Testing & Results

Testing Methodology

Test System

• Processor Intel i7-920
• Video Card: Nvidia GTX 285
• RAM: 16GB DDR3
• Monitor resolution: 1920x1080 pixels

Test Software

• StarCraft II
• League of Legends
• Crysis
• Might & Magic VI
• Lunia
• MouseRate

Results

Let's start the results section with the Cherry Red switches. These keys are fabulous for gaming. It's quick to get used to for typing or gaming and offers a great experience. It doesn't take a lot of effort to press a key and is great for rapid successive strikes on the same key. Rapid and precise control of movement in FPS games is possible and achieved with ease on K60. While only the core keys use Cherry Red switches, I have not found that to be a problem at all since you rarely use the remaining keys.

The media keys and windows-lock key also work great. They allow quick adjustments to media settings without needing to alt-tab between applications and desktop.

The contoured keys are a fun part of the Vengeance K60. While logically it may seem odd to type with these keys, in reality it's a non-issue. The angle isn't large enough to make a drastic difference in feel during typing but is enough to guide your hands during the course of a game. I particularly like the numbered keys which I keep by default even for other games such as League of Legends. Since 1-6 are the item controls, and requires repositioning of the hand/fingers, being able to quickly feel the range of item controls is a nice plus.

Some may expect the K60 to have a horrible typing experience. However that's not particularly true. I type at fairly reasonable speeds (80+ WPM on average) and I've found largely no problem typing with the Corsair K60 even with the textured keys. However every once in awhile some keys may register double-taps even though I only intended to hit once. This doesn't happen very often and can be avoided. One way to avoid it is taking off the wrist rest. This eliminates the unnatural reach for keys located in the lower-left corner. The most common letter this happens with for me so far is "c".

The only feature I have mixed feelings about is the wrist rest. After 3 weeks of use I've grown accustomed to it and doesn't cause much of a nuisance anymore. The angle which it allows you to type and play at is much more comfortable than normal, as it allows your wrist to be in level with your arm, avoiding any strain on the wrist. For long gaming sessions that use a combination of keyboard and mouse, this configuration is perfect. But because detaching it actually takes work, it's usually left on in all cases, which makes typing feel odd. While I personally don't mind it, I could see it being an issue for some. A full keyboard wrist rest (like most other keyboards) may have been a better design, but if that's the case there's always the Vengeance K90 to look towards. The good thing is, since it's detachable, if you tried the wrist rest and didn't like it, you can just ditch it.

Overall the Vengeance K60 offers a great experience. It functions great for games and can be optimized for FPS games. However even as a general gaming keyboard the Vengeance K60 can be a great choice, and a cheaper option than the MMO alternative, the K90.

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