Let us find the best between Corsair K100 RGB vs K55 RGB.
DESIGN
Corsair K100
The Corsair K100 is a full sized keyboard that consumes a lot of desk space. You can subtract the wrist rest to save space. The Corsair K100 features a high body quality. Its plastic base and the metal top plate bend a little, although it’s barely perceptible when used as intended. The double shot PBT keycaps are sturdy and slightly wiggle. While all of the black keycaps are constructed of PBT, the dedicated macro keys G1-G6, as well as the additional FPS and MOBA keycaps, are made of ABS.
The incline feet are voluminous and gripping, and they should not fall when you move the keyboard. It includes a magnetically attached cushioned wrist rest. The ergonomics of Corsair K100 are excellent. It’s a straight board with two incline settings and a magnetically attached padded wrist rest. It features full RGB lighting and individually illuminated keys. It has 44 RGB zones on the lighting strips all around the board. The RGB effects and colors can be changed using the Corsair iCUE program.
Corsair K55
It takes up a substantial amount of desk space as a full-sized keyboard, but you can remove the wrist rest to make it take up less room. The build quality is sufficient, and it has a similar feel to the Corsair K68 RGB. It’s totally constructed of plastic and has some bend, but it still feels solid and has no noticeable gaps. The keycaps are made of ABS and have laser-etched legends; they feel mushy when typing but are very stable.
The ergonomics of this keyboard are excellent. It has a single inclination setting and a retractable wrist rest. The backlighting on this keyboard is underwhelming. It features a zone-lit backlight, unlike the Corsair K68 RGB, and you can’t modify the RGB lighting on each key. Directly on the keyboard, you may toggle between ‘Off,’ ‘Low,’ ‘Medium,’ and ‘High’ brightness levels. Check out the Razer Cynosa Chroma if you want a keyboard with individually lighted keys and more customization options.
CABLES AND WIRELESS VERSATILITY
Corsair K100
The strong braided cable has two USB-A connectors: 1 for connecting to your computer and the other for USB passthrough. Corsair K100 is a wired-only device that can not be used wirelessly.
Corsair K55
It has a long wire, so you should have no trouble connecting to your computer. This keyboard does not support wireless operation. Check out the Corsair K57 RGB WIRELESS if you’re seeking a similar keyboard that can be used wirelessly.
TYPING EXPERIENCE
Corsair K100
The pre-travel distance is quite short, resulting in a very responsive feel, but it may result in more accidental strokes being logged. This keyboard can also be ordered with Corsair OPX switches, which offer a lower pre-travel distance. The typing quality on the Corsair K100 is amazing. The linear switches need little force to activate. However, the short pre-travel distance may lead to more typos. When a key is pressed, there is not any tactile feedback.
The double shot PBT keycaps are sturdy and comfortable to type upon. The switches should not cause much issue, and supplied soft wrist rest also aids in fatigue reduction. Our unit’s Cherry MX Speed switches are quite quiet. In a quiet office, it shouldn’t bother anyone. While we have not tested it, we expect the Corsair OPX switch variant to be equally soft. Even the most competitive gamers will like the Corsair K100’s very low click latency. We put it through its paces with a polling rate of 4000Hz.
Corsair K55
Not like the mechanical switches on the Corsair K68 RGB, the rubber dome switches on this keyboard are a little squishy. They need a significant amount of force to activate and have a visible tactile hump to overcome before the actuation point. The Corsair K55’s typing quality is terrible, and the keys are soft and mushy. They also demand a large amount of force to operate. Therefore long durations of typing may cause weariness. Fortunately, the keys are very stable, and there’s enough space between them to help you avoid errors. The Corsair K55 RGB Gaming Keyboard, like other rubber dome switches, is quite quiet and should not irritate those around you. This keyboard has very low latency. Even the most devoted gamers are unlikely to notice any delays.
SOFTWARE AND OPERATING SYSTEM
Corsair K100
This keyboard is compatible with the Corsair iCUE software, which includes a plethora of customization options. Any key can be assigned to a macro or a preset action, and the RGB can be customized with numerous colors and effects. Corsair states that up to 200 profiles can be saved to the onboard memory. The six specialized macro keys can be programmed to execute any desired action. It also functions with the Elgato Stream Deck, allowing you to do things like launch a program or record any clip. The Corsair K100 is fully Windows-compatible. On macOS, only the Pause Break, Scroll Lock, and the Print Screen buttons do not function. The G1-G6 macro keys are disabled by default since the software is incompatible with Linux, but you can configure them on a Mac or PC first and save them to the onboard memory before using them on Linux.
Corsair K55
Its keyboard’s customization capabilities are extensive, thanks to the Corsair iCue software. Each key may be macro-programmed, and the RGB zone illumination can be changed using the software. Corsair claims this keyboard features onboard memory, but we could not test it. The Corsair K55 has a good level of compatibility. It is only fully compatible with Windows, and the Scroll Lock and Pause Break buttons do not work on macOS. Except for the media keys, everything works in Linux.
PERFORMANCE
Corsair K100
The Corsair K100 is an excellent gaming laptop. This well-made keyboard is easy to use and offers configurable RGB backlighting. The Cherry MX Speed switches have a low operating force and a short pre-travel distance, as well as an incredibly low latency of 8000Hz. It’s also available in Corsair OPX switches, which have a shorter pre-travel length and should be more responsive. All of the keys are macro-programmable, and the left side has six specialized macro keys. The Corsair K100 is ideal for usage in the office. It’s a well-made, comfy keyboard with a padded wrist rest and two incline settings. The Cherry MX Speed switches offer a light typing experience that should not create tiredness when typing for extended periods, though errors may be more common due to the short pre-travel distance. They’re quiet to type on, so they shouldn’t be an issue in the office.
Corsair K55
Between Corsair K100 RGB vs K55 RGB, the Corsair K55 is adequate for gaming because its rubber dome switches take a significant amount of force to actuate, resulting in less responsive keys. However, it has extremely low latency, zone-lit RGB illumination, and six dedicated macro keys, and all of its keys are programmable. The Corsair K55 is merely a good office keyboard. The keys are heavy to type on and may become weary, but they are sturdy, and there is enough space between each one to reduce typos. The ergonomics of the Corsair K55 are excellent, and it includes a comfy wrist rest. It’s also very quiet to type on, which is ideal for an office setting.
CONCLUSION
The Corsair K100 RGB is an excellent full-sized mechanical gaming keyboard that ranks among the best we’ve tried. However, some users may dislike its linear switches due to the lack of tactile feedback, and unfortunately, this switch type is not available. Corsair K55 is an entry level gaming keyboard that falls short of higher-end mechanical gaming keyboards. But,in case you’re a casual gamer, it may be a nice pick, as it performs similarly to some of its competitors, such as the Razer Cynosa Chroma and SteelSeries Apex 3. Hopefully now you know which one to buy between Corsair K100 RGB vs K55 RGB.
