Corsair Keyboards?

The keyboard looks nice, but I don't use WASD and it's disappointing that most "gamer grade" keyboards either have special keys (red in this case) or backlight profiles (Razer Lycosa). I would like to see a keyboard that will allow me to use my ESDF configuration with the above mentioned extras. Maybe it's easier to cater to the norm...
 
Redbeard said:
Okay, so if I'm hearing everyone right, the next keyboard should be:

10-keyless, black anodized, white LED backlight on all the keys, 100% cherry MX reds, with a full length wrist-rest as an option.

That seems to sum it up, right? :D
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I'd still like to see full sized 104 key units as an option. I can take or leave LED back lighting and I'd like to see Cherry MX Blues as an option. I do more than just game with my PC and I really do like the Cherry MX Blues the best. I'm not sure how many others have the same or a similar wishlist to my own. But it's something to consider.
 
Dan_D said:
I'd still like to see full sized 104 key units as an option. I can take or leave LED back lighting and I'd like to see Cherry MX Blues as an option. I do more than just game with my PC and I really do like the Cherry MX Blues the best. I'm not sure how many others have the same or a similar wishlist to my own. But it's something to consider.
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I was just talking to our Gaming Peripherals PM this morning about this - he and I were comparing notes (he spent the weekend reading forums as well) and we realized that just about every permutation of options was asked for by somebody at some point or another.

Silver Anodized
Black Anodized
Red Anodized
Blue Anodized
Don't Anodize anything - aluminum is expensive - make it out of plastic
Cherry Red, Blue, Clear, Brown, Black, White, Mauve, Perriwinkle, and Cornflower were requested
10-keyless
Macro-less
Macro but no 10-key
10-Key but no Macro
Full-length wrist-rest on all keyboards
No wrist-rest on any keyboards
Left palm rest on MMO keyboard
Paint all keycaps white with black letters
Paint all keycaps black with red letters
No painted keycaps - double shot molded
Metal keycaps
White, Blue, Red, Green, Amber, and Pink (?) backlighting

the list of demands was endless.

Now it's a matter of wading through your requests as we look at the roadmap so we can better determine just how many of you guys are interested in which features. We've done it pretty well on cases, PSUs, and coolers over the past few years, so we'll do it well here, too. No product is perfect for everybody - we've just got to figure out how to hit 90% of the features that 90% of the users want and occasionally hit that 100% number on both sides.
 
Tell the PM that not using the same switches for the entire keyboard will end up being a career limiting move.

I do like my pudgy Corsair 600T though. Passthrough USB 3.0 was pretty tacky.
5482430399_9503d21e3d_z.jpg
 
Redbeard said:
I was just talking to our Gaming Peripherals PM this morning about this - he and I were comparing notes (he spent the weekend reading forums as well) and we realized that just about every permutation of options was asked for by somebody at some point or another.

Silver Anodized
Black Anodized
Red Anodized
Blue Anodized
Don't Anodize anything - aluminum is expensive - make it out of plastic
Cherry Red, Blue, Clear, Brown, Black, White, Mauve, Perriwinkle, and Cornflower were requested
10-keyless
Macro-less
Macro but no 10-key
10-Key but no Macro
Full-length wrist-rest on all keyboards
No wrist-rest on any keyboards
Left palm rest on MMO keyboard
Paint all keycaps white with black letters
Paint all keycaps black with red letters
No painted keycaps - double shot molded
Metal keycaps
White, Blue, Red, Green, Amber, and Pink (?) backlighting

the list of demands was endless.

Now it's a matter of wading through your requests as we look at the roadmap so we can better determine just how many of you guys are interested in which features. We've done it pretty well on cases, PSUs, and coolers over the past few years, so we'll do it well here, too. No product is perfect for everybody - we've just got to figure out how to hit 90% of the features that 90% of the users want and occasionally hit that 100% number on both sides.
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Fair enough.

I'd wager that for gaming keyboards, Cherry MX Blues aren't in high demand. I've never tried Cherry MX Reds, so I'm not sure if I'll like them or not. I have a keyboard with Cherry MX Blacks in it and while I like it, I don't like it as much as my Cherry MX Blue based keyboard.

I'm certainly OK with plastic, but aluminum is a damned good way to segment yourself from the rest of the keyboard makers out there. As for key caps you probably can get away with both a back lit and non-back lit version. As for letters vs. blanks, I'd bet there are far more people that want lettering vs. blank key caps. I'd say go 104 key and 10 keyless, but if you made a version of each with back lighting and without, with multiple switch types and key cap styles, then you'd have 36 different key board versions in no time flat. Though for the sake of simplicity I'd say just do a 104 and 10 keyless version with and without back lighting, and do each version in back lit vs. non-back lit. I'd like to see Cherry MX Blues, browns and reds, but the fact is adding that into the mix might still be too much.

I think most of the key cap requirements can be handled after the fact. Give people the option to order key caps from your website in whatever styles they want. I think if you took this approach you'd please most people. I'm torn on the macro features because I don't use them but still see some benefit to them especially for MMO players. However, I'm not sure how many people like macro keys vs. those who do not.

Unless you want to really dedicate yourself to the keyboard making business, some hard choices have to be made to figure out what you want to make and what you can sell the most of. I think at a minimum, a couple switch types, back lighting and 10-keyless and 104 key models are essential. The rest is all pretty much fluff. (Not that back lighting isn't fluff, but it could be a deal breaker for some people.) If it were my company I'd probably create 6 keyboard models. Perhaps 4 to start and then add 2 more if they sell well.
 
Redbeard said:
I was just talking to our Gaming Peripherals PM this morning about this - he and I were comparing notes (he spent the weekend reading forums as well) and we realized that just about every permutation of options was asked for by somebody at some point or another.

Don't Anodize anything - aluminum is expensive - make it out of plastic
Cherry Red, Blue,Brown, Black,
10-keyless
Macro-less
Full-length wrist-rest on all keyboards
White Backlighting
Click to expand...

Yes to the stuff in bold. As for lettering, just make sure it's durable enough to not rub off.
Anything else seems excessive for a new venture. The CM Storm Mech boards are simple, that's what makes them awesome.
 
I know I'm biased but I really think you guys should head to a local Microcenter or Fry's next month when these things start showing up and give them a chance. I've used just about every mechanical keyboard from a major vendor we've got here - and nothing feels as good as this to me. And like I said, I'm not even the keyboard guy.

EDIT - and as far as dedicating ourselves to the keyboard/mouse business. We're here to stay. There's no going half-assed at Corsair. When we decide to get into a market we intend to dominate it (no pun intended) within a certain time period. It's worked for PSUs, it's worked for liquid cooling, and it's working well for cases so far. We're still in the early stages on some of those product lines, but I don't see why Corsair can't be the world's best gaming peripherals company. We have the right people working here, we have the resources to get things done, and we have you guys telling us what you want to buy and we're listening. To me, that's just about the perfect storm.
 
The surface mounted switches were a genius idea, aluminum is unique, 20KRO USB is amazing, WASD rubber keys are blingy and the red switches were a good choice.
The details over shadowed the features in the end. I'm sure many people will give it a chance, the Corsair name is still good. It's just that if you want those hardcore mech guys, the next version has to be dead on.
 
+1 to World's comments.

A tenkeyless option will satisfy a lot of keyboardists, too. I'd dump my Filco in a heartbeat for one.
 
Yeah. I think the rubberdome keys / not 100% cherry is a valid argument.

However, a lot of the other critiques are basically just saying, "You should do it like XYZ company because I like them."
Of course you have to take some of the best features from other companies to keep it relevant but you have to differentiate yourself as well. The aluminum is a great idea - if someone is price conscious and wants to get a cherry keyboard under $100 then Corsair might not be for them.

I for one am glad you guys arent making a keyboard exactly like the rest of the market. But, since I've never used reds, I'll have to try it before I buy it.
 
I really dont care about ten keyless I would much rather see a good compact keyboard they have a full number pad and the arrow keys are usually below shift and the pgup/dn keys are placed above the number pad. The main reason is there is no one out there making a keyboard like this that I can find. Tenkeyless is cool but lots of players already make one with a variety of switches. Compact gets you the short keyboard size of tenkeyless but keeps all the keys. I am surprised it is not requested more often.

Also I think that listening to people is important but sometimes listening to people at a place like [H] causes you to make poor decisions. They are very picky look at the competition and what they offer and try to fit in your keyboards so you offer a unique set of attributes. I think the red switches were a good move dont bother with blues and blacks there are just too many choices with those. Browns maybe since they are the sort of best compromise switch which works decent in all circumstances. I would say dont bother with wrists rests, nothing personal just anyone can buy one if they need it focus on the keyboard.
 
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rudy said:
Also I think that listening to people is important but sometimes listening to people at a place like [H] causes you to make poor decisions. They are very picky look at the competition and what they offer and try to fit in your keyboards so you offer a unique set of attributes.
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And...

I really dont care about ten keyless I would much rather see a good compact keyboard they have a full number pad and the arrow keys are usually below shift and the pgup/dn keys are placed above the number pad. The main reason is there is no one out there making a keyboard like this that I can find. Tenkeyless is cool but lots of players already make one with a variety of switches. Compact gets you the short keyboard size of tenkeyless but keeps all the keys. I am surprised it is not requested more often.

I think the red switches were a good move dont bother with blues and blacks there are just too many choices with those. Browns maybe since they are the sort of best compromise switch which works decent in all circumstances. I would say dont bother with wrists rests, nothing personal just anyone can buy one if they need it focus on the keyboard.
Click to expand...
 
I'll be sure to give these a try when I see them in the stores. Like I said before: I do use the F-keys a lot in my games and applications. The dome-switches will most certainly have a different feel to them from the rest of the board. I don't want to have to keep in the back of my mind that I can press the main keys this way but the F-keys won't work unless I press them this way. I'm sure after using the board I can train myself so that'll be a non-issue but in the mechanical keyboard segment people aren't looking for compromise... They want quality and are willing to pay for it.

"Shut up and take my money!" :D
 
After reading about the different keys for the F and macro buttons I'm a bit surprised. I would have guessed that it might be easier to just keep the same switches for the entire board but of course the pricing would be more expensive. I wonder if the box will say

"All Cherry MX switches*"

*Actual keys may vary with user experience and may or may not contain dome keys

On the topic of 10 key less keyboards, I have been using a 10 key less Apple wired keyboard for a while. It's very handy for my desktop where I have a Logitech G15 and need extra space. For gaming, I'm honestly not sure just how important the 10 keys really are, I only use it when I'm doing excel which I mostly keep at work than at home.
 
WorldExclusive said:
Yes to the stuff in bold. As for lettering, just make sure it's durable enough to not rub off.
Anything else seems excessive for a new venture. The CM Storm Mech boards are simple, that's what makes them awesome.
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I don't mind wrist wrests so long as they are removable. I can't stand them myself.
 
Redbeard said:
I know I'm biased but I really think you guys should head to a local Microcenter or Fry's next month when these things start showing up and give them a chance. I've used just about every mechanical keyboard from a major vendor we've got here - and nothing feels as good as this to me. And like I said, I'm not even the keyboard guy.
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what's this mean? a cherry switch is a cherry switch, now if you're talking about the aluminum component, that is def a factor since that's really rare. I mean yea i've had cheap feeling boards, in fact a cherry g80-8200 felt like a childs toy to me, but i don't go touching the casing all over, when i type, it's on the keys and switches (the keycaps must be nice then, what are they pbt/abs?), and unless the keyboard is made out of foam, it really should just type the same.
 
Lanx said:
what's this mean? a cherry switch is a cherry switch, now if you're talking about the aluminum component, that is def a factor since that's really rare. I mean yea i've had cheap feeling boards, in fact a cherry g80-8200 felt like a childs toy to me, but i don't go touching the casing all over, when i type, it's on the keys and switches (the keycaps must be nice then, what are they pbt/abs?), and unless the keyboard is made out of foam, it really should just type the same.
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The key caps do make a difference. The key caps on the Razer Black Widow are terrible. For some reason the keyboard feels almost mushy (as mushy as a Cherry MX switch can get) and the sound is all wrong compared to the Das Keyboard Professional and Filco's I've seen and used. Both of which are using the exact same switches. (Cherry MX Blue)
 
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Some of the keys aren't mechanical? That's sort of a huge deal breaker for 90% of the enthusiast market isn't it?
 
Redbeard said:
Okay, so if I'm hearing everyone right, the next keyboard should be:

10-keyless, black anodized, white LED backlight on all the keys, 100% cherry MX reds, with a full length wrist-rest as an option.

That seems to sum it up, right? :D
Click to expand...
My wishlist for the next keyboard?
  • Tenkeyless, or possibly something more compact.
  • Black keys? Black body. Not a fan of the black on aluminum when they're full size keys. (it works when it's laptop height chiclet style keys though) Preferably not a brushed metal finish, I think that looks cheap.
  • Personally, I don't know that I would want white backlighting. It's certainly better than blue, green, or anything in-between those, but I think amber or possibly red would be better in a dark room. Easier on the eyes. If it's going to have open keys where the light can spill out from the sides like the K60/K90, I definitely wouldn't want white. I would not be opposed to recessed keys like a "normal" keyboard though. (actually, I think that makes backlighting look better)
  • Stick with MX Red switches - it's great that you are using them - but make sure all keys have them.
  • Full-length wrist-rest.
  • Nothing on the left-hand side of the board. (beyond caps lock etc.) While macro keys like that can be useful, and they don't get in the way of the mouse when they are on the left, I find it easy to "lose your place" when there's a row of keys on the side. Never could get used to the BlackWidow. Maybe it'd be fine if I was an ESDF gamer instead of WASD. Being able to remap any keys and assign macros to anything would be useful though. (don't know if the current drivers allow it, the BlackWidow's did)
  • F-Keys aligned to number keys. (F1 above 1, F2 above 2 etc.) More compact, easier to reach. Never understood why they were offset as they are on most keyboards. If you do this, it might be best to put bumps on some like you would have on F,J and 5. (e.g. for Quick Save/Load) Probably too controversial for a mainstream product though, unless the board is more compact as a result, or the space is used for more keys.
What would be the biggest differentiator between the next keyboard and everything else on the market right now? Make it wireless, possibly with an optional wire for charging/guaranteed latency.

As far as I can tell, no-one makes a wireless mechanical keyboard that is suitable for gaming. (below 8ms delay) There are more and more wireless gaming mice, and regular keyboards that have low enough latency for gaming, but nothing mechanical.
 
andrewfee said:
Make it wireless, possibly with an optional wire for charging/guaranteed latency.

As far as I can tell, no-one makes a wireless mechanical keyboard that is suitable for gaming. (below 8ms delay) There are more and more wireless gaming mice, and regular keyboards that have low enough latency for gaming, but nothing mechanical.
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Wireless keyboards are all terrible. There are wireless "gaming" mice but they have all been shitty from what I have seen. A wireless mechanical keyboard would be like cooking filet mignon with a candle. Sure you might get good results, but its very likely to go terribly wrong, be annoying to do and burn your hands. There is no reason at all to overcomplicate the sending of keyboard signals over a desk with a more laggy system when $2 of cable does it better with 100% sucess rather than "most of the time". :p

I wish all this wireless junk would go away.:D
 
DeathPrincess said:
Wireless keyboards are all terrible. There are wireless "gaming" mice but they have all been shitty from what I have seen. A wireless mechanical keyboard would be like cooking filet mignon with a candle. Sure you might get good results, but its very likely to go terribly wrong, be annoying to do and burn your hands. There is no reason at all to overcomplicate the sending of keyboard signals over a desk with a more laggy system when $2 of cable does it better with 100% sucess rather than "most of the time". :p

I wish all this wireless junk would go away.:D
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Is it really "junk" though? I have an older Microsoft wireless keyboard that I'm using right now. It's a horrible keyboard, but it's almost lag-free, maybe a frame at most. (60Hz) It has been years since I've had to replace the batteries in it too. I honestly can't remember when I last had to change them, it's been so long. (of course that means they're going to die tomorrow now)

It's only 3KRO/4KRO depending on which keys are used though, which is obviously problematic for gaming. (The grey keys here do not register when WAD are held for example)

With companies like Razer and Logitech advertising 1ms wireless mice, games consoles using wireless controllers as standard now (4ms Xbox 360) it seems like wireless technology has advanced to the point where you should be able to have a 6KRO keyboard without any ghosting or latency issues when gaming.

Don't like wireless, or need to use it at a LAN? Plug in a USB cable.

I'm still using a wired mouse because I've yet to find a wireless one that doesn't have any acceleration built into the sensor, but I'm really getting sick of the cable now.

If I want a mechanical keyboard, it means having a keyboard, mouse and headphone cord trailing everywhere. I have a HTPC so it's a nuisance being tied to a desk. There's nothing that can be done about the headphones (even the latest headphones using the Kleer "uncompressed" technology are junk) but keyboards and mice seem like they should be fine now?
 
andrewfee said:
Is it really "junk" though? I have an older Microsoft wireless keyboard that I'm using right now. It's a horrible keyboard, but it's almost lag-free, maybe a frame at most. (60Hz) It has been years since I've had to replace the batteries in it too. I honestly can't remember when I last had to change them, it's been so long. (of course that means they're going to die tomorrow now)

It's only 3KRO/4KRO depending on which keys are used though, which is obviously problematic for gaming. (The grey keys here do not register when WAD are held for example)

With companies like Razer and Logitech advertising 1ms wireless mice, games consoles using wireless controllers as standard now (4ms Xbox 360) it seems like wireless technology has advanced to the point where you should be able to have a 6KRO keyboard without any ghosting or latency issues when gaming.

Don't like wireless, or need to use it at a LAN? Plug in a USB cable.

I'm still using a wired mouse because I've yet to find a wireless one that doesn't have any acceleration built into the sensor, but I'm really getting sick of the cable now.

If I want a mechanical keyboard, it means having a keyboard, mouse and headphone cord trailing everywhere. I have a HTPC so it's a nuisance being tied to a desk. There's nothing that can be done about the headphones (even the latest headphones using the Kleer "uncompressed" technology are junk) but keyboards and mice seem like they should be fine now?
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It isn't so much the lag...more the unreliability. Every single wireless device I have ever used without exception has had moments where the signal drops, where the cursor sicks for a second or other things. Thats fine if you are using it on an htpc, or checking the internet. But in a game you are pretty much dead. Used as a full time keyboard (like say you were a programer who played games at night) those batteries would go in a few months. The batteries are a constant niggle and annoyance for no gain.

Razer aren't a serious company, they are more like alienware for preteens. Every single product I have seen from them has been garbage with more money spent on advertizing than quality control. I would no believe anything they said until it was verified by independant results, not by payroll journalists, but even then it would fall apart in 2 weeks. Logitech are a much higher quality company, but still, they are trying to sell a product. All of these workarounds and fiddling still has a product that is nowhere near the reliability of something using a simple cable. It's like spending money on reasearching making a teapot from chocolate. :D Sure you can have a chocolate teapot that makes tea, but why bother when ceramic works fine?

Consoles have wireless controllers because thats the easiest thing for consumers, plus they are in a very different setting to normal PC use. Gaming on a console is hardly "competitive" in the same way, and with everyone using a more...innacurate system it's not really going to matter. Though it should be noted "competitive" arcade sticks and driving wheels all seem to use USB cables.

If you have problems with cabling rearrange your workspace. On mine the mouse is routed under the keyboard and then from there its a single line to the monitor, down the back and into the computer. As I don't use the deskspace behind the keyboard (because the keyboard is there) I never have any trouble with cables. Something else to watch out for is mountains of "extra" cabling lying around, which can be placed not on the desk.

Wireless devices are ok, and usable for most things. But for situations where every click matters, they aren't really comparable and are next to useless. Nothing ever seems "certain" with wireless devices. Plus usually much more expensive, so you get a lower quality mouse or keyboard for the same price, with scaled back features to accomodate the wireless element.
 
DeathPrincess said:
It isn't so much the lag...more the unreliability. Every single wireless device I have ever used without exception has had moments where the signal drops, where the cursor sicks for a second or other things. Thats fine if you are using it on an htpc, or checking the internet. But in a game you are pretty much dead. Used as a full time keyboard (like say you were a programer who played games at night) those batteries would go in a few months. The batteries are a constant niggle and annoyance for no gain.
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If we were talking about Bluetooth devices, I'd agree with you, they're totally unsuitable for gaming in my opinion—at least anything I've used connected to a PC/Mac via Bluetooth. I can't say I've ever had any problems with PS3 controllers dropping signal, having the input sticking or not registering etc. though, and they use Bluetooth.

I never experienced anything like that with Xbox 360 controllers either, and they use the sort of wireless I'd want to see in a gaming-oriented keyboard. (low latency)

The keyboard I'm typing on now has been used fairly heavily all day, every day for at least a year now (though I'm no programmer) with less frequent use prior to that. It's an older one I kept around as a backup, but I've since had my main keyboard die on me and haven't yet found a replacement I'm happy with. Hasn't needed the pair of AA batteries it runs off changed once. And Logitech sell a solar-powered keyboard now—quite useless for gaming I'm sure (laptop keys are horrible) but it solves the power problem.

I think you're drastically overstating the problems that could potentially occur with wireless devices, based on bad experiences with older devices/poor products.
I don't disagree that wired is best, but it seems like we're at the stage now where wireless is good enough. 4ms latency is nothing when my screen is updating at 17ms intervals. (60fps)
You'll never catch me using WiFi for gaming, but the ethernet cable to my PC doesn't have to come up from the floor and stretch across most of my desk, it's run through the wall and comes out directly behind the tower.

You don't want a wireless keyboard, I get it, but there is not a single mechanical keyboard out there that is wireless. (other than one or two discontinued bluetooth models, which are unsuitable for gaming) That's a pretty Unique Selling Point, and the sort of thing a company could make money off. Maybe Corsair isn't the company to do it, but there's no reason why such a product shouldn't exist.

DeathPrincess said:
Razer aren't a serious company, they are more like alienware for preteens. Every single product I have seen from them has been garbage with more money spent on advertizing than quality control.
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I won't disagree about their quality control, or the majority of their branding, but I don't think there's anything else out there that rivals the DeathAdder. (and they proved they could make understated products with the Black Edition) Pretty much anything newer from other companies, or Razer themselves, has built-in acceleration at a hardware level that can't be disabled, no matter what the driver tells you. (or has other sensor problems)

DeathPrincess said:
Though it should be noted "competitive" arcade sticks and driving wheels all seem to use USB cables.
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Microsoft (generally) does not grant licenses for third parties to make wireless controllers for their system. That's why virtually every single third-party controller is wired. I think the only exception are some plastic guitars, if only to stay competitive with Sony. Both wheels Microsoft have released for the Xbox 360 have been wireless.

Sony is using Bluetooth for their wireless devices, which I believe means there's going to be a minimum of 100ms latency, which makes it completely unacceptable for fighting games where players are counting frames.
In a competition environment (tournaments etc.) you need wired devices because there are only so many available channels for devices to use. It's a non-issue at home, but not at an event with hundreds of people.

DeathPrincess said:
If you have problems with cabling rearrange your workspace. On mine the mouse is routed under the keyboard and then from there its a single line to the monitor, down the back and into the computer. As I don't use the deskspace behind the keyboard (because the keyboard is there) I never have any trouble with cables. Something else to watch out for is mountains of "extra" cabling lying around, which can be placed not on the desk.
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Some of us have modern homes with clean open spaces and glass desks. Before you ask about the display, mine is wall-mounted with the cables inside the wall. If you tether the mouse to the keyboard cable, it impacts using the mouse thanks to the stiff braided cables companies use now. If you didn't see, I also want rid of the mouse cable. The only thing stopping me has been finding a wireless mouse with gaming-grade wireless and an acceleration-free sensor. I was hoping that Logitech would have a gaming-class Darkfield mouse out by now, and that it might not have acceleration. (I'm pretty sure they said one was planned when they introduced the new sensors, or did I just imagine that?)

Having a large black keyboard with an extra-thick cable (most companies now seem to include a USB hub and analogue headphone/mic jacks on the keyboard) trailing across the desk and down to the floor and over to the tower looks terrible, especially in addition to mouse and headphone cables.

DeathPrincess said:
Plus usually much more expensive, so you get a lower quality mouse or keyboard for the same price, with scaled back features to accomodate the wireless element.
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Exactly why this is a gap in the market looking to be filled. Why should wanting a wireless keyboard and mouse mean putting up with junk hardware?

You can have good keyswitches, or good wireless but not both.
 
So all the regular keys are Cherry Red's and the "macro" keys are regular ones?
 
I'm hoping this board will appear in a few stores, I'd like to try out red switches. I have no interesting in buying this board. Even if this board was my style, the rubber domes is a no-no in my book.
 
Redbeard said:
I was just talking to our Gaming Peripherals PM this morning about this - he and I were comparing notes (he spent the weekend reading forums as well) and we realized that just about every permutation of options was asked for by somebody at some point or another.

Silver Anodized
Black Anodized
Red Anodized
Blue Anodized
Don't Anodize anything - aluminum is expensive - make it out of plastic
Cherry Red, Blue, Clear, Brown, Black, White, Mauve, Perriwinkle, and Cornflower were requested
10-keyless
Macro-less
Macro but no 10-key
10-Key but no Macro
Full-length wrist-rest on all keyboards
No wrist-rest on any keyboards
Left palm rest on MMO keyboard
Paint all keycaps white with black letters
Paint all keycaps black with red letters
No painted keycaps - double shot molded
Metal keycaps
White, Blue, Red, Green, Amber, and Pink (?) backlighting

the list of demands was endless.

Now it's a matter of wading through your requests as we look at the roadmap so we can better determine just how many of you guys are interested in which features. We've done it pretty well on cases, PSUs, and coolers over the past few years, so we'll do it well here, too. No product is perfect for everybody - we've just got to figure out how to hit 90% of the features that 90% of the users want and occasionally hit that 100% number on both sides.
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There's going to be a lot of different opinions with what this keyboard should and shouldn't have. The main thing is to appeal to the masses with a quality product which Corsair has in my experience always done very well.

Recommended Design

Fully Mechanical Keyboard (EVERY KEY)
Normal keyboard (forget about 10 keyless)
Choose an LED color (Blue, Red, White)
No wrist Guard
Macros (this would set you apart from Das Keyboard, and Deck Keyboard)
Black Keyboard with Black Keys Dye Sublimation (Looks Cleaner and More Popular than White keys)

Now with all these features above make the keyboard available whatever choice of switch you feel is best, The most important thing is to make a sturdy keyboard (aluminum or plastic) and make it a quality board. If you do this, these will sell especially if they are under $150, Offer these boards with say two different mechanical switches and if your feeling generous, pick 2 led colors and you'll have a winner. This would mean you'd only have to stock between 2 and 4 different keyboards


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I'm currently in the market and was considering purchasing a corsair keyboard but won't because of the fact that the keyboard isn't fully mechanical. I've narrowed my choices for now down to either Das keyboard or a Deck keyboard. Both boards looks very clean and are relatively sharp. I will say Corsairs keyboards for now are way too busy for my liking.
 
Interesting but I still see it as Corsair trying to justify their decision to use rubber domes. Saying you can't dampen mechanical switches is untrue. They could have used MX Blacks with rubber o-ring dampeners... Stiffer than the reds with a shorter key stroke. Plus it has the added benefit of customization should you want a longer key stroke by simply removing the o-rings.

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index....ries-2/cherry-mx-rubber-switch-dampeners.html
 
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I agree, we seen different mix of switches in keyboards, often the space bar using a stiffer switch. I'm not that bothered by it, they give their claim and reason why they went with domes. My deciding factor is trying out the keyboard at the store, and hoping it's that impressive I'll switch out from my current.

Given the Corsair gear I have now, (headset, case, memory, PS), they all been excellent.
 
rmdashrrootsplat said:
Interesting but I still see it as Corsair trying to justify their decision to use rubber domes. Saying you can't dampen mechanical switches is untrue. They could have used MX Blacks with rubber o-ring dampeners... Stiffer than the reds with a shorter key stroke. Plus it has the added benefit of customization should you want a longer key stroke by simply removing the o-rings.

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index....ries-2/cherry-mx-rubber-switch-dampeners.html
Click to expand...

MX Blacks could have done the trick and would have brought a new spin on mech boards.
Mixed switched boards would be something very innovative. But I refuse to accept a mix of MX switches and Domes.
 
xIronCrossx said:
So all the regular keys are Cherry Red's and the "macro" keys are regular ones?
Click to expand...

The F1-12, the insert, home, page up, page down, end, and delete key as well as all the macro keys are rubber dome.

Here's my issue with this approach. Riubber dome keys are rated at a 5 million keystroke lifespan. That's high you say. Maybe, but a mechanical switch on a keyboard is rated for 50 million. Ten times the lifespan. SO you might wear out a macro key or your delete key and end up with half a keyboard that works and half that doesn't over the course of ownership.

Corsair makes good stuff, but I think the decision to use rubber dome keys at all will hurt them on this one.
 
I was really looking forward to this keyboard until they decided to make it a hybrid dome/mech board. It's like they made a work of art and then let their dog take a dump on it.
 
cmdrdredd said:
Riubber dome keys are rated at a 5 million keystroke lifespan. That's high you say. Maybe, but a mechanical switch on a keyboard is rated for 50 million. Ten times the lifespan. SO you might wear out a macro key or your delete key and end up with half a keyboard that works and half that doesn't over the course of ownership.
Click to expand...
Pretty sure I'd die of old age before I hit my Function Keys, Delete or Macro keys more than 5 million times in normal use. Maybe that's just me.
 
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