The big selling angle with Logitech’s new mechanical keyboard is speed. During competitive PC gaming, the time between a finger pressing down on a key to the game receiving the command is critical. Laggy input means a missed opportunity that could lead to the other team winning. Logitech set out to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Logitech focused on three key points of performance: actuation speed, keystroke signaling processing, and USB polling. For starters, the keyboard features Romer-G mechanical switches that are supposedly 10 milliseconds faster than what is used in the Razer Blackwidow Tournament Edition
Meanwhile, keystroke signaling processing ensures that the correct keystroke command is sent to the PC. Logitech’s switches include an optimized micro-control unit and signal processing to reduce the amount of chatter caused before the switch’s metal contacts make a strong electrical connection. Although the chatter can last only microseconds, it can cause the PC to register multiple key presses. The new switches “clear the air” so the proper switch command gets through, providing a faster response.
Next is the USB polling rate. This is the number of times the USB connection between the PC and attached device is updated. For instance, a polling rate of 125Hz means the connection is updated 125 times a second. Like a good framerate, the higher the polling rate, the more responsive the user’s input is rendered on screen. Logitech doesn’t provide an actual polling rate number, but Razer’s Blackwidow X TE Chroma keyboard has a 1,000Hz rate.
As for other features, the new keyboard has a detachable fork-shaped USB cable so a short isn’t created when continuously wrapping the cable around the peripheral during transportation. It also has customizable RGB lighting that can be programmed through the Logitech Gaming Software tool and stored directly on the keyboard’s onboard memory. There is a steel back plate, too, reinforcing the overall compact design.
Finally, the Logitech Gaming Software tool can be used to convert the function keys into macro keys. The tool can also be used to create profiles for each game, such as blacking out unnecessary keys. Logitech already created more than 300 pre-generated profiles specifically for its Logitech G RGB keyboards, and developers are integrating profiles into their PC games as well.
Here are a few additional details including the availability and price:
- Durability: 70 million key presses
- Actuation force: 45g
- Total travel distance: 3.0mm
- Supported colors: More than 16.8 million
- Size: 6.02 (length) x 14.19 (width) x 1.35 (height) inches
- Weight (no cable): 2.16 pounds
- Cable length: 6 feet
- Availability: March
- Price: $130
