INTRODUCTION
Logitech G Pro X
The G Pro X gaming peripheral by Logitech is a comfortable and small keyboard that’s considerably colorful and features an incredibly creative central concept. This device isn’t merely just a competition-grade gaming tool but it’s a customizable powerhouse as well that allows users to switch out all the board’s key switches in order to achieve the desired gaming setup. Yes, it’s nowhere near the cheapest gaming keyboard out there, especially for a tenkeyless one, but it does offer above-average performance. As a stand-alone gaming product, the Logitech board does superbly, although you might find something better for cheaper at Corsair.
Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
Getting a wireless gaming keyboard is probably going to mean you having to break the bank. These devices don’t come cheap. Most of the time you’ll be forced to fork out a considerable sum due to their top-tier key switches and high-tech software. The Corsair K57 wireless XT keyboard tries its level best to split this difference. This particular wireless gaming peripheral from Corsair provides true PC gamers with everything they’d want. It contains Bluetooth connectivity, USB-cord functionality, full RGB backlighting options, macro key functions and a media bar. And all this comes at a considerably affordable price.
DESIGN
Logitech G Pro X
The G Pro X peripheral kind of looks like its predecessor. This is a tenkeyless gaming board that features full RGB illumination accompanied by a plain black chassis. The board doesn’t have a row of extra key functions or anything of the sort. It jus has two key features at the top designated for the brightness and Game Mode functions. It’s also very portable in large part due to its removable USB cord. There’s a lot more to see, though, once the board’s switches and caps are taken out. This is the first time folks at Logitech made a keyboard whereby all the key switches can be swapped out. This means that you can get a better key switch feel whenever you want.
If you’re looking to purchase the Logitech G Pro X board for the first time ever, then remember that you have the option of picking the kind of key switches you want to use. Whether it’s tactile and quiet GX Brown switches, tactile and loud GX Blue switches or linear and quiet GX Red switches. But, you can also get Red, Blue and Brown sets separately. These will contain 90 key switches and each set will set you back around ninety dollars or so. As such, if your intention is to mix the Reds, Blues and Browns to fit a specific play-style you have, you can as long as you’ve got about $260 to spare for such privilege
Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
The first thing you’ll notice about the K57 RGB XT keyboard by Corsair is how big it actually is. This is a pretty large gaming board that can’t be considered small nor compact, measuring around 19×9 inches. The wrist rest included in the package measures another 19×6.5 inches. In fact, this particular gaming peripheral is longer than most of its other full-sized keyboard competitors by an entire 2-inches or so. This is in large part because of the extra macros key row it contains, which means you’ll most likely need to determine how much space you’ve got on your desk before getting a device this big.
Other than the fact it happens to be a considerably large board, it’s got a rather simple overall aesthetic going on. The chassis has been made out of a black plastic material and the glossy bar found at the top is there to collect fingerprints.
The additional key column contains six-button features. The discrete media functions have been placed in the top-right corner of the board, and this column contains a total of seven-button functions. The discrete media functions include the pause/play, forward/rewind and volume up/volume down key functions. Also, it has an extra row of keys for macros programming, brightness customization as well as Game Mode’s lock feature. In addition to all this, the user also has access to keyboard shortcuts that can be used to switch through Bluetooth and USB options.
KEYS
Logitech G Pro X
Logitech gives users the option of picking between three kinds of key switches when it comes to their G ProX gaming keyboard. However, that’s not all. They also went on and gave the users a chance to customize the peripheral further by providing them with additional key sets. Anyway, the key switches themselves, designed by Logitech, are slightly more stiff and resistant when compared to their Cherry MX counterparts. But, that doesn’t mean that they’re any less comfortable. That being said, the key switches on the G ProX gaming peripheral may need a little getting used to. Sadly for it, this isn’t the case for the Corsair that’s also being reviewed in this article.
Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
Arguably the worst thing about the K57 XT wireless keyboard is the fact that Corsair decided to go the membrane key route with this product. Unfortunately, the keys you’ll find on this peripheral are the same as what you’d come across when using those cheap PCs by Microsoft and Dell that a lot of middle management employees love to use. Using these keyboards can help show you just how great mechanical key switches really are, especially during high-octane gameplay. Truth is, though, membrane-based boards are actually perfect for those folks that are looking to spend not more than 40 bucks on a gaming keyboard. However, if you’re going to be dropping 100 dollars, or more, on one, then you can do so much better than membrane keys.
Anyway, on the bright side, Corsair has really tried to make the keys on the K57 wireless XT feel a little better than what one would get with your regular-old, standard membrane key function. But, it’s still not an attempt by the company that can be considered 100-percent successful. The board’s keys have a slightly stiff and resistant overall feel to them. When you type with this keyboard, your fingers will feel as though they’re being pushed away after every keystroke. Granted, this is something that might not come to your attention if you’re using the device for play. But if you’re going to be throwing down a considerable amount of cash for a keyboard, you’ll probably want something that can operate as a productivity tool as well, no? It can\t just be there for gaming only.
FEATURES
Logitech G Pro X
The G Pro X board is a product that Logitech designed to serve the eSports community. It’s a tenkeyless gaming keyboard with a detachable micro USB cord for easy transportation and travel. The new feature, which its predecessor lacked, is the fact that its mechanical key switches can be switched out by the user. If you can only get one that uses GX Blue switches at the moment and your heart desired one that had GX Reds, you can get the ones with the Blues and switch out the keys later on. Instead of having to purchase a whole new board, all you need to do is throw in an extra $50 and get the key switches you want. Although, not all hardcore PC gamers will consider this a useful feature.
Logitech’s proprietary G Hub software is what the G Pro X gaming board uses. It can’t be considered a complex software and it’s pretty easy to use. It’ll allow you to customize RGB backlighting settings, create unique profiles for individual applications and game titles as well as program function keys. This software’s major disadvantage is that it doesn’t allow users to reprogram all the key functions on the board. It only allows users to program function keys. This is a complication other Logitech gaming keyboards don’t suffer from. This is a little disappointing considering the fact that one of the board’s biggest pros is that you can physically customize the switches on the board. It’s a bit awkward and strange that you can’t just reprogram them as well.
Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
The Utility Engine, Corsair’s proprietary software, is what powers this particular keyboard. It’s a software that’s relatively limited yet still one that can be considered relatively robust. It’s something that Corsair manufactured in-house and it looks like it still might have a long way to go. Anyway, it allows you the chance to come up with creative and unique profiles for certain games and apps, program macros, reassign certain key functions as well as customize the board’s RGB backlighting profiles. As much as the Utility Engine runs rather well without too many issues, unfortunately, it doesn’t play well with the K57 XT. It’s a little complicated to program key functions with it. Furthermore, it’ll need you to use the macro recording menu to come up with macro shortcuts which is both incredibly tedious and cumbersome.
However, arguably the most annoying thing about this wireless keyboard is that you don’t have access to deep RGB backlighting profiles that are available in the many other gaming keyboard products from Corsair. This is a bit sad considering the fact that Corsair is well known for producing gaming keyboards that have got insanely deep backlighting capabilities. As far as the K57 RGB XT is concerned, Corsair provided their users with a total of only 9 color patterns. Although some of these options they’ve provided are actually incredibly beautiful, unfortunately, it’s still isn’t what they’re usually known to offer.
PERFORMANCE
Logitech G Pro X
The performance levels on the G Pro X gaming board by Logitech are way above average. The peripheral’s key switches are both fast and responsive, whether you’re constructing a base in strategy game titles or taking down enemy combatants in FPS titles. Since Logitech gives you the option of selecting the kind of key switches that best suit your play style, all gamers and typists should be able to get the switches that’ll best suit all their needs. As far as the keyboard’s performance goes, it’s only major disadvantage is that the device really can’t be considered a productivity tool that can handle regular, day-to-day tasks, especially if those said tasks require the need of media ley functions and a numpad. But, then again that’s not the audience Logitech was targeting in the first place.
Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
This board by Corsair can basically run any game from any genre without a problem. The key switches don’t feel stiff or resistant during gameplay. You can run game titles such as Final Fantasy, StarCraft: Remastered, For Honor, Tomb Raider and Overwatch without a hitch. In fact, just know that it won’t give you any kind of problem as far as gaming is concerned. Unfortunately, though, it may not be your best bet if you intend on using it for fast-paced, high-octane eSports tournament gaming and such. It’s not good for this because it doesn’t make it easy to rapidly and repeatedly smash keys.
VERDICT
The Logitech G Pro X gaming peripheral has everything a true gamer would like their gaming keyboards to have. It’s the perfect device for the competitive eSports tournament players out there, and that’s exactly what Logitech wanted when they come up with this product. The fact that you can swap out all the board’s switches is really cool. If you’re looking to buy a tenkeyless mechanical gaming keyboard, then they don’t come much better than the Logitech G Pro X peripheral. If gaming’s what you want it for then this would be your best bet.
