[section_title title=Keyboards]Keyboards
Awarded By – Tim
Design – Corsair Gaming RGB K70
In 2014, we saw the advent of Corsair’s first product from their gaming branch; the K70 RGB Mechanical Keyboard. This keyboard was the first in the world to feature Cherry’s new RGB mechanical switches, allowing you to change the LED backlighting of each individual key to pretty much any colour of the rainbow. These new switches were packed into Corsair’s already very successful K70, albeit with an updated look and slightly controversial logo. Whilst the software was buggy at launch, it is now quite a powerful program allowing you to customise nearly every aspect of the keyboard, making it well worth the best keyboard design of 2014.
Performance – CM Storm Novatouch TKL
2014 saw the rise of the Topre switches, which CM Storm brought to the masses by including them in their latest premium gaming keyboard – the NovaTouch TKL keyboard. Topre switches are often regarded as the best switches out there when it comes to keyboards, so it was great to see a well-known gaming company making them widely available and with their own unique feature – Cherry MX compatible stems! This meant that you no longer had to fork out a lot of money for topre only key caps, but could use any Cherry MX switch compatible key cap! This makes it much easier and cheaper to customise your most important and personal peripheral. These new switches not only feel great to use, but also offer better performance over Cherry MX switches, which is why they get our Best Performance of 2014 award!
Overall – Logitech G910 Orion Spark RGB
Logitech had probably one of the most interesting years in terms of peripheral manufacturers as unlike the other brands which stuck with Cherry MX/Topre as their switch of choice, Logitech actually created their own in the way of the ROMER-G; enter the G910 Orion Spark RGB Mechanical Keyboard. Although initially quite expensive, I feel Logitech deserve the overall award for a couple of reasons. The first is the level of customisability of the RGB keys via the fantastic Logitech G software; not to mention the Andriod/iPhone supported ARX control app which is also a very nice touch. Secondly the ROMER-G switches actually feel top quality; kind of a mixture between Cherry MX Red/Blues with the required force of reds, with the clicky clacky of the blue switches; overall a superb keyboard and my faviorite for 2014!
