Corsair K65 PLUS WIRELESS Review (2024)

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1

• 8.2 Gaming
• 7.9 Office
• 7.3 Mobile/Tablet
• 7.9 Programming
• 6.0 Entertainment / HTPC
• 8.2 Raw Performance

The Corsair K70 PRO MINI WIRELESS and the Corsair K65 PLUS MINI are both wireless mechanical gaming keyboards. The K70 has a smaller 60% form factor and has better raw performance with a higher maximum polling rate of 8000Hz (4000Hz effective polling rate). It also has shine-through keycaps, so you can read legends in darker rooms. On the other hand, the K65 PLUS WIRELESS has a larger 75% form factor and better overall build quality, as its keys don't wobble quite as much. It also has a control knob that allows you to zoom in/out or scroll through content and adjust settings such as backlighting brightness or media volume.

The ASUS ROG Azoth and the Corsair K65 PLUS WIRELESS are wireless gaming keyboardswithcompact (75%) form factors. Both keyboards arequitesimilar in their approach, but the Azoth performs better and provides a better typing experience overall, thanks to its softer-feeling gasket mount design. It also features a programmable OLED screenand shine-through keycaps, soyou can read the keycap legends in darker rooms. Comparatively, the Corsair has a multi-function control knob that you can use to zoom in/out or scroll through content and control media volume and backlighting brightness.

The Razer BlackWidow V4 75% and the Corsair K65 PLUS WIRELESS are similar gaming keyboards with compact (75%) form factors. The most significant difference is that the Razer is wired-only, while the Corsair is a wired model that connects with a 2.4 Ghz receiver or via Bluetooth.The Razer performs better overall and supports a maximum polling rate of 8000Hz.It also comes stock with tactile switches and has a scroll wheel feature, while the Corsair has linear switches and a multi-function control knob that you can use to scroll or zoom and control backlighting and media volume.

The GLORIOUS GMMK PRO and the Corsair K65 PLUS WIRELESS are gaming keyboards with compact (75%) form factor and similar raw gaming performance. The Corsair is a wireless model that comes stock with linear switches and has no configuration options at purchase. On the other hand, the GLORIOUS is much more configurable at purchase. You can choose from a wide range of build options, including switches and keycaps. Both keyboards also have a control knob in the top left corner, but the knob on the Corsair knob is more flexible and allows you to scroll and zoom in on content or change settings such as volume and RGB brightness.

The Corsair K65 PLUS has excellent build quality. The frame is made of polycarbonate with a steel top plate. It has a slightly springy top mount design, and the frame feels very sturdy and doesn't flex or creak.

The keycaps have dye-sublimated legends and are made of PBT plastic with a dry, pleasantly textured surface. All keys are fairly stable, with only minimal wobble that isn't noticeable while using the keyboard normally.

Four rubber strips on the back of the keyboard do a good job of keeping the keyboard in place, and there are additional rubber pieces on the flip-out feet.

There are also layers of acoustic foam and a silicon pad inside the case that help minimize unwanted sound profile elements and case ping.

While the backlighting is very bright (in part thanks to some reflection off the metal top plate), the overall backlight clarity is poor because the keycaps don't have shine-through legends. It's particularly unusual because the LEDs are North-facing, which provides better clarity for shine-through keycap sets. For reference, we've taken a photo with several of the stock keycaps replaced with shine-through keycaps for reference.

The white-only backlighting has a blueish-purple hue, which is worth keeping in mind if you're interested in color-matching the lighting with other peripherals or pieces of hardware in your setup.

This keyboard has a wide range of extra features. There are two physical switches on the top edge of the keyboard, the first of which on the top left changes between connection types. The second switch on the top right side toggles between Windows and macOS compatability modes. There's also a storage compartment for the USB receiver next to the connection mode switch, which can be very helpful if you travel with your keyboard.

On the left edge of the keyboard, there's an LED indicator for battery life and a physical button to turn the backlighting on and off.

Additional features include non-dedicated media controls on the function row and a set of three LEDs next to the arrow key cluster that indicates when Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Windows Lock are enabled.

Lastly, there's a control knob that you can use to adjust media volume, adjust backlighting brightness, zoom in/out, and scroll up/down through content.

For a breakdown of all features and a complete list of keyboard shortcuts, you can reference a digital version of this keyboard's user manual on Corsair's website here.

• USB-A to USB-C braided recharging cable
• 2.4 GHz USB-A receiver
• Keycap/switch puller
• User documentation

LEARN ABOUT TYPING QUALITY

LEARN ABOUT TYPING NOISE

LEARN ABOUT KEYSTROKES

LEARN ABOUT SINGLE-KEY LATENCY

This keyboard has adequate chord split performance over a 2.4 GHz wireless connection, which is the connection type we expect most people will use with this keyboard. However, we also tested the chord split performance using a wired connection. You can see the wired connection results here.

Using a wired connection provides significantly better 4—and 8-chord split delay performance that's much better suited for playing games that require multiple simultaneous inputs, like rhythm games.

This keyboard uses Corsair's iCUE configuration software. This software is easy to use but somewhat clunky and not particularly intuitive. It lets you customize various expected settings, including key assignments, custom macros, lock key behavior, and RGB backlighting. Note that you have full access to certain RGB lighting effects when using this wired keyboard but more limited access to certain RGB effects when using the keyboard wirelessly.

You can save custom settings, including key assignment and RGB settings, to onboard memory. Saving to the onboard memory means you don't need to have the software running at all times in the background, and you can carry over your settings to other computers without the software installed.

It's worth keeping in mind that iCUE, much like the software options from other major manufacturers, receives widespread criticism from some users online as it requires frequent updates and can take up disproportionate system resources. This software may be frustrating to use if you prefer more lightweight software options or no software at all.

Note: Corsair indicates that certain SKUs of the CORSAIR K65 PLUS distributed within the Asian market aren't compatible with Corsair's iCUE software. For more details about this issue and a list of all affected SKUs, see Corsair's website here.

The Corsair K65 PLUS WIRELESS keyboard is fully compatible with all major operating systems.

In Windows, the software is available, and all features work as expected. For macOS, there is compatible Mac software available, and nearly all features work as expected, except the control knob, which doesn't work while iCUE software is running. For Linux, all features work as expected.