Strafe-ing Towards Perfection :
A legacy that’s worth well over 20 years, and Corsair is still alive and kicking in the computer hardware department, pumping out high-performance DRAM modules and, with their recent foray into the Gaming grade computer peripherals market, keyboards and mouse. Case in question, the brand spanking new Corsair Strafe RGB keyboard. Packed to the brim and oozing “Premium” from every finely toned nook and cranny, this little bad boy comes equipped with MX-Silent switches, courtesy Cherry and manages to hit all the right notes!
Overview And Features :
Off the bat, THIS.THING.IS.BEAUTIFUL, and it would be sacrilegious of me to not overindulge in some high-resolution photos of the Strafe RGB in all its glory.Now, before I lose my wits and keep going ga-ga over the keyboard, here are the out-of-box tech specifications :
Strafe RGB(Silent) RGB Mechanical Keyboard
Dimensions: 448mm x 170mm x 40mm
Weight : 2.02lbs
Cable Type: Tangle-free rubber
Key Switches : Cherry MX Silent Mechanical
Report Rate: Selectable 8ms, 4ms, 2ms, 1ms and BIOS mode
Keyboard Backlighting : RGB LED (16.8M Colors)
Matrix: 100% anti-ghosting and 104 Key Rollover
Macro Keys: All Keys
Onboard Memory: Yes
Windows Key Lock: Yes
Now, onto what makes the Strafe RGB so special; ever wondered why there’s a genuine fascination with mechanical keyboards, even though the major compensation for their otherwise fine-tuned gaming prowess is the annoyance caused by loud, clunky switches? Well, it’s easily understandable , given that the fact is legitimate. However, the Strafe RGB is, by no means, an ordinary mechanical keyboard, no sir. In fact, Corsair owns exclusive rights to usage of Cherry’s MX Silent switches, and that equates to quite a lot. Fun fact, the Cherry MX Silent keys feature the world’s first fully integrated noise reduction technology for Gaming grade switches.
Comfort level, variable noise reduction is enabled by a precision-engineered glass-fiber reinforced base and two integrated component tappets. This ‘Silent’ factor doesn’t compromise the integrity of the keys, though, as they’re all still rated for 50M registered actuation. Aside from that, the keyboard also offers individual key illumination, so as to not letting users worry about what group of keys they’d want to collectively or independently configure.
Yet, much like EVERY OTHER mechanical keyboard out on the market, the Strafe RGB is, at heart, a product for the gamers, and Corsair seems to have noticed how gamers often tend to mash multiple buttons rapidly and at the same time, which is why most other keyboards either bite the dust pretty early or break a few finger bones even earlier, and which is why the Strafe RGB features 100% anti-ghosting with a 104 key rollover cap. Which equates to what exactly? Basically, one could go off on a homicidal shooting spree and press every single button on the keyboard at once, but they’d all click & they’d all register independently. What more would a gamer want out of a keyboard?
The Experience :
Now let’s talk about the actual user experience. The Cherry MX Silent switches surely live up to their “silent” tag. When it comes to clicking noise, the Strafe RGB is head and shoulders above almost everything. The switches, apart from being impressively silent, are also precise, with amazing, precision feedback. Contoured and textured keys are great for typing and gaming, it’s nothing over the top and enhances that premium feel. Coming to the build quality, it’s as you’d expect from Corsair, sturdy and no flimsiness at all.
The LEDs have a nice and soothing hue, not the type that scorches your eyes in a dark.
Corsair Utility Engine (CUE) controls the light show, it’s nicely coded making colour customization a breeze, though the lack of a spectral analyser is felt. Key Reassignment is another nifty feature which helps you with the gaming side of things, as you can play around with various key combos of your choosing.
Here is the LINK to the product trailer in case you are interested.
Rounding up, the Corsair Strafe keyboard is one the best looking keyboard we have tested in the recent times, right up with the Poseidon Z RGB from Thermaltake. Performance wise we ran the Kb through our usual routine of online gaming and typing different kind of stuffs to emulate day to day usage. The keyboard breezed among all the tests and performed perfectly.
After a little deliberation among the team we decided a silver would be apt for this awesome keyboard.
