or tactile Cherry MX Brown switches. Our review is only valid for the Speed switches. You can also find this keyboard in a gunmetal color, although this variant is only available in Speed switches.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM is an incredible gaming keyboard with dedicated macro keys and MX Speed switches. These linear switches allow you to go straight down to the actuation point without a bump, and have a very low pre-travel distance. However, while it's very well-built, there are better options on the market, like the SteelSeries Apex Pro which feels more durable. It's also only available with MX Speed or Brown switches, which doesn't offer as much variety as other options on the market. Nevertheless, the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum is one of the best gaming keyboards we've reviewed so far. For other options, check out our recommendations for the best gaming keyboards, the best mechanical keyboards, and the best RGB keyboards.
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 SteelSeries Apex Pro and the Corsair K95 PLATINUM are very similarly performing keyboards. They're both full-sized, straight keyboards that feel very well-built, though the SteelSeries feels even a bit more durable. They both feature a detachable wrist rest and full RGB lighting. The SteelSeries features a small OLED screen on the top right corner that can be programmed to display a wide variety of things. Both keyboards use linear keys, but the Corsair has much less pre-travel before the pre-travel distance.
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM and the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL are both amazing keyboards, but for different reasons. The Corsair is a full-size board with extremely low pre-travel distance. It features linear Cherry MX Speed switches, while the SteelSeries is a smaller but better-built TKL board that has SteelSeries Brown switches.
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM is a better keyboard than the Corsair K68 RGB. It's noticeably better built and has a column of dedicated macro keys that the K68 doesn't have. It also features MX Speed switches that have a very quick actuation point. The K68 is noticeably cheaper, but if you want the best keyboard, the K95 is the better option.
Test Results
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