Corsair Strafe RGB Cherry MX Silent review: A must-have enthusiast buy

Corsair has been a computer hardware name for over two decades but, though they’ve only fairly recently begun manufacturing gaming peripherals, they’ve already made a name for themselves. And with good reason, one we’re about to show you.

Meet the latest in their gaming keyboard series, the Corsair Strafe RGB. The Strafe RGB is a mechanical keyboard that’s clearly been designed with a lot of love. Corsair’s first mechanical gaming keyboard, launched at CES 2014, was the world’s first, and this one is a stellar descendant.

The Strafe RGB has a great look and, when bedazzled in a variety of colours, it’s just spectacular. The keyboard itself if plug and play, but you’re not really using a piece of hardware like this until it’s fully customised. All you have to do is download the Corsair Utility Engine, and you can then use that to adjust your lighting. Feel free to leave it on your favourite setting, or (even better) save profiles for different games. You can colour code groups of keys from a wide variety of hues, or even have single keys stand out from others. And that’s just the static lighting. There’s also the option to have your keyboard adopt wave lighting, fade ins and fade outs, and even shade changes.



As far as usability goes, despite being a mechanical keyboard, the Strafe RGB is quieter than expected. That’s because it uses Cherry’s new MX Silent switches, which boast a 30 percent reduction in noise with the same performance. Personally, I love the clickety clack of mechanical switches hitting home, but not everyone else does. So it’s good that Corsair offers the option to either purchase the keyboard with or without Cherry’s special MX Silent switches.

Speaking of performance, it is just top notch with this baby. The keys are built to withstand 50 million presses, the company says (we DID hammer away for a straight minute without even a sign of strain on the switches) and respond with lightning speed. Here’s where a mechanical keyboard comes in handy because, whether or not the noise bothers you, it’s impossible to deny that key logging is just so much more accurate. With a 104-key rollover, it doesn’t matter how fast you’re hitting skillshots or switching weapons, you can expect the Strafe RGB to keep up with your commands.



Aside from doing what it’s supposed to really, Corsair’s keyboard goes the extra mile too. Included in the packaging are extra key caps for WASD and QWERDF, as well as a cap ring. The Strafe RGB is serious hardware for the serious gamer and the company recognises this. The extra caps are meants for FPS and and MOBA gamers respectively. They’re both rubberized and textured, for better grip, and also slightly angled at the edges to help train your muscle memory. For example, in the shooter setup, ASD are flat while W is angled up at the top edge. For the MOBA set, D and F are flat, W and E are pointed up at the top, while Q and R are raised on the left and right edge respectively. Know how it takes a while to really get used to a new laptop or keyboard, before you can rapidly shift between sets of keystrokes? This takes care of the problem, with the angles telling your fingers where the end of the command key group is. Switch the keys out and it’s like you’ve always used this very keyboard.

And that key switching is downright child’s play. simply grip the cap key, jam it down on the key you need to remove until it clicks, and then lift. No really, it’s likely far too easy to destroy if you have children in the home, so you might want to make sure they don’t get too handsy. On the plus side, the easy key replacement is great for when you need to clean out all the dust that will inevitably accumulate.



Other features include a detachable wrist rest, a USB pass through, and extra toggle keys. The USB pass through is great for the hardcore gamer who will only settle for the lowest polling rate. If you’re a wired mouse user, simply connect both keyboard USBs, then plug your mouse into the keyboard. In fact, the built-in USB port will function with any USB hardware you have; a mouse, headphones, or even phone. The toggle keys are for your backlight brightness, as well as a Windows key lock, so you’re not accidentally Alt Tabbing while ganking an unsuspecting opponent.

In addition to fast response time, you can boost your game further by using the Macro option. Open up the CUE and, right beside lighting options, you can access the Performance tab to setup macro key bindings. Great for grind-heavy MMORPG’s or dungeon crawlers and the like.



All in all, the Corsair Strafe RGB MX Silent is a brilliant piece of hardware, though a mite expensive. In relation to other gaming keyboards, it’s actually a little cheaper than standard, at approximately Rs 11,000 (depending on where you buy), but that’s still a little too rich for some gamers. If you have the money to spare, by all means, buy it. It’s a style statement, cool factor, and a declaration of a lifestyle all at once, while also being highly enjoyable to use. And as I say goodbye to the Strafe RGB, I will stare longingly over my shoulder and whisper a promise of “one day”.