Thoughts on Corsair's Strafe Mechanical Keyboard?

[rayschrantz]

Ok so I just saw on Corsair's website that they have come out with a few new products and one I'm particularly interested in is their new mechanical keyboard called Strafe. I looks amazing, I think the clean and slick remake of the K70 along with the built in USB port is very good, but there are also a lot of things about it that I don't like as well.

 

1. The red backlighting, it's a complete turn off for me. I would have loved the look of this keyboard if they had just made it RGB or even just white. I personally want to make it purple, which is why I would love the RGB even more. But it would be nice to at least have an option between red and blue like the original K70.

 

2. The key font; I personally don't like keyboards with abnormal looking font. They try to make it look all "futuristicy" and cool and new, but I really don't like it.

 

3. No volume wheel; I'm planning a build and I want to get a K70 RGB keyboard. One of the reasons I like that keyboard so much is because it has a nice volume wheel so that I don't have to hold down the fn key and press f7 or f8. But how can this be an improvement to the K70 if they're just going to take away one of it's most appealing features. To me it's a real let down.

 

Overall, the ascetics and USB port are a nice improvement, but I don't think that the font change and lack of volume wheel was a good move at all. I can't say anything about the lighting because they probably will make an RGB or blue backlit version in the future, and the original K70 was red as well.

 

I want to know what everyone else thinks about this new keyboard.

Here's the link to the keyboard: http://www.corsair.com/en-us/landing/strafe

[Munalos]

Ok so I just saw on Corsair's website that they have come out with a few new products and one I'm particularly interested in is their new mechanical keyboard called Strafe. I looks amazing, I think the clean and slick remake of the K70 along with the built in USB port is very good, but there are also a lot of things about it that I don't like as well.

 

1. The red backlighting, it's a complete turn off for me. I would have loved the look of this keyboard if they had just made it RGB or even just white. I personally want to make it purple, which is why I would love the RGB even more. But it would be nice to at least have an option between red and blue like the original K70.

 

2. The key font; I personally don't like keyboards with abnormal looking font. They try to make it look all "futuristicy" and cool and new, but I really don't like it.

 

3. No volume wheel; I'm planning a build and I want to get a K70 RGB keyboard. One of the reasons I like that keyboard so much is because it has a nice volume wheel so that I don't have to hold down the fn key and press f7 or f8. But how can this be an improvement to the K70 if they're just going to take away one of it's most appealing features. To me it's a real let down.

 

Overall, the ascetics and USB port are a nice improvement, but I don't think that the font change and lack of volume wheel was a good move at all. I can't say anything about the lighting because they probably will make an RGB or blue backlit version in the future, and the original K70 was red as well.

 

I want to know what everyone else thinks about this new keyboard.

Here's the link to the keyboard: http://www.corsair.com/en-us/landing/strafe

 

It's not supposed to be an improvement to the k70.. It's supposed to be like a k40 with fancy lights, that's about it.

[GarnetDevil]

It looks like a classic type of keyboard with no gimmick stuffs, only being mechanical

Hope it's cheaper than the K70

[X_Rated_Box]

1.I dont like the font too much.

2.Its just another boring red and black Keyboard

3.The branding and the question whats new are still in my mind

[rayschrantz]

It's not supposed to be an improvement to the k70.. It's supposed to be like a k40 with fancy lights, that's about it.

Actually, there was an interview where one of the designers said that this was based off the K70 and that it is a good improvement to it.

[Munalos]

1.I dont like the font too much.

2.Its just another boring red and black Keyboard

3.The branding and the question whats new are still in my mind

 

But.. it has lights on the side. That makes it worth more right?

 

Actually, there was an interview where one of the designers said that this was based off the K70 and that it is a good improvement to it.

 

That keyboard in no way shape or form is an improvement to the k70. It also doesn't resemble the k70 whatsoever, and looks EXACTLY like a k40 with more lights.

[rayschrantz]

1.I dont like the font too much.

2.Its just another boring red and black Keyboard

3.The branding and the question whats new are still in my mind

Very true, there isn't really anything about it that sets it apart from other red and black keyboards.

[X_Rated_Box]

But.. it has lights on the side. That makes it worth more right?

nopedynope at least not IMO

 

Very true, there isn't really anything about it that sets it apart from other red and black keyboards.

yep exatly and also im a RED&BLACK hater so...yeah

[neebuilda]

it looks pretty nice, but the fact that its missing the volume wheel would push me towards the k70

[rayschrantz]

But.. it has lights on the side. That makes it worth more right?

 

 

That keyboard in no way shape or form is an improvement to the k70. It also doesn't resemble the k70 whatsoever, and looks EXACTLY like a k40 with more lights.

First off, it looks nothing like a K40, the only features that are similar between the two are that they're keyboards. And second, being a remake the Strafe isn't supposed to resemble the K70, remake means that they kept some of the features such as the red backlight.

[Norman_the_Owl]

Non standard bottom row 0/10

[Munalos]

First off, it looks nothing like a K40, the only features that are similar between the two are that they're keyboards. And second, being a remake the Strafe isn't supposed to resemble the K70, remake means that they kept some of the features such as the red backlight.

 

It looks nothing like the k40? LOL you're obviously blind. Same keycaps, same texture, same size, same keyboard layout. All they did was REMOVE the macro keys, and ADD fancy lights for no reason. I think wearing dark glasses indoors has impaired your vision.

 

For reference:

 

k40: http://img.hexus.net/v2/peripherals/corsair/K40/K40-01b.png

 

Strafe: http://wimages.vr-zone.net/2015/06/21b.jpg

 

Go back and fourth between those until your heart is content. It's just another way for them to make money with "gaming keyboards" less = more, they're starting to turn into apple. And this comes from someone who owns a k70 pal.

[Exploded117]

I just want them to take the logo off of the new Strafe and put on the K65 and then I'll be happy.

[rayschrantz]

It looks nothing like the k40? LOL you're obviously blind. Same keycaps, same texture, same size, same keyboard layout. All they did was REMOVE the macro keys, and ADD fancy lights for no reason. I think wearing dark glasses indoors has impaired your vision.

 

For reference:

 

k40: http://img.hexus.net/v2/peripherals/corsair/K40/K40-01b.png

 

Strafe: http://wimages.vr-zone.net/2015/06/21b.jpg

 

Go back and fourth between those until your heart is content. It's just another way for them to make money with "gaming keyboards" less = more, they're starting to turn into apple. And this comes from someone who owns a k70 pal.

Sorry to break it to you pal, but everything you just said was wrong.

 

First off, how is the key layout the same? Both of them use a standard key layout besides the fact that neither K40 or the K70 have a function key and that the Strafe has the function key on the opposite side of a normal layout, everything else about the key layout is just about the same as any other keyboard. Also the K40 has an indent on the Caps Lock key, which neither the K70 or the Strafe have.

 

Second, how can you know if they're using the same keycaps as the K40? They've probably updated the keycaps they use since they made the K40, and the Strafe actually comes with the same tactile keycaps that were included on the original K70.

 

And Third, the K40's dimensions are way bigger than the Strafe, like 40-60mm bigger, while the K70 only has a 10mm difference. Also the K70 already had the red backlighting and never had the macro keys, which is the same as the Strafe; the only actual difference between the K70 and the Strafe are that they got rid of the volume wheel and changed the type face, so every claim you just made was completely wrong.

 

There are defiantly way more differences between the K40 and the Strafe than the K70. And like I said, it's a REMAKE, it's not supposed to look exactly the same as what it's based off of, it takes the key defining features of it, such as the red backlighting and the tactile keycaps from the K70, and brings it to the new model. They even put the K70 and the Strafe in the same category on their website. All they did was change the name and type font to make it seem like a new product and make more money.

 

When you make a claim, try basing it off actual facts instead of saying random meaningless insults, otherwise you're just another troll on the internet. This is a conversation, not a trollfest.

[rayschrantz]

I just want them to take the logo off of the new Strafe and put on the K65 and then I'll be happy.

I think I saw somewhere on their website that they're starting to manufacture the K95's, K70's, and K65's with the normal Corsair logo again. Which is probably why they didn't put their "Corsair Gaming" logo on the new Strafe keyboard since people hated it so much.

[iPaperKill]

IMHO Corsair's quality of products has been going down. Ik that it's hard to come up with new ideas nowadays. However, even if they can't think of new ideas, they can at least make current products better. The old Corsair was about PC enthusiasts. The would come up with products with the PC enthusiast in mind such as the 800D and the 900D. The new Corsair, however, is more interested in profit IMHO. For example, the K40 RGB. It looks great and comes at a decent-ish cost. But a PC enthusiast would not get one because it doesn't have any groundbreaking features that we enthusiasts are interested in + the fact that it's basically a normal keyboard with some flashy lights on it. I think the new Strafe is quite ugly. I usually don't call products "ugly" I just say that it's not geared for my style. However, the single red backlighting, the ugly keycap font and the fact that it gives you a "gamer-y" feel doesn't come up to par with products that Corsair has released in the past. Corsair, please don't sue me.

[Exploded117]

I think I saw somewhere on their website that they're starting to manufacture the K95's, K70's, and K65's with the normal Corsair logo again. Which is probably why they didn't put their "Corsair Gaming" logo on the new Strafe keyboard since people hated it so much.

Good thing I haven't bought a K65 yet.

[Verne]

The Strafe is just a cheaper budget alternative to the K-series RGB boards.