At a glanceExpert's Rating
Pros
- Solid hardware
- Great value for wireless
- Tons of customization options
Cons
- No wrist rest
- slightly awkward default layout
Our Verdict
The K65 Plus Wireless is up against stiff competition in its segment, but it edges out great keyboards like the BlackWidow 75% with its excellent all-around hardware and superior value.
The segment of high-end, customizable, 75% mechanical gaming keyboards is about as niche as it gets for products from major companies. It’s also, as my grandfather used to say, hotter than a two-dollar pistol. Razer, Alienware, and Asus have all released competitors within the last year, and I know HP (by way of subsidiary HyperX) is itching to join the fray, to say nothing of more boutique offerings from the likes of Glorious and Keychron. Today Corsair is piling on with its newest K65 variant.
After the huge improvements Corsair made to a basic design with the K70 Core, I was excited to see what the company would bring to a more premium offering. And the K65 Plus Wireless does not disappoint. This little keyboard includes everything you want in this category and nothing you don’t. Add to that a competitive price and competent software, and Corsair instantly makes its way towards the top of a short but intensely contested list.
If you want a wireless, gaming, 75% custom keyboard, this is it. If wireless isn’t important to you…well, there’s one other option you should consider.
Further reading: The best wireless gaming keyboards
Corsair K65 Plus Wireless design and layout
The K65 Plus Wireless (which I’m just going to call the K65 for the remainder of this review) will look familiar to anyone who’s been keeping up with this space. Like the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75 or the Alienware Pro Wireless, it’s a 75% layout that squeezes a bit of the bottom right corner in order to accommodate full-sized arrow keys, but otherwise works with standard keycaps. This seems to be the new “it” form factor for gaming, cutting into both 60% and TKL designs. As is becoming standard, you can choose between triple-device Bluetooth, a 2.4GHz wireless dongle, or wired operation.
If you want a wireless, gaming, 75% custom keyboard, this is it.
Michael Crider/Foundry
The keyboard has all the usual bells and whistles, eschewing only exotic options like a mini display or adjustable actuation (as seen in Corsair’s K70 Max). We’re talking hot-swap switch sockets, full RGB support, and an aluminum volume knob. The keycaps, in professionally muted blue-gray hues with a bit of extra trim on the space bar, are high-quality PBT with dye-sublimated legends that will never fade. Below the surface you get a heavy steel plate (which oddly contrasts with the plastic body), internal foam and silicone dampening, and a massive 4,200mAh battery.
There’s a surprising amount going on at the edges of the K65, too. On top you get the usual USB-C charging port, a storage bay for the dongle, a three-way power/Bluetooth/2.4GHz wireless switch, and a dedicated Win/Mac layout switch. That’s something you don’t often see on keyboards marketed for gaming, but you’ll note that the default keycaps also have Mac sub-legends, so why not? On the left side you get something I haven’t seen on other designs: a dedicated lighting button. This will instantly switch your lights on or off (not counting the status lights), regardless of your other settings or programmed lighting patterns. It’s a great little addition.
Michael Crider/Foundry
The bottom of the keyboard has the standard double-stage keyboard feet and a fetching Corsair triangular pattern. The box includes a keycap/switch puller, the dongle, a charging/data cable…and that’s it. Those ellipses were me looking for a wrist rest, but unfortunately it’s not in there.
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In terms of aesthetics, the K65 is good, not great. The plastic case and busy keycap legends lack the understated style of Alienware’s dazzling all-white or all-black boards. The faux metal paint of the Corsair-branded escape key is a bit of a disappointment, though it does nicely balance the radial dial. And the RGB lights, while smoothly animated and offering tons of customization, aren’t anywhere near as flashy as alternatives like the Roccat Vulcan series. This is, in many ways, a button-down design by the standards of both Corsair and the gaming keyboard market as a whole.
What’s it like to type and game on the K65 Plus Wireless?
The K65 is using the same high-quality, pre-lubed Corsair MLX Red switches as the K70 Core, and they’re just as good here. The sound is a little louder — I imagine that’s because of the thick steel plate between the switches. Underneath is foam between the plate and printed circuit board, and a unique, custom silicone pad between the PCB and the plastic case. Typing is smooth and light, if somewhat longer than other boards, and a little shaky thanks to a standard cross stem without an outer reinforcement. Stabilizers are solid, not spectacular, with a bit of rattle in the space bar.
Michael Crider/Foundry
A 75% layout requires a bit of compromise no matter how you slice it, and I don’t think I’m a fan of the Delete key moved to the top row when my muscle memory has it to the right of the \ key. The default function layer also has some odd choices, like putting Print Screen on the “?” key. These are minor quibbles that can be adjusted with software, and there are some smart choices in the default layout, too. For example, Fn+the arrow keys will let you quickly make the radial dial set to adjust volume, scrolling, zooming, or keyboard lighting. That’s some impressive utility without any tweaking from the user.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Gaming is even better. While the keyboard lacks any of the crazy speed of some more recent models (it tops out at 1,000Hz polling in both wired and dongle wireless modes), that’s more than enough if you’re a mere mortal. The keycaps are comfy with a solid but not grainy texture, and the 45 grams of resistance is the sweet spot for a wide variety of game types. While they’re very good, I’m not quite as enamored with Razer’s custom MLX switches as Dell’s custom Red switches on the Alienware Pro Wireless or Razer’s Gen 3 switches with their gigantic, super-stable stems. But like all the keyboards in this category, you’re more than welcome to swap them out for something more premium. And on that note…
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