K70 or K70 RGB or else..?

[Crusader325]

Hey guys! 

I decided to buy a new keyboard, but i'm a little bit confused about this, between K70 , K70 RGB or might be CMStorm Trigger Z.

I dont really care about the RGB lightning, but what i concern is about the durability of the LED's itself, i dont want to RMA the keyboard every 6 months or so.

But back-lightning is important for me, quite often that im typing in a dark condition  

 

so why i consider the RGB? Cause from what i know and surfing the net, the RGB version got a more durable LEDs (?) and i really like the build on the K70s,

so yeah...

 

and for the trigger Z , my friend got the quickfire rapid and he says its very good, but he already 2 times RMA cause the LEDs problem. Though its not the exact model

but the concern is still there.

 

+ about the coating on the key caps will they be wear-off after a long period of time? cause just $200ish keyboard i just want a worry free experience

 

 

The main concern is about the Keyboard durability here. 

 

 

Anyway i need an advice, or maybe some other keyboard that got a recommendation ? (btw i really like the brown switches)

 

 

 

 

Many Thanks Before..

[AlexisWiiu]

I've been using my K95(Almost identical to K70, just has Macro switches) for almost a year now and have no issues with the LED's. I even spilled half a beer over it once, sticky keys for a good week, but still works as good as new. If I were you I wouldn't be concerned about RMA'ing the keyboard.

[Textosterone]

K95 Is also a choice. You can also go on WASD keyboards and make one yourself. It had no RGB i think but it looks cool.

[Kgs75]

I have had a K95 RGB the k70s big brother for 6-8 months and i have only had issue when the pc loses power and you reboot it doesn't always auto connect so you have to unplug and reconnect it but that has been my only issue thus far.

[Crusader325]

I've been using my K95(Almost identical to K70, just has Macro switches) for almost a year now and have no issues with the LED's. I even spilled half a beer over it once, sticky keys for a good week, but still works as good as new. If I were you I wouldn't be concerned about RMA'ing the keyboard.

 

 

K95 Is also a choice. You can also go on WASD keyboards and make one yourself. It had no RGB i think but it looks cool.

 

 

I have had a K95 RGB the k70s big brother for 6-8 months and i have only had issue when the pc loses power and you reboot it doesn't always auto connect so you have to unplug and reconnect it but that has been my only issue thus far

 

appreciate your very quick replies guys!!

 

yeah maybe i should not worry to RMA it, but you know if myself spend $200ish keyboard i just expect it to perfect-ish keyboard ( or is just me? haha lol)

 

K95 it too wide for me haha, but still thank you for your reply!

 

 

PS : *Edited , actually is the first time im going to mecha so yeah, many concern for me to choose  :unsure: when i spend that quite many on keyboard i just want it's longevity.  

[audiofanaticz]

Funny, Im on my 2nd corsair k70 rgb in under 6months, and the leds glitch out.

Never spilt anything in either keyboard and kept fairly clean.

 

Just made a thread about them earlyier today and provided videos of both keyboards.

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/448425-corsair-k70-rgb-led-issues/

[Fluffinator]

Funny, Im on my 2nd corsair k70 rgb in under 6months, and the leds glitch out.

Never spilt anything in either keyboard and kept fairly clean.

 

Just made a thread about them earlyier today and provided videos of both keyboards.

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/448425-corsair-k70-rgb-led-issues/

Same, all my friends have had so many rma's, with this keyboard. Finally just had to return the thing and get a razer blackwidow instead. It's a shame they look and feel nice.

[audiofanaticz]

Same, all my friends have had so many rma's, with this keyboard. Finally just had to return the thing and get a razer blackwidow instead. It's a shame they look and feel nice.

But corsair uses german switches with a keyboard assembled in china. What could possibly go wrong!

I personally dont feel its an actual issue with the led/switch itself, but an issue with the pc-b the switches are attached too.

Since the problem occurs when your not even hitting the dang switch.

 

Its sad that Im also contaplating going to the chroma as well.

Sure I could rma this for my 3rd keybard, but what does that solve? a good feeling keyboard for a couple months until the leds fail again.

[Fluffinator]

But corsair uses german switches with a keyboard assembled in china. What could possibly go wrong!

I personally dont feel its an actual issue with the led/switch itself, but an issue with the pc-b the switches are attached too.

Since the problem occurs when your not even hitting the dang switch.

 

Its sad that Im also contaplating going to the chroma as well.

Sure I could rma this for my 3rd keybard, but what does that solve? a good feeling keyboard for a couple months until the leds fail again.

Yeah had to get like two rma's and corsairs support is awful! I feel like there a ticking time bomb or maybe just unlucky who knows..

[Kermit]

I have a 10 year old IBM keyboard....

 

bae  :wub:

[Dargenfire]

I've had a K70 RGB for half a year, no malfunctions, no sign of wear other than the caps starting to get slightly oily. The LEDs are fine even after the constant colour-changing hell I put them through. (I have reactive typing set, so whenever i press a key, a rainbow ripples out from it. It's really trippy when I'm typing, and my mum reckons it'll give me a seizure one day)

[Crusader325]

Funny, Im on my 2nd corsair k70 rgb in under 6months, and the leds glitch out.

Never spilt anything in either keyboard and kept fairly clean.

 

Just made a thread about them earlyier today and provided videos of both keyboards.

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/448425-corsair-k70-rgb-led-issues/

 Yeah, thanks for your thread i have seen it. Yeah really disappointing that a $200+ keyboard

does this. 

 

Same, all my friends have had so many rma's, with this keyboard. Finally just had to return the thing and get a razer blackwidow instead. It's a shame they look and feel nice.

 

too bad though razer doesnt use cherrymx now.

 

But corsair uses german switches with a keyboard assembled in china. What could possibly go wrong!

I personally dont feel its an actual issue with the led/switch itself, but an issue with the pc-b the switches are attached too.

Since the problem occurs when your not even hitting the dang switch.

 

Its sad that Im also contaplating going to the chroma as well.

Sure I could rma this for my 3rd keybard, but what does that solve? a good feeling keyboard for a couple months until the leds fail again.

 

This one really got my point here.

 

Yeah had to get like two rma's and corsairs support is awful! I feel like there a ticking time bomb or maybe just unlucky who knows..

 

 

I've had a K70 RGB for half a year, no malfunctions, no sign of wear other than the caps starting to get slightly oily. The LEDs are fine even after the constant colour-changing hell I put them through. (I have reactive typing set, so whenever i press a key, a rainbow ripples out from it. It's really trippy when I'm typing, and my mum reckons it'll give me a seizure one day)

 

Well its good to hear then, but i wonder the one who got an issue is a just small fraction of the buyers or almost K70s got the issue?

 

I have a 10 year old IBM keyboard....

 

bae  :wub:

 

Pretty tough keyboard that one! haha

 

 

 

Thank You for all your replies guys! 

[audiofanaticz]

I have taken mine apart.

IMO the design is horrible.

There is no support under the pc-b.

How it works is you have the aluminum top cover that is held un to the plastic bottom cover by 15 screws or so.

The switches are sandwiched between the aluminum front panel to the pc-b, the only thing holding the pcb to the alumiunm  top half is the solder joints.

So if you are somewhat of a hard typer (which I would say I am since i alway bottom out the keys) the pc-b will have slight flex issues.

There is only 1 screw that screws from the pc-b to the aluminum top, and that screw is a grounding screw that has a small black wire attached to it.

Ill upload some pics.

[Thony]

K70 RGB owner here.

Very happy but isnt Corsair releasing a new rgb keyboard with different design for brighter effect ?

I swear i saw Luke or Linus cover it recently (past month maybe).

[audiofanaticz]

There are 24 tiny screws that hold it together, 2 of those screws are hidden. 1 is under the corsair logo, the 2nd is to the right of the volume knob (the half round piece of plastic pops out).

 

A couple pics of screw locations

 

In this picture you can see the plastic stand offs of what those 24 screws get screwed into.

You will also notice that these stand offs go right through the pc-b providing no support to the pc-b directly to prevent any pc-b flex.

 

This is the only screw that secures the green pc-b to the aluminum top half, however it seems like it is just there to provide grounding via the black wire with the ring terminal.

Maybe it is to help the keyboard to resist static shock.

 

This picture shows the switch for the space bar. notice how it sits flush on the aluminum front.

 

Same space bar switch, with just a tad of pressure and  no longer sitting flush..

 

Another thing I noticed is you can signifigantly wiggle each key switch fairly easy from side to side.

[audiofanaticz]

You can click the pictures for much larger images, if needed.

[audiofanaticz]

I've had a K70 RGB for half a year, no malfunctions, no sign of wear other than the caps starting to get slightly oily. The LEDs are fine even after the constant colour-changing hell I put them through. (I have reactive typing set, so whenever i press a key, a rainbow ripples out from it. It's really trippy when I'm typing, and my mum reckons it'll give me a seizure one day)

You said that your using rainbow ripples, and or other patterns, so you really wont notice the issue of the led lights changing random colors.

Turn your keyboard on a solid white with nothing flashing for a while and see if you notice any keys that are not as white as the rest.

I posted 2 videos in my thread with said issue, and apparently Im not the only one.    

 

 

K70 RGB owner here.

Very happy but isnt Corsair releasing a new rgb keyboard with different design for brighter effect ?

I swear i saw Luke or Linus cover it recently (past month maybe).

The corsair strafe I believe.

 

However I have my doubts, its anything else but the same keyboard with a different style wriste rest, different keycaps and a brighter color cover under the keys to make them appear brighter (like how razers blackwidows/chromas are).

 

Essiniatally a k70 rgb is no different than a normal k70 but with rgb lighting, same design.

The same can be said for the blackwidow ultimate 2014s and the new chromas (however now they are using a new switch clone of cherry).

 

To me even with german cherry switches but a keyboard being assembled in china the quality is not what it could be.

I was one to dog on razers new generic switch being a china clone, but really there is not much that can be said for it since they are both chinese keyboards.

[Thony]

The corsair strafe I believe.

However I have my doubts, its anything else but the same keyboard with a different style wriste rest, different keycaps and a brighter color cover under the keys to make them appear brighter (like how razers blackwidows/chromas are).

Essiniatally a k70 rgb is no different than a normal k70 but with rgb lighting, same design.

Yes its Strafe

The point is, its a little different and might be more appealing/improved K70 RGB.

Have you had a look at that one ?@Crusader325

[audiofanaticz]

Here is my old Razer Blackwidow ultimate, I put this thing threw hell, and its still working to this day.

I gave it to a friend after buying my Corsair K70rgb.

But first I had some fun with it....

 

Right off the bat you can tell its assembled better, stronger.

Here I am removing the keycaps getting ready to take it appart.

You remove the screws out of the bottom of the keyboard and your able to remove the top half of the keyboard which grants you access to more screws that screw the metal covered pc-b to the bottom half of the keyboard. The pc-b has more than adaqute support underneth, and has no flex, even when the keyboard is taken apart.

Id say a lot of strength comes from the bright green metal layer, and also makes the LEDs appear brighter than they are becuase they are reflecting off a bright object not a dark surface.

Keep in mind not only is the pc-b screwed to the bottom half, but it is sandwiched between the top and bottom half for a real good flex free issue.

 

Like I said I put it through hell, I figured it wanted a bath......

Yes it still works flawlessly after getting soaked!!

 

[Crusader325]

I have taken mine apart.

IMO the design is horrible.

There is no support under the pc-b.

How it works is you have the aluminum top cover that is held un to the plastic bottom cover by 15 screws or so.

The switches are sandwiched between the aluminum front panel to the pc-b, the only thing holding the pcb to the alumiunm  top half is the solder joints.

So if you are somewhat of a hard typer (which I would say I am since i alway bottom out the keys) the pc-b will have slight flex issues.

There is only 1 screw that screws from the pc-b to the aluminum top, and that screw is a grounding screw that has a small black wire attached to it.

Ill upload some pics.

 

 

There are 24 tiny screws that hold it together, 2 of those screws are hidden. 1 is under the corsair logo, the 2nd is to the right of the volume knob (the half round piece of plastic pops out).

 

A couple pics of screw locations

 

In this picture you can see the plastic stand offs of what those 24 screws get screwed into.

You will also notice that these stand offs go right through the pc-b providing no support to the pc-b directly to prevent any pc-b flex.

 

This is the only screw that secures the green pc-b to the aluminum top half, however it seems like it is just there to provide grounding via the black wire with the ring terminal.

Maybe it is to help the keyboard to resist static shock.

 

This picture shows the switch for the space bar. notice how it sits flush on the aluminum front.

 

Same space bar switch, with just a tad of pressure and  no longer sitting flush..

 

Another thing I noticed is you can signifigantly wiggle each key switch fairly easy from side to side.

 

 

You said that your using rainbow ripples, and or other patterns, so you really wont notice the issue of the led lights changing random colors.

Turn your keyboard on a solid white with nothing flashing for a while and see if you notice any keys that are not as white as the rest.

I posted 2 videos in my thread with said issue, and apparently Im not the only one.    

 

 

The corsair strafe I believe.

 

However I have my doubts, its anything else but the same keyboard with a different style wriste rest, different keycaps and a brighter color cover under the keys to make them appear brighter (like how razers blackwidows/chromas are).

 

Essiniatally a k70 rgb is no different than a normal k70 but with rgb lighting, same design.

The same can be said for the blackwidow ultimate 2014s and the new chromas (however now they are using a new switch clone of cherry).

 

To me even with german cherry switches but a keyboard being assembled in china the quality is not what it could be.

I was one to dog on razers new generic switch being a china clone, but really there is not much that can be said for it since they are both chinese keyboards.

 

 

Yes its Strafe

The point is, its a little different and might be more appealing/improved K70 RGB.

Have you had a look at that one ?@Crusader325

 

 

Here is my old Razer Blackwidow ultimate, I put this thing threw hell, and its still working to this day.

I gave it to a friend after buying my Corsair K70rgb.

But first I had some fun with it....

 

Right off the bat you can tell its assembled better, stronger.

Here I am removing the keycaps getting ready to take it appart.

You remove the screws out of the bottom of the keyboard and your able to remove the top half of the keyboard which grants you access to more screws that screw the metal covered pc-b to the bottom half of the keyboard. The pc-b has more than adaqute support underneth, and has no flex, even when the keyboard is taken apart.

Id say a lot of strength comes from the bright green metal layer, and also makes the LEDs appear brighter than they are becuase they are reflecting off a bright object not a dark surface.

Keep in mind not only is the pc-b screwed to the bottom half, but it is sandwiched between the top and bottom half for a real good flex free issue.

 

Like I said I put it through hell, I figured it wanted a bath......

Yes it still works flawlessly after getting soaked!!

 

 

Thanks for your detailed explanation there mate! (@audiofanaticz) 

Like you've had said the pcb doesn't get support from the blackplate whatsoever, so yeah the flex almost certainly caused the problems,

and also for the positioned cherry switches doesn't seem too hold down too well.

 

Too bad the build construction of the inner side doesn't match up its exterior look and feel

 

 

(@Thony) i've seen it, but after audiofanaticz had done pretty deep investigation i think i would not got corsair's keyboard, really disappointing for the price,

 

 

 

After all of this, i think i almost sure to get the Trigger Z !   (which seems more durable and not as pricey as the K70s)

 

 

Anyway guys, I really Thankful for you guys advice !

 

Cheers 

[Dargenfire]

You said that your using rainbow ripples, and or other patterns, so you really wont notice the issue of the led lights changing random colors.

Turn your keyboard on a solid white with nothing flashing for a while and see if you notice any keys that are not as white as the rest.

I posted 2 videos in my thread with said issue, and apparently Im not the only one.

Since then I have switched to an all blue colour profile and tested an all white profile. Both work absolutely fine, the LEDS are in mint condish.