Thoughts on the Logitech G Pro TKL? ... Or similar options?

oblongpolygon

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For a few reasons, I'm considering buying the Logitech G Pro tenkeyless in the coming weeks.

If you are or have been a user of it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Or if you're aware of a similar keyboard, which might be better in your view, I'd love to know about it!

The reasons I'm keen on the Logitech G Pro TKL, thus far, and the things I'm really looking for in a keyboard, are basically:
  • lighting just from within the keycaps - I don't want light spilling out from under the keys
  • tenkeyless, or compact - either is fine
  • on the quiet side, relative to the range of keyboards out there
  • low or lowish actuation, relative to the range of keyboards out there
  • wired
  • sturdy / decent build quality
Ideally, it would also be "low profile" but most low keyboards seem like junk, or are wireless. Anyway...

My biggest concern with the Logitech G Pro TKL is that it uses their own Romer G switches which... well, I'd prefer switches with a better reputation. It's also that, with the Romer G, my options for tweaks / modifications are limited. But, I believe that it's the design of the Romer G switches that allows the lighting to illuminate just the characters of the keycap. So, the good often comes with the bad.

When I talk about "modifications" I mean that, ideally, I'd be able to reduce the distance that the key can travel, so that it doesn't "bottom out" during a keystroke - reducing noise.

Product page: https://www.logitechg.com/en-au/product/pro-gaming-keyboard

YouTube review 1:


YouTube review 2:
 
My biggest concern with the Logitech G Pro TKL is that it uses their own Romer G switches which... well, I'd prefer switches with a better reputation. It's also that, with the Romer G, my options for tweaks / modifications are limited. But, I believe that it's the design of the Romer G switches that allows the lighting to illuminate just the characters of the keycap. So, the good often comes with the bad.

I don't know where you're getting the reputation info from. They aren't some cheap knockoff brand like what razor used for some of their boards. Romger Gs were developed by Logitech specifically for gaming. They're more durable and have a higher actuation point so they register key presses quicker. Cherry MX copied some of the features like the higher actuation point in their new switch types.

When I talk about "modifications" I mean that, ideally, I'd be able to reduce the distance that the key can travel, so that it doesn't "bottom out" during a keystroke - reducing noise.

They basically have o-ring dampeners built in. Bottoming out is already quieter than a plain cherry mx switch. If you add anything more to dampen the noise they'll feel like chiclet laptop keys because the travel distance will be so small.
 
Thanks for your feedback, sharknice.

I don't know where you're getting the reputation info from.

The "reputational" comment came from posts on this forum - others were suggesting they were rather flawed in a handful of ways. Like, some comments mentioned a "spring" sound when the key bounced back up, others highlighted other issues.

If you add anything more to dampen the noise they'll feel like chiclet laptop keys because the travel distance will be so small.

It's interesting that you say that adding a further dampener would create a chiclet feel, because that's initially what I was after, as you can see from my first ever post on the forum...

https://hardforum.com/threads/looking-for-tenkeyless-wired-chiclet-low-profile-keyboard.1955215/

I wanted a chiclet style keyboard (but not a junky one, which most seem to be) because I've got so used to that style, since I'm "forced" to use a laptop at work, and I've just become so accustomed to the feel of those.

But, I gave up on the chiclet thing, because although there are a few wired / tenkeyless chiclet options, they stink in so many other ways. The good ones tend to be wireless, which I do not want.

And the Lenovo keyboard very recently suggested on the linked thread, although good in many ways, has a few "turn offs" like the mouse functions.
 
I'm pretty sure that "spring" sound is based on what the board is made out of not the keys. I don't hear it at all on my G910. And I have heard it with boards made out of metal using cherry mx keys. I'm not sure what the Pro is made out of, so maybe it would have more of the spring sound to it.

If you want more of a chiclet feel you could probably stack a bunch of o-ring dampeners on every key. I'm not sure if they would work on Romer Gs though. I've used them on cherry keys before, maybe you could use one of the new switch types with the super high actuation and try it out.
 
Is anyone else able to comment on the quality of the Logitech G Pro tenkeyless, mentioned in the top post?

Or is anyone able to identify a similar keyboard, but with the features I listed?

  • lighting just from within the keycaps - I don't want light spilling out from under the keys
  • tenkeyless, or compact - either is fine
  • on the quiet side, relative to the range of keyboards out there
  • low or lowish actuation, relative to the range of keyboards out there
  • wired
  • sturdy / decent build quality
 
You can try the older version of the same keyboard G410, many prefer it over the G pro. It was discontinued in favor of the G pro, but you can still buy brand new ones easily.

And about RomerG switches, they have great reputation as far as I'm concerned, they are extremely underrated, mostly due to typist elitist that keep talking about clicky keys non stop, but romerg would be my first choice for gaming.
 
I will say this- Logitech's switches are intriguing, but I have exactly one no-compromise requirement for a keyboard, and that's that it must be able to survive a splash of liquid.

I've lost my last 'gaming' keyboard to my own clumsiness with respect to liquids. I absolutely adored the one that died (Maxkeyboard Nighthawk with MX Browns and factory o-rings), and if they got an IP-rating for an update, I'd buy another to replace this otherwise very decent K70 RGB.

[my 'wants' with respect to keyboard lighting are per-key soft white; availability has probably improved, but for many things one has to grab the RGB version of something if they're not happy with static Razer Green, Cylon Red or Tron Blue backlighting]
 
So, I bought the Logitech G Pro after all.

So far, so good. The build quality is good. The keyboard feels solid. The materials are nice. It's not too noisy. The keys have a satisfying feel. The lighting is bright. And the small dimensions of the keyboard are perfect for my desk.

I'm pretty picky / petty about anything which I use on a daily basis, though. So...

I'm considering trying to remove a key or two, and placing underneath it, a soft foam pad, to prevent the key from "bottoming out" with two goals in mind:
  • Making the typing experience quieter, because an additional "clack" occurs when the key moves the full range. So long as it's not too thick, the soft foam pad shouldn't prevent the key from "actuation" or whatever.
  • Prevent the keys from moving more than they need to. Movement too far beyond "actuation" or registration of the key press seems silly, if you ask me. But then, I'm on a laptop at work all day, and have become very used to the shallow key movement.
I've read that I need to be careful to pull the keys directly up, away from the board, without any twist or side-to-side movement, when removing these keys.

Because I don't have a key-removing tool, the best way to do this might be to use a bit of string - two loops beneath the keys, on either side.
 
So, I bought the Logitech G Pro after all.

So far, so good. The build quality is good. The keyboard feels solid. The materials are nice. It's not too noisy. The keys have a satisfying feel. The lighting is bright. And the small dimensions of the keyboard are perfect for my desk.

I'm pretty picky / petty about anything which I use on a daily basis, though. So...

I'm considering trying to remove a key or two, and placing underneath it, a soft foam pad, to prevent the key from "bottoming out" with two goals in mind:
  • Making the typing experience quieter, because an additional "clack" occurs when the key moves the full range. So long as it's not too thick, the soft foam pad shouldn't prevent the key from "actuation" or whatever.
  • Prevent the keys from moving more than they need to. Movement too far beyond "actuation" or registration of the key press seems silly, if you ask me. But then, I'm on a laptop at work all day, and have become very used to the shallow key movement.
I've read that I need to be careful to pull the keys directly up, away from the board, without any twist or side-to-side movement, when removing these keys.

Because I don't have a key-removing tool, the best way to do this might be to use a bit of string - two loops beneath the keys, on either side.

Could you use o-rings instead of a foam pad? That's what most people do to reduce clack, but as sharknice said above, I'm not sure if they'd work with that board as I don't have any experience with the Logitech switches.

And if the string method doesn't work, Amazon has a key removal tool for $6.
 
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Could you use o-rings instead of a foam pad?

I don't believe o-rings will fit the keyboard, because of the design of the underside of the key.

The video link below should take you to 2m31s, which shows why... although I'm more than willing to be proven wrong on this, because then I'd go out and give o-rings a shot!

 
I really enjoyed the coolermaster masterkeys pro s rgb, they really need to work on thier naming. They also have the compact pro m model as well. I believe that can be ordered with the cherry mx speed switches now so they actaute faster than say a mx red switch.
 
I believe that can be ordered with the cherry mx speed switches now so they actaute faster than say a mx red switch.

Bummer - I wish I had known that before buying it the keyboard with the Romer G switches.

Although, that said, the Romer G switches have the advantage that the lighting is tunneled right into the underside of the keycap, and so doesn't leak out, at all, underneath the keys onto the board... which I wouldn't really like much.
 
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