INTRODUCTION
Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
A lot of the wireless keyboard products available will usually require you to reach deep into your pockets. They will usually force you to cough up quite a lot of cash because of the top-tier software and high-tech key switches they use. But, the Corsair K57 keyboard tries its level best to ensure they split these differences. This wireless gaming peripheral from Corsair has both USB-cord and Bluetooth functionality accompanied by full RGB backlighting capabilities as well. However, that’s not all. It also features a macro keys row and full media-bar. Oh, and all this at a very mouth-watering price. Unfortunately, though, membrane keys are what you’ll be forced to use if you go this route.
Corsair K83 Entertainment
This wireless keyboard was sort of an experiment by Corsair, and like with many experiments, it wasn’t a 100-percent success. This gaming peripheral is one of the many entertainment keyboards that can both effortlessly and seamlessly connect with computers, smart TVs, smart mobile devices and basically anything that has Bluetooth functionality. It’s a very interesting idea, one that’s sure to attract many true gamers all across the globe.
DESIGN
Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
The first thing that catches everyone’s attention when it comes to the K57 XT keyboard by Corsair is how big the board really is. This isn’t a device that can be considered small or compact and measures a staggering 19×9 inches. The wrist rest that comes along with it is an additional 19×6.5 inches. In fact, this particular board is 2-inches longer than many of the other full-size gaming keyboard products on the market. This is in large part because of its extra macro button features. Before getting this keyboard, you’ll have to determine whether you have enough space on your desk or workstation to accommodate it. Although it’s a considerably large device, it’s got this simple overall aesthetic going on. It has a black colored chassis that’s manufactured using plastic material. The glossy bar feature located at the top is there to collect user fingerprints.
The extra row of keys is made up of six button features. The discrete media key functions have been placed on the top-right corner, which contains seven buttons. What you’ll find in the discrete media column is skip back, skip forward, pause/play, stop and volume up/volume down button features. The board also provides users with brightness adjustment capabilities, macro programming as well as Game Mode lock functionality. In addition to all this, gamers have access to keyboard shortcuts that allow them to flip through USB-cable dongle and Bluetooth functionalities.
Corsair K83 Entertainment
Two-thirds of the K83 is a tenkeyless keyboard and the remaining one-third is reserved for the touchpad. The keyboard’s left-side is where the navigation keys are and the right side has a circular touchpad with right/left buttons underneath it. On top of the touchpad you’ll find a button that controls backlighting, a volume dial and a button designed to lock the board’s function keys. As usual, the K83 also features the exquisite volume dials by Corsair which are known for their simple design style and pleasant texture.
A joystick, which happens to be the board’s oddest feature, is found on the upper-right side. The K83 wireless keyboard from Corsair is sort of a hybrid of a game controller and a smart TV keyboard. On the surface, it doesn’t look like such a bad idea. It’s very easy to hook the board up to a Nvidia Shield, Amazon Fire TV or any kind of smart TV. In fact, if you decide to go the K83 route, you’ll also be getting a large trigger (located under the board) marked R and L and a small bumper that’s placed at the top. Between the trigger and joystick buttons, the Corsair K83 Entertainment looks to replicate a game game-pad controller without having to sacrifice switch and keyboard inputs. Theoretically, it’s there to help streamline inputs for titles that require you to have multiple control schemes.
KEYS
Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
The worst thing about the Corsair K57 XT gaming keyboard is the key switches the peripheral uses. Sadly, the board is membrane-based and its key functions are similar to what you’re going to find on the more budget-friendly PC models by Dell, Microsoft and the like that a lot of middle-management employees and laborers love using. When you use such keyboards, the ones with membrane keys, you realize just how much of an advantage mechanical key switches provide, especially when it concerns out-and-out gaming sessions. Gaming keyboards that use membrane key switches are actually what most people are advised to go for when they want to use just $45 and below. Justifying one that costs $100 and more can prove extremely hard.
The good thing about the K57 XT is that Corsair tried their level-best to manufacture keys that don’t feel like your run-of-the-mill, standard membrane key functions. But, sadly this isn’t an endeavor that can be deemed a complete success. The keys still feel a little stiff when pressed. When using the board for typing purposes, the keys kind of push the fingers away after each keystroke. Fortunately, it’s something you might not experience when using the device for gaming. That being said, not many people will want to spend a lot of their hard-earned money on a gaming keyboard device that doesn’t have the ability to be a productivity tool as well. The keyboards this pricey needs to be able to handle more than just gaming tasks.
Corsair K83 Entertainment
The Corsair K83 keyboard has exceptionally good key switches. In fact, they’re a lot better than what you’ll find on most of the other wireless gaming keyboards on the market. Sure, they’re basic, simple and mundane key switches, however, they provide more travel than one would expect to get in a thin gaming keyboard such as this one. Furthermore, they’re also big enough to ensure your fingers rarely slip. The keyboard, on the other hand, doesn’t have any feet which means it can’t be elevated. This leaves the user’s palms in an uncomfortably flat position when they’re typing.
FEATURES
Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
If you’ve used Corsair keyboard products before then you probably know how limited yet robust their Utility Engine software usually is. This is Corsair’s proprietary software that they developed themselves in-house and it’s what’s used to power the K57 XT wireless gaming keyboard. This software allows you to change RGB backlighting settings, come up with your own unique profiles for applications and games, reassign some keys as well as create macro key functions. The software itself is actually way above-average but it, sadly, doesn’t gel with the K57 XT. It complicates key function programming and as far as macros shortcut programming is concerned, you won’t be able to achieve it with the help of the macro recording menu feature which happens to be both incredibly cumbersome and tedious.
However, arguably the worst thing about the Corsair K57 RGB XT peripheral is that it doesn’t offer its user the ability to deeply customize its RGB backlighting settings. This is something that most other gaming keyboard products from Corsair have and it’s a bit disappointing the company decided not to include this functionality in this product. They should’ve included it in this device. With the Corsair K57 you only get nine color scheme options. Yes, some are actually outstanding, but it’s still not what Corsair usually provides.
PERFORMANCE
Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
This gaming peripheral can be used to play almost all the most popular PC game titles out there. You can run it on titles like Final Fantasy, Tomb Raider, For Honor, Age of Mythology and the like without having any complications whatsoever. Commands will be both quickly and accurately parsed meaning that you won’t have a problem climbing treacherous ravines and cliffs as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider or swinging your Viking axe in For Honor.
VERDICT
It all comes down to why you are looking for a wireless keyboard in the first place. We know there are many reasons why you’d want this. One of the main reasons most common to many is more maneuverability. The Corsair K57 XT is quite a decent keyboard product that has a lot to offer, aside from just being wireless. It can be used both as a productivity tool and as a gaming device. The Corsair 83, on the other hand is basically an internment keyboard designed to be able to handle light gaming. It’s ideally like a living media controller. Anyway, your best bet between the two would be to go the K57 XT route.
