Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Final Thoughts

If this review was based on looks alone then the Vengeance K70 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard would get a gold award straight up. Regular readers will know that’s just not how we do things here at Benchmark Reviews. Although the K70 is extremely easy on the eye, it doesn’t really have too many features (other than lights and Cherry MX switches) that will serve to class it as a ‘Gaming’ keyboard. The wrist (palm) rest and unique height adjusting feet allow you to find the perfect comfort zone whether you are typing or gaming.

The media keys are handy but their location means it is just as easy to grab the mouse and use that instead. Overall the Vengeance K70 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is extremely well constructed and feels as though it will last many years into the future. Typing with cherry MX Red keys is not the most forgiving task. A slight brushing from a stray finger will actuate an unintended key press. Great news if you are very nimble fingered, but not great for me.The backspace key has seen more than its fair share of use during the writing of this article.

Vengeance K70 Keyboard Conclusion

In this section I am going to write a brief five point summary on the following categories; Performance, Appearance, Construction, Functionality and Value. These views are my own and help me to give the Corsair Vengeance K70 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard a rating out of 10. A high or low score does not necessarily mean that it is better or worse than a similar gaming keyboard that has been reviewed by another writer here at Benchmark Reviews, which may have got a higher or lower score. It is however a good indicator of whether the Vengeance K70 is good or not. I would strongly urge you to read the entire review, if you have not already, so that you can make an educated decision for yourself.

Before using one, I was sceptical of any performance advantage that might be gained from using a mechanical keyboard, but they are making a massive comeback in recent years. Once you have had the pleasure of using one you will not want to go back to your regular keyboard. All of the mechanical keyboards I have tested prior to the K70 have featured Cherry MX Black switches so I was keen to try the MX Red Switches too. With regards to gaming though, I cannot really say if I have noticed any real benefit. I only play FPS style games so I won’t notice the anti-ghosting or increased actions per minute afforded by the K70, but I really appreciate the overall quality feel while gaming and typing.

I may have dropped hints here and there throughout this review to let you know just how I feel about the appearance of the Vengeance K70 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. Simply put, there is not one part of the K70 that does not look good. If scoring was based on looks alone then there would be no contest, even from its siblings – the K60, K90 and K95.

The Vengeance K70 is built for purpose and then some. as with all peripherals there is the use of plastics but the K70 finds the right balance. The top cover is made from a single piece of brushed anodized aluminum and really sets the K70 apart from other mechanical keyboards available.

This pony has only a couple of tricks where functionality is concerned, and even those are essentially just novelties. A gaming keyboard should have macro keys as standard and bindable keys are the next ‘must have’ as far as I am concerned. The latency adjustment switch has no perceivable benefit but the USB pass-through port makes for a great place to attach your mouse or headset. The Windows key lock has it’s uses, it is a real pain when you are in the middle of a game and you hit this key by mistake.

The high price of the Vengeance K70 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard will mean the value rating is going to suffer. I am really struggling to find a good reason to justify the $129.99 (NewEgg / Amazon) price tag.

There are many factors taken into consideration when giving out ratings, and this is possibly the hardest part of the review to conclude. After giving a lot of thought to the individual ratings I have decided to give the Corsair Vengeance K70 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard a Recommended Product award.

Pros: 

+ Back lighting is awesome
+ Full mechanical key layout
+ Extra key caps are a great novelty and will be useful for beginners
+ Full N-Key roll-over
+ Media keys
+ Wrist (palm) rest
+ Very sturdy and well constructed
+ USB 2.0 pass through port
+ Programmable lighting of individual keys
+ Easy to clean and maintain
+ Also available with MX Blue or Brown switches.

Cons:

– No Macro/bindable keys
– Extremely expensive input device
– Not the best keyboard for typing, MX Reds are too sensitive
– Novelty enthusiast product

Ratings:

• Performance: 8.50
• Appearance: 9.75
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 8.00
• Value: 7.00

Final Score: 8.55 out of 10.

Recommended: Benchmark Reviews Seal of Approval.

COMMENT QUESTION: Do you prefer mechanic keyboards over standard membrane-style versions?