When I first ran my fingers across the GravaStar Mercury V60 Pro, I thought I'd found my next daily driver. As a sci-fi nerd, I got an instant kick out of its distinctive H.R. Giger-inspired styling, with its precision-cut aluminum upper frame giving me serious Xenomorph vibes.

Lifting out of the box, I was also struck by how weighty and substantial it felt — this is not a keyboard that's going to slide all over my desk, nor is it one that would be in danger of sounding hollow or plasticky.

What really grabbed me, though, was the feel and acoustics of the typing experience. Having experimented with many types of switches with my own hobby keyboard, and with various other models I've tested over the years, I was struck by how satisfying it was to type on the Mercury V60 Pro.

I don't mean to sound hyperbolic, but it is without question the most luxurious sounding keyboard I've ever typed on, achieving a remarkably deep and creamy "thock" with every keystroke — it's what I imagine typing on a keyboard made of chocolate would feel like.

I have to assume that part of this is due to GravaStar's factory-lubed UFO Hall-effect switches, which provide a smooth, frictionless glide. That said, I've used other magnetic switches in the past that didn't sound even half as thocky as they do on the Mercury V60 Pro.

While I've previously showered admiration on the MGX Hyperdrive switches in Corsair’s Vanguard Pro 96, their sound profile is far brighter and more clacky by comparison. They also exhibit more wobble than the Mercury V60 Pro’s UFO switches, which stand out as some of the most solid and stable switches I’ve tested.

The next contributing factor is the V60 Pro’s five layers of acoustic‑dampening foam, which do an impressive job of soaking up higher‑pitched sounds. On top of that, the keyboard’s pre‑installed metallic‑finish keycaps — a sturdy polycarbonate (PC) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) blend — give each keystroke a deeper, more muted character compared to the semi‑translucent keycap set included in the deluxe 'Dual Keycap Gift Box Set'.

Of course, there's more to the Mercury V60 Pro than the way it sounds. As I mentioned earlier, it boasts ultra-responsive Hall-effect switches, with this model allowing you to adjust your actuation points by increments of 0.005mm (fully adjustable in GravaStar's browser-based software), starting at that number and reaching a maximum trigger depth up to 3.5mm.

It also supports dynamic Rapid Trigger, which tracks key travel continuously rather than relying on fixed reset points. This means keys can reset the moment they start to rise, allowing rapid‑fire repeats even when they’re still partially pressed — great news for those after flawless counter-strafing and jiggle-peeking in games like Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant.

Alright, so what are my issues with the Mercury V60 Pro? For starters, its 60% form factor is just way too compact for me to type comfortably. Apart from its lack of certain keys, the need to constantly stop and think about how to access certain functions was slowing down my workflow.

My biggest size‑related gripe was the tiny right Shift key — It’s no larger than a standard key, and I kept missing it while typing, often wiping out an entire line in the process.

Secondly, I also really missed having a dedicated volume rocker or knob. Without one, I kept fumbling to remember which key combination controlled the volume every time I needed to raise or lower it.

And finally, I wasn't hugely impressed by the V60 Pro's RGB lighting effects. I definitely appreciate that the lights it has are south-facing — not that the metallic keycaps are shine-through or anything — though the LEDs don't emit a particularly strong light. I also expected that the RGBs would make the keyboard's included semi-translucent keycaps glow, though that wasn't the case.

It was really only these three small but persistent issues that held it back from being the complete package I'd hoped for. Granted, I could always try GravaStar's Mercury V75 Pro keyboard, which eliminates at least the first two complaints thanks to its larger size and included volume rocker, though its styling is far more aggressive than the V60 Pro, and without having one for reference, it's difficult to know if its typing acoustics are comparable.

Still, if these three nitpicks are unlikely to bother you, it would be hard to imagine anyone disappointed in the Mercury V60 Pro's capabilities. That said, a couple of folks around the Tom’s Guide office weren’t fans of the “creamy” sound profile that I love so much. Then again, maybe they just can’t stand the word creamy — hard to know which reaction was stronger.

More from Tom's Guide

• Here’s why you should only buy a magnetic keyboard for gaming
• I just tested my favorite hybrid gaming keyboard of the year
• I’m a mechanical switch die-hard — then I tested this magnetic keyboard...

The Corsair Platform 4: Elevate Desk is unlike any standing desk I’ve tested before. Instead of just the desk itself, you get a complete desk setup in a box with a heavy-duty monitor arm and an extra-wide cable management tray included. However, adding Corsair’s optional multi-frame pegboard takes things a step further by adding convenient and modular storage for all of your controllers, keyboards and other accessories.

Unlike with other standing desks that I’ve used for weeks or months at a time, I spent almost an entire year testing out the Corsair Platform 4: Elevate Desk. During that time, it served me just as well for work as it did for gaming with plenty of desk space for either thanks to its deeper 30-inch top. However, unlike its six foot wide predecessor, this desk will be a better fit in most homes thanks to its 48-inch width.

Putting the Platform 4: Elevate Desk together was a straightforward process and the desk has held up very well with no noticeable scratches or wear and tear. Corsair also sent over its optional pegboard accessory which attaches to the back of the desk and that extra vertical storage space has been a game changer. However, it was slightly more difficult to assemble than the desk itself. Likewise, the Platform 4: Elevate Desk only has two height presets which is surprising given its higher price.

My Corsair Platform 4: Elevate Desk review will help you decide if this is the best gaming desk for your battlestation, as well as one of the best standing desks overall.

Corsair Platform 4: Elevate Desk: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A dual-motor electric standing desk with a built-in monitor arm and cable management system.
• Who is it for? Gamers, streamers, and people who work from home that want a desk setup in a box.
• What does it cost? The Corsair Platform 4: Elevate Desk costs $999, but is frequently on sale for half its list price.
• What do we like? The T-Channel mounting system and the included monitor arm, the extra-wide cable management tray, the desk’s sturdy build quality, and its smaller size compared to Corsair’s Platform 6: Elevate Desk.
• What don’t we like? That there are only two programmable height presets and that the full package with the multi-frame pegboard costs more than most other standing desks for gamers.

Corsair Platform 4: Elevate Desk: Specs

Corsair Platform 4: Elevate Desk: The Ups

The Platform 4: Elevate Desk sets itself apart from other standing desks for gamers in a number of ways. However, what stood out to me most is just how well its massive cable management tray and premium monitor arm form a complete package so you don't have to waste time (and money) shopping for additional accessories.

Packed to perfection

The Platform 4: Elevate Desk arrived in a single yet considerably heavy box. While many standing desks come in two boxes with one for the desktop and one for the legs, Corsair managed to pack everything into one. However, you’ll likely need help bringing this one inside your home.

Speaking of packaging, I was thoroughly impressed by the care and attention to detail that went into how the various parts of the Platform 4 were placed into the box. Everything was laid out neatly and protected with plenty of foam packing material to keep it safe during transit.

With everything unpacked, I was left with the desktop itself, the desk’s legs, the T-Channel rail and monitor arm along with all of the other parts I needed to put the Platform 4 desk together. I also liked how the monitor arm was in a separate box so I didn't get its pieces mixed up with those for the rest of the desk.

Assembling the desk was a straightforward process thanks to clear instructions and the fact that it doesn’t come in a variety of different sizes. After attaching the frame to the desktop, I dropped the legs in and secured them using bolts and the included Allen key.

Then I attached the cable management tray at the back of the desk and plugged in the cables from the legs to the control box in the center of the desk’s frame. I’ve built dozens of desks over the years and honestly, this was one of the easiest ones to put together despite having a more complex design.

With the desk itself built, I flipped it over onto its feet and began putting together the T-Channel rail system. This sits along the back of the desktop and serves as the mounting point for the included monitor arm and Corsair’s optional multi-frame pegboard.

Desk setup in a box

With a starting price of $999 without the optional pegboard, the Platform 4 is certainly an investment. However, given that Corsair includes everything you need to work, game, and stream, it’s actually a strong value proposition. And if you pick up this standing desk at a steep discount during a sale, it's even better.

Instead of having to mess around with the clamps that the rest of the best monitor arms use to attach to your desk, Corsair does things a bit differently. The T-Channel rail system extends from one side of the desk to the other, and the Platform 4’s included monitor arm attaches directly to it. Not only does this prevent additional wear on the desktop itself, it also lets you quickly reposition your monitor arm.

Depending on your display and how you want to have your setup laid out, you can slide the monitor arm to the left or right. It’s worth noting that this desk is ideal for single-monitor setups, while the Platform 6 is better suited for dual-monitor setups because it’s wider and comes with a dual-monitor arm.

Regardless of which desk you choose, you also get an extra-wide, metal cable management tray with plenty of space for one of the best surge protectors and all of your power adapters. Many companies offer cable management trays as optional add-ons, which is why I’m glad Corsair went this route instead.

In fact, the cable management tray has so much room that I actually tucked one of the best mini PCs — the Geekom A6 — inside when I put together my first setup with the Platform 4. Given that the tray itself has holes and isn’t enclosed, I wasn’t worried about the computer overheating.

If a monitor arm and cable management tray weren’t enough, Corsair also includes built-in storage towards the back of the desk. When you lift the lid, you have access to a small but still sizable compartment where you can store dongles, cables and other accessories. It also has USB-A and USB-C ports on the left side, though you do have to plug them into your PC or a power adapter to charge your devices.

With the T-Channel rail system and monitor arm set up at the back of the Platform 4, it was time to add the optional accessory that really makes this desk shine.

Going vertical (with accessories)

Just like the Platform 4 itself, Corsair’s multiframe pegboard accessory is on the steep side at $299. However, it goes on sale quite frequently and you can often pick it up for half price. Even at full price, I’d say it’s definitely worth it for the extra storage space and the aesthetics.

As the name implies, this accessory is a modular system made of two pegboard panels that sit side-by-side in a large metal frame that attaches to the top of the T-Channel rail system. You can also buy Corsair’s multiframe pegboard on its own and use it with any desk since you get traditional clamps in the box as well.

I have to admit, putting the pegboard together was a bit harder than I thought it would be after building the Platform 4. Once it was built, I had some difficulty figuring out how to insert the included T-Nuts used to screw the shelves and other accessories into the rails on either side. After watching others do it online, I eventually got the hang of it.

Alongside the pegboard, you get two small shelves and one larger shelf. I installed the smaller shelves on either side and used them to house a pair of the best computer speakers. While I could have put the larger shelf on the side of the desk for some extra desktop space, I decided to install it on the top of the frame and upside down to give the desk a cockpit-style look.

Corsair gives you plenty of hooks too, which you can use to store controllers, keyboards, and basically any other accessory on the pegboard. Since I went with a dedicated console gaming setup with an Xbox Series X on one side and a PS5 Pro on the other, I hung their respective controllers and headsets on either side. Also, since the pegboard is made of metal and not plastic, you can use magnetic accessories like NZXT’s Puck cable management and headphone holder too.

If space is at a premium and you don’t want to risk damaging your desk by adding a third-party drawer or other storage accessories underneath, Corsair’s multiframe pegboard is the way to go.

A cockpit for your battlestation

With the pegboard installed behind the Platform 4 and the way I set it up, it really felt like my own personal gaming cockpit. While I did have to get creative with the placement of that mini PC, I was very impressed by just how much you can fit on this desk.

If you need more room, Corsair sells optional desk extensions and even more pegboard panels that you can install on the side of the desk for additional storage space. For those who plan on using this desk with one of the best gaming PCs, investing in a desk extension makes a lot of sense; for $40, you get an extra foot of desktop space, which is perfect for a larger desktop computer.

As I mentioned, I’ve used the Platform 4 as my main gaming desk for almost a year now. I set it up in my office at first and then moved it out to my game room for some extra space, and the Platform 4 worked well in both rooms. In addition to all black and light or dark Birch, it’s also available in white if you’d rather have the desk blend in with your home decor instead of standing out.

While I did use the Platform 4 for work here and there, the majority of my testing time was spent gaming. Whether I was playing Astro Bot on PS5 or Tears of the Kingdom on my Nintendo Switch, it’s a comfy and spacious desk to game at.

One other thing I really like is that alongside all of the other included accessories, Corsair also gives you some small plastic shelves that attach to either side of the desk. I found these really came in handy for storing my controllers and remotes when I wasn’t using them.

Overall, I’ve enjoyed practically every second with the Platform 4 despite a few difficulties when installing the optional pegboard. I also tried out the Secretlab Magnus Evo during this same time period, but between the two, I think I might stick with the Platform 4 long term given how useful all of the extras Corsair has thrown in have been.

Corsair Platform 4: Elevate Desk: The Downs

The Corsair Platform 4: Elevate is an excellent gaming desk through and through. However, it falls slightly short compared to other standing desks for one key reason that won’t be a deal breaker for most.

Up or down with no in-between

Regardless of whether you’re using an electric standing desk built for productivity like the Uplift V3 or one for gaming like the Secretlab Magnus Pro, there are buttons at the front used to adjust its height. Typically, alongside your up and down buttons, you also have a few dedicated memory preset buttons which you use to program your preferred sitting and standing heights.

In my time testing standing desks, I’ve seen as many as four of these height-preset buttons. Surprisingly, the Platform 4 only has two: one for standing and one for sitting. For most people, this will definitely be enough. However, I’ve found that having a third one like on Secretlab’s standing desks — or even a fourth like on Uplift and Vari’s — can be extremely useful.

For instance, when I’m working, I like to have the top of my monitor just slightly above eye level for the best ergonomics. When it’s time to game, I might drop it down slightly so I can lean back in one of the best gaming chairs or even one of the best office chairs. The same goes for when I’m standing while playing games; in that case, I usually have my display slightly higher since I hold my controller close instead of resting my arms on the desk like I do when typing.

I would have liked to see Corsair add a third or even a fourth memory preset button here, especially for the price. Speaking of the price…..

Looks can be deceiving

If you go to Corsair’s website and look at the Platform 4: Elevate, the video that autoplays shows the desk by itself without the company’s optional pegboard. However, with a desk like this, chances are you’ll see it on TikTok or YouTube first before you actually click the link.

In that case, you might be surprised to learn that the multiframe pegboard is an optional accessory. It’s always good to have options, but if you’re dead set on that pegboard — and the extra storage and specific look it provides — you might be disappointed to find it isn't included and requires an extra investment.

Speaking of the price, the Platform 4 is on the expensive side for a 48-inch, dual-motor electric standing desk. There are plenty of less expensive options from companies like FlexiSpot that can be had for under $500. Corsair does make up for the Platform 4’s high $999 list price by deeply discounting the desk during sales, though. In fact, I’ve seen it on sale for as low as $449 recently. While it was out of stock at that price, if you can catch it during a similar sale, it’s an absolute steal given the included accessories.

Corsair Platform 4: Elevate Desk: Verdict

The Corsair Platform 4: Elevate Desk goes beyond a traditional electric standing desk by including everything you need to get started gaming, streaming, or working from home right in the box. Sure, optional accessories like the multiframe pegboard certainly sweeten the deal, but even without them, you’re getting a well-built, dual-motor standing desk that you can always expand later on.

For instance, one thing I didn’t get to try out is using the Platform 4 with Elgato’s accessories. Since Corsair owns Elgato, all of its lights and other streaming gear are also compatible with this desk and the larger Platform 6. If you’ve already invested in that ecosystem, this desk becomes a no-brainer.

At $999, the Platform 4 is on the expensive side for a smaller standing desk. However, you get quite a lot of bang for your buck, and if you can find it on sale, even better. After using the Platform 4 for almost a year, I don’t think I’ll be getting rid of this desk anytime soon.

"How much should you spend on a good keyboard?" That's the question I've been trying to answer for the last two years while reviewing them. Those who aren't well-versed with the vast world of keyboards may automatically assume that just because a deck costs over $100, that means it's "worth it." But as someone who tests the best keyboards for a living, that's not necessarily true.

Personally, I don't think you should be spending more than $150 on a keeb — and even that's stretching it quite a bit. You see, in recent years, technology has come leaps and bounds, and you're getting manufacturers like Epomaker making super cheap Hall Effect keyboards (like the $59 HE68). So when a brand like Corsair comes out with a keyboard that costs $259, needless to say, I'm instantly skeptical.

I, of course, didn't judge the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless harshly simply because it's expensive (that would be very shortsighted of me) — it's just that it doesn't do enough to justify the steep price. There are plenty of things to love about the Air 99 Wireless, but equally, there are a few things that leave you feeling frustrated. Here's why I awarded it 3-stars.

It gets a few things right

I won't be a Grinch and I'll start with the good things first, and what the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless gets incredibly right. Let's start with the design and build. The Air 99 Wireless is designed beautifully, and it's fitted with a robust aluminum frame which ensures the keyboard will stand the test of time. Double-shot PBT keycaps, a bright LCD screen and customizable RGB lighting make it a sight for sore eyes.

The Air 99 Wireless' pre-lubed OPX low-profile switches are an utter delight and don't feel fatiguing after a full day's worth of work and gaming. They have a short pre-travel distance of 1.5mm and require 45g of force to activate. The 1.5mm distance means you don't need to press them all the way down for the keyboard to register your commands, letting you type quickly.

Another thing I love is the Air 99 Wireless' gaming performance, bolstered by N-key rollover, 8,000Hz polling, and FlashTap (Last Key Prioritization). 8KHz polling is a little gimmicky and 1KHz is more than enough for 99% of players, so it's worth dropping the polling rate down to save the battery and not drain system resources. Peerless performance, really, especially in the realm of mechanical keyboards.

Where it all falls apart

Regardless of how much I love the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless' switches, they don't do enough to overshadow the keyboard's flaws — and there are a few, and I'll kick things off with the battery life. In one word, the battery life is... underwhelming. Corsair says that the longest the keyboard can last is 55 hours (with RGB lighting off over Bluetooth). If you have RGB lighting on and are using the screen, your mileage drops to 29 hours.

For the price you're paying, that just won't do. When a super budget keyboard like the Epomaker HE65 Mag can last a whopping 600 hours, what excuse does a $259 keyboard have? The battery life is, of course, impacted by the LCD screen, which I'm not a huge fan of. Sure, it's nice to be able to display a GIF as I did, but I wish the screen was more useful and didn't require a bunch of key combos to change settings.

Lastly, Stream Deck compatibility. The Air 99 Wireless features six programmable SD keys powered by the Elgato Stream Deck app, and in theory, these are great and give you quick access to apps and actions to streamline your workflow. But in practice, I found Stream Deck compatibility to be finicky at best. The app would fail to recognize the keyboard, or it would forget it when I plugged it back in the second time. More than anything, it just frustrated me.

My wallet is crying

Poor battery life, a frustrating screen, and finicky Stream Deck compatibility, all contribute towards the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless struggling to justify its price tag. The Air 99 Wireless retails for $259 / £239 at Amazon, which makes my eyes squint uncomfortably, and is sure to make some people's wallets cry.

This doesn't mean that the keyboard is all bad. According to our rating guide, a 3-star rating is defined as, "Good but there are better options." And the Air 99 Wireless features fierce competition — from Keychron, Lemokey, Epomaker, you name it.

Today, more advanced Hall Effect keyboards cost a fraction of Corsair's mechanical keyboard, and mech decks themselves easily come under $100. At the end of the day, the Air 99 Wireless easily gets lost in a crowded market — and fails to make a lasting impression.

More from Tom's Guide

• The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a low-profile mechanical keyboard that costs a whopping $259 — I tested it to find out if it’s worth the premium
• Gaming headphones are finally good for listening to music — these open-backs prove that you don’t need two separate sets of cans
• I love my PS5 more than any other gadget I own, and these 6 controllers take my gaming to the next level

The best gaming keyboards can take your performance to the next level by lending you a competitive advantage. Corsair is no stranger to making some fine gaming decks, and the Vanguard Air 99 Wireless comes close to being a formidable beast — but it falls just short. The Air 99 Wireless packs ultra responsive low-profile mechanical switches, 8,000Hz polling and N-key rollover, all of which work very well.

It’s a stunning keyboard to type on too, and it's also got the looks. The keyboard is accompanied by intuitive web-based companion software… but that’s about it. Unfortunately, the Air 99 Wireless seriously falters behind the competition due to subpar battery life, finicky Stream Deck compatibility, a lackluster screen, and a frankly outrageous price tag.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Specs

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A low-profile mechanical keyboard with dedicated Stream Deck keys and 8,000Hz polling
• Who is it for? For competitive gamers and serious typists… with quite a bit of money
• How much does it cost? The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is available for $259 / £239
• What do we like? The stunning design and build, lovely switches for typing and gaming, versatile compatibility, and intuitive web-based software
• What don’t we like? The low-key useless screen, finicky Stream Deck support, poor battery life, and expensive price

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: The ups

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a very good looking and well-built keyboard, and it boasts excellent gaming performance and a wonderful typing experience.

Stunning design and build

There’s no denying that the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a beautiful keyboard. It’s a sight for sore eyes. Fitted with a robust, well-finished aluminum frame and a plastic chassis, the Air 99 Wireless feels like it would stand the test of time. Twisting the body did not reveal any flex, and I didn’t notice the keys dipping too far into the PCB either — something I’ve experienced with all-plastic keyboards before.

Adding to the Air 99 Wireless’ durability are the double-shot PBT keycaps. These are more resistant to wear and tear than their ABS counterparts. The matte finish on the PBTs feels soft to touch, and I didn’t notice any remnants of oil or fingerprints after a full day’s work. The keycaps are lit up by customizable, per-key RGB lighting, adding a lovely gamer-esque flare to the otherwise inconspicuous board.

If you’re after a compact, nearly full-size keyboard, the Air 99 Wireless is a superb choice. Though the keyboard uses a fair bit of aluminum in its construction, the Air 99 Wireless is still fairly lightweight at 1.98lbs. It’s even lighter than its main competition, the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless ($249) which weighs 2.43lbs. I’ve had no trouble carrying it around in my already-full backpack. The Air 99 Wireless measures 16.76 x 5.42 x 0.7 inches so it doesn’t take up too much space on your desk either.

PC and consoles support

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is quite a versatile keyboard, and it can be used either wired with the included USB-C cable, or wireless over Bluetooth and 2.4GHz. The keyboard comes with macOS and Windows keycaps which can be easily swapped, and there’s a toggle switch at the back that lets you change between keyboard layouts.

What’s more, the Air 99 Wireless is compatible with the PlayStation 5 as well as the Xbox Series X and S consoles. You’ll need to use the USB-A to USB-C cable to connect the keyboard to your Xbox, and you can use the 2.4GHz dongle with your PS5. There’s also a small screen on the Air 99 Wireless (more on that shortly) which you can use to put the keyboard into PS5 mode — this essentially ensures full compatibility by remapping the interface.

Personally, I prefer one of the best controllers for console gaming on my PS5, but it’s good to know that this compatibility exists on the Air 99 Wireless for those who like using a keyboard and mouse. It worked well when I tried it briefly with my PS5 Slim, but I’d recommend doing a quick Google search to see which PS5 games are compatible with keyboards.

Excellent gaming performance

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a gaming-first keyboard, and it packs performance in spades. It’s fitted with pre-lubed Corsair OPX low-profile switches which have an actuation point of 1.5mm and a total travel distance of 2.5mm. Because the travel distance is quite short, you don’t need to press the switches all the way down for your commands to be registered, which results in a less fatiguing gaming (and typing) experience.

These switches require just 45g of force to activate too — the same as the Cherry MX Low Profile 2.0 Reds in the Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless, and lighter than the 57g Bananas in the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K ($114). I’ve found the switches to be ultra responsive in my testing, and they won’t give you much to complain about.

The Air 99 Wireless also features N-key rollover (NKRO) with 100% anti-ghosting. NKRO, essentially, enables multiple inputs to be registered at the same time, so you can execute two commands simultaneously. As a simple example, if you press Q, A, S and D together in a document, both Q, A, S and D will appear on the screen at once.

This, combined with the responsive switches, gave me a competitive advantage in games like Counter-Strike 2, where I was able to duck and draw my weapon at the same time. Similarly, in Cyberpunk 2077, I could brake or accelerate while riding my bike and swapping weapons instantaneously. I didn’t have to let go of one or the other to execute another action.

You can also enable FlashTap through the companion software, and it’s an SOCD resolution like Razer’s Snap Tap. It prioritizes the last key pressed so, for instance, you can draw to a complete stop from a sideways strafe by pressing the opposite direction key (A and D or vice versa). It’s useful in single player games, like Cyberpunk 2077, but in Counter-Strike 2 and Valve’s official servers, you’ll get kicked out, so beware.

In addition to this, you also get 8,000Hz polling over wired and wireless connections. 8K polling is fine, but it’s mostly a gimmick that every keyboard manufacturer loves adding to their boards. We’ve seen it with the recently updated Keychron Ultra series, and now in the Air 99 Wireless. For 99% of gamers, 1,000Hz polling is good enough, and most players can’t tell the difference between 1KHz and 8KHz.

Both negate input lag, and both ensure your inputs are registered instantaneously. Using 8KHz is a massive drain on system resources and battery life — and the latter is already a troubled area for the Air 99 Wireless (more on that soon). That said, I didn’t notice any input lag or unresponsiveness over both 8,000Hz and 1,000Hz polling.

Lovely switches for typing, too

Alongside being a gaming powerhouse, the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a fantastic keyboard for productivity too. Its 99% layout means you’re getting a full row of Function keys as well as a number pad. The low-profile design means the keyboard has a shallow depth, so you don’t need to raise your wrists too much to reach the keys. Your hands also sit closer to the surface of the desk, which eliminates the need for a dedicated wrist rest.

Having used this keyboard for gaming as well as a full day’s worth of typing, I can confirm that it is, in fact, very comfortable. The Air 99 Wireless feels and sounds lovely too, featuring a gasket mount which offers a cushioned feel and reduces vibrations from key presses. There are five layers of sound dampening foam too, which lend the keyboard a muted but creamy sound profile.

I took a typing test at 10fastfingers.com to see how the Air 99 Wireless fared against other mechanical keyboards I’ve tested recently. As you can see from the table above, I was able to achieve 102WPM with 94% accuracy, and I’m very pleased. It speaks to the Air 99 Wireless’ calibre really well.

Intuitive web-based software

I love it when peripherals, including keyboards and mice, utilize web-based software for customization. It saves me from downloading bloatware and third-party software. The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is accompanied by the web-based Corsair Web Hub, and to personalize your keyboard, all you need to do is plug it into your machine and you’re good to go.

Corsair Web Hub features a clean and user-friendly interface, and there are no intrusive pop-ups or obnoxious ads to ruin the user journey — unlike some proprietary software (looking at you, Asus Armoury Crate). With Corsair Web Hub, you can remap the keys, record macros, enable features like FlashTap, update or flash the keyboard’s firmware, and extensively adjust the RGB lighting. You can also upload GIFs (under 2MB) to display on the screen, which I found very easy to do, and within seconds, Kathryn Hahn from Agatha All Along was on the Air 99 Wireless.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: The downs

Unfortunately, the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless has considerable flaws, such as the low-key useless screen, underwhelming battery life, finicky Stream Deck support… and that price tag.

Screen could be more useful

Small TFT, LCD and even OLED screens have become a commonplace occurrence on keyboards. I’ve seen them on the Epomaker RT100 ($115), the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL ($129) and the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% ($299), to name a few. It’s then not surprising that Corsair has added a 1.9-inch LCD IPS display to the Vanguard Air 99 Wireless too. Screens on keyboards can be quite useful as they enable you to change certain settings on the fly — which is why it pains me to say that the Air 99 Wireless’ is so user-unfriendly.

The screen itself is bright and responsive, but I’d be lying if I said it was easy to use. Instead of using the metallic rotary knob to swap between, say, RGB brightness and volume, you have to use a number of key combinations to access different settings. For example, to adjust the backlighting, you need to hold Fn and Num together and then rotate the dial. Why make it so complicated, Corsair?

To give you some context, adjusting settings is much easier to do on a keyboard like the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL (the one I use when I work from home). All you need to do is push the dial up and down to access different settings. Simple, as it should be. I’ve found the screen only to be useful for seeing how much battery is left, and displaying a GIF, which I spoke about earlier. Other than that, the screen’s fairly pointless, and it’s a massive battery sink.

Poor battery life

This brings me to my next point: the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless’ poor battery life. The keyboard is fitted with a rechargeable Lithium-ion polymer battery, and Corsair says that with the LCD screen set to 20% brightness and the RGB lighting off (over Bluetooth), the keyboard can last up to 55 hours. Crank the RGB brightness up and set the LCD brightness to 20% (over 2.4GHz), and you’re looking at a runtime of 29 hours.

In my testing, I set the RGB and LCD brightness to 100% and they chewed up the battery life, and I was able to get just about 20 hours. I won’t sugarcoat it: this is bad. Given how much you’re paying for the Air 99 Wireless, you’d expect more. The Cherry XTRFY MX 10.1 Wireless can last up to 900 hours in total, while the cheaper Keychron V1 Ultra 8K can last up to 660 hours. I’m not angry; I’m just disappointed.

Finicky Stream Deck compatibility

If you look at the left-hand side of the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless, you’ll find a row of six programmable SD keys powered by the Elgato Stream Deck app. The keyboard packs built-in Stream Deck support, and if you download the software, you can assign specific functions and hotkeys to said row.

In theory, this sounds useful as you can launch whichever app you like with the tap of a button. In practice, I didn’t find it so straightforward. I was able to program the keys at first, but when I plugged the keyboard in and booted up the software, the Stream Deck had forgotten I’d done this before. This was rather disappointing because it could have really streamlined my workflow, but instead, I was left feeling short-changed and frustrated.

Overpriced

Last but not least, the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is expensive, and it’s frankly overpriced, given that you’re getting suboptimal battery life, a not-very-useful screen that eats up said poor battery life, and finicky Stream Deck compatibility. The Air 99 Wireless retails for a whopping $259 / £239 at Amazon.

Yes, it costs either the same or more than more advanced Hall Effect decks today, like the Lemokey P1 HE ($169) or the Keychron Q6 HE 8K ($239). Of course, you might be after a mechanical deck with lovely mech switches, but even so, I don’t think you need to spend more than $200 on a competent one. The Lofree Flow Lite100 ($139) and the NuPhy Node100 ($109) are fantastic, cheap alternatives, and while you’ll be missing out on 8,000Hz polling, 1,000Hz is more than plenty for most games.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Verdict

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a masterpiece of design and performance, unfortunately marred by frustrating functional oversights. Typing and gaming performance are outstanding thanks to the response switches, 8,000Hz polling, and features like FlashTap. Intuitive, bloatware-free web-based software makes customizing the keyboard a walk in the park, too.

But the experience stumbles when you look past the aesthetics. While the integrated screen is bright and fun to display a GIF on, it doesn’t have much utility, and adjusting settings via key combos is frustrating. It also significantly impacts the already-struggling battery life, and the touted Stream Deck integration proved unreliable in my testing.

It’s very difficult to look past these glaring issues when the keyboard costs a whopping $259. If you prioritize raw performance and desk aesthetics above all else, the Air 99 Wireless isn’t a bad choice. But those after a polished, hassle-free daily driver will want to explore other options.

The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 is a premium gaming keyboard from legendary gaming hardware manufacturer Corsair. It boasts a roster of today’s must-have gaming features — the two most notable being magnetic switches (and all their associated goodies, like adjustable actuation and Rapid Trigger) and 8K polling.

The Vanguard Pro has a number of virtues. It has the aforementioned gaming features under its belt, plus an LED screen for on-the-fly adjustments, custom assignable game buttons and easy-to-use companion software. It types nicely for a gaming board, is built fairly well, and comes with a magnetically attaching wrist rest.

There are some major frustrations, though. For all the potential the LED screen has, it’s cumbersome and frustrating in practice. It isn’t particularly pretty, and I can’t see much justification for the whopping $220, save the big-brand name (which usually doesn’t count for much in the keyboard world).

So, is it one of the best gaming keyboards you can buy? Find out in my full Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review.

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 96% Hall Effect gaming keyboard from industry giant, Corsair
• Who is it for? Gamers who want a traditional-looking gaming deck with modern features
• What does it cost? $229 / £209
• What's good? It offers a decent amount of gaming performance and customization, and comes with a premium wrist rest
• What's not? You can get more features for similar or less money, and the onboard controls are frustrating

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: Specs

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: The ups

The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 has some attractive features, including its magnetic gaming features, typing experience and thoughtful design elements.

Gaming performance

The most important thing any gaming deck needs to do is perform well in-game, especially at $229. Thankfully, there’s a rather juicy roster of gaming features on the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96. Most of this boils down to the switches. The Vanguard Pro 96 uses Corsair’s MGX Hyperdrive Hall Effect magnetic switches, allowing a wide array of handy features, including adjustable actuation (down to 0.1mm), dual actuations per keypress, Rapid Trigger and Last Key Prioritization SOCD (A.K.A ‘Snap Tap.’

Adjustable actuation

Like other magnetic boards, including the Keychron Q6 HE 8K ($239) and the Lemokey L5 HE ($220), the Vanguard’s actuation can be reduced to just 0.1mm. At 0.1mm, you can input commands extremely fast as the switches will actuate with just a tiny movement, for highly responsive gameplay (at the risk of accidental inputs).

Traditional mechanical switches often take up to (or over) 2.5mm before actuating — you have to press the key much further to trigger your input, making them feel much less responsive.

You can only adjust down to 0.6mm on the board itself, with 0.1mm available via the Corsair Web Hub web app. I dialed global actuation down to 0.6mm for Counter-Strike 2, lowering the WASD keys to 0.3mm for ultra responsive movement while keeping the risk of accidentally knocking other keys comparatively low (versus 0.1mm).

You can also assign dual actuation zones for the switches, meaning a single keypress can perform two actions at different points of the keypress (setting half a press to walk, a full press to run, for instance).

Rapid trigger and LKP

Interestingly, there are two Rapid Trigger modes. Typical Rapid Trigger allows you to consistently re-trigger the same key without needing to recycle the switch fully back to its reset point (as you would have to do with mechanical switches). We see this on almost all magnetic keyboards these days, including the Vanguard Pro. However, it also features a continuous mode to keep the trigger actuating repeatedly until the key is released — kinda like holding down a key when typing to get aaaaaaaaa load of lettersssssssssss.

There’s also Last Key Prioritization, A.K.A ‘Snap Tap,’ which facilitates easy counter strafing in games with inertia-mechanic-based accuracy penalties — like Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant. It works, although it’ll get you kicked immediately from CS2.

Poll rate

The Vanguard Pro 96 polls at up to 8,000Hz, to minimize input lag as much as possible. In reality, you’d be hard pressed noticing input lag from a 1,000Hz board, and even harder pressed to tell the difference between one of 1K and 8K.

8K can become a strain on system resources, but thankfully you can adjust the Vanguard Pro’s polling between 125-8,000Hz. I just left mine at 1,000Hz and didn’t notice any input lag whatsoever.

For comparison, the SteelSeries Apex Pro ($199) polls at 1,000Hz, while the Keychron Q6 HE 8K and the Wooting 80HE ($199) poll at 8K.

Custom game buttons

The Vanguard Pro 96 features five custom buttons down its left-hand side, allowing you to assign your most frequently-used binds and functions. You can also assign custom macros or keystrokes.

I actually found it quicker to stretch my left pinky to the fourth button than I did moving my third finger down to hit Z in Hell Let Loose, which instantly throws you prone. It’s super important to be able to hit this quickly in game, so I appreciated having the shortcut.

For even more custom game buttons, check out the NuPhy Field75 HE ($169), which has eight in total over its left and lower edges. I find the Field75 HE’s lower row particularly useful and easy to tap, as my thumb is nearby most of the time.

Decent customization options

The Vanguard Pro 96 is hot swappable, which isn’t a given with gaming brands (Corsair, Razer, etc.) as it has become with custom brands (Keychron, NuPhy etc).

To be fair, with magnetic boards, hot-swap is of questionable benefit at the moment. Magnetic switches are highly software reliant, meaning you can’t switch to just any brand of magnetic switches right now — it’s an industry-wide limitation. But hey, having hot-swap at your disposal might come in handy down the line if things open up a little.

More important for a magnetic board is the level of software customization at your fingertips, and any companion software’s ease of use. May the gaming gods be praised: I didn’t have to use Corsair’s clunky iCue app with the Vanguard Pro, as all tweaks can be done via Corsair’s Wub Hub browser app.

The Corsair Web Hub offers lots of scope for customization, from lighting through to poll rate, actuation distance and other magnetic features. It also lets you flash firmware, which was a necessity for me, as my board was janky as hell out of the box (more on this later). It’s easy to use and doesn’t require you to install any applications.

Admittedly, the Corsair app isn’t as slick as Keychron’s Launcher or NuPhy’s nuphy.io, but hey, it does the job.

Pleasant typing

The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 is fairly pleasant to type on. It uses OEM profile keycaps, like the Wooting 80HE and SteelSeries Apex Pro. These are better suited to gaming than serious typing, thanks to their medium-high profile, fairly small top surface area and lack of any real ergonomic rake to the profile to make hitting outer keys easier.

That said, they’re fine gaming-skewed all-rounders, which is why you’ll see them equipped on many gaming boards. I had no issue putting in a super fast time while maintaining above average accuracy.

If you’re going to be typing lots, I would recommend an 8K magnetic keyboard with productivity-oriented keycaps. The NuPhy Field75 HE uses Cherry profile keycaps which are arguably the ultimate all-rounders for gaming and typing. I type a lot, so prefer a productivity-oriented keycap profile, like the Keychron’s ergonomic OSA profile, found on the Q6 HE 8K.

The MGX Hyperdrive switches are nice-enough to use, too. The moderately heavy spring tops out at 55g actuation force when the switches are set to their maximum actuation height. This results in a slightly firm, elasticky feel, which I quite like. Just like the magnetic switches found in productivity-biased boards like the Keychron K2 HE ($129), the MGX Hyperdrive switches use a dual-rail design, making them feel stable in use. And, as is expected with switches these days, they come pre-lubricated for smooth operation. Nothing groundbreaking, but nothing to complain about, either.

Corsair doesn’t specify the Vanguard Pro 96’s mount type, but it’s extremely firm, so likely either a top, plate or tray mount. As such, the Vanguard Pro 96 is less springy and comfortable than a gasket mounted productivity board like the Keychron Q1 Pro. This makes sense in a gaming board with ultra-sharp 0.1mm actuation, though, where it’s best to minimize as much unnecessary movement as possible for the most responsive and accurate inputs.

Thoughtful design

The Vanguard Pro 96 is, as the name suggests, a 96% full size board, meaning it packs the functionality of a 100% full-size deck — i.e. it retains the Num pad — while shrinking the overall profile slightly by chopping a few navigation keys and bringing everything closer together. It’s still a large board, though. In game, I like my keyboard placed far out to the left, which was very tricky with the Vanguard Pro 96. That’s why I prefer 60-65% boards for gaming, like the NuPhy Air60 HE ($139) and Keychron Q16 HE 8K ($229), or 75% decks like the Keychron K2 HE.

If you can’t live without a Num pad — perhaps you regularly work on spreadsheets — a 96% is about as much compromise between functionality and space as you’re gonna get. The Vanguard Pro 96 is slightly more compact than other 96% boards like the Redragon K686 Pro SE, although there’s not much in it.

The Vanguard Pro 96 comes with a spongy wrist rest that attaches magnetically to the bottom edge of the board, so they both stay together. This relieves pressure on your wrists and prevents your arms rubbing against desk edges. The board’s USB-C port is inlaid into the base of the board, with cutouts running to the edges of the case, allowing you to channel the cable towards your PC — I love this, as it helps further minimize desk footprint.

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: The downs

For all its virtues, the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 has some disappointing flaws given its high price, including frustrating controls and a bland design. You can get more for your money elsewhere, too.

Frustrating controls

Despite all its potential — with the LED display and companion web-app — the Vanguard Pro 96 is super frustrating to control. The screen is extremely unintuitive: despite me having switch actuation set up as a sub-menu, I simply couldn’t navigate to it on the display. Eventually, I set it up as the only sub-menu (given everything else I could control via the Fn row anyway), where it was, by default, easy to access.

The board seems often at odds with the companion software, though. In testing, for example, the web app showed 0.6mm actuation, while the board itself showed 1.0mm.

My keyboard was also incredibly janky out of the box, triggering duplicate inputs and sometimes missing them altogether. I flashed the keyboard’s firmware via the web app, and these problems disappeared, but it’s disappointing to see them in the first place from a brand as big (and expensive) as Corsair.

Bland "gamer" aesthetic

Obviously this is a subjective take, as beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. But I find the Vanguard Pro 96’s design so boring. Stock “gamer” styling, with the raised switches/keycaps, blacked-out everything, OEM caps etc., etc.

If you’re a 14-year-old with a full unicorn-puke-RGB gaming rig and run-of-the-mill “gamer” style peripherals, I’m sure it’ll fit right in on your desk. If you’d like something a little more adult, check out the Keychron Q6 HE 8K or Wooting 80HE. And if you’d like something a little more fun and colorful, check out the NuPhy Field75 HE or Air60 HE.

More for your money elsewhere

All those boards I just mentioned above bring me to my final criticism of the Vanguard Pro 96: you can get so much more for similar or less money with rivals. This isn’t a bad keyboard, but it’s nothing special. It isn’t doing anything new, and it looks bland. Why spend nearly $230 on it?

You’ll get more performance and gaming features from the Wooting 80HE and Keychron Q6 HE 8K — think more magnetic features, like quad actuation zones and customizable SOCD resolutions, to name but two — both of which cost a similar amount of money as the Vanguard Pro. The Wooting obviously lacks a Num pad, but the Q6 has you covered there, if you can accept a full 100% layout. Not only do they both offer more features than the Corsair, they’re better built, better looking, and nicer to type on. They both justify a circa-$200 price tag much more easily than the Vanguard Pro 96.

If it’s just features you’re after and you don’t care about layout, you can pick up a Hall Effect board for under $60, like the Epomaker HE68 ($59). All this begs the question: why would you drop $229 on the Vanguard Pro 96?

Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review: Verdict

I think I pretty well summed this up already in the paragraph above, but I’ll rehash it here for good measure in case anyone has skipped right here. The Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 isn’t a bad board, but it does nothing new, and nothing particularly well.

It packs a decent array of gaming features, high(ish) levels of customization and bundles some thoughtful design features. It’s alright to type on, too. And sure, those things are all well and good.

But this keyboard is simply way overpriced. You can get much more for the same money, and get similar performance for cheaper. So why is the Vanguard Pro 96 priced at $229? It’s the Corsair name, of course, which in the keyboard market holds much more prestige than it deserves.

As someone who tried to assemble one of the best mechanical keyboards from a barebones kit last Christmas, Corsair’s Vanguard Pro 96 has unexpectedly caught my attention with its magnetic, Hall effect switches.

Initially, I wasn't totally sold on the idea of keyboards with magnetic switches, believing the (relatively) new tech didn't offer enough switch options. Mechanical switches, on the other hand, are available in countless linear, tactile and clicky types.

That massive selection means you can experiment with numerous sound profiles and actuation forces, which is how I finally landed on the pre-lubed Epomaker Sea Salt Silent switches for my current keyboard. Of course, that was before I got to try magnetic switches for myself.

I'm a believer

After trying Corsair’s new Vanguard Pro 96 keyboard, it didn’t take me long to realise how silly it was to resist the allure of Hall effect switches, because I instantly fell in love with them.

Unlike the traditional metal contacts I'm used to, the Vanguard Pro 96’s MGX Hyperdrive switches rely on magnetic sensing for actuation, delivering an ultra-smooth, linear-like feel that I find immensely satisfying.

The switches are also hot-swappable, giving me the option of trying out different magnetic options further down the line. These are already compelling reasons to explore further, but it's the added functionality afforded by these switches that truly piques my interest.

Rapid trigger is amazing

Rapid Trigger, for instance, is a game-changer for repeated key presses, offering minimal latency without fixed reset points. As a competitive player in online shooters, I would describe myself as ‘just okay’. That said, I feel like this feature could genuinely elevate my gaming performance, especially in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

The game’s excellent ‘omni-movement’ can now be taken to new heights with the ability to perform faster slide-cancels, along with strafes and dives that are harder to predict, essentially allowing for combat that’s even more fluid and dynamic.

Adjustable actuation points are fantastic

And the ability to set incredibly precise actuation points, from 0.1mm to 4mm, on a per-key basis? That’s customization beyond anything my mechanical keyboard offers.

I could go ultra-shallow for lightning-fast inputs during competitive play, or alternatively I could opt for a deeper actuation when I’m working, for more deliberate, mistake-free typing.

The keyboard’s ability to register inputs almost instantly also provides an edge while jiggle-peeking in and out of cover, letting me line up my shots quicker than any mechanical keyboard I’ve used.

Multi-actuation is a game-changer

Then there's multi-actuation, which, when set in the Corsair Web Hub, allows for different actions based on how far down a single key is pressed. The concept of switching from a jog to a full sprint based on keystroke depth is frankly mind-blowing and opens up a whole new realm of control.

Beyond the magnetic switches themselves, the Vanguard Pro 96's thoughtful design elements also impress me. It manages to pack a 96% layout with a full numpad into a footprint not much larger than a standard tenkeyless board.

Incredible keys

The low-profile, angled programmable G keys, which you can use to assign macros, are a subtle but smart improvement, making them much harder to accidentally press (an issue that drove me nuts on Logitech’s G915 X a few years back), while the dedicated 'Game Mode' button is a very convenient addition, instantly adjusting the Vanguard Pro 96's RGB lighting to a simplified colour scheme and disabling the Windows key with a single press.

Finally, the sound profile. Although I chased a near-silent experience while assembling my own mechanical keyboard, I must admit that I’m a huge fan of the Vanguard Pro 96's perfect balance between "thocky" and "creamy". This balance is largely thanks to its MGX Hyperdrive switches, complemented by four layers of sound-dampening foam.

Seriously tempting

In short, the Vanguard Pro 96 just provides an incredibly satisfying typing experience. Each silky keystroke with a soft edge rounded out by a pleasant, buttery tone? That's music to a keyboard enthusiast's ears.

While I've always been loyal to my mechanical setup, the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 presents a compelling argument for embracing magnetic switches. The precision, speed and advanced customization it offers could genuinely enhance my gaming and typing experience, making me seriously consider a switch (pun intended) from my beloved mechanical hobby keyboard.

More from Tom's Guide

• Here’s why you should only buy a magnetic keyboard for gaming
• I just tested my favorite hybrid gaming keyboard of the year
• I’m a mechanical switch die-hard — then I tested this magnetic keyboard...

Corsair has just released a unique display called the Xeneon Edge. Though you can certainly use it as a second (or third) monitor, this device is more versatile than it appears.

The Corsair Xeneon Edge is a 14.5-inch LCD built for various purposes. For instance, you can insert it into your PC anywhere you can mount a row of three 120mm fans. Since it’s thinner than a standard case fan, you should be able to find room for the display. This area points straight out of your PC’s side panel, so if you have a transparent side panel, you’ll have a clear view of the Xeneon Edge’s display to view CPU and GPU metrics (among other things).

More from Tom's Guide

• I put 3 stacked monitor setups to the test
• I ditched my ultrawide display for this dual-monitor setup
• Buying a monitor? Here are 3 underrated features I look for

Depending on how you configure it, your desk setup can be a productivity powerhouse, your little getaway spot at the end of the day or even better, both.

Over the past few years at Tom’s Guide and even before, I’ve built all sorts of different desk setups.

While some were to showcase a particular product like one of the best standing desks, I’ve put together others just to try out a different monitor configuration like when I built a stacked monitor setup, then a traditional dual monitor setup and most recently, a triple monitor setup.

Along the way, I’ve mastered cable management and found a few key accessories that I now try to incorporate into every desk setup I build. However, while I’ve created desk setups around new products I’ve tested and different monitor configurations, I have yet to put together one based on colors alone.

Aesthetics plays just as big of a role in desk setups as cable management does and I’ve always really liked the incredibly clean look you get from white devices and accessories. I do like a bit of contrast though, which is why I decided to build a black-and-white desk setup that’s as nice to work at as it is for playing games after a long day.

To that end, I’ve quietly been collecting white devices and accessories for almost a year now. Thanks to the Corsair Platform:4 Elevate Desk I’m currently testing out, I’ve finally been able to do just that.

Here are all the devices I used in this desk setup, why I chose them and how they work alongside one another along with this desk’s special feature that ties everything together.

A place for everything

The Corsair Platform:4 Elevate Desk ($999, Corsair) is a solid sit-stand desk with unique features like its modular T-channel rail system and in-desk storage compartment. However, if you want to take full advantage of it, I highly recommend pairing it with the company’s Multi Frame Pegboard ($299, Corsair).

Not only does this give you four feet of pegboard for storage and hanging accessories but you also get a large shelf for up top and two smaller shelves for on the sides.

As I’m using this desk setup for both work and gaming, I figured having my controllers and headsets hung up on the pegboard made a lot of sense. This way, I can focus on the task at hand while working and when I need some motivation, I can look up at them and know that I can play some games as soon as I’m done.

Given that I have a white Xbox Series X on the left side of the desk and a PS5 Pro on the right, I hung up the headset and controller for each console on their respective side of the pegboard.

Corsair does provide plenty of hooks with its Multi Frame Pegboard to help you organize things. However, to keep my Sony Pulse Elite headset and my Razer BlackShark V2 headset from stretching out, I’m using an old magnetic NZXT Puck (split in two) to attach them to the pegboard. I am using Corsair’s hooks to hold my DualSense and Xbox controllers though.

At first, I thought the controllers might wobble a bit up there but even when moving the desk away from the wall, they haven’t budged or fallen down yet.

Another useful feature of the Corsair Platform:4 Elevate Desk is its built-in storage compartment. On its far left side, there’s a USB-A and USB-C port to charge devices like your controllers or a pair of the best wireless headphones right at your desk.

Surprisingly, these ports aren’t connected to the desk at all. Instead, there’s a separate USB-C port on the bottom that you can plug into your PC or into a power strip.

I always use one of the best surge protectors in my sit-stand desk’s cable management tray to prevent devices from coming unplugged as my desk adjusts. Due to its proximity, I plugged the storage compartment directly into the surge protector to power it. However, for fast charging, I ran a separate cable from the 20W USB-C port on the heavy duty Anker 351 Power Strip ($30, Amazon) I’m using under this desk, threading it up through the holes at the back of the storage compartment. When I’m done charging, I just tuck that cable back under its lid to keep it close but out of sight.

Though I do like the Corsair Platform:4 Elevate Desk’s built-in storage compartment, its placement on the desk is a bit awkward. If it was closer to the front of the desk, there’d be plenty of room underneath your monitor to store your laptop or in my case, to set up one of the best mini PCs like the Mac mini M4. Given that I wanted to use this desk setup for both work and gaming, I had to get a little creative when it came to where I put my PC.

Corsair does sell optional desk extensions that go on the sides of the Platform:4 Elevate Desk and are the perfect size for one of the best gaming PCs. However, my review unit didn’t come with any as I prefer narrower desks like this 47-inch model since they’re easier to move and rehome once I’m done with them.

At first, I considered taking the large shelf off the top of the desk’s pegboard and mounting it on the side like you would with one of the desk extensions (which I might still do one day). Fortunately, I then had a realization that would allow for a clean, clutter-free desktop while still incorporating a PC into this setup without adding anything on the sides.

Unlike with some of the other standing desks I’ve reviewed, the Platform: 4 Elevate Desk has a wider 29-inch cable management tray. Even with my 13-inch long surge protector and the various power bricks for the devices on my desk tucked inside it, I still had plenty of room on the right side of the tray for a mini PC.

I took stock of the dimensions of several of the mini PCs I have on hand before deciding to use the Geekom A6 with this desk setup as it’s even smaller than the Mac mini M4. Plus, with an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor with Radeon 680M integrated graphics and 32GB of DDR5 RAM, it’s more than powerful enough to handle my day to day workload, which mainly consists of writing and editing in Chrome with more tabs than I like to admit open simultaneously.

To ensure the A6 had plenty of airflow for its vents on either side, I attached the cords running from the left side of the desk to the back of the cable management tray. Likewise, since it doesn’t draw too much power, I usually leave it on or put it to sleep when I’m not using it. This way, I don’t have to reach underneath my desk to reach its power button.

A one cable solution

Even if you don’t spring for Corsair’s Multi Frame Pegboard, the Platform:4 Elevate Desk comes with a monitor arm in the box.

Instead of clamping it to the back of the desk like with many of the best monitor arms, it attaches to the modular T-channel rail system instead. It’s worth noting that there are a ton of compatible accessories (both first and third-party) that can attach to it, such as the Elgato Prompter or the Key Light which are particularly useful, for streamers and content creators.

When attached to the T-channel rail system, you can easily slide the included monitor arm to the right or left side of the desk to get it in the exact position you want. It’s a well-built monitor arm that’s easy to adjust but there’s just one problem: the cable channel underneath it isn’t all that big. It’s fine for running one or two cables from your monitor but that leaves just enough room for a single HDMI cable and your display’s power cable. However, this is a common problem with most monitor arms.

Besides not having enough room for multiple cables, one reason I’ve started using monitor stands instead of arms with my desk setups is that the cables that come with most devices just aren’t long enough. For instance, with the Secretlab Magnus Pro standing desk’s monitor arm, I ended up just buying longer cables. However, as I planned to use the Platform:4 Elevate Desk with multiple consoles and a PC, I opted for an HDMI switch instead.

Given that the white MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED monitor I’m using with this desk setup has a refresh rate of 240Hz, I couldn’t use just any HDMI switch. As I’m partial to Ugreen’s GaN chargers and cables, I decided to pick up its most advanced HDMI switch yet.

The Ugreen 8K@60Hz HDMI Switch 5 in 1 Out ($69, Amazon) may have 8K in the name—despite the best 8K TVs being few and far between—but it also supports 4K at 240Hz along with HDR10+. This made it perfect for this desk setup as the Xbox Series X and PS5 can do 4K at 120Hz with room to grow if I do decide to add a powerful gaming PC to it later on.

Remember that storage compartment at the back of the Platform:4 Elevate Desk? Well, there’s just enough space between it and the rear edge of the desk for this HDMI switch to sit on top. It needs to be out in the open as well, since in addition to a button for switching inputs, it also comes with a remote that requires line-of-sight to its IR sensor.

With the Platform:4 Elevate Desk, Corsair also includes a small tray you can mount on the desk’s T-channel rail system. To keep my desktop clear, however, I mounted it on the right side of the desk to store my remotes and the controller for the Quntis RGB Pro+ Monitor Light Bar I have on top of my display.

You get another one with the Multi Frame Pegboard, so I put that on the left side of the desk and placed a phone stand and a coaster there to keep them out of the way as well.

Big sound in a small package

Like most of the best gaming monitors, the MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED doesn’t have built-in speakers. This is probably for the best as they would add extra bulk and take away from the monitor’s incredibly thin profile.

Given that the BlueAnt Soundblade I bought recently is a soundbar that’s designed to go under your monitor and would block the Platform:4 Elevate Desk’s storage compartment, I decided to pick up a pair of the best computer speakers for this desk setup.

Although computer speakers are available in a variety of sizes and form factors, very few come in a clean white package to match the rest of the accessories on my desk. At CES 2025 in January, I spoke with Kanto’s director of marketing, who generously offered to send out a pair of the company’s bookshelf speakers for one of my desk setups.

I reached back out to him when I was finally close to having everything I needed for my black-and-white desk setup and he sent over a pair of Kanto Ora speakers along with the company’s subwoofer, the Kanto SUB8. As I’ve used a pair of older AudioEngine A2 speakers at my main desk setup for years now, it was a welcome change to try something more modern.

Besides their wide soundstage and detailed sound, I really like how compact the Kanto Ora speakers are. They also offer multiple connection options including Bluetooth, USB-C and stereo RCA inputs which really came in handy for using them with the Xbox and PS5 Pro on top of my desk and the mini PC underneath it.

Even though I already had them raised up to ear level on the two small shelves that come with Corsair’s Multi Frame Pegboard, I put a pair of Kanto’s S2 Tilted Desktop Speaker Stands ($29, Amazon) underneath them. Not only does this help reduce unwanted vibrations and resonance, but it also angles the speakers upward while making them appear as if they’re floating on top of the shelves.

The right Kanto Ora speaker has all the input ports on the back which is why I put it on the same side as my PS5 Pro. Unlike the Xbox Series X, the PS5 can be connected to external speakers via USB or over Bluetooth. Unfortunately, Microsoft left the Xbox Series X a bit shortchanged, as it lacks audio output via USB or Bluetooth. For that reason, I had to pick up an RCA to 3.5mm audio cable and run it to the headphone jack on the MSI gaming monitor.

This did mean that I had to manage a few extra cables but to keep everything neat and tidy, I ran all my cables along the backside of the Multi Frame Pegboard’s frame and the T-channel rail where I have the monitor mounted.

Now with everything set up and all my cables managed, it was finally time to try out my new black-and-white desk setup.

PS5 or Xbox with room to grow

Even with more and more Xbox games coming to PlayStation, I still prefer having the option to play on either console. Having their respective controllers and headsets on either side of my desk setup just like the consoles themselves, really simplifies things.

If I want to play PS5 games, I just grab the DualSense above the console or vice versa for the Xbox controller on the other side of my desk.

The games I played on the PS5 Pro with the MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED monitor looked great and with the Kanto Ora speakers connected via USB, they sounded fantastic too. With the added bass from the Kanto SUB8, I played this way during the day, but at night, I switched to the Pulse Elite headset.

Given that I’m not using that much space on the desk’s T-rail system, I’ve started using it as a place to store the various USB dongles for my PS5 accessories like that headset.

Even though I love all the extra graphical power in the PS5 Pro, there’s still one area where the Xbox Series X has it beat: Quick Resume. I play a lot of single-player, story-driven games but I keep coming back to the skateboard sim Session. With Quick Resume, I can jump out of a game like Metaphor: ReFantazio and pick up right where I left off in Session without missing a beat. What’s more, Quick Resume even works when you lose power or your Xbox gets unplugged.

In addition to playing games at my new black-and-white desk setup, I’ve been doing a fair bit of work here. In fact, I’ve written this entire story at my new desk setup, both while sitting in one of the best office chairs and while standing up.

Like I mentioned before, I can’t get over how well Corsair’s pegboard holds everything in place as the Platform:4 Elevate Desk goes up and down. The same stability applies to the included monitor arm; the MSI monitor has only moved ever so slightly, and then only when I’ve really slammed down on my keyboard’s keys.

Speaking of my keyboard, I decided to pick up the Monsgeek Fun 60 Ultra ($80, Amazon) for this desk setup as I wanted to give magnetic key switches a try and this all-white version perfectly matches the rest of the aesthetic I’m going for.

As for my mouse, I’m using a trackball mouse from the Japanese company Elecom. After using a regular mouse for years, I’ve found that trackball mice are easier on my hands and wrists, plus Elecom’s are incredibly easy to customize thanks to the latest version of its Mouse Assistant software.

Since my HDMI switch still has two free ports, I could theoretically add an additional two devices whether they be computers or game consoles. I recently bought a Nintendo Switch 2 which I was previously using with this monitor as part of another desk setup. It could easily end up being incorporated into this one though.

Likewise, while Windows 11 works well enough, I have been using macOS on my Mac mini M4 more often lately and if I can comfortably fit one mini PC in the Platform:4 Elevate Desk’s cable management tray, who’s to say I couldn’t make room for another down there.

Alternatively, if I wanted to go all out, I could always add some of Corsair’s desk extensions to this desk setup. That same T-channel rail system is also present on the sides of the Platform:4 Elevate Desk, so adding extra desk space with one or even two extensions would be easy enough. That way, I could have a full-blown gaming PC and not just a mini one, though I know from experience that white PC parts are harder to find and also carry a premium price.

Hard to top

I’ve built a lot of desk setups over the years and with each one, I’ve seen how much better I have gotten at managing cables, picking devices that work well with one another and choosing the right accessories to tie everything together.

This black-and-white desk setup is no different and to date, I think it’s my best one yet. In fact, I’m seriously considering moving this one out of my office and into our game room to replace my current dedicated gaming setup.

Even though collecting all of the different white devices and accessories for this particular desk setup took quite a bit of time—just about 8 months in fact—seeing everything come together has been really rewarding.

As for putting Corsair’s Platform:4 Elevate Desk together, that part was easy. Instead, it was the Multi Frame Pegboard that proved the most difficult. From there, it was just a matter of deciding what needed to go where, making sure I had the right cables to connect everything and most importantly, enough cable ties to give this desk setup the clean, clutter-free look I was going for.

I’m still not quite sure exactly what I’ll do with my next desk setup but if you have any ideas or a particular theme or configuration you’d like to see me tackle next, let me know in the comments below.

As for those speakers where my gaming chair’s headrest should be in the photo above, you’ll have to stay tuned since that story is coming up next.

More from Tom's Guide

• I revamped my desk setup with the world’s most expensive cable management accessory
• 3 reasons to buy a standing desk — even if you sit most of the time
• I tried an ergonomic office chair that cradled my lower and upper back so well it felt like I was in a cockpit

I've spent the last two weeks testing the new Corsair Vengeance i8300 ($7,399) gaming PC, and the experience has redefined how I approach playing games.

Corsair sells Vengeance gaming PCs in a variety of configurations and prices, but the company sent us its most expensive model for review — and you can feel the luxury you're paying for in how reliably every game I tested on this machine booted up quickly and ran like a dream, with almost zero noticeable fan noise from the case.

The case itself is so heavy, however, that I didn't trust any of my desks with it and instead kept it on the floor next to my 4K TV. But since it makes so little noise the Vengeance i8300 actually turns out to be a great gaming PC for the living room, and it's opened my eyes to a new dream: 4K PC gaming on the big screen, from the comfort of my couch.

If you can handle the weight and you're willing to pay the eye-watering price, I think the Corsair Vengeance i8300 is easily one of the best gaming PCs I've ever tested. Here's why.

Corsair Vengeance i8300 (2025) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The top-of-the-line Corsair Vengeance gaming PC for 2025, packing the latest AMD/Intel CPUs and the best-in-class Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090.
• What does it cost? The high-end Corsair Vengeance i8300 I review here can be purchased from Corsair for $7,399 with your choice of Intel or AMD chips, though at time of publication Corsair is discounting the AMD model down to $6,599.
• Who is it for? PC gaming enthusiasts who want to pay top dollar for a big, quiet gaming machine that's great for 4K gaming and one of the very best gaming PCs you can buy in 2025.
• What do we like? I love how this Corsair Vengeance i8300 review unit can run any PC game I want to play in buttery-smooth 60+ FPS at 4K with all graphical settings cranked to max.
• What don’t we like? Obviously, the price of this beast is a tough pill to swallow. I'd have to spend months if not years saving to afford PC gaming like this, and that's a real barrier to entry. I also don't love how heavy it is, as I wouldn't trust the Corsair Vengeance i8300 on a flimsy desk.

Corsair Vengeance i8300 (2025) review: Specs

Corsair Vengeance i8300 (2025) review: The ups

I've really enjoyed my time gaming on the Corsair Vengeance i8300, and there are a few key strengths I want to highlight so you know what you're buying.

Top-tier 4K gaming with almost no fan noise

As I mentioned earlier, I decided to leave our Corsair Vengeance i8300 review unit on the floor next to my LG C2 OLED TV for the majority of the review period because I just didn't trust my flimsy sit/stand desk with this 30-pound beast.

But that was only part of the reason I kept the Vengeance in the living room — the rest of it was that I wanted to see how the best PC games look running at max settings on a 65-inch 4K OLED display, and I had a hunch this $7,400 gaming PC could handle it.

Sure enough, I was blown away by the experience of PC gaming on the couch with the power of an RTX 5090, a top-tier Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and 64GB of RAM at my beck and call. Games like Alan Wake 2, Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws and Red Dead Redemption 2 ran beautifully, though I had to enable Nvidia's DLSS tech where possible to iron out occasional stutters that caused the framerate to dip below 60 FPS.

The results from our testing lab back up my anecdotal experience, as the Corsair Vengeance i8300 performed better in our tests than any gaming PC I've reviewed to date.

To show you what I mean, I've charted some key gaming benchmarks above against a cheaper Corsair Vengeance a7500 (AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB RAM, ~$3,399) and our current pick for best premium gaming PC, the Alienware Area 51 (Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, 64GB of RAM, $5,699).

As you can see, the Corsair Vengeance delivers nearly flawless 60+ FPS performance in some of the latest and most demanding PC games. This is raw performance too, without any upscaling tech like Nvidia DLSS or AMD FSR enabled. When I enabled DLSS on games like Cyberpunk, I was able to enjoy full path-traced lighting and incredible visual effects while framerates hovered consistently in the 70-90 FPS range.

But you can also see that despite our Corsair Vengeance i8300 review unit costing thousands of dollars more than our Alienware Area 51 review unit, the Alienware PC actually delivers better performance in some games. And where the Corsair does outperform the Alienware, it's only by a matter of a few extra frames per second, which makes the nearly $2k price difference between the two hard to swallow.

However, the Corsair performed better than the competition across the board in our general performance tests.

As you can see from the chart of results above, the Corsair Vengeance i8300 outperformed the competition in both the single-core and multi-core Geekbench 6 CPU benchmarking tests, despite the fact that the Alienware Aurora has the same Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU.

The Vengeance i8300 also burned through our custom video editing test (which times how long the PC takes to transcode a 4K video down to 1080p using Handbrake) faster than the rest, though the far cheaper Corsair Vengeance a7500 actually had a faster SSD than the more expensive i8300 I'm reviewing here.

So whether you're gaming, editing video or doing other computationally-intensive tasks, you can count on the Corsair Vengeance i8300 delivering best-in-class performance. However, our testing reveals that you aren't actually getting much better gaming performance than our current pick for best premium gaming PC, the cheaper Alienware Area 51.

Stays quiet under pressure

Since I was PC gaming in the living room without headphones it was key that the PC not make too much noise, so I was paying close attention to how loud the Corsair Vengeance i8300 got during intense gaming sessions.

After two weeks of testing I'm pleased to report that even after hours of playing Cyberpunk 2077 or Doom with all settings cranked to max, the PC's fans never made more than a low hum.

So while there definitely is some fan noise, especially when sustaining peak performance, it's quiet enough that you barely notice the sound from 8 feet away.

Easy-to-access case design

While I don't expect you would need to upgrade this machine for years to come, I appreciate that our Corsair Vengeance i8300 review unit has an easy-to-access case that's roomy and well-organized inside.

To get in you just have to pull the see-through glass panel on one side of the Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB case open, no screwdriver required. You can also pretty easily remove the mesh covering on the top and rear of the case, again with no tools required.

Inside the case everything is neatly organized and cables are routed using Corsair's hidden cable channel, which keeps the case clean but does mean you'll have to fiddle with all this stuff if and when you decide to start replacing and upgrading components.

Eye-catching RGB lighting I actually want to leave on

RGB LED light strips are practically de rigueur for gaming PCs these days, and while I loved them in the '90s these days I've grown tired of seeing my PC and peripherals lit up like cheap glowsticks.

But when I started playing around with the iCue software to control and customizing the 200+ RGB LEDs on the case of our Corsair Vengeance i8300 review unit, I was genuinely impressed. The RGB lighting on this machine stands out to me for two reasons: it has a more eye-catching LED strip layout than most PCs, and the customizable lighting patterns are more beautiful than anything I've seen on other PCs.

Obviously none of this matters as much as how capable, quiet and easy-to-access this PC is, but I wanted to also shout out the lighting because I love how the 5000T RGB case looks when the LED strips at bottom and top are running a smooth, shifting pattern. It sort of reminds me of how the engine rooms were lit up in Star Trek, and every time I look over at it I'm happy I have the lighting on — and it's been decades since I felt that way about a PC case.

Corsair Vengeance i8300 (2025) review: The downs

As much as I love our Corsair Vengeance i8300 review unit, I have to admit I have a quibble with (and one serious warning about) this premium 4K gaming PC.

Heavy and difficult to move

Let's get the quibble out of the way first: this beast is hefty and hard to move.

Partly that's because it weighs over 30 pounds, and partly it's because the case is roughly two feet tall.

The thing is heavy enough that I was scared to leave it on my Uplift V2 standing desk, because even though I'm pretty sure the desk could handle the burden, it wobbled in a concerning fashion every time I raised or lowered it with the Corsair onboard.

That said, once you get it set up you probably won't be moving it around as much as I did during the review process. So this is less a serious concern and more a warning: be ready to move a big, hefty box when this thing shows up.

Luckily, I will say that the process of unboxing the Corsair Vengeance i8300 was relatively straightforward, thanks to the company's streamlined bag-it-and-box-it approach.

Outperformed by cheaper gaming PCs in some games

The most painful part of buying a Corsair Vengeance i8300 is its eye-watering price tag, so you expect to get best-in-class performance in return for spending over $7,000 on a PC.

And for the most part, you get it. As you can see from our test results, our Corsair Vengeance i8300 outperforms almost every other PC I've ever tested, including recently-released gaming PCs that cost thousands of dollars.

But as you also saw, the Alienware Area 51 costs almost $2,000 less than the Corsair Vengeance i8300 yet delivers equal or better performance in many games. And where it does fall behind the Corsair, it's only by a handful of frames, which probably isn't worth the premium you're paying for the Vengeance over the Area 51.

Now, FPS isn't the only thing that matters when buying a gaming PC. Despite its heft, the Corsair Vengeance i8300 is actually significantly lighter than the Alienware PC and comes with 3x the storage space (6TB vs. 2TB). So there are other benefits you're getting for that sky-high price.

But for most of us framerates and graphical performance are the #1 reason to invest in a gaming PC, and our testing reveals you can often get equal or better performance in those areas from the Area 51 for much less cash.

Corsair Vengeance i8300 (2025) review: Verdict

If you've read this far you can probably understand why I think our Corsair Vengeance i8300 review unit is one of the best gaming PCs of 2025, and one of the best ways to play PC games period.

I'll be sorry to ship it home after this review goes live, but it really has sparked a quiet revelation in how I think about gaming in the living room.

I've owned an Xbox Series X since launch and use it as my main gaming machine since it's quiet, quick to boot and runs games decently on my 4K TV. I know PCs are more capable gaming machines, but I've been leery to build a living room gaming PC because they can be so loud and unsightly.

The Corsair Vengeance i8300 is the exception that's given me pause, because despite its size it looks great lit up next to my TV and it runs games far better than my Xbox while remaining whisper-quiet the whole time. Obviously I can't afford a $7,000 gaming PC on a journalist's salary, but I'm seriously considering buying one of these Corsair iCue 500T RBG cases and building a cheaper gaming PC of my own inside.

So while I still think you get a better deal out of the Alienware Area 51 and would recommend it over the Corsair for those on a budget (not just a tight budget but any budget), I have to report that the Vengeance i8300 is the best gaming PC I've tested this year.

The Corsair M75, alongside the K65 Plus keyboard, has received the Cupertino treatment as the Mac-specific variant comes in a stunning new design that helps it fit right into your existing Apple ecosystem. It retains many of the base model’s features while introducing two new colorways, and performance that’s hard to beat.

This is one of the best wireless gaming mice (a lot of) money can buy right now. In exchange, you get a 1,000Hz poll rate and maximum 26,000 DPI sensitivity, making for great gaming performance across several genres. The detailed iCUE software allows for in-depth customization while being user-friendly, and the mouse itself is very comfortable to use.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Corsair M75 (Mac) review.

Corsair M75 (Mac) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A wireless gaming mouse with swappable magnetic side buttons
• Who is it for? Gamers on macOS
• How much does it cost? The Corsair M75 (Mac) is available for $129
• What do we like? The lovely, minimalist design with low-key branding, comfortable body, 26,000 DPI that delivers excellent gaming performance, and detailed companion software
• What don’t we like? Polling is limited to 1,000Hz only

Corsair M75 (Mac) review: Specs

Corsair M75 (Mac) review: The ups

From its lovely and comfortable design to its 26,000 DPI and fantastic gaming performance, the Corsair M75 (Mac) is a must-have for macOS gamers.

Lovely design

If you’re looking for a gaming mouse that would fit right into your existing Apple ecosystem, I can’t think of a better one than the Corsair M75 (Mac), if we’re going purely based on looks.

This Mac reiteration of the M75 sports a minimalist design with two translucent strips running along the length of the mouse and a Corsair logo on the rear part illuminated in the color of your choice. There’s no other loud RGB lighting. Considering how simple yet elegant iMacs and MacBooks look, I believe this was the right decision by Corsair.

The mouse comes in Glacier Blue or white colorways. I tested the Glacier Blue model which looks lovely. It’s nice to touch too, with the left- and right-click buttons and body made of high-quality plastic that feels soft under my fingertips. The lightly textured sides provide additional grip too, and if you don’t like the stock side buttons, they can be swapped out with the textured ones included in the box. These are magnetic so they’re easily replaceable.

Overall, the M75’s design is practical and it’s clear that Corsair has crafted it thoughtfully.

Comfortable for long hours

For people who like playing games or tend to work for long periods, the Corsair M75 (Mac) is a mighty comfortable mouse. Measuring 5 x 2.6 x 1.6 inches, it’s ideal for those with medium-sized hands like me and would be suited to those with large hands too. I was able to use this mouse for an eight-hour workday and a separate three-hour gaming session without feeling any tension in my hands.

The M75 is fitted with optical switches with a 100-million clicks guarantee, and they don’t require a lot of force to register a command, so I could quickly swap between pressing either the left- or right-click button. They give good tactile feedback when pressed, as do the clickable scroll wheel and two buttons on each side.

Of course, the M75 isn’t as comfortable as ergonomic mice that have thumb rests or angled designs, like the Keychron M7 ($49) or the Logitech G502 X ($80), but even with its traditional design, the M75 is still a winner in the comfort department.

Great gaming performance

As Apple starts bringing AAA games to its Mac lineup, it’s only fitting that manufacturers like Corsair introduce a mouse specifically designed to help Mac users perform, and the M75 (Mac) is just that.

Equipped with the Corsair Marksman sensor that delivers a maximum DPI of 26,000, the M75 is great for casual gaming. There’s a dedicated DPI selector on the mouse’s underside that lets you swap between five settings — which can be customized in the iCUE software — and this also changes the light that shines through the logo, allowing for easy identification.

To put the M75 through its paces, I played a few games on my personal MacBook Pro M1: Lies of P, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Resident Evil Village. The game library on macOS is still limited, but hey, at least the future looks bright. The M75 performed well across the board, with no latency issues, and all my movements and button clicks registered quickly and accurately. In Resident Evil Village, I could completely rely on the mouse to make quick U-turns when surprised by enemies from behind, and quickly attack them with my knife.

You can also enable angle snapping via iCUE. Essentially, enabling angle snapping smoothens out your mouse movements to ensure a straight line. For instance, any vertical movements are negated if you move your mouse horizontally, so chances of under or over-shooting a target are minimized. I found this handy in Tomb Raider where I could accurately aim at a target and execute headshots with my bow.

The two PTFE skates on the mouse’s underside help it effortlessly glide across wooden, glass and plastic surfaces too, but they are grippy enough that you don’t knock it about unintentionally. This also helps when making quick snappy movements. Overall, the M75 fits right into the Apple gaming ecosystem — it’s a must-have.

Detailed companion software

iCUE, the hub for all things Corsair, is free to download on macOS devices and it’s very user-friendly.

You can use it to update the Corsair M75’s firmware, remap its buttons, assign different DPI values to the button, and customize the lighting to your heart’s content. You can also enable angle snapping which I talked about earlier, as this is disabled by default, and you can customize lift height (height at which the mouse sensor stops tracking movement).

Adjustable lift height is something that’s missing from even pricier mice, like the SteelSeries Aerox 5 ($139), so it’s good to see that you can adjust the M75’s.

Corsair M75 (Mac) review: The downs

Neither of the Corsair M75’s (Mac) flaws are really ‘flaws,’ per se. Its high price point and limited 1,000Hz polling rate are pre-purchase conditions.

How many hertz?

This might be less of a flaw and more of a pre-purchase condition: what polling rate do you need?

The Corsair M75 (Mac) has a polling rate of 1,000Hz only. Now, this is very common with many gaming mice we’ve tested, but if you’re a competitive gamer, you might want to push your mouse to 4,000Hz or even 8,000Hz to reduce latency as much as possible. Unfortunately, the M75 doesn't let you do that. The 1,000Hz polling rate should suffice for most gamers, especially those on macOS. I didn’t have any issues with it.

We’ve seen cheaper and similarly priced mice offer higher polling rates, such as the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119), the Cherry M68 Pro ($139) and the Lemokey G1 ($64). But of course, while these work with macOS machines, they aren’t specifically designed for them and are intended for competitive gamers on Windows which, let’s face it, is where competitive eSports gaming requiring 4K or 8K poll rates actually happens.

Expensive

The Mac-exclusive variant of the Corsair M75 is on the pricier side of things. Priced at $129 at Apple U.S., it costs the same as the standard Windows version. It’s also available in the U.S. only, but if you’re in the U.K., you can grab the base model for £119 at Amazon, and it’ll work just as well with your macOS machine — but you’ll miss out on the gorgeous Glacier Blue colorway.

If you’re on a budget but still want a gaming mouse that performs well with macOS machines, I’d recommend the Keychron M7 or the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K. We hold both mice in high regard and their performance won’t let you down.

Corsair M75 (Mac) review: Verdict

As gaming mice for Macs go, the Corsair M75 is hard to beat. Not only does it look stunning in its icy cool Glacier Blue colorway, but it’s extremely comfortable too, enabling you to play, work or both for long periods. The 1,000Hz polling rate will suffice for most games currently available for macOS machines, and its 26,000 DPI lets you tailor the sensitivity of your movements. Enable angle snapping via the user-friendly iCUE software, and you’ll be executing back-to-back headshots in no time.

There isn’t much wrong with the M75. As mentioned, you don’t get 8,000Hz polling which we’ve seen even in cheaper mice, and the mouse is on the pricer side. Regardless, if you want a minimalist mouse that goes with your just-as-minimalist-looking MacBook or iMac, I can’t think of a better mouse to recommend than the M75.

The Corsair K65 Plus has received the Apple treatment as Corsair has released a model that’s specifically designed for macOS machines. Retaining many of the original’s features, the Mac variant also features Mac-specific keycaps and now comes in two lovely colorways. As Apple brings AAA games to its Mac lineup this year, is this the best gaming keyboard for you?

The K65 Plus’ 1,000Hz polling rate is suitable for most titles, and it ensures there aren’t any latency issues. The keyboard comes with super responsive MLX red linear switches, delivering a smooth typing experience. If you’re not a fan of those though, this is a hot-swappable keyboard so you can always opt for different switches. Sporting a minimalist design, the keyboard should fit right into your existing setup — but it has a few issues. It’s expensive for what you’re getting (ABS keycaps, for instance) and it’s available in one country only.

For all the deets, read my full Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) review.

Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) review: Specs

Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 75% layout wireless mechanical keyboard
• Who is it for? For Mac users only
• How much does it cost? The Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) is available for $179
• What do we like? The awesome design, lovely typing experience and great gaming performance, and smooth hot-swappable switches
• What don’t we like? It’s a little expensive, only available in the U.S., its ABS keycaps are prone to becoming shiny over time, and customization is limited

Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) review: The ups

From its looks and hot-swappable switches to its stunning typing experience and gaming performance, the Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) gets a few things right.

Awesome design

In our review of the standard Corsair K65 Plus, we praised the base model for its minimalist design, and Corsair has retained that design philosophy for the Mac version too. Available in two gorgeous colorways — glacier blue and white — the keyboard doesn’t look garish and doesn’t feature over-the-top RGB lighting either. I tested the blue variant which looks lovely with monotone blue keycaps that grace the top, and a lighter blue plastic case. I wish Corsair had opted for an aluminum case though, given that the Mac variant is pricier than the (also plastic-cased) original, but more on that later. Branding is minimalist too, with the Corsair logo printed onto the escape key only.

Given its 75% layout, the K65 Plus is portable too, measuring 12.6 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches. Its weight feels just right at 2.03lbs, and I didn’t feel like it was weighing me down when carrying it in my backpack. Also, if you work across operating systems, the keyboard can be used with Windows machines thanks to a layout switch located on the back.

Lovely typing experience

The Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) is a dream to type on. Fitted with pre-lubed Corsair MLX red linear switches, this keyboard offers a stellar typing experience. The switches aren’t very loud, making the K65 Plus a great fit for the office. That’s thanks to two layers of sound-dampening foam which negates any pings or rattling. These switches require a moderately light 45g to register key presses, which resulted in me being able to type faster. But if you want even lighter switches, custom keyboards like the NuPhy Air75 V2 ($119) can be specced with very light ones in the 35-40g mark.

I put the K65 Plus through its paces by taking a typing test at 10fastfingers.com, and you can see how my results compared to other keyboards I’ve tested. Overall, this is a very satisfying keyboard to type on. The typing experience is smooth and soft, and ideal for those who type for a living.

Hot-swappable switches

If you aren’t a fan of the stock linear switches, you’ll be happy to know that the Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) features hot-swappable switches, and it’s compatible with 3- and 5-pin mechanical switches. Prefer tactile ones? No problem, you don’t need to worry about de- and re-soldering them to the PCB — just click the new switches into place.

Great gaming performance

The time has finally come: Macs are getting good for gaming, with the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 coming to Apple this year. The Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) is then a great fit for your existing macOS setup. The keyboard has a 1,000Hz polling rate straight out of the box, and the low operating force of the MLX linear switches meant that I didn’t need to press a key fully for it to register, making button-mashing a breeze.

I faced zero performance issues with this keyboard. To test the K65 Plus for Mac, I played Lies of P and Shadow of the Tomb Raider on my MacBook Pro M1 (the game library on macOS is still limited but the future looks bright). The 1,000Hz polling rate ensured there were no latency issues — I pressed a key and the character immediately did what I wanted them to do. The switches are also highly responsive and my key presses registered instantaneously too. In Lies of P, you must time your dodges and parries perfectly to stand a chance against some enemies, and the K65 Plus didn’t let me down. I could easily execute a perfectly timed dodge and follow it up by quickly hitting F to toggle Fable Arts to take down bosses.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider features several quick-time events (QTEs) to, for example, break free from a wolf’s grasp. These usually require the player to hit a combination of keys one by one (A then D then A then D and so on). The K65 Plus’ switches came in handy here as well, as I didn’t need to press one fully down before pressing the other one, so I could successfully complete QTEs. Also, the switches aren’t very loud, making them perfect for button-mashing.

Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) review: The downs

The Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) has a few flaws though — it’s slightly more expensive than the original, it’s available in the U.S. only, and it’s fitted with ABS keycaps which get shiny over time with extended use.

A little expensive

The Mac-exclusive variant of the Corsair K65 Plus is a little more expensive than the standard version. While you can grab the base model for $159 at Amazon U.S. / £149 at Amazon U.K., the Mac version costs $179 at Apple U.S. — same as the full-size Apple Magic Keyboard.

If you don’t feel like spending that much on the K65 Plus but still want a gaming keyboard that works well with macOS machines, consider the Lemokey P1 Pro ($129) instead. It has similar specs to the K65 Plus but offers more modding capabilities, better companion software, and more RGB customization. In terms of raw gaming performance, a board with Hall Effect magnetic switches will outperform a mechanical board like the K65 — you can find plenty for similar money or less. The Keychron K2 HE ($130), for example, has quad actuation points (allowing a single keystroke to input different commands based on depth of press), and more pro-tier features. The NuPhy Field75 HE ($169) even offers 8,000Hz polling for competitive players.

For Americans only

If you’re in the U.S., you can buy the Corsair K65 Plus directly from the Apple Store. But if you’re in the U.K. or any other part of the world, unfortunately, the Mac-only edition isn’t available to buy online. You can, however, get the standard version for £149. That does mean that my British or Aussie comrades will be stuck with the stock Windows keycaps and miss out on the gorgeous Mac-only colorways.

Keycaps get shiny

Unlike the original Corsair K65 Plus which features PBT keycaps, the Mac variant uses ABS keycaps instead, which tend to get shiny with use. After just an hour of using the keyboard, I could clearly see oil from my fingerprints. I could even see the remnants after wiping the keycaps. We’ve seen cheaper keyboards — like the Keychron V1 ($94) and the Lemokey P1 Pro — use PBT keycaps, so it’s a shame that spending $179 on the K65 Plus doesn’t get you more premium material.

Limited customization

iCue on macOS is your one-stop shop for personalizing the Corsair K65 Plus (Mac). The software is easy to use, but there are limited customization options, especially when compared to the fantastic companion apps available with the competition. RGB lighting is limited to blue or yellow, for instance. On the other hand, the Keychron/Lemokey Launcher used by all Keychron/Lemokey keyboards gives you way more control over RGB lighting. Likewise, the Wootility app used by the Wooting 80HE ($199) and Wooting 60HE+ ($174) is way ahead of iCue.

Also, the K65’s rotary dial is a little finicky. It has five settings (volume, keyboard brightness, vertical or horizontal scrolling, and zoom) but as Tom’s Guide’s Tony Polanco also noted in the original review, “it would have been cool to set macros on the dial; five options just feel very limited.” It’s a shame that Corsair hasn’t introduced new functions with the new model either.

Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) review: Verdict

The Corsair K65 Plus (Mac) is a decent mechanical keyboard and for people who type for a living and play games in their downtime, it could be an asset. Corsair has retained the original K65 Plus’ minimalistic design and introduced two new colorways. The keyboard looks great and performs just as well, thanks to its responsive hot-swappable switches that are excellent for both typing and gaming.

But I can’t say it’s the best mechanical keyboard I’ve tested. It’s a little pricey and is available in the U.S. only, but it has a couple of performance issues too. The iCue software doesn’t give you much control over customization, and the K65 Plus is fitted with ABS keycaps which tend to get shiny over time. At the end of the day, there are better options out there that won’t burn a hole in your pocket.

Corsair’s K70 series has seen many of the best gaming keyboards come and go. The Corsair K70 Pro TKL is arguably the company’s most feature-rich keyboard yet, bringing the magnetic switches from the Corsair K70 Max to a smaller chassis.

Along the way, the K70 Pro TKL has improved upon many aspects that made the previous K70 Max great. Improved on-board configuration alongside a handy volume knob in place of the old wheel are welcome changes. I found it easier than ever to give my performance a boost using the Game Mode button, which tunes up your keyboard to be ready for the most intense competitive games.

Some things prevent the K70 Pro TKL from dominating the competition, though. An atrocious typing sound betrays the otherwise great typing experience, and recent, more affordable Hall Effect keyboards might tempt you away from Corsair. However, it doesn’t stop the K70 Pro TKL from being an easy recommendation for less than $200.

Read on for my full Corsair K70 Pro TKL review.

Corsair K70 Pro TKL review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A Hall Effect magnetic gaming keyboard in a TKL (tenkeyless) layout
• Who is it for? Folks seeking configurable switches to up their game, in a moderately compact board
• What does it cost? The Corsair K70 Pro costs $179 at Amazon
• What do we like? Excellent Hall Effect switches, a useful “Game Mode”, plus Rapid Trigger, ‘Flash Tap’ and Dual Actuation
• What don’t we like? Below-average sound damping and comparatively steep price

Corsair K70 Pro TKL review: Specs

Corsair K70 Pro TKL review: The ups

Alongside its magnetic switches, the K70 Pro TKL comes with an array of gaming features, plus plenty of onboard and software customization options to help you make the most of them. There’s easily enough here to give you an edge over the competition.

Design

The K70 Pro TKL features a mixed plastic and aluminum shell, akin to a keyboard like the magnetic MelGeek Cyber01 ($149) — minus the divisive theming, of course. The K70 Pro TKL has a sleek black and gray color scheme that helps it fit in with any setup or even the office.

The aluminum elements lend a durable and sturdy feel, and I really like the way the plastic and aluminum converge with an angled edge. The keyboard is also relatively low profile — not exactly a major selling point for a keyboard intended to stay rooted to your desk, but it certainly contributes to the sleek look and means you don’t have to stretch your fingers over any raised edges.

The volume wheel looks and feels excellent to use. It’s clicky and satisfying to twist, and I found myself making much more use of it than volume wheels on other boards, even on premium metal rivals like the Keychron Q1 HE ($219).

Unfortunately, the case’s decent build quality doesn’t help improve the keyboard’s sound — more on that later.

Switches

The K70 Pro TKL uses Hall Effect switches, a technology that utilizes magnets to actuate (in other words, register the keypress) rather than a traditional switch mechanism. The result is a switch with no fixed actuation point, allowing you to adjust the specific point at which keys register.

This opens up a wealth of opportunities. Switches support down to just 0.1mm actuation for rapid keystrokes, plus dual actuation points allow you to have two inputs mapped to the same key. The most useful application is mapping Shift to a full press of W, allowing you to change your character’s speed based on how hard you press the key.

A side effect is that keypresses are smoother than you might expect from a mechanical keyboard, with less resistance than a typical switch. They are also limited to linear switches only, so if you prefer tactile switches, you’ll need to go with a board like the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% ($299).

Gaming features

The switches enable the K70 Pro TKL to have some of the best gaming features available, helping the board compete with other elite gaming boards. Corsair is a little late to the ‘Snap Tap’ party, with keyboards like the Razer Huntsman V3 and Wooting 60HE+ ($175) supporting the feature since earlier this year. However, Corsair’s implementation of the feature (named Flash Tap) on the K70 Pro TKL is still as good as it gets.

Flash Tap is a form of “Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions” (SOCD) resolution, with this particular resolution prioritizing the most recent key pressed when two keys are held simultaneously. For FPS gamers specifically, this will allow for smoother left-right movement, as you don’t have to fully release the left key to move right and vice versa. You’ll also find this feature on the Keychron K2 HE ($130) and Q1 HE ($239), plus the NuPhy Field75 HE ($169) and Air60 HE ($139).

Pressing FN + Right Shift will activate the feature, which highlights the A and D keys. A minor annoyance is that with Flash Tap activated, the lighting profile switches to one that only highlights these two keys. But if you’re focused on the game, this likely won’t affect you.

Valve has recently banned Flash Tap and other forms of SOCD as part of its crackdown on automation and third-party scripts. Using it in-game will get you kicked, and possibly risk your account — avoid using these features in Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) lobbies.

Along with Rapid Trigger, which allows for faster button presses thanks to instant switch resets, the K70 Pro TKL can help give your performance a big boost. I can hold angles in Valorant much better than with competing keyboards, and my movements are highly responsive.

Simply being able to adjust the actuation of keys reaps rewards, too. I cranked the actuation distance down to just 0.4mm to improve responsiveness, achieving sensitivity that outperformed any non-magnetic gaming keyboard I have used, like the Cherry MX 3.1 ($119).

Game Mode

Gaming keyboard manufacturers tend to oversell their “Game Modes’” as game-changing features. In reality, these modes often do little besides disabling the Windows key or altering the lighting.

On the K70 Pro, however, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the usefulness of Game Mode. Hitting the translucent plastic Game Mode button switches the board to a tournament-ready configuration, disabling active lighting effects, boosting the polling rate to 8,000Hz, and enabling Rapid Trigger for all keys. From the start of 2025, Corsair is also implementing a toggle for Flash Tap, which allows you to activate SOCD on the A and D keys using the same button.

It’s by far the most powerful game mode switch I have ever come across. It should be of particular use in giving you a performance boost without having to trawl through the companion app, which isn’t the most user-friendly one I have used. With that being said, you won’t notice a difference between 8,000Hz and the default 1,000Hz polling rate — I wouldn’t buy this keyboard just to have a bigger number here.

Typing performance

Though it’s primarily a gaming keyboard, the K70 Pro is excellent for typing. I achieved above my average typing speed and accuracy, with the shape of the keys allowing my fingers to quickly and easily type with few mistakes. The Cherry key profile also helps give my typing a great boost.

The adjustable actuation on the magnetic switches also provides a boost to my speed. Setting the actuation to a low 0.4mm allows me to press keys while my hand glides over the board, giving me a speed boost. If you’re typing a lot with the board, though, it may be handy to lengthen the actuation of keys to avoid accidental inputs.

Console compatibility

I don’t often comment on console compatibility, as most Windows keyboards work fine when you plug them into a current or last gen Xbox. With that said, I appreciate that the K70 Pro TKL offers a dedicated console mode switch, allowing you to toggle support for the PS4 and PS5.

Plugging in your keyboard and holding down the FN and Windows keys is all that is required, and you can take advantage of the excellent typing performance and the Hall Effect switches, which work as well for gaming on a console as they do on a PC.

Corsair K70 Pro TKL review: The downs

The main problems of the K70 Pro TKL are the below-standard sound and issues with the iCUE software, which interferes with the board’s configurable features. It isn’t the cheapest keyboard either, with some recent Hall Effect offerings from other manufacturers offering much more bang for your buck.

Sound

The K70 Pro TKL’s two layers of sound damping are not enough to stop it from rattling away when you type, causing a lot of unpleasant noise. The sound itself is a distinctly high-pitched, metallic sound, which becomes cacophonous when typing with speed. It’s loud enough to be very noticeable even when wearing headphones, and a distraction when using it for work or type-heavy games.

This may be due to the low-quality ABS keycaps, but the levels of sound dampening don't compare well even to cheaper boards, such as the budget Redragon K686 Pro SE ($74).

Companion app

Corsair’s iCUE software has always been frustratingly inferior to other companion apps. It reminds me of a more cumbersome version of ‘“GG’’ on SteelSeries’ Apex Pro ($199). The iCUE UI is utilitarian, but still somehow manages to be tricky to navigate and clunky to use.

Adjusting per-key actuation is particularly frustrating, with the highlighting system proving really inconsistent while making it difficult to tell which keys are using which profile. By contrast, this is something Razer has perfected with its Synapse app, which shows the individual actuation distances of keys to avoid confusion. I loved using Synapse when testing the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% ($299).

More broadly, iCUE can be a little buggy. I frequently found that updates failed, and sometimes the app would disappear from my Windows search bar when I wanted to configure my keyboard. Reinstalling fixed this issue, but I experienced this across multiple devices in my testing.

Thankfully, the K70 Pro TKL offers onboard customization for most of the straightforward features, with the option to adjust actuation in increments of 0.2 using the FN and function keys. 8MB of onboard memory allows you to store 50 profiles to switch between without needing to install the app, or you can simply set these profiles up once in the software and then bid iCUE farewell.

ABS Keycaps

Brits, beware: the review model I received uses the U.K. ISO format, which is only available with ABS keycaps. You will need to give up your large ISO Enter key for premium double-shot PBT keycaps, which are only available with the ANSI layout at the time of writing. The ANSI layout can also be purchased with the ABS keycaps at a reduced price, but I would not recommend doing so.

The ABS keycaps feel terrible to use, with almost sticky-feeling keycaps that show fingerprints and marks in a borderline forensic level of detail. They let down the otherwise clean look of the case and make using the keyboard much less enjoyable.

Value

A year or two ago, $179 would have been a very competitive price for a Hall Effect keyboard, especially one that incorporates an aluminum top plate. Nowadays, this is a little underwhelming.

You can pick up our favorite gaming keyboard, the Keychron K2 HE, for just $130, or the special edition with wood panels for just $140. The K2 HE is also a custom board at heart and offers deeper customization options than the K70 Pro TKL, which is not hot-swappable and doesn’t allow for any real hardware customization.

Despite costing slightly more, the SteelSeries Apex Pro ($199) provides an OLED screen on top of superior build quality, which makes it a tempting choice if you can spare an extra $20 or so.

In fairness, Corsair has lowered the price of its magnetic boards, with the K70 Pro TKL costing $60 less than the Corsair K70 Max while making some choice improvements such as replacing the volume wheel with a bindable knob.

Indeed, the K70 Pro TKL’s $179 price brings it close to most other Hall Effect boards on the market, but not close enough to be a straightforward recommendation as you’ll get better value from the competitors described above.

Corsair K70 Pro TKL review: Verdict

Offering a fantastic array of features and surprisingly good productivity performance, there’s a lot to enjoy from the Corsair K70 Pro TKL. It inherits many of the charms and quirks of the K70 Max, providing a comprehensive gaming experience with only a sprinkling of issues.

Fans of Hall Effect keyboards, or gaming keyboard enthusiasts, will know that you can do better in price and overall quality thanks to newcomers on the Hall Effect scene — notably, Keychron’s recent foray with the K2 HE. You’ll definitely want to avoid the ABS keycap version of the K70 Pro TKL, too.

Fortunately, I can look past many of the K70 Pro TKL’s shortcomings thanks to its excellent performance and the amazing onboard controls, which are more than enough to boost your in-game performance. The K70 Pro TKL’s name is accurate, as all its features make you feel like a pro.

The Corsair Vengeance i7500 ($2,500 to start) is a big, flashy gaming PC with an equally big price tag, but if you can afford it you get killer performance and a great-looking machine.

If you're not familiar, Vengeance is the branding for Corsair’s line of high-end gaming PCs. It has a good reputation, and we awarded the Corsair Vengeance i7200 our Editor’s Choice award a few years ago for providing fierce gaming performance at a reasonable price.

The new Corsair Vengeance i7500 delivers even better performance because it's packing the latest and greatest gaming components. While this gaming desktop is by no means cheap, that’s par for the course with premium gaming PCs, which typically cost thousands but run games better than any gaming console.

In this Corsair Vengeance i7500 review I'll walk you through the highs and lows of this premium PC and show you why I think it's one of the best gaming PCs on the market.

Corsair Vengeance i7500 review: Price & availability

The Corsair Vengeance i7500 is available for purchase from Corsair's website and the cheapest configuration starts at $2,599, though at time of publication it's discounted down to $2,099. 

Of course, that won't get you the rig we review in this article because Corsair offers the Vengeance i7500 in multiple configurations with some customization options, mainly in different CPU and GP, but even the cheapest build comes with the latest Intel 14th Gen CPUs and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4000 series GPUs. The 4000D mid-tower case stays the same between the two iterations.

The sample PC Corsair sent us for review represents the top of the 7500 series, with a liquid-cooled i9-14900K CPU and Gigabyte RTX 4090 GPU. System storage is a 2TB MP600 Core XT NVMe drive and 64 GB of DDR5-6000 RAM is on tap. An MSI Pro Z790-P WiFi motherboard holds it all together. Powering the system is a 1000W RM1000e modular PSU. Corsair sets the MSRP for this configuration at $3,999, so keep that $4k price tag in mind as we review this premium gaming PC.

Corsair Vengeance i7500 review: Design

Our Corsair Vengeance i7500 review unit comes with the standard 4000D case, which has been around for some time now and proven itself a popular and capable chassis for DIY computer builders. An added Corsair “Vengeance” logo is printed on the top of the front intake panel, separating this case from a retail 4000D.  Though advertised as mid-tower, it’s still sizable and offers lots of space inside for mounting large cooling systems and maintaining excellent airflow.

The PSU mounts to the bottom with its own filtered air intake. A shroud covers the PSU area, masking it and its cables from view through the tempered glass side panel, while also shielding it from the warmer air coming off the GPU. Not that the main system components should get too hot with the cooling arrangement Corsair uses in the system.

Four 120mm RGB fans are mounted in the case, three intake fans up front and one for exhaust behind the motherboard. Cooling the CPU is an H100i Elite AIO. The H100i’s 240mm radiator is mounted to the top of the case, serving as another exhaust. Both top and front panels have magnetic-attached dust filters to help keep the case inside clean, which themselves are also quick and easy to clean.

Though you might think six fans would make for an obnoxiously loud computer, that’s not the case here. While six fans certainly can be loud, sharing the cooling duty among more fans allows each one to operate slower to achieve the same airflow rate. Lower fan speeds are the easiest way to reduce noise. Though the Vengeance draws 600W ( or more ) under heavy gaming load, the noise stays under 37 dBA when measured 1m away. It’s certainly audible, but as a low hum like a refrigerator or air conditioning.

Corsair has done a great job with cable management, neatly bundling everything behind the motherboard tray to minimize airflow obstructions. The RGB lighting between all six fans, the RAM modules and the CPU waterblock are synced. All combined, it gives a clean, refined look with a sprinkling of pizzazz.

Corsair Vengeance i7500 review: Ports & upgradability

Near the power button on the top front of the case are two USB ports (one type-C and one 3.0 type-A ) and a 4-pole 3.5mm headset jack. The rear I/O panel will vary according to exactly which motherboard is used. This review unit has one PS/2 port, four USB 2.0, one 5 Gbps USB, one 10 Gbps USB, and one 20 Gbps type-C USB port. A DisplayPort and HDMI are also available for integrated graphics, if for some reason you don’t use the video connectors on the discrete GPU. 

Networking options include a 2.5G Ethernet port and two antenna connectors for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The audio panel has six 3.5mm jacks and no S/PDIF connector.

If you want to expand the system yourself, two 3.5-inch bays are below the lower shroud in front of the PSU, and two 2.5”-inch mounts are on the back of the motherboard tray. The massive RTX 4090 dominates most of the expansion card area, limiting any additional cards to the single bottom slot. Two additional card brackets are above the normal card slots, rotated 90°, and allow various break-out adapters and connectors.

Corsair Vengeance i7500 review: Gaming performance

Top-level components should equal top-tier performance, and the i7500 is unsurprising in this regard. As no one uses a $4000 computer for simple 1080p gaming, we’ll focus on the 4K benchmarks. The combination of i9-14900K and RTX 4090 GPU yields twice the framerates as the older i7200 in some titles, making the older RTX 3080 seem paltry by comparison.

The more interesting comparison will come from the Origin Chronos and Alienware Aurora R15 which both use the i9-13900K CPU ( the Aurora uses the KF version which only disables the integrated GPU ). This is the previous-gen version of the 14900K used in the Vengeance i7500, but the Chronos has an RTX 4080 while the Aurora sports the same RTX 4090 powering the Vengeance.

Moving to more demanding titles reveals the differences in the Aurora R15 and Vengeance i7500 in terms of bottlenecking and balancing system components.  The Far Cry 6 results at 1080p show the Aurora with a tiny lead over the Chronos despite the Aurora having a much stronger GPU.  This is because lower resolutions don’t stress the GPU much, so framerate is instead limited by CPU and other sub-systems.  At 4K resolutions, the 4090 gets to flex its muscle and the Aurora plays the game 20 fps faster than the 4080

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Shadow of the Tomb Raider show an almost linear progression between the 3080, 4080, and 4090 GPUs. The i7200 and its 3080 was just shy of 60 fps in these games at 55 fps and 59 fps, respectively. The 4080 in the Chronos was able to churn out 91 fps and 88 fps.  The Aurora R15 and Vengeance i7500 tie in AC: Valhalla at 116/117 fps while SotTR shoots up to 131 fps on the Vengeance. While the Chronos maintains around 90 fps in games like Borderlands 3, Far Cry 6, and Metro: Exodus Enhanced Edition on High detail, the i7500 takes them all comfortably above 120 fps.

In contrast, the i7500 shows a decided lead at both 1080p and 4K resolutions in Far Cry 6.  As FC6 leans heavily on a PC’s CPU, especially single-core speed and efficiency, it rewards the slightly higher clockrate of the 14900K over the 13900K. Similar behavior is seen in Grand Theft Auto V.  At 1080p, the Chronos, Aurora, and i7500 are all capped around 185 fps. Moving to 4K, the Chronos manages framerates in the mid 50s while the more powerful Aurora is nearly 30 fps faster. However, the i7500 is still the fastest by a handful of frames per second.

Corsair Vengeance i7500 review: Overall performance

The i9-14900K at the heart of the i7500 is a beast of a chip with eight Hyper-Threaded performance cores that can boost up to 6.0 GHz ( 5.8 GHz with multiple cores ) and 16 efficiency cores at 4.4 GHz. These 32 execution threads, fueled by 64 GB of system RAM and a PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe drive, can process data and productivity tasks as easily as it can game.

Multicore Geekbench 6.2 scored an impressive 21823. The HDXPRT benchmark, meant to test photo and video editing, scored 165. This is a big improvement over the i7200 score of 124, though only slightly edges out the Chronos at 163.

The i7500 ran the Handbrake video conversion test in 2:10, which is five seconds slower than the Chronos. It might seem odd that a newer CPU performs slower than its older version, but the Chronos also has a larger CPU cooler.  Using a 360mm radiator instead of 240mm means the CPU stays cooler during heavy multi-threaded work, allowing the cores to sustain higher boost frequencies.  Tasks that don’t utilize as many cores, like games, don’t generate as much heat, so thermal throttling isn’t an issue there.

In storage, the i7500 system drive transferred our 25 GB test file in 15.1 seconds at 1,774.47 MBps, much faster than the Aurora at 1,340 MBps. The Chronos was a touch faster at 1809.55 MBps, but this is almost insignificant and not something you’d notice in real-world use.  However, the Vengeance does suffer a storage problem of another type as it is only offered with a single storage drive.  With many modern games above 100 GB, some even reaching 200 GB with mods and updates, a 2 TB system drive doesn’t go as far as it once did.  An option for a secondary large capacity spindle drive would be appreciated.  Rather than deleting and re-downloading/re-installing games as you rotate through your library, you could instead offload them to the spindle drive.  Alternatively, somewhat older games that don’t benefit from faster storage could simply live on the spindle drive rather than take up precious flash-based storage.

Corsair Vengeance i7500 review: Software

Like the i7200 before, Corsair keeps extra software to a minimum. Corsair’s iCUE application is still here to manage the lighting profiles and synch colors between the multiple lighting components within the tower. 

It can also be used to monitor system status, clock speeds, temperatures, and other more.

Corsair Vengeance i7500 review: Verdict

The $4,000 price tag on our Corsair Vengeance i7500 review unit will seem outrageous to some. Even the $2,500 for the lower configured models isn’t affordable to many. However, “value” tends to be calculated differently when talking high-end gaming PCs. 

It’s not so much a matter of expecting 10% better performance for 10% more money, but about targeting a given performance threshold and paying what’s necessary to reach it. If the goal is to reach 60 fps at 4K in current gaming titles using medium details, then this machine is overkill for most people. But if you want ultra detail or 120 fps, then $2,500 is close to bare minimum. And if you want a system that can do that for current games and for the next year or two, you’ll have to shell out a sizeable wad of cash.

Aside from being able to deliver the sheer frames per second required, the Vengeance includes some intangibles with that high price. While it’s an incredibly powerful system, it’s also remarkably well-behaved. Excess noise is not an issue. It’s barely noticeable from the next room, so you don’t need to worry about it waking up your kids, or explaining to your spouse or roommate why a jet turbine is spooling up. The system looks dignified, with a touch of flair should you want the RGB lighting active. When the time comes for some upgrades or a system rebuild, the case and power supply offer plenty of room and capacity.

The drawback to the Vengeance compared to something like the Chronos is customization. Corsair limits which component configurations are available, e.g. the RTX 4090 is only available with the i9-14900K, and you can’t get 64 GB RAM with an i5 or i7 CPU. Also, no secondary storage drive is offered with any configuration.

These are relatively small complaints. Someone looking for an out-of-box gaming system that can easily handle all modern games at 4K resolutions should have the Vengeance on their short list. Perhaps the greatest feature of the Vengeance is end-user confidence. It’s easy for a manufacturer to use a few premium components – like the CPU and GPU – then skimp on the not so obvious parts, like a poorly accessible case, RAM with loose timings, or a power supply that can barely handle the electrical draw of all those power-hungry components. 

A Vengeance isn’t cheap. But what you get for the high price of entry is not just the power to play your favorite games extremely well, but the comfort of knowing you don't need to worry about cut corners or lack of creature comforts.

Wireless gaming headsets at $99 are about as common as witty introductory paragraph puns. Given how crowded the segment is, it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd. 

With the HS55 Wireless headset, Corsair’s recipe is to keep things simple: remove the cable from the previous HS55 wired headset and add wireless connectivity instead. Corsair sets the MSRP at $99.99 and offers the headset in black and white with gray accents.

Corsair HS55 Wireless: Design

The new HS55 Wireless uses the exact same body as the wired HS55. It’s a mostly plastic frame with a steel strap inside the headband for added durability. The earcups attach to the headband using hinged forks so the cups can pivot up and down to better match your head shape. 

The padding on the ear cups and the underside of the headband use a firm memory foam covered in a reasonably soft synthetic leather. Control buttons and dials are on the backside of each ear cup and a retractable, but not removable, mic boom is on the left. The earcups can rotate 90° one way where they attach to the band, allowing you to fold them pad-side-down if you want to hang them from your neck (or lay them on a desk, whichever orientation you choose).

This is par for the course on $100 gaming headsets. Nothing stands out, but nothing is truly lacking either. The HS55 has no lighting, RGB or otherwise, apart from a blinking status light on the power button that shows estimated battery life. Corsair’s name is printed across the top of the headband and the model number on the back of the left earcup, leaving the branding rather understated. 

The only style element is a chrome Corsair logo on the side of each ear cup. That said, one can certainly appreciate the less-is-more approach, perhaps even go so far as to compliment Corsair on their restraint. Adding lights and flair may look nice to some, but it drives up costs. The HS55 may look plain, but it certainly doesn’t look bad.

Corsair HS55 Wireless: Audio quality

When used without the iCUE software (on a PlayStation or using the default OS driver on a computer) the audio could be described as a little thin, more notably at the bass end. It’s apparent in the intro of Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” as the synthesizer lacks its usual fullness as the effect sweeps to the lower frequencies. 

Unless you’re an audiophile (in which case, why are you using a budget gaming headset?) regularly listening to music on your console, this really isn’t an issue. Games have their own audio processing and it isn’t noticeable there.

The iCUE software adds some processing on the low end, even if using the default flat EQ, presumably to make up for the inherent lack of bass with only 50mm drivers. The processing results in a fairly neutral quality, like that of a smaller wide-range speaker rather than the unmistakably artificial bass levels of many headphones. Though this means the flat curve isn’t truly flat, it should be inoffensive to most people.

The HS55 is not a reference-grade headset and it doesn’t claim to be. Like most similar headsets, audio fidelity can be described as adequate, but not stellar. If you don’t like the sound balance, you can change the EQ in iCUE to suit your preferences.

Corsair HS55 Wireless: Technical features

The HS55 connects over 2.4 GHz using a wireless USB dongle and Bluetooth. It can also use both connections at the same time, but doing so limits Bluetooth to phone calls only. You can’t have game/chat audio over the wireless USB connection while also listening to music or media over Bluetooth. 

The Bluetooth profiles support AAC streaming, but no other HD audio protocols like apt-X or LDAC. There’s also no option for wired audio of any kind. Corsair didn’t just remove the fixed audio cable, they didn’t leave a 3.5mm jack in its place. The USB-C port on the left earcup is for charging only; the HS55 can’t operate as a wired USB headset. However you can use the normal wireless modes while charging it. Included in the box is a 2m braided cable with keeper strap.

The headphone drivers are 50mm neodymium, as expected at this price point. The mic boom rotates up and down and will automatically mute itself in the up position. The entire boom is flexible, but quite stiff, allowing you to position it as close or far away from your mouth as you like. 

However this also means the mic stays curved when you rotate it up. Depending on your head size and shape, and how far you need to bend the boom, this can leave the mic in your peripheral vision or tapping your forehead in the up position. A secondary lateral hinge or dedicated flex point would allow you to completely fold the mic away and quickly reposition it if needed.

The control buttons are easy to reach and press. The interface is simple with only two controls per side. The right ear cup houses one button for power and another for Bluetooth and related commands, like play/pause and next track. Volume controls are on the left. 

The volume dial spins infinitely with detent clicks and also serves as a button to cycle through the EQ presets. The headset has four built-in presets for when you’re not using the iCUE companion software, such as on a PlayStation or over Bluetooth. With the iCUE software, you can add and customize more presets, but more on that later. Above the dial is a mic mute button. As the mic already mutes itself when rotated up, this seems unnecessary.

The HS55 can be used as-is (at least Windows will recognize the headset and install the minimum drivers), but to use the more advanced features you need to use Corsair’s iCUE utility. Within iCUE you can customize the EQ curves, update the headset firmware, and enable virtual surround audio.

Corsair HS55 Wireless: Ergonomics, performance & battery life

The box advertises the HS55 as “lightweight” at 266g (my scale shows it closer to 275g). That’s about 100g less than some of the beefier headsets available, but still 100g heavier than some of the truly light models. In terms of actual comfort, that’s always subjective to your particular head size and shape. I found the HS55 to be very comfortable, even for long periods of time, and while wearing glasses. Using it for a normal 8-hour workday or extended gaming session should be no problem, either for your ears or the headset’s battery.

During testing, the HS55 demonstrated excellent range and signal stability over wireless USB. Whether right next to the computer, on the opposite side of the TV room from the PS5, or even a few rooms over, I had no drops in audio connection or skips in the audio. 

The manual recommends using the USB dongle on a front-facing port rather than a rear connection where metal panels in the computer case or console chassis can disrupt the radio signal. But again, using a rear port had no detrimental effect on performance.

Bluetooth connection stability is unremarkable. Going into an adjacent room is usually not a problem. Putting multiple walls between the headset and the source can result in spottiness, especially if you’re on the other side of the refrigerator or turn your head so the radio receiver is on the far side of your noggin.

Corsair claims the battery can last up to 24 hours. That “up to” is the key part. Normal use in my testing was closer to 16 -20 hours. That still amounts to a few days’ worth of use between charging, which isn’t shabby, but not the top of our charts either.

Corsair HS55 Wireless: Verdict

While testing the Corsair HS55 Wireless headset, the most common idea or phrase that kept going through my head is “adequate.” It’s comfortable, but not so much you forget it’s there. 

The sound quality is good enough, but not great. The USB dongle works on computers and PlayStation, but not a Switch dock. It has Bluetooth so you can use it with a phone or tablet – or leave the USB in your PlayStation and just use Bluetooth with your computer – but it can’t mix audio from the two, letting you listen to music or a movie while playing a game. 

The one notable feature is its excellent range and connection stability over USB. While that’s nothing to ignore, I doubt many people will be swayed by a headset just because they can still hear the pause menu music in their game when they get up to get a drink in the kitchen. The lack of any kind of wired mode, even over wired USB, also limits its flexibility. 

The HS55 Wireless really doesn’t do anything to differentiate itself from the crowd of other sub-$100 wireless headsets out there. It’s not a bad headset by any means. It’s reasonably priced for what it does, and were you to get one, it would likely serve well. It’s just not a standout value or bargain. If Corsair cut out Bluetooth altogether and dropped the price $20, it would be a more attractive “gaming-only” headset.

Noise pollution can be a major headache in the world of desktop PCs. Without the right fans for your case or a decent CPU cooler, not only will your rig get way too toasty, the noise it can start to generate will make you think a 747 is taking off beneath your desk. 

It was a few years ago after suffering an ear-assaulting experience with The Last of Us 2 on my ageing PS4 Pro that I started to get serious about reducing the fan noise of my gaming devices, where possible. 

There was obviously nothing I could do about my poor old PlayStation, a machine that had become so obnoxiously loud, I genuinely struggled to make out a lot of the dialogue in Naughty Dog’s masterful sequel. Yet I could address the noise issues I was having with my home-built gaming PC. 

Step one in giving my battered eardrums a bit of peace was dumping my PC case for an all new Corsair setup. The next step was to install Corsair’s brilliant iCUE app, but I’ll circle back to that shortly. 

I’ve owned the Corsair 5000X Mid-Tower ATX for a couple of years at this point, and I can safely say it’s my favorite PC case I’ve ever bought. Monstrous in size yet graced with minimalist stylings, it boasts fantastic airflow thanks to its plethora of fans and sheer roominess. It’s also got some fantastic cable-concealing features, which I massively appreciate.

Measuring in at 20.5 x 9.6 x 20.5 inches, it’s an utter goliath. As much as I’d love to cart it through to my living room to connect it with my 77-inch LG C2 OLED TV, I value my spine too much to take on such a back-ruining experiment.  

Par of the Corsair

The absurd size of the Corsair 5000X is actually great from a cooling standpoint, as it has allowed me to stuff an additional couple of fans into the mighty case. By default, the 5000X comes with a trio of fans at the back and one at the rear. Yet after installing the Corsair iCUE H150i Elite Capellix Liquid CPU Cooler, I’ve upped my setup to nine fans. 

How do I stop these armada of spinning blades turning my ear canals into mush? Re-enter Corsair’s iCUE software. Not only does this handy app let me control the many, many RGB lights housed in my 5000X — yes, I am the worst kind of walking cliché — it allows me to control the speed of my fans and the temperature of my Intel Core i5 12600K CPU. 

Keeping my i5 reasonably cool is important to me, as consistently running a CPU at temps of 80°C and above can cause long term damage to a processor. iCUE lets me monitor the precise temps my CPU is hitting, and in normal usage when I’m juggling between productivity tasks for work, my 12600K usually hovers around 55-60°C. 

For more demanding tasks, like playing Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K resolution with full path tracing enabled, I've seen my Intel CPU hit a high of 74°C. That’s on the toasty side no doubt, but for most of my time wandering the seedy streets of Night City, my processor generally stays in the mid-60s range heat-wise. 

Silence is golden

The really great aspect of the iCUE app from the perspective of my poor little ears is that I can also set the speed of every single fan in my case. Corsair’s intuitive software lets me choose four presets for all of my fans — Quiet, Balanced, Extreme and Zero RPM. 

It’s the latter setting that’s my default for heavy gaming sessions, because when my PC is set to this preset, it barely makes a peep, even during the most demanding and best PC games. 

Currently, my fans fluctuate between 300-500 RPM in my go-to iCUE fan settings, and the results leave me with a powerful gaming PC that is every bit as quiet as my near inaudible PS5. Of course, if you want to be a little more cautious when it comes to CPU temps, the Balanced preset might be more your jam. 

Yet for me, letting my fans run in their quietest mode has made both gaming and daily work tasks so much more pleasurable. 

Corsair’s iCUE app has been kind to my oh so sensitive ears down the years. What’s left of my hearing is eternally grateful to this noise-dampening software. 

More from Tom's Guide

• The best gaming PCs you can buy today
• I just spent a week with a $120 laptop — and the results amazed me
• I just played one of the most powerful gaming PCs on earth — and it’s glorious overkill

Update: Walmart has a 30TB SSD for $39 — don’t fall for this scam.

The PS5 (at least the $500 disc version) ships with only a measly 825GB of memory, and only 667GB of which is actually usable. Considering games such as Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection clocks in at 67GB, a small library of games can quickly eat up storage. 

But PS5 architect Mark Cerny was adamant that when developing the console, he wanted Sony to push the boundaries of memory transfer speeds. This meant using very fast on-board memory, which exceeded the specs of modern high-end gaming PCs. (His in-depth talk to developers is worth a watch for those curious into what goes into console planning and development.) Cerny felt that current drives were still too slow and holding game development back. As a game developer himself, he wanted the PS5 to change things. 

Annoyances aside, Cerny was right. The PS5 drive, as small as it is, does change how games can be made. Look at Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. Not only is this game devoid of loading screens, but Ratchet can literally jump from world to world with minimal-to-zero load time. This type of game would have been impossible in the past. 

For example, the PS4 drive has a read speed of 100 MB/s. The PS5 drive speeds past that, spec'd at 5,500 MBps. That means the PS5 can load in one second what the PS4 would take 55 seconds to load. 

Often, game developers have to hide level loading by having the player slowly inch through a crawl space or throw in a cut-scene to allow the next area to render in the background. We saw this with last year's Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, which released on both PS4 and PS5. Clearly, if the game had been made for modern consoles only, some of these game development tropes could have been avoided. 

Upgrading my PS5's SSD

While the PS5 has an expansion bay slot that allows gamers to increase their storage, there were were no compatible drives on the market at the console's launch (or at least any that could meet the PS5's recommended minimum speed specifications). Slowly, throughout 2021, some Gen 4 NVMe SSDs did trickle out into the market such as the WD_Black SN850, a drive that Cerny himself recommended on Twitter. But, due to component shortages, the cost of these drives remained, and still remain, expensive.

Corsair sent us over a 2TB version of its new MP600 PRO LPX M.2 SSD for testing purposes. This unit is also available at Amazon and Best Buy for $309 at the time of publishing.

Now, we're not recommending anyone go out and drop more than half the cost of a PS5 for a 2TB SSD. At over $300, it's still too expensive to be worth the cost. Corsair does have a 500GB ($99) and a 1TB ($159) versions, with the latter looking to be the best value of the bunch. Big spenders will notice a massive 4TB version available at Amazon for $749 that is likely meant more for PC users that need tremendous amounts of storage. 

Installing the Corsair MP600 PRO LPX was easy (check out our how to upgrade PS5 internal storage piece to learn more). Once I installed it, the PS5 quickly recognized the SSD and immediately, the additional 2TB of storage was available. The PS5 found the drive to have a read speed of 5562.342 MB/s, which fulfills Sony's minimum requirement of 5,500MB/s. It also has the heatsink pre-attached, which Sony says is needed for "effective heat dissipation." (Some SSDs on the market don't come with a heatsink — YouTube channel Spawn Wave revealed how hot the PS5 SSD with a heatsink, we can't imagine how bad it'll be without one.)

How my PS5 performed with this Corsair SSD

One thing I appreciate about the MP600 PRO LPX is that it's actually 2TB of storage. It's actually 2.01 to be exact. It's a departure from other SSDs I've used when building computers in the past, where 1TB was really 970 GBs. 

Either way, offloading past-played titles like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and PS4 staples such as Street Fighter V was a breeze. I always felt a bit of storage anxiety in the past, trying to juggle PS4 and PS5 games on the limited drive space. But now, I feel there's room for my PlayStation library to breathe. I can now keep a robust collection of titles with little fear of having to delete and re-download later. 

As for the actual speed and performance, I can say that Corsair's SSD holds up. When moving the 33.71GB file for Rift Apart from internet PS5 storage over to Corsair's SSD, the PS5 was able to accomplish the task in 29.42 seconds. Assassin's Creed Valhalla, which clocks in at a massive 66.47GB, was able to transfer to the SSD in 53.93 seconds.

Clearly, both the internal PS5 SSD and Corsair's SSD are communicating well. Strangely, when transferring Valhalla from Corsair's SSD back to the internal PS5 storage, the transfer took much longer at 4:56.70 minutes. 

Rift Apart is a great test of the PS5's memory speed capabilities. When jumping between worlds, there was nary a stutter. It seems, at least from this initial test, that Corsair's SSD does hold up. Miles Morales, while a PS4/PS5 title, also exhibited excellent loading times, moving me around Manhattan via subway in seconds. 

My PS5 SSD recommendation

Overall, for more hardcore PS5 gamers, I do recommend doing an SSD upgrade at some point. I do not recommend spending over $300 for a 2TB drive, though. As with all technology, prices will eventually fall. 

We're currently going through a period of component shortages and inflation. Hopefully, once this is all over, both 1TB and 2TB SSDs will drop in price considerably. I personally feel that around $100 per terabyte is the sweet spot. How soon we get there is dependent on factors way beyond our control. 

But once you upgrade your PS5 SSD, you'll probably be glad you did.

The Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165 represents the component and peripheral manufacturer’s first foray into gaming monitors—and it’s a creditable one. The 32-inch Xeneon is loaded with gamer-friendly features, such as a high (165 Hz) refresh rate, a low (1 ms) response time, and support for both AMD’s FreeSync and Nvidia’s G-Sync adaptive sync technologies. It offers wide-ranging extensibility with other Corsair products. And, perhaps most important, it also delivers sterling performance by any metric.

With a list price of $799.99, the Xeneon is on the expensive side; its HDR functionality is limited to support for VESA DisplayHDR 400; and if the gaming features don’t mean a lot to you, you’ll probably miss the lack of support for 4K resolution now and in the years to come. But the Xeneon does what it does well enough to make it one of the best gaming monitors you can buy.

Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165 review: Design

Though a lot depends on your personal room layout and desk configuration, for my money, 32 inches is currently the sweet spot for gaming monitors: big enough for comfortably watching full-screen video clearly viewing and reading Windows elements, but small enough that you can sit in front of it without feeling overwhelmed.

So the Xeneon, with its 28.8-by-23.9-inch screen, which has thin bezels and quarter-inch black bands around the top, left, and right sides, earns one point there. (The bezel at the bottom is a shade more than a half-inch, and houses little more than the Corsair logo in the center and the white power light on the right.) But if you use the included stand, the full monitor measures 12.4 inches in depth, with all but three of those inches in the back, so expect it to jut out from the wall quite a bit.

At least the stand is attractive: a two-piece number with an aluminum foot, triangular in shape and with rounded corners, that interlocks with the post to which the screen connects. The stand lets you raise or lower the screen about 4.3 inches, tilt it up from -5 degrees to 20 degrees, or swivel it 30 degrees in either direction.

The one negative about the stand involves the installation. On most monitors, the post clicks into the back of the monitor when you just press it into place; here, you need a Phillips screwdriver to secure it with four screws.

This undoubtedly results in a stronger connection, but it’s irritating as the post won’t just stay in place while you screw it in—you really need to hold it down (or get someone else to help). If you don’t want to use the stand at all, the 100-by-100-millimeter VESA mounting holes will let you place the monitor directly on the wall.

In addition to four integrated cable management clips on its back, the post also sports a mounting port at the top for connecting devices in the Elgato Multi-Mount family. (Elgato is owned by Corsair, so compatibility is ensured.) After removing the quarter-inch screw (again using a Phillips screwdriver), you can attach a camera adapter and one of two Elgato Flex Arms (neither of which is included) to hold supported devices and give you lots of control over adjusting their positions. You’re most likely to want to add a webcam for video calls, live streaming, or just general recording, but Elgato’s line also includes a number of lights, microphones, and other peripherals that will connect with minimal trouble.

Although you can access the ports on the back of the display from the front, especially if you raise the screen to its maximum height and tilt it forward, it’s easier to plug everything in from behind. The ports include headphones, two HDMI, one full-size DisplayPort, one USB Type-C–style DisplayPort, one USB Type-C input, two USB 3.1 Type-A outputs, and the jack for connecting the included 90-watt power brick. The Power button and the navigation control stick are on the right side of the rear panel, too.

Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165 review: Screen

Corsair has turned out an excellent-quality screen as far as brightness and color depth and reproduction. Although we didn’t quite reach Corsair’s stated peak SDR brightness of 400 in our tests, we got close. In four of its six presets, it achieved just shy of 360 nits of brightness at its center and averaged 303 nits across the whole screen; the Text preset was lower (288 nits) and the sRGB preset somewhat higher (320 nits). And with SDR content in most of the presets, it covered upwards of 194% of the sRGB color gamut and upwards of 138% of the DCI-P3 gamut. (The one exception was the sRGB preset, which covered 107% and 76%, respectively.) And the monitor’s Delta-E value, which measures the difference between the color at the source and the way it appears on the screen, ranged from a low of 0.2 (on the sRGB preset) to 0.3 (on the Game and Text presets), with lower values better—in any event, solid color accuracy across the board.

Compared with the admirable, albeit smaller and less expensive, Razer Raptor 27, the Xeneon displayed superior brightness and color in every case. (The Razer topped out at 162% of the sRGB color gamut and hit a maximum of 295 nits of brightness.)

Because the Xeneon only supports VESA DisplayHDR 400, which is essentially a subset within the HDR10 standard, you don’t get the same levels of HDR performance you would with a full HDR monitor. In our tests, the brightness improved to 382 nits in the screen’s center, which is a detectable but not huge improvement. If you activate HDR support in Windows, you will notice a bump in brightness and color vibrancy, but don’t expect an eye-popping change.

As mentioned, the screen’s resolution maxes out at 2,560x1,440 instead of the increasingly common 4K (3,840x2,160). This is not a huge problem, as 2,560x1,440 is a standard upper-mid-tier gaming resolution these days, and it’s even more common for larger monitors with high refresh rates, as big and speedy 4K monitors can run as much as $1,000 or more. The 32-inch size and those gaming features compensate for a lot, but if you don’t desperately need or want them, you may find a 4K monitor better suited to your needs and slightly more future-proof as that higher resolution becomes increasingly attainable on even midrange video cards.

Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165 review: Performance

The Xeneon proved a capable performer in a variety of titles spanning genres, thanks to its myriad features. The 165 Hz refresh rate kept action looking smooth, even during some of the frantic raids in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and on the crazy courses of DiRT 5, and the 1 ms response time meant I only crashed my Cessna in Microsoft Flight Simulator because of my own aerial incompetence and not because the monitor couldn’t keep up. I don’t love (and thus bother with) variable refresh rate technologies in most gaming scenarios, but it’s nice to have the monitor AMD FreeSync Premium Certified and Nvidia G-Sync compatible—just in case.

If there’s one big surprise with the OSD, it’s with the selection of presets. Whereas many gaming monitors have presets for different types of games (such as first-person shooters, RPGs, racing games, and so on), the Xeneon has only one generic Game preset, alongside the default Standard and those for other uses (Movie, Text, sRGB, and Creative). I have no problem with this, and you can change the presets’ settings (if not their names) to your heart’s content, but it does show that Corsair isn’t aiming the Xeneon exclusively at the typical gaming audience.

I found Movie and Game the most pleasing in the most scenarios, thanks to their increased brightness and contrast. The dimmer Standard and Text I liked less, though the latter, with its obviously muted colors and drastically lower brightness, is likely to make long stretches of reading more comfortable. (Not that you will probably spend most time with the Xeneon reading in any event.)

Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165 review: Interface

The Xeneon’s on-screen display (OSD) is simple to navigate with the control stick, and, contrary to what we see on many monitors, is well organized and not loaded down with tons of settings the average user is likely to not need. There are only six top-level menus, of which only one (Picture) has more than six settings, and one (Information) simply displays information and allows no interaction.

You’re not limited to the OSD and the control stick, however. The Xeneon links with Corsair’s iCUE software so, as with the company’s other peripherals such as mice and keyboards, you can control its features and change its settings from fully within the Windows application. If you have an Elgato Stream Deck keypad or a Corsair iCue Nexus Companion Touch Screen, you can also program their controls to modify selected monitor settings with a touch.

Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165 review: Verdict

The Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165 has almost everything you could ask for in a premium gaming monitor. A fine design, broad port selection, zippy response time, a speedy refresh rate, a streamlined OSD interface, and strong performance as far as both brightness and color are concerned. Although its HDR performance is limited, that won’t be a major loss with most content. The only major thing the Xeneon is missing is 4K support, though losing it is an acceptable trade-off for keeping the price down considering how much else you get.

That said, the Xeneon may not be right for everyone. The Razor Raptor 27 will save you some space on your desk and some money in your bank account, while delivering comparable (if marginally lesser) performance. If square footage is no option and you’re looking for something exceedingly boundary-pushing, the 49-inch curved Samsung Odyssey G9 is an inarguably dynamic and, costing just shy of $1,400, budget-busting choice. And the Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor AW2521H boasts a blistering 360 Hz refresh rate, if an even more questionable 1080p resolution.

But for a compromise choice with few compromises, something that fuses size with capability and a splashy array of features, the Corsair Xeneon 32QHD165 gets just about everything right.

The Corsair Vengeance i7200 is one of the best gaming PCs you can buy right now—but might not look it at first glance. Whereas many companies distinguish their desktops by pouring on the flash with ostentatious case designs, splashy paint jobs, and LED overload, Corsair has taken a more laid-back approach with a basic-black esthetic that makes efficient use of targeted splashes of color. As a result, this computer looks like it’s a lot more mature while also being something you won’t mind displaying to the world.

Despite its sedate exterior appearance, the Corsair Vengeance i7200 is nonetheless capable of delivering the kind of performance you want, and where you need it most, whether in entertainment or productivity applications. You don’t get any peripherals with your purchase, but the high-end components inside more than cushion that blow and ensure that you won’t have to worry about upgrading for years to come.

Topping off all this is aggressive pricing, which lets you customize a model for much less than you’d pay for comparable recent machines from other companies. Ours came in at considerably less than $3,000, which makes the Corsair Vengeance i7200 both a real winner and a real value. It gets even better with a Corsair coupon code too.

Corsair Vengeance i7200 review: Price and availability

Our review unit of the Corsair Vengeance i7200 was the lowest-end CS-9050007 model — which still isn’t especially low-end. This $2,799 machine comes equipped with a liquid-cooled 10-core Intel Core i9-10850K processor, an MSI motherboard using the Intel Z490 chipset, 32GB of Corsair’s own Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4-3200 RAM, a 750-watt Corsair RM750 power supply, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card, a 1TB NVMe solid-state drive for installing Windows and other applications, and a 2TB 7,200rpm hard drive for storing the rest of your files.

Upgrading to the $3,999 CS-9050004 model keeps many of the same components, but swaps in a bleeding-edge Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 graphics card and a 1,000-watt Corsair RM1000x power supply. The third and final step up is the $4,899 CS-9050001, which ups the RAM to 64GB and gives you two 2TB NVMe SSDs. You may also make additional adjustments to any of these configurations.

Corsair Vengeance i7200 review: Design

When turned off, the Corsair Vengeance i7200 looks like an old-school gaming desktop. The Corsair 4000D airflow case may be a mid-tower ATX model, but it still projects the appearance of a hulking black monolith (18.3 x 9.1 x 17.4 inches), with a tinted-window side panel providing a (dim) view of the interior.

But press the Power button, and the system dazzles with color from an elaborate RGB lighting setup. The three fans on the front panel (covered by a removable grill with the Vengeance logo at the top) each cycle colors independently. White flashes that look like random lightning hits augment the RGB effects.

Through the side panel, you’ll see the system's top-mounted radiator and three fans. The cooling rig’s water block and the tops of the DIMMs provide additional RGB lighting. This illumination reveals the inside of the case to be fastidiously tidy. The only visible cables and wires are those that connect the water block to the radiator, and the graphics card (through a channel) to the power supply.

There's one other slightly unusual part of the design: the bottom panel, which is elevated slightly more than an inch when the Vengeance i7200 is standing upright. This is an elegant solution to the age-old problem of desktop airflow, which is never as seamless as it should be when the bottom of the case is, for all intents and purposes, flush against your desk or the floor.

Corsair Vengeance i7200 review: Ports and upgradability

Like most gaming desktops, the Corsair Vengeance i7200 provides a decent selection of ports.

On the motherboard itself are six USB ports (two USB 2.0 for the keyboard and mouse, three USB 3.2 Gen. 2 Type-A, and one USB 3.2 Gen. 2 Type-C); HDMI and DisplayPort connectors; a 2.5G Ethernet jack; six HD Audio jacks; and a single PS/2 port. The graphics card also offers two HDMI ports and three DisplayPort connectors. 

A dedicated 802.11ax wireless networking card means you’ll never have to hook up the Vengeance i7200 to an Ethernet cable if you don’t want to, but you will have to connect the two included antennas to maximize your signal. This can be a pain, as there isn’t a ton of room for them, especially when the monitor cable is plugged in. Two vertically mounted expansion slots for additional SSDs are located to the right of the horizontal ones.

Front-panel ports (located on the top front of the desktop) are a bit skimpy, but cover the basics. Besides the Power button, there are two USB 3.2 Gen. 1 ports (one Type-A, one Type-C), a headset jack and a Reset button.

Whereas some companies include various peripherals or other “fun” stuff with their gaming desktops, our Vengeance i7200 came completely clean — no keyboard, mouse, mouse pad or anything else. This shouldn’t be a deal-breaker, as most PC gamers are going to have a set (or three) of their preferred peripherals around already. But if you don’t, know beforehand that you’ll need to provide your own gear.

Corsair Vengeance i7200 review: Gaming performance

With such top-flight components, including the RTX 3080 video card, the Corsair Vengeance i7200 is primed for 4K gaming. It turned out excellent results in all of our 4K gaming tests, even when it didn’t quite surpass the threshold of 60 frames per second (fps) that we use to register fully smooth performance.

Even in those cases, though, the system often got darn close. It averaged 55 frames per second in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 56 fps in Grand Theft Auto V and 59 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider — similar to what we saw from the most recent iteration of the Alienware Aurora R11. The Corsair didn’t fare quite as well in our most demanding gaming test: Red Dead Redemption 2. For this game, we lower the graphical settings to keep lesser PCs from crumpling like a sheet of aluminum foil. But even there, the Vengeance i7200's 45 fps average wasn’t too shabby (anything above 30 fps isn’t going to look bad).

The only game where the Vengeance i7200 couldn’t get upwards of 100 fps at 1080p was Assassin’s Creed Valhalla—but its 98 fps result isn’t that far off.

Though some gaming PCs can be unbearably loud under heavy load, the Vengeance i7200 does not get distracting at all, even when pushing maximum pixels at 4K. This isn’t to say you can’t hear it, but it registers more as dull white noise than as eardrum-bursting fan blasts.

Corsair Vengeance i7200 review: Overall performance

Non-gaming performance was likewise no issue for the Corsair Vengeance i7200. That makes sense, with a processor like the Intel Core i9-10850K: 10 cores, 20 threads, and a base 3.6GHz clock speed that can boost up to as much as 5.2GHz. Combine that with all that RAM, and you can do almost anything with this system. Its multicore Geekbench 5.3 score of 11,047 was terrific — functionally identical to the Aurora R11. 

The Vengeance i7200 finished our Handbrake video encoding test just a little faster than the Aurora R11(5:13 versus 5:21). Corsair's machine also scored just slightly better on the HDXPRT 4 test, which measures performance in music, photo, and video editing: 124 versus 119 .

One area where the Alienware excelled was our 25GB file copy test. We clocked the Aurora R11's speed at 1,191.5MBps, as opposed to the Corsair’s 824.4MBps. The difference won’t be significant in everyday use, however.

In short, you shouldn’t have trouble getting anything done on the Vengeance i7200. If you work as seriously as you game, and rely on highly threaded applications, the creator-oriented Corsair One Pro i200 uses a 14-core, 28-thread Intel Core i9-10940X processor and has twice the RAM. The One Pro i200 had a moderate advantage in the latest Geekbench test (12,691 for multicore performance), but that PC's game performance dipped, thanks to its last-generation Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti video card. For everyday gaming, the Vengeance i7200 is the better choice.

Corsair Vengeance i7200 review: Software

Like most gaming PCs, the Vengeance i7200 is light on software — Corsair wants as many of your system resources as possible going toward games. The chief exception is the iCUE application, through which you can configure the lighting and fan settings, selecting from a variety of predesigned profiles or cobbling together your own.

Corsair Vengeance i7200 review: Verdict

With a starting price of $2,799, the Corsair Vengeance i7200 isn’t necessarily affordable for most people. And unless you play (or want to play) a lot of games at 4K, you may not get your money’s worth. Gaming hardware in general, and video cards in particular, have come a long way over the last several years, so you could build your own gaming PC for a lower price and still have a great time with almost every major title.

But by the hyperinflated standards of the gaming PC market, even the entry-level configuration of the Corsair Vengeance i7200 is a steal, and you may find its fit and finish, both inside and out, well worth paying for. Considering that this PC is a top performer in every area, it deserves your attention if you want more game for less money.

• Read next: Xbox Series X vs. PC: Which is right for you? 
• Which is the best Age of Empires III civilization for beginners?

Is the Corsair One Pro i200 a gaming PC that can also handle graphic design apps, or is it a creative powerhouse that can also run games? After using the machine for a few days, I'm not sure — but I do know that it handles both scenarios very well. This pricey PC combines a beautiful design with fairly powerful hardware, even though potential buyers may (and should) wonder whether it's worth spending a full $4,500 on a machine with some parts that are already outdated.

The fact is, while the Corsair One Pro i200 gets a lot right, it also came out just before Nvidia's big push for RTX 30-series GPUs. As such, the system comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti card, which is still plenty powerful, but not quite as future-proof as it could be.

Whether you need anything stronger, of course, largely comes down to whether you need a gaming machine with graphic design capabilities, or a graphic design machine with gaming capabilities. And from either perspective, the One Pro i200 delivers admirable results. The machine costs too much to be one of the best gaming PCs for every use-case, but if you need a PC to excel at both work and play, this one should get the job done. Read our full Corsair One Pro i200 review for further information.

Corsair One Pro i200: Price and availability

The Corsair One Pro i200 is available directly from Corsair. Its default configuration includes an Intel Core i9-10940X CPU, 64 GB RAM, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti GPU, 2 TB SSD storage and a Windows 10 Pro OS, and costs $4,500.

You could also opt for a $4,200 model with an Intel Core i9-9920X CPU and 1 TB SSD + 2 TB HDD storage. That's really it; there aren't many ways to customize the system.

Corsair One Pro i200: Design

Perhaps it's because I just finished reviewing the gargantuan Alienware Aurora R11, but when I took the Corsair One Pro i200 out of its box, I was bowled over by just how small it is.

The One Pro i200 is a sleek, silver, rectangular box with two programmable LED strips running down the front and a few tasteful Corsair logos. At only 15.0 x 7.9 x 6.9 inches, it's one of the smallest desktops we've ever reviewed, and would look perfectly at home either on top of a desk or in an entertainment center. (It weighs 23.4 pounds, though, so don't rest it on a flimsy surface.

While it has nothing to do with the system's performance, I can't overstate just how pretty the One Pro i200 looks, or how little space it takes up. Plenty of PC manufacturers charge users a premium fee, then deliver a plain black box with a few LED highlights.

While I still think the One Pro i200 is too expensive for what it offers, assembling it all in this incredible chassis does take the sting out a little. If you aim to create gorgeous digital art, it seems fitting to do so on a gorgeous physical machine.

Corsair One Pro i200: Ports and upgradability

On paper, it sounds like the Corsair One Pro i200 has a lot of ports. On the front, you'll find a 3.5 mm audio jack, two USB-A ports and an HDMI port. (Yes, the HDMI port is in the front — possibly to facilitate VR hookups. In any case, it took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure out that it wasn't on the back, as it is in most machines.)

On the back, you get five USB-A ports, one USB-C port, two Ethernet ports, a handful of 3.5 mm audio jacks, an optical audio port and three DisplayPorts.

Compared to most PCs in this price range, it's not a whole lot of USB ports — particularly when you consider that there's no USB-C on the front. Between a mouse, keyboard, controller, webcam and wireless headset dongle, I managed to fill all but two ports. I can only imagine how tricky things could get for creative professionals, who need USB ports for microphones, lights, styli and so forth.

The One Pro i200 is also not a very upgrade-friendly machine. It's relatively easy to open up — just hit a button on the back, pop off the top, and remove some screws. The trouble is that once you get inside the machine, there's not much you can manipulate.The components are packed too tightly for major upgrades, and Corsair insists that you use first-party products if you don't want to void the warranty. In any case, if you're absolutely dying for more RAM or SSD space, you could install some, but you'll probably just want to leave the machine as is.

Corsair One Pro i200: Gaming performance

If you can get past the fact that the Corsair One Pro i200 has an older GPU, you'll find that it still runs most games pretty well, particularly at lower resolutions. Assassin's Creed Odyssey ran at 77 frames per second at 1080p, while Grand Theft Auto V achieved 126 fps and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, 117 fps. Compare and contrast with the MSI MEG Trident X, though, which has an identical GPU. The Trident X scored 85 frames per second for Odyssey, 134 fps for GTAV and 120 fps for Shadow of the Tomb Raider — and that machine costs at least $1,000 less.

Likewise, the One Pro i200 isn't quite powerful enough for full 60 fps gaming at 4K resolutions. It ran Odyssey at 49 fps, GTAV at 44 fps and Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 44 FPS. The Trident X scored very similarly: 52 fps for Odyssey, 45 fps for GTAV and 44 fps for Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

While it's not an apples-to-apples comparison, we did test our GeForce RTX 3090-equipped Alienware Aurora R11 with some of the same games. It earned a blistering 152 fps on GTAV and 136 fps on Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p, and 61 fps on GTAV and 59 fps on Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 4K. If gaming is your top priority, you should probably bite the bullet and go for a machine equipped with a 30-series card.

Still, it's not all bad news. From a qualitative perspective, every game I tried ran beautifully on a QHD monitor. Even the lighting looked great, as the RTX 2080 Ti supports ray tracing. (Your frame rate will take a hit, though. You can't have everything.)

I tested the One Pro i200 with Doom Eternal, Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, Control and Final Fantasy XIV, and had smooth gameplay with high frame rates the whole way through. Playing Control with ray tracing enabled was a particular standout, as it added a whole new level of immersion in dark areas, or any section with reflective windows. But whether I was chainsawing demons in half, building colonies in the New World or traveling through massively multiplayer cities, I could turn the graphics up about as high as they would go, and enjoy an exquisite level of detail and fluidity.

Corsair One Pro i200: Overall performance

The Corsair One Pro i200 bills itself as an equal-opportunity gaming and productivity machine. As such, it's no surprise to find that it scored well on our artificial benchmarks. In the Geekbench 4.3 test, the One Pro i200 earned 47,655 (there are no units; it's just a general measure of how much power a PC can bring to bear). That's considerably higher than the Trident X's 40,378, and, surprisingly, even higher than the Aurora R11's 41,822.

Oddly, though, the One Pro i200 copied files slightly slower than both of the dedicated gaming PCs. Corsair's machine copied over 5 GB of data at a rate of 1,026 MBps, compared to 1,243 MBps for Alienware and 1,275 MBps for MSI. Considering how much data content creators need to move back and forth regularly, those few seconds could add up a lot over the course of a year.

Generally speaking, though, the One Pro i200's powerful CPU and enormous cache of RAM picked up whatever slack the older GPU created. During most day-to-day activities — even when overloading Chrome with media-heavy tabs — I was hard-pressed to use more than about 10% of the CPU's processing power, or 15% of the available RAM.

Of course, if you do hardcore video editing or photo manipulation, you could conceivably push the One Pro i200 much closer to its limits. The HDXPRT 4 test measures how well a PC edits photos, converts videos and edits music, using programs such as Photoshop, Audacity and MediaEspresso. The One Pro i200 scored 104 overall; the Aurora R11 scored 119. (Higher numbers are better.) It's not a huge difference, but it does suggest, like previous tests, that the One Pro i200 may not have a significant benefit over a newer gaming rig with a sufficient amount of RAM, even for productivity tasks.

It's also worth noting that thanks to a liquid cooling system, the PC runs almost silently during everyday productivity tasks, and with only a moderate amount of noise during heavy gaming sessions. A quiet household is a happy household, particularly in the era of working from home, and constantly sharing space with your family or housemates.

Corsair One Pro i200: Software

The Corsair One Pro i200 doesn't come with much extra software: just the Corsair Utility Engine (iCUE) and a somewhat obnoxious Corsair Diagnostics program. iCUE lets you control the LED lights on the front panel, as well as the fan speed. You can also monitor component temperatures and overall performance. It's the same program that Corsair's peripherals use, and it's fine.

The Diagnostics program, on the other hand, is very much a mixed bag. It's helpful to see everything from your computer's model to your BIOS version in one place. But the program also harangues you about backups, security programs, updates and whatnot — it wants you to do PC maintenance on its schedule, not yours. It also claims to automatically run a disk defragmenter, which I hope is not true. Disk defragmenting is useless for SSDs, and may actually decrease an SSD's lifespan.

Corsair One Pro i200: Verdict

Simply put, there are better, cheaper machines than the Corsair One Pro i200 when it comes to gaming. There may also be better, cheaper machines than the Corsair One Pro i200 when it comes to pure productivity. Whether another PC combines the two so well, or in such a stylish chassis, that's harder to say.

My gut feeling is that the One Pro i200 is simply too expensive for the level of performance it offers, particularly with its older GPU and limited upgradability. But the price may not be so much of an issue if you use it for professional purposes, and can write it off on your taxes or get an office manager to procure one for you. It will fit into almost any professional or gaming setup, regardless of size, and can run very complex games and apps without making a lot of noise.

If you want a pure gaming machine, you could get a similarly priced configuration of the Alienware Aurora R11. If you want a pure productivity machine, you could get any number of cheaper computers. But if you need the best of both worlds, the Corsair One Pro i200 is very much still in the running.

The Corsair HS75 XB Wireless embodies a lot of what I love about Corsair headsets — and some of what I don’t. This Xbox accessory is extremely comfortable, and provides great sound for games, movies, TV shows and music alike. 

There are a few drawbacks to consider, however. At $150, the HS75 XB Wireless is pretty expensive for a device that works with only one type of console. That’s especially true when you consider that there are very few tweakable options, and that surround sound will cost you an extra $15. The mic is not great, and if you plan to use the HS75 XB Wireless with a PC, you’re likely to encounter a few pairing issues along the way.

Still, the HS75 XB Wireless succeeds in its primary purpose, and if you want a solid wireless headset for your Xbox One, Series S, or Series X, this model has a lot going for it. Learn about its pros and cons in our Corsair HS75 XB Wireless review.

Corsair HS75 XB Wireless review: Design

The Corsair HS75 XB Wireless should be pretty familiar if you’ve seen other models in Corsair’s HS line. Like the HS50, HS60 and HS70, the HS75 XB Wireless has thin, oval earcups, an expandable padded headband, and a steel-and-plastic chassis that feels sturdy, but not too heavy. The black-and-silver pattern is elegant, particularly the little Corsair logos on the earcups.

On the left earcup, there’s a power button and a game/chat mixer dial. On the right earcup, there’s a volume dial, a mic mute button, a USB-C charging port and a slot for the removable, flexible mic. Putting the two volume dials on opposite earcups was a smart design choice, as was giving the dials tactile clicks to differentiate levels.

Corsair HS75 XB Wireless review: Comfort

While the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless’ leatherette earcups aren’t huge, they still feel very plush and supportive. The expandable notches in the headband are clearly numbered, so it’s easy to find and remember the configuration that feels most comfortable. 

Nothing presses down too hard, and everything sits where it’s supposed to. The HS75 XB Wireless doesn’t forge new paths in gaming headset design, but you can wear this one for as long as you want without any discomfort.

Corsair HS75 XB Wireless review: Performance

Once you get the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless hooked up — and this can be a bit of a challenge, as we’ll discuss below — it sounds great for just about any game you can throw at it. I tested the headset with games on both the Xbox One and the PC, and heard clear audio and balanced soundscapes in each one. Gunfire boomed in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition and Halo 3: ODST. Dialogue rang true in the text-heavy quests of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The ominous music in Blasphemous played well against the eerie sound effects.

Likewise, once I got the headset hooked up to my computer, I was pleased with it how it handled music. Tracks from Flogging Molly, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Rolling Stones and G.F. Handel all had an immediate and natural feel to them, even if they were a little light on bass. However, I don’t know how many people use their Xboxes primarily as music machines, so this is probably a secondary concern.

Corsair HS75 XB Wireless review: Features

If the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless has a major drawback, it’s in its connectivity. In theory, all you should have to do to pair the headset is to hold down a button on the headset, and a corresponding button on the Xbox, then wait a few seconds. When I first tried to connect the HS75 XB Wireless, though, it refused to acknowledge my Xbox One or my Xbox One Wireless Adapter on Windows 10. It also refused to turn off so that I could try again from scratch.

I contacted Corsair, and a representative told me that this had happened in some preproduction models, and that the headset would work properly if I charged it all the way. (He didn’t know if the issue would persist in consumer models, and offered to investigate further. We’ll update if we learn more.) After that, the HS75 XB Wireless connected properly to my Xbox One, but absolutely refused to do the same with my PC, activating the Xbox connection instead every time I tried.

Through trial and error, I was eventually able to get it to sync with both systems and switch among them, but it was never a seamless process. This won’t be a problem if you use the headset with just one console, but be sure to keep it charged if you want to sync it with, say, both an Xbox Series X and an Xbox Series S.

Surround sound isn’t as seamless as it could be, either. An insert in the HS75 XB Wireless box instructs you to download the Xbox Dolby app for surround sound, but neglects to mention that said app charges an extra $15 for activation. It’s a pricey upgrade on top of an already-expensive headset.

You can’t use the Corsair Utility Engine (iCUE) software for anything except upgrading firmware, so there are no equalization or mic options to tweak. And the mic itself has a quiet pickup and some annoying sidetone, so you’ll just have to live with both of those.  Basically, the more you stick to just playing games with the HS75 XB Wireless, the happier you’ll be.

Corsair HS75 XB Wireless review: Verdict

Our Corsair HS75 XB Wireless review paints a picture of a high-quality headset that’s held back by a few annoying issues. However, while I wish the HS75 XB Wireless were a little bit easier to use, the core of the product gets everything right. It’s easy to wear, sounds good and lasts for up to 20 hours on a single charge — that’s pretty much what you need in an accessory like this.

I do think that for the same price, the SteelSeries Arctis 7X is a better investment, as is the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2. But if the  HS75 XB’s design appeals to you, it’s a perfectly good choice, and all set for the next generation of Xbox consoles.

The Corsair HS60 Haptic is one of the only gaming headsets I’ve ever reviewed with excellent bass. I don’t mean it has “excellent bass for a gaming headset” — I mean this that it gives comparably priced audiophile headphones a run for their money. Combined with good gaming performance, a comfortable fit and a solid mic, the HS60 Haptic is an easy recommendation, at least if you’re willing to spend more than you normally would on a USB gaming headset.

At $130, there’s no denying that the HS60 Haptic is expensive, particularly since the basic HS60 Surround costs only $70. The HS60 Haptic’s color pattern is also a bit of an eyesore, and if you’re very sensitive to vibrations, you may not like how the bass comes across. But if you’ve been waiting for a peripheral that doesn’t neglect the lower frequencies, the Corsair HS60 Haptic is probably one of the best gaming headsets for you. Read our full HS60 Haptic review for more details.

Corsair HS60 review: Design

If you’ve used the Corsair HS60 Surround, then you’ll find the Corsair HS60 Haptic extremely familiar. This wired USB headset features a gray metal chassis with a padded headband and two large, oval earcups.

The only major difference is that the HS60 has a gray camo design rather than the Surround’s statelier black. It’s a good thing that you can’t see the HS60 when it’s on your head, because the color scheme is, charitably, not very pretty.

The right earcup houses a haptic control dial (more on this later). The left earcup contains a mic mute button, a volume dial and a detachable, flexible mic. While it’s a small touch, I appreciate that the volume dial has tactile clicks as you roll it up and down. It makes it much easier to find a comfortable volume level and stick with it.

Corsair HS60 review: Comfort

For the most part, the HS60 is a very comfortable piece of headgear. The leatherette earcups run a little hot, and made my ears sweat a little after long sessions. But they’re also very comfortable, making a tight seal while exerting very little pressure, even while I was wearing glasses. The padding on top of the headband helps the headset sit lightly, even though it weighs almost a pound.

Whether you find the HS60 comfortable actually has less to do with its physical design and more to do with its haptic feedback, which I’ll discuss in the “features” section.

Corsair HS60 Haptic review: Performance

The Corsair HS60 Haptic is an excellent accessory for any game genre. I tested the headset with Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, Doom Eternal, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy XIV, and the sound quality was excellent across the board. The bass was particularly impactful in Age of Empires and Doom, where gunfire and explosions are constant refrains. With the haptic feedback, I could feel vibrations for something as simple as a villager shooting a deer — to say nothing of firing a rocket at a giant, gun-toting demon.

Thanks to the enhanced bass, the HS60 Haptic is also a surprisingly good accessory for listening to music. I tested the HS60 Haptic with tracks from Flogging Molly, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Rolling Stones and G.F. Handel, and I was both pleased and relieved that, at long last, there was a sub-$200 gaming headset that made music sound good, not just passable.

Corsair HS60 Haptic review: Features

Like most other Corsair gear, the Corsair HS60 Haptic runs on the Corsair Utility Engine (iCUE) software. While the software has a bit of a learning curve, it lets you switch among different presets, set up your own equalization profiles, adjust mic options and so forth. You can also toggle surround sound, but only via the built-in Windows Sonic protocol. I don’t have strong feelings about this, since the vast majority of games, music and TV shows are still optimized for stereo sound, but bear in mind that you won’t get Dolby or DTS, if that’s important to you.

The defining feature of the HS60 Haptic is, as the name suggests, its haptic bass. Using a dial on the right earcup, you can turn the bass vibrations up from nonexistent to buzzing that will make your teeth chatter. I’m generally in favor of how the feature works, as any bass aficionado will tell you that lower frequencies are something you feel as much as you hear.

Still, in my experience, I could turn the haptics up only a little bit before the vibrations started getting uncomfortable. Even a slight buzz can be distracting during a game; turn it up all the way, and you’re just asking for a constant, low-grade headache.

The mic on the Corsair HS60 Haptic is an unqualified success, with a gentle, round sound pickup, a suitable volume and a handy windscreen to muffle most consonant pops. It’s not quite good enough to record a podcast, but your teammates (or officemates) will have no trouble parsing what you have to say.

Corsair HS60 Haptic review: Verdict

Our Corsair HS60 Haptic review highlighted the headset’s excellent bass sound, as well as its overall comfort and gaming performance. While it’s true that the device isn’t very pretty, it also solves a longstanding gaming headset problem, and does so without compromising any of the features that Corsair fans have come to expect from the company’s headsets.

The HS60 Haptic’s price is admittedly a bit of a sticking point, particularly since the very-similar Corsair HS60 Surround costs a full $60 less. Furthermore, the bass haptics have the potential to get uncomfortable, even at relatively low levels — a feature that’s nearly impossible to test before you buy a unit for yourself.

If you want to play it safe, the SteelSeries Arctis 5 and Razer Blackshark V2 are $100 USB gaming headsets that offer great performance and good sound — but also not a ton of bass, particularly for music. The Corsair HS60 Haptic may very well be worth its premium price, if you want music and games to really resonate.

The Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is perhaps the most elaborate keyboard that the company has ever produced. Generally speaking, that’s a good thing, since it includes a useful column of macro keys, a novel control wheel, a heavy-duty aluminum chassis and the company’s signature RGB lighting patterns. The flip side, though, is that the keyboard is incredibly expensive, even as RGB mechanical gaming models go: $230, which is about what you’d pay for a wireless mechanical model from Logitech or Razer.

Still, the Corsair K100 offers one advantage that (at present) no wireless mechanical keyboard can match: optical-mechanical switches, which function by transmitting light rather than pressing a mechanical switch. It’s a fancy, functional technology, albeit one that’s not terribly different from a good mechanical switch for most users.

Still, there’s no denying that the K100 is a beautiful peripheral that offers a lot of useful functionality, particularly if you’re willing to do a little legwork and make the control wheel part of your everyday routine. While I think most users are still better off with the less expensive Corsair K70 RGB Mk.2, if you like the latest and greatest tech in your gaming gadgets, the K100 may be one of the best gaming keyboards for you. 

Read on for our full Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard review.

Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard design

If you’re familiar with Corsair’s general keyboard design, then the K100 should look pretty familiar right out of the gate. The Corsair K100 RGB features a sturdy black aluminum chassis, with slightly elevated key caps.

The detachable wrist rest is one of the most comfortable I’ve used, with a sturdy foam construction and a lot of resistance. There’s a USB passthrough in the back as well.

You get all the standard full-size keyboard keys, including a numpad, as well as a set of discrete media controls in the upper-right corner. In the upper-left, there’s a profile-switching button and a “lock” button, which locks certain keys during gameplay to prevent accidental switching. What’s really interesting here, though, is the control wheel.

The control wheel looks like an oversized volume dial with a button in the middle, but it’s not for controlling sound — unless you really want it to be. Instead, the control wheel lets you perform a bunch of useful hardware and productivity tasks, from adjusting the keyboard’s RGB brightness, to zooming in on a web page, to scrolling through a spreadsheet horizontally. You can fast-forward and rewind your music or skip tracks; you can even record macros. The button in the center switches among various tasks.

While the control wheel isn’t a strictly necessary feature in a gaming keyboard, I found myself getting a lot of use out of it, particularly for horizontal scrolling. It’s a cool feature, and while it’s not quite worth the $230 premium by itself, it’s a good argument for the K100 — especially for video and audio editors, who could use it to scroll through footage or recorded sound.

The left side also has a column of macro keys, similar to the Corsair K95. They work well if you like having extra keys, and are easy enough to ignore if you don’t.

Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard keys

Unlike other Corsair keyboards, which offer a whole rainbow of Cherry MX switches, the K100 has two choices: Cherry MX Speed or Corsair’s new proprietary switch, the OPX. The Speeds are a known quantity: linear switches with rapid actuation, meant for short keypresses, particularly during competitive multiplayer. They’re not the most versatile Cherry switch, but they can be useful on the tournament scene.

I was more interested in the OPX switch, which is Corsair’s take on an optical-mechanical switch (similar to the Razer Huntsman). To give a brief overview of how they look, optical-mechanical switches transmit signals via light rather than electrical impulse (like a membrane keyboard) or a physical press (like a mechanical keyboard). In theory, it’s faster, more reliable and less prone to failure than a mechanical switch. In practice, though, it feels pretty similar — especially because there’s still a mechanical component to it.

I will say that the K100 switches feel all right, and that they have extremely low actuation: 1 mm, to be precise, which is just a barely perceptible touch. I think the Cherry Speeds have a slightly better feel to them, personally, but the K100s are indeed a tiny bit faster, if that’s your primary concern.

One thing is for sure: the OPX switches sure are fast. On a Typing.com test, I scored 125 words per minute with 99% accuracy on the K100, versus 116 words per minute with 99% accuracy on my regular Logitech G915. That’s pretty incredible, considering that I use the G915 every day, and just started using the K100 a few days ago.

Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard features

The Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard runs on the Corsair Utility Engine (iCUE) software, about which I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I adore the program’s complexity, especially the incredible specificity with which you can program hardware commands and lighting patterns. You can even coordinate the macro keys with an Elgato Stream Deck, if you’re of the Twitch persuasion. On the other hand, this complexity means that the program has a steep learning curve, even for simple actions, such as using preset lighting patterns, or reassigning keys.

The control wheel, discussed above, is what really sets the K100 apart from the competition, and you can program it to do some extremely cool things in iCUE. However, you also have to go through a somewhat convoluted practice of creating macros first, then using the control wheel to manipulate them. Like a lot of other iCUE features, programming the control wheel opens up a tremendous amount of possibilities, but also requires some elbow grease if you want to take advantage of them.

Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard performance

Like most Corsair keyboards, the K100 performs absolutely beautifully in-game. I tested it with Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, Doom Eternal, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy XIV, and it handled every genre with ease. I switched weapons instantaneously as I gunned down demons in Doom, and commanded armies with ease in Age of Empires. The shallow actuation and rapid response time was helpful for every game I tested.

Since I tested the version of the K100 with OPX switches, I tried to gauge whether there was any significant difference from traditional mechanical switches. But in terms of everyday play, I didn’t observe any major changes. This could change for high-level multiplayer matches, but my suspicion is that optical-mechanical switches may simply last longer than purely mechanical ones; we’ll know for sure within a few years.

Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard verdict

In our Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard review, we pointed out how this expensive keyboard offers some excellent new features, and maintains Corsair’s usual quality standards. But while the control wheel is a great addition, I think it’s difficult to justify the $230 price tag for a wired model, particularly when we’re starting to see excellent wireless gaming options in that price range.

If you want Corsair’s signature build quality along with some extra keys and the option for optical-mechanical switches, the K100 is an excellent choice. For most players, though, the K70 RGB Mk.2 is a more straightforward — and less expensive — choice. Alternatively, the Corsair K57 RGB is another option to consider. 

The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE finds a much-needed middle ground when it comes to wireless gaming mice. Up until now, we’ve generally had two flavors: the inexpensive, bare-bones, nothing-but-the-mouse model (the $50 Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless), and the pricey, tunable, last-mouse-you’ll-ever-need model (the $150 Logitech G502 Lightspeed). The Dark Core RGB Pro SE costs $90, and carves a respectable niche for itself as a feature-rich peripheral that doesn’t cost much more than a high-end wired mouse.

I used the Dark Core RGB Pro SE for more than a week, putting it through its paces with both gaming and productivity, and I was consistently impressed by just how much stuff it does. It has plenty of programmable buttons; it has swappable finger rest; it has gorgeous RGB lighting; it has two types of wireless connectivity; and it even has Qi charging capabilities. On top of that, it’s a joy to use and the battery lasts for a long time.

• Logitech G604 review

The Corsair Utility Engine (iCUE) software is still a little less user-friendly than I’d like, and the scroll wheel isn’t really fast enough for productivity power users. But for $90, this mouse does an awful lot, and does it well. Read our full Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE review to learn why this product has earned a spot among our best gaming mouse picks.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE review: Design

If you’ve used any of Corsair’s previous Dark Core mice, the design of the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE should seem pretty familiar. It’s a large mouse with a relatively high profile, a textured thumb rest, a textured palm rest and a textured scroll wheel. By default, the far side of the mouse is smooth, but you can replace it with a textured rest if you prefer. That’s a nice touch on a mouse that costs less than $100, and swapping the two parts is effortless, as they’re held in place magnetically.

Button-wise, there’s a left button, a right button, a clickable scroll wheel and a face button that, by default, switches profiles. There are two buttons in the upper-left corner that adjust dots-per-inch (DPI) sensitivity up and down. On the side, there are two thumb buttons. The lack of a third “sniper” button is a bit of a bummer for FPS aficionados, although it probably would have made the setup feel pretty crowded. On the bottom of the mouse, there’s a sliding button to switch between Bluetooth and 2.4 Ghz wireless connections.

It’s also worth mentioning the Dark Core RGB Pro SE’s LED strips. Many RGB mice simply illuminate the scroll wheel and a palm rest logo and call it a day. This mouse is considerably prettier, with lighting strips beneath the thumb buttons and on either side of the base, in addition to the standard scroll wheel and palm rest positions. They make the peripheral look futuristic and colorful, especially if you program it with a rainbow pattern.

My only real issue here is a minor one: the textured surfaces of the mouse are too conservative. Textured grips feel especially good when they’re coarse and perhaps just on the border of abrasive. The grips on the Dark Core RGB Pro SE are small, subtle bumps, which don’t feel much more comfortable than gripping a smooth surface.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE review: Features

The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE has three key features: its wireless connectivity, its Qi charging capability and its software compatibility.

First off, feature-rich wireless gaming mice can easily cost up to $150. That the Dark Core RGB Pro SE stays south of $100 is impressive in its own right, particularly when you consider that it has swappable parts and both Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz options. In any case, both wireless options work flawlessly, whether you’re gaming, browsing the Web, or working on productivity tasks. Corsair estimates that the battery can last up to 50 hours, which was consistent with my tests.

When you need to recharge, you have two options. The first is a USB-C cable, which is a nice touch, as many mice still use the outdated micro-USB option. The second is the Qi wireless charging protocol. The Dark Core RGB Pro SE is compatible with any Qi charger that’s big enough to fit it, and can completely recharge in just a few hours. While the mouse can be prissy about its exact positioning on a Qi base, it’s still a convenient feature, if you have a Qi setup in your home already. If not, it’s totally optional. I do wish the charging indicator was a little clearer about how far along the process was, though.

Then there’s the iCUE software, which, as always, is an incredibly robust program with a bit of a learning curve. You can reprogram the Dark Core RGB Pro SE’s buttons, customize the lighting, set up profiles for games, record macros, calibrate for surfaces, check battery status and so forth. Doing any of these things can get a little tedious, since you’ll have to dig through a lot of submenus to find the exact feature you want, but the program is stable and feature-rich. iCUE could be a little more user-friendly, but it does what you need it to do.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE review: Performance

Unsurprisingly, the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE performs beautifully in-game, like most other Corsair peripherals. I ran the mouse through Doom Eternal, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and World of Warcraft, and the mouse was responsive and precise in every case. Gunning down demons was just as simple as building up a medieval army, or exploring ancient ruins, or running quests for Horde officers.

Thanks to the Dark Core RGB Pro SE’s extra buttons and optional macros, the mouse should theoretically work well for any genre. However, as mentioned above, the scroll wheel is pretty slow. It’s also not adjustable, as some Logitech and Razer mice offer. As such, some productivity tasks can get pretty slow, whether you’re scrolling through an Excel spreadsheet or trying to reach the bottom of a Web page.

Corsair MM1000 mouse pad: Impressions

While reviewing the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE, we also tested the Corsair MM1000 mouse pad. This inventive accessory costs $80, which is pretty steep, as mouse pads go. But Corsair has also positioned the MM1000 as a perfect accessory for the Dark Core RGB Pro SE, as the mouse pad offers Qi charging.

First off, the mouse pad’s Qi charging works as advertised, although the charging is restricted to a small section in the upper-right. If you play on low DPI settings, you can and will knock whatever’s currently charging (your phone, for example) right off of your desk. Otherwise, it’s a convenient place to charge gadgets while you’re not using them.

I have two major complaints, however. The first is that the MM1000’s USB passthrough simply doesn’t work very well. It charges things slowly, and it created unbearable feedback for wireless headset mics. The second is that it’s hard to find a situation in which Qi charging the Dark Core RGB Pro Se is actually worthwhile. If you’re not using your mouse, it probably means your computer is off, which means that the MM1000 is not receiving any power. If you need to charge your mouse and use it at the same time, a USB cable is your only option anyway.

I don’t have it in me to dislike the MM1000, as it does provide a useful feature, and I like its hard, textured surface. But it’s not an absolute necessity for the Dark Core RGB Pro SE, either.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE review: Verdict

On its own, the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE is a great gaming mouse, with a variety of useful features and helpful extras. But when you consider that most high-end gaming mice cost considerably more than $100, to get all of these features for $90 is an excellent bargain.

If you have $150 to spend, the Logitech G502 Lightspeed is still a better mouse overall, thanks to its tunable weights and more comfortable design. But the Dark Core RGB Pro SE is an impressive device in its own right, and a nearly perfect middle ground for wireless gaming mice.

EDITOR'S NOTE, 7/17/20: After troubleshooting several issues with Origin, Tom's Guide has decided to remove the score from this review. Once we're able to get a new unit, we'll update this story with a full score. We've also edited some of the review to clarify where the system was working as intended, and where the hardware may have been at fault.

The Origin Neuron Corsair Carbide 175R variant (starting at $1,483) can be anything you want it to be. This beefy gaming desktop offers a ton of customization options, letting you choose everything from your tower color to your CPU to your cooling system. In theory, this sounds like a neophyte PC gamer's dream come true: a way to build your own PC without having to grapple with voltages and screwdrivers and the inevitable moment when you flip the power switch for the first time and nothing turns on.

On the other hand, having reviewed an Origin Neuron ($3,542 as configured), I came away from the experience with just as many frustrations. I encountered many performance issues with the Origin Neuron that I reviewed. Peripherals wouldn't pair; games chugged at an unplayable frame rate; lockups and freezes were common.

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On paper, the Origin Neuron can be an extremely powerful machine, and if you're spending a lot of money on it, it's just because you're getting a gorgeous, functional product at the end of the process. But the unit that I reviewed didn't live up to my expectations.

Origin Neuron Corsair Carbide 175R price and configurations

As stated, the best thing about the Origin Neuron is that you can configure it from scratch to suit your preferences. The cheapest configuration costs $1,483, and comes with an Intel Core i5 9600K 3.7 GHz CPU, an MSI Z390-A PRO motherboard, 16GB of Ram, standard fan cooling, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super GPU, Windows 10 Home edition, a 240GB SSD, a Corsair 550X CX series power supply and an integrated audio card.

While it would take too long to detail the price of every single configuration, the most expensive one I was able to craft costs $7,676 (not including peripherals, extended warranties and fancy wooden shipping crates). This configuration includes an Intel Core i9-10940X 3.30 GHz processor, an Asus ROG Strix X299-E Gaming II motherboard, 128GB of RAM, a Corsair H150i Pro RGB liquid cooling system, an Nvidia GeForce RTX Titan GPU, Windows 10 Professional edition, a 2 TB Samsung 970 Evo Plus SSD for the operating system, a 4 TB Samsung 860 Pro for storage, a Corsair 1000X RMX power supply and a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Rx sound card.

Naturally, there are myriad options in between, depending on how much you have to spend. The bottom line, however, is that the systems start off fairly expensive, and can get downright unaffordable. The starting Neuron configuration, for example, is not obscenely different from a Dell G5 5090 variation, and yet the Dell costs only $1,050. Granted, the Neuron is more powerful, but I don't know if it's almost $400 more powerful.

In any case, the configuration we reviewed costs $3,542, with an AMD Ryzen 9 3950X CPU, an Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Hero motherboard, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 GPU, 32GB of RAM, a Corsair 500GB primary hard drive, a 2 TB Seagate FireCuda secondary hard drive, Origin Frostbyte 360 liquid cooling and a Corsair 850X RMX power supply.

Origin Neuron Corsair Carbide 175R design

One thing that the Origin Neuron absolutely nails is its appearance. Its solid black chassis and brushed metal façade are both elegant and durable, although they do add a great deal of weight to the PC. The PC measures 17.8 x 16.0 x 8.1 inches and weighs 28.23 pounds, meaning you'll need a large and sturdy desk, unless you got some clean, well-ventilated floor space.

There are two things I appreciate about the Neuron's physical design: its glass side panel, and its ease of access for internal components. The glass side panel makes it easy to see what's going on inside the case, and you can remove the whole setup with four small screws. (I found that a flathead screwdriver helps, if you value your fingernails, but it's not strictly necessary.) Swapping components in and out is a simple process, and there's a proper place for all the cables.

Origin Neuron corsair Carbide 175R key specs

Origin Neuron Corsair Carbide 175R ports and upgradability

If there's one thing the Origin Neuron doesn't lack, it's ports. On the front top of the machine, there are two USB ports and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Around the back, you'll find seven USB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, one USB-C port, two Ethernet ports, an optical audio port and five different 3.5 mm sound jacks (for various types of accessories and applications). The GPU has three DisplayPorts, one HDMI port and one USB-C port. If there's a gadget you can't plug into the Origin Neuron, I can't think of it.

As stated above, upgradability is simple, thanks to the Neuron's clean internal structure and easy-to-remove glass panel.

Origin Neuron Corsair Carbide 175R gaming performance

The reason why I can't recommend the Origin Neuron in good conscience is because the unit that I reviewed had a lot of trouble running games. That's a significant problem in any gaming computer, particularly an expensive one.

First, the Neuron's specs are fine on paper. Running a number of benchmarks, we came up with some decent framerate numbers. At 1080p on Ultra settings, the system ran Middle-Earth: Shadow of War at 124 fps, Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 99 fps, Far Cry: New Dawn at 84 fps and Grand Theft Auto V at 104 fps.

Compare and contrast to our category averages for those games: 123 fps, 95 fps, 86 fps and 105 fps, respectively. All of the Neuron's stats are extremely close to the category averages, which is not necessarily what we'd expect from such an expensive system.

Origin e-mailed me to point out that these numbers do not match up with its internal benchmarks. However, we benchmarked the Origin Neuron with the exact same process that we use to test all other machines we review in-house.

The Neuron did not do much better when compared with a similarly priced system, the Corsair One i160. The One i160 scored 123 fps on Shadow of the Tomb Raider and 140 fps on Grand Theft Auto V. We didn't test the other two games on the Corsair system, but other metrics from titles like Hitman and Rise of the Tomb Raider suggest that the i160 is a considerably better-optimized system.

The 4K situation is less encouraging. Compare and contrast the following numbers:

· Shadow of War: 62 fps Neuron / 71 fps average

· Far Cry: New Dawn: 64 fps Neuron / 65 fps average

· Shadow of the Tomb Raider: 35 fps Neuron / 37 fps average

· Grand Theft Auto V: 34 fps Neuron / 37 fps average

Again, the Neuron is close to all the category averages, except that this time it falls a little short. For the amount of money Origin charges, we'd expect the Neuron to perform at least a little better. (And yes, once again, the Corsair One i160 performed better with Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Grand Theft Auto V: 47 fps and 45 fps, respectively.)

During everyday play, the performance is mixed. I tested a variety of games, and was pleased with about half of them. Overwatch ran smoothly, letting me glide around the battlefield with ease. Likewise, Pathfinder: Kingmaker ran well, letting me control my party, issue orders and enjoy the complex story without too much issue — at least when the game started up. Sometimes, the system would inexplicably freeze while starting up games, and Kingmaker seemed to give the Neuron more trouble than most. In both games, the framerate rarely dropped below 60 fps on a 1080p monitor.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition ran beautifully, even with the enhanced graphics package installed and all the settings turned up, complete with a stable framerate around 60 fps. No matter how many units I created or how complex the orders I issued, the Neuron kept up with every command and let me zoom in as close as I wanted to see the action in real time.

But some games ran much, much worse. World of Warcraft took about 10 minutes to boot up, from the time I launched the game, to the time I was able to play it. (It loaded piecemeal, and made me wait until every last blade of grass was rendered before I could move around.) Shadow of War ran inexcusably poorly, with every move I made accompanied by terrible lag. The framerate hovered around 8 fps during combat, making the game unplayable.

Origin provided tech support after I brought up these issues, but we were unable to get to the root of the issue. It's entirely possible that the review unit we tested was not indicative of the Neuron's general performance, but until we test a new unit, it's hard to say anything definitive on the topic.

Origin Neuron Corsair Carbide 175R overall performance

Everyday productivity worked better on the Origin Neuron; after all, word processors and music players are not going to faze a system designed to play big-budget games at high resolutions. No matter how many tabs I had open in Chrome, no matter how many videos I streamed, no matter how much music I listened to, the Neuron kept pace with my activities. This is fitting, considering the system's powerful AMD Ryzen 9 3950X processor and 32 GB of RAM.

Unless I needed Bluetooth connectivity, that is. I don't know if this is an isolated or widespread issue, but I could barely get Bluetooth to work on the Neuron. As soon as it discovered Bluetooth devices, it lost them again in the middle of pairing. My keyboard would stay paired for only a minute or two at a time; the Neuron wouldn't even recognize my earbuds. Origin explained that this was due to a missing Bluetooth antenna in our review unit. As such, most users should have better luck with Bluetooth, but that's still what we experienced.

The system performed well on some of our synthetic benchmarks. Copying 5GB of data from an external hard drive took only 2.8 seconds, considerably less than our 12.9-second average. (Our lab tech pointed out that this was not the case while copying over games from external hard drives, which she said took an extremely long time.) On the other hand, the Neuron fell short of the category average in the Geekbench 4.3 test: 33,610 for the Neuron versus 36,113 for the average. The Geekbench 5.0 test revealed similar results: 8,520 for the Neuron and 10,251 for the average.

Once again, the Neuron did not compare favorably to the Corsair i160. The Neuron scored 3,966 in the 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra benchmark, and 7,119 in the 3DMark Port Royal benchmark, while the One i160 blew past it with 8,389 in Fire Strike Ultra and 13,269 in Port Royal.

Origin Neuron Corsair Carbide 175R verdict

I can't recommend the Origin Neuron — at least, not the configuration that we received. It's difficult to determine whether the problems we encountered were structural or isolated to our review unit, but either way, the system didn't work very well in our qualitative tests.

Still, the customization options at your disposal are impressive, and you get a very pretty, easy-to-upgrade system. I can't imagine recommending an Origin system to anyone who feels comfortable building his or her own PC, but the Carbide 175R chassis is a handsome case, if you can get your hands on it separately.

Whether you're looking for a high- or low-end pre-built PC, the Alienware Aurora R10 Ryzen Edition is a better bet all around.