Page 3 - Conclusion
The Corsair K55 Core is the company's latest ultra-budget keyboard that has the looks of something much more expensive, but it is not mechanical, and the price reflects such. Was it any good though? To address the elephant in the room, I will not even try to make the argument that rubber domes are comparable to mechanical switches, because they are not. However, the rubber domes on the K55 Core are decent for what they are. They are quiet and have a tactile bump as one would expect, and are polled at a speedy 1000Hz rate. Corsair also rates it with 300mL spill resistance for those who are careless. Despite being a budget keyboard, there are dedicated media keys, Windows lock, and a brightness toggle button. Furthermore, it features full RGB LED backlighting that is customizable using Corsair's excellent iCUE software. Of course, there are compromises that have to be made with its price. The lack of mechanical switches aside, the K55 Core has a plastic backplate and frame, which means there will be some flex. The RGB LED lighting comes in ten zones rather than independent per-key addressable. Only up to twelve keys can be registered simultaneously instead of a true NKRO design. Lastly, no wrist rest is included. With all these things in mind, I feel the compromises are very reasonable, considering the Corsair K55 Core is only $40 at press time. If you are looking for a decent ultra-keyboard that looks a lot more expensive than it is with full RGB LED backlighting, the Corsair K55 Core will satisfy your needs.
Corsair provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH Networks Review Focus Summary:
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks, but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Networks Numeric Rating is 7.0/10
Please note that the APH Networks Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other publications.
The Corsair K55 Core is a decent ultra-budget gaming keyboard with rubber dome switches and RGB LED backlighting that looks a lot more expensive than it actually is.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. Conclusion
