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 Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM XT is an upgraded version of the Corsair K95 PLATINUM. The two boards are very similar, but the XT comes with a plushier wrist rest, and it uses PBT keycaps instead of ABS keycaps like on the PLATINUM. The original PLATINUM has lower latency, so it may be a better option for fast-paced and competitive gaming. Both boards are available with Cherry MX Brown and Cherry MX Speed switches, but only the XT is available with Cherry MX Blue switches.
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM and the Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 are both fantastic gaming keyboards. They're each full-size, but the K95 has dedicated macro keys on the size. The unit of the K95 we tested has linear Cherry MX Speed switches, while the K70 has Cherry MX Brown switches, but you can get each keyboard in different switches. Latency is lower on the K95 for a more responsive gaming experience.
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM and the Corsair K70 RGB PRO are both wired, mechanical gaming keyboards that perform similarly but have some slight differences. The K95 has a USB-passthrough feature and slightly better latency. On the other hand, the K70 has a higher maximum polling rate of 8000Hz, and it has PBT keycaps instead of ABS.
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.
The Ducky One 2 Mini V1 is very different than the full-sized Corsair K95 PLATINUM. The Ducky has doubleshot PBT keycaps and offers an excellent typing quality. However, it doesn't have dedicated macro keys or navigation arrow keys like the Corsair. The Corsair is also available in very quick Cherry MX Speed switches.
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM is a much more versatile gaming keyboard than the Logitech G Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. It comes in different switches, including Speed ones, which are very quick to actuate. It also has dedicated macro keys, and an included comfortable wrist rest. On the other hand, if you don't like RGB bleeding across the board, the Logitech might be a better option.
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM is a better keyboard than the Logitech G910 Orion Spark. You can set macros to all the Corsair keys, it's better built, and its ergonomics are better. You can also save profiles on the onboard memory, which you can't do with the Logitech. The Logitech features Romer-G tactile switches, while the Corsair has Cherry MX Speed linear switches, which have a shorter pre-travel distance.
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM and the Razer BlackWidow Elite are two very similar keyboards, but the K95 has one of the lowest pre-travel distances we've measured so far. Its RGB lighting also bleeds a lot more throughout the board than the Razer's lighting. On the other hand, the Razer overall build quality seems a bit more durable and comes with a plushy wrist rest.
The Ducky Shine 7 and the Corsair K95 PLATINUM have similar overall performance, but they offer very different features. Build quality is much better on the Ducky, but the Corsair has dedicated macro keys, media controls, and its customization software has more options and better compatibility. Typing on the Cherry MX Brown switches feels much better to type on than the Cherry MX Speed on the Corsair, though both keyboards can be purchased with different types of switches.
The Corsair K95 PLATINUM is better than the HyperX Alloy Elite 2. The Corsair comes with a wrist rest, it has dedicated macro keys, and the Cherry MX Speed switches we tested have a much lower pre-travel distance. However, the keycaps on the HyperX feel a bit more solid and don't come off as easily.
Test Results
This keyboard is rather big due to its full-size design. It also takes more space if you use its detachable wrist rest.
The Corsair K95's build quality is great. The board has a top aluminum plate with a very solid plastic base. The whole keyboard feels very well-built, but the ABS keycaps feel a bit cheap. Some of them also come off rather easily. However, the newer Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM XT is advertised to have double-shot PBT keycaps. The K95 is noticeably better-built than the Corsair K68.
Ergonomics are good. It has an incline setting and the feet open sideways, so that way you won't accidentally close them if you put too much forward pressure on the keyboard. It also comes with a detachable wrist rest that has a reversible texture, and it offers two different options. However, if you're looking for a plushier wrist rest, check out the Razer BlackWidow Elite.
The Corsair K95's backlighting is amazing. Each key is individually lit, and there's even a strip of underglow on the keyboard as well. You can control the brightness directly on the board.
The Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM's cable is very long and ends with two USB plugs, as both are required if you want to use the USB passthrough on the keyboard.
This keyboard is wired-only and can't be used wirelessly.
The Corsair K95 has dedicated media keys at the top right of the keyboard. It has a nice wheel to control volume, and a dedicated Windows lock key to make sure your game doesn't accidentally minimize when playing.
- Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM keyboard
- Detachable wrist rest
- Extra textured keys (F,D,E,R,Q, 2x W, A, S, D)
- Keycap remover
- Manuals
The Cherry MX Speed switches are linear switches which are fairly similar to the Red ones, but with a noticeably shorter pre-travel distance. This makes keys actuate faster, but can also be prone to typos when typing. This keyboard is also available with Cherry MX Brown switches, which have a more tactile feel.
The overall typing experience is great. The linear switches are easy to press, but some people might prefer something a bit more tactile with a bump, like a Cherry MX brown or blue. The keys feel stable and the spacing of the keys is good to reduce typos. On the other hand, since the actuation point is quick to reach, mis-inputs can still easily happen.
The Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM is fairly quiet thanks to its linear switches. You shouldn't bother people surrounding you when typing.
The iCUE software offers amazing customization with the Corsair K95. You can create as many profiles as you want inside the app, but can only save three on the onboard memory.
While it's fully compatible with Windows, it has some keys that don't work on macOS and Linux. On macOS, the pause, scroll lock, and print screen don't work, on top of the G1-G6 macro buttons. On Linux, all keys work, but the software isn't available, so you won't be able to customize your keyboard and map the G1-G6 macro keys, which aren't bound right out of the box. However, thanks to the onboard memory, you can program them on macOS or Windows, and then use them on Linux.