The Corsair Strafe RGB Mechanical Keyboard Review with MX Silent (Red) Switches
by E. Fylladitakis on March 15, 2016 10:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Keyboard
- Corsair
- Cherry MX
- Mechanical Keyboards
Conclusion
I always try to use every keyboard that we review as my personal keyboard for at least a week. My typical weekly usage includes a lot of typing (about 100-150 pages), a few hours of gaming and some casual usage, such as internet browsing and messaging. The new Cherry MX Silent switches were excellent for that, as they felt very smooth and were very comfortable after long typing sessions. The fact that they were less noisy actually increased my level of comfort, especially when I was working late at night or when I wanted to concentrate. The inclusion of the wrist rest, that is missing in the vanilla version of the Strafe, helps significantly during long typing sessions.
For gaming, the Strafe RGB with the MX Silent switches is excellent, especially to those that need a muffled version of the MX Red switch. It may not be entirely silent, but it will definitely be far more comfortable to the user and everyone around them. The Strafe RGB is also fully programmable and I personally find the CUE software simple and easily adaptable to my gaming needs. Because my gaming style frequently relies on macros, the Strafe RGB was nearly perfect for my gaming sessions. Nevertheless, I still do not consider it to be perfect, since I had to program a few macros using third-party software, because I required them to include absolute on-screen mouse coordinates, yet it was a simple matter to compile those to .EXE files and use keyboard keys to launch them. Hopefully Corsair will improve the CUE software to such a level that no user will have to purchase third party software for any given reason.
Physically, the Strafe RGB is a well-made keyboard, with a modern design. The plastic body is very strong and the metal plate ensures the mechanical cohesion of the keyboard. Little can be said about the quality of Cherry's mechanical switches and the extra two keys feel and work great. The company kept the design simple but sharp that, combined with the programmable lighting, can be a good match into a classic, working or futuristic environment. However, the plastic body does not have the elegance or style of metal and, considering the $170 price tag of the keyboard, it can disappoint those who do care about the appearance of their desktops.
Corsair is rather proud of their Corsair Utility Engine (CUE) software, advertising it as one of the best features of their advanced keyboards. The company clearly considers it as one of their more significant advantages, as there have been several updates during the past year, introducing small new features and resolving bugs and issues. For the number of options and the adaptability it offers, the CUE software is fairly easy to use, but there may be a few instances that the user will have to consult the manual first. Although we do not find it to be perfect, it undoubtedly is the most advanced that we have seen to this date.
We suspect we will see the MX Silent switches move to upgraded versions of Corsair's keyboard line or perhaps new models over the course of the year due to the exclusivity. As you may imagine, Corsair is interested in which of their current mechanical keyboards would users be interested in upgrading to a silent key version. Corsair decided to start using the new Cherry MX Silent switches on their middle-range keyboard, the Strafe, and only (for the time being) on the RGB version. The company most likely decided that because the new switches are more expensive and increase the retail price of the keyboard by about $20, therefore they might have assumed that the K70/K95 RGB keyboards would become too expensive.
Still, if someone is willing to pay $150 or more for a high quality keyboard, they might not mind an extra $20 for a quiet version if necessary. On the other hand, the Strafe RGB with the MX Silent switches has an MSRP of $170, which is the street price of the superior K70 RGB and nearly twice the price of the vanilla version of the Strafe that now retails for less than $100. This makes pricing a little bit of an issue, and it can be said that the use of these switches should be promoted via the K70/K95 RGB keyboards instead which are targeted to users that would find it more acceptable to pay a premium price for the best possible performance.
But for those that need a programmable mechanical keyboard that is using Cherry's new MX Red Silent switches, the Strafe RGB currently is the only available choice. Users who find the features of the Strafe RGB exciting will definitely not be disappointed by the quality or performance using the new MX Red Silent switches. We hope that as time moves on, Corsair also adds the switches to the more premium models with wheel volume adjustments and metallic bodies in a quest to expand the high-end series with the latest hardware.
Also available from Corsair direct, $160 as of 3/8.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
58 Comments
View All Comments
croc - Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - link
If memory serves, there has been a Cherry 'Red' switch as far back as... Well, as memory serves. As to the noiselessness, I always understood that came from having no detent, or breakover point to the spring mechanism. I do have a Cherry 'testkit' with five or six of their switches attached, have had it for several years now. One of the switches on it is a 'red'.Not being able to tell when a key has done its job would, for me, tend to make the keyboard even noisier as I would then be POUNDING the keys to make sure that it was, indeed, pressed.
MadAd - Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - link
After wasting money on the tat corsair called the K65 (one of corsairs previous cherry red mechanical offerings) ill never buy another corsair board again. How on earth could a company screw up a keyboard, but they did. Even their firmware fix didnt cure the issues fully, and now nothing from them, no more firmware, so I have to deal with double ii and gg all the time or I throw it out.GG corsair, never again.
MadAd - Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - link
edit tat they call the K60, its so wonderful its not even worth remembering the name.Sttm - Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - link
No dedicated media keys, no sale. I am not fitting function + F key to adjust volume or change a track; especially not in game.friendlypew - Wednesday, March 16, 2016 - link
I had a K70 which I enjoyed very much, but it died from a drip of condensation. I had a friend with the same issue, although volume of liquid is in dispute. I now have a radacted brand at both home and office, and it has sustained hits from both me and my wife of liquids. I don't trust corsair anymore.galta - Wednesday, March 16, 2016 - link
If you know how to type, then you will do it significantly faster on a good mechanical keyboard. This is fact beyond discussion.However, being 42 years old, I suspect I might have been the last person on the western hemisphere to have taken typing classes. When I look around at the office, all I see is kids looking at their keyboards to type. From an efficiency perspective, it does not make sense for them to buy a mechanical keyboard.
Noise is sometimes considered an issue. Although it is clear that mechanical keyboards are considerably louder than membrane ones, some people feel bad about it, others do not. The one thing I can say is that I happen to find the sound of my own typing hypnotic: after a couple of minutes doing my work, I type even faster with the clack-clack sound of my cherry brown das. There is near consensus that browns and blues are better than reds and blacks for typing. I agree, but some think otherwise.
Then we come to gaming. I find “game editions” or “built for gamers” just a fancy name for “ugly but expensive”. I just can’t understand how people find beautiful to have shinning lights and neon on their PCs, but everyone is entitled to have his/her own preferences. Just wish PCs could have some of the sober elegance of Macs, but that is for another day.
If you talking about productivity in gaming (lol), not sure if it makes a difference. Some people say it’s better to use mechanical keyboards, others say the opposite. As a more than occasional FPS gamer, I see no significant difference.
Murloc - Wednesday, March 16, 2016 - link
there is plenty of people who know how to type without looking but they've always been a minority as % of the whole population, back then most people simply didn't use computers, now they do but they can't typewrite.At the end of the day it's a personal choice for most people, unless they go to a school that prepares them to become office drones, in which case the benefit of typewriting is too big to ignore.
The sober elegance on PCs is just a matter of choice, you can't buy gamer gear and expect it to be sober.
galta - Thursday, March 17, 2016 - link
"there is plenty of people who know how to type without looking but they've always been a minority as % of the whole population"Maybe as a % of the whole population, but not as % of population who worked in offices.
Anyway, I do not want to imply that I support mandatory type writting classes. Times have changed and typing skills are not that important anymore.
So yes, it is always a matter of personal choice. Just saying that one should not expect to type faster, or better, just because he/she has bought a mechanical keyboard.
"The sober elegance on PCs is just a matter of choice, you can't buy gamer gear and expect it to be sober"
Sadly, you are right. Just wanted it be otherwise. Personally (it is always a matter of choice, right?), I would be willing to spend some extra 5%-10% if I could get PC hardware (cases and monitors mostly) as elegant and sober as Macs.
I do suspect, however, that it will remain just a dream. Again, as you said before, I must be part of a minority as % of population.
zeeBomb - Wednesday, March 16, 2016 - link
What is a good brown/red keyboard under 100? And what makes the K70 more Superior?DominionSeraph - Thursday, March 17, 2016 - link
Flat keyboard? How would you even type on that thing? "With carpal tunnel," I suppose.Been using a Microsoft Natural Elite since 1999 and the WASD keys still have texture on 'em. There's only a small spot on the right spacebar where it's worn smooth. Key travel is still smooth and consistent. THAT'S quality.