A lot of people are searching for a gaming mechanical keyboard that’s efficient with outstanding RGB lights. If you’re one of them, our Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT review will give you just that.
Generally, when it comes to RGB lighting, the first name that comes to mind is Corsair. They have everything you’d need, whether it’s a keyboard, mouse, or PC fans, Corsair has something to satiate your needs.
Like K95 RGB Platinum XT, the successor to the K95, it raises the game with excellent features and specs. It’s integrated with the Elgato Stream Deck, optimised keycaps and switches, added onboard storage, plus a more comfortable wrist-rest.
Notable features? The K95 definitely has that, but does it perform well and is it worth the price? We’ll find out in this Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT review.
Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT Packaging
This part of our Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT review deals with its packaging and included contents.
When we received our keyboard, it came in a thin-sleeved outer packaging that goes over a black box. The box looks great, and it’s more durable than ever, which is something we appreciate.
The box’s front portion is kept simple, with the product and company’s name written across the top. You’ll find an image of the K95 RGB Platinum XT at the centre, while notations are at the base. This specific display is for the English layout. The box also notes that the K95 RGB Platinum XT uses Cherry MX Blue switches, and works well with iCUE.
Details at the left end of that panel displayed the keyboard’s name, whereas the right showed a specification shortlist.
The smaller panels are there to catch your attention with its vibrant yellow shade. Furthermore, its end displays Corsair’s name, its logo, and the type of keyboard the K95 RGB Platinum XT is. There’s also a tagline that says, “Play Through Whatever”.
Inside, the keyboard is protected by three little foam pads to keep it steady in the lower section. Not only that, but it’s wrapped in plastic to safeguard its finish. Additional parts are beneath the cardboard that holds the keyboard, while the cabling is separated to keep things organised.
In vacuum-sealed packs, extra keycaps are present for the primary section of the Platinum XT. These pieces are aimed to benefit FPS or MOBA gamers, plus, there’s an included keycap puller made of plastic.
On the right side, you’ll find S-key replacement caps for the G-keys on the keyboard’s left edge. Moreover, that specific bag contains the Corsair logo keycap. Aside from these, you’ll also find a warranty guide and user manual inside the package.
Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT Review – Design & Functionality
This part of our Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT review looks into the functions and design of the keyboard.
If you’re familiar with the K95 RGB Platinum, the XT will make you feel right at home. It’s less bulky compared to other flagship keyboards. However, it still requires an adequate amount of space on your desk.
The K95 RGB Platinum XT is a full-sized keyboard with additional six dedicated macro keys on its left corner. These total to 110 keys on the keyboard. Its wrist-rest, black keys, and slightly grey aluminium top panel prevent the RGB lights from emanating through the switches. Regardless, these create a great contrast to make the colours more vibrant.
By default, these have textured keycaps with G1 – G6 printed, which means you can utilise them for gaming. However, you can replace these with included S1 – S6 keycaps if you want to program these for streaming activities. You’ll also find a foam wrist rest that’s more comfortable compared to the plastic piece of the earlier K95 models.
Key Features of the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT
This portion of our Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT review will focus on the K95 RGB Platinum XT’s unique features.
Excellent Aesthetics
Each key of the K95 RGB Platinum XT features RGB backlighting and 19 zones of LightEdge across the keyboard’s top. It offers vibrant and dynamic lighting with a wide range of customisation options.
Six Customisable Macro Keys
The keyboard features custom macros or key remaps and are programmable, allowing gamers to perform better.
Compatible with Elgato Stream Deck Software
Swap to the included S-key keycaps and set your streaming commands for convenience. You can do this via the Elgato Stream Deck software.
High Endurance
The K95 RGB Platinum XT is for long years of gaming. It utilises an anodised aluminium frame with highly durable double-shot PBT keyset.
Accurate Keys with Tactile Response
With German-made CHERRY MX RGB Blue key switches, the K95 RGB Platinum XT is accurate and reliable. It also provides tactile response and audible clicks.
Save your Profiles
The K95 RGB Platinum XT offers 8MB onboard storage, allowing you to save five profiles. You can take these customisations with you, no matter where you go.
Programmable with iCUE Software
Corsair’s iCUE software provides vivid dynamic control and macro programming for every user’s convenience. Through the application, you can also synchronise its RGB lights with other compatible Corsair products.
Specifications
Now in our Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT review it’s all going to be about the keyboard’s specifications.
The keyboard uses the mechanical Cherry MX switch technology, with RGB backlight colours too. It comes with other backlighting with a 19-zone Rear Light Edge.
When it comes to connectivity, the K95 RGB Platinum XT makes use of a wired USB 3.0 Type-A connection. For its USB passthrough, it utilises a USB 2.0 Type-A with a report rate of 1000Hz. Moreover, it has a fixed 1.82m braided cable available.
Without the palm rest, the keyboard measures 465 x 171 x 36mm and weighs 1.31kg. Lastly, the K95 RGB Platinum XT comes with a two-year limited warranty from Corsair.
Compatibility
The K95 RGB Platinum XT is compatible with PC or Mac, via two USB 3.0 or 3.1 Type-A ports. The supported operating system includes Windows 7, 8.1, and 10, as well as macOS 10.13 or later. However, if you’re using the keyboard’s Elgato Stream Deck integration, it’s only compatible with Windows 10.
Hands-on with the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT
On this section of our Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT review, we will go hands-on with the keyboard. Let’s start with the iCUE software before proceeding to the K95 RGB Platinum XT’s performance.
The iCUE software from Corsair allows lighting control, vivid dynamic, and excellent macro programming. Not only that, but it will enable a complete system lighting synchronisation across every compatible device from Corsair.
Arranging the lighting can be slightly challenging. However, the tradeoff is that you can acquire outstanding designs that aren’t common on other RGB keyboards.
As expected, we enjoyed using the K95 RGB Platinum XT where its extra keys were useful for MMO games. Specifically, it’s something great for high-level gamers who often delegate portions of skill rotations to the macros.
Aside from the switches, the keyboard was generally excellent for gaming. It’s highly responsive, and we had no issues playing through intense gaming matches which were great. We also loved that we could immediately record gameplay clips using the Elgato buttons.
When it comes to the macro row, we were able to move gadgets and secondary skills off from the number row. And during an intense match, it was easier and more convenient to determine which macro button is being pressed.
The programming abilities and functions of the K95 RGB Platinum XT are useful outside gaming as well. With the profiles of onboard storage, we created keymaps for our favourite games, plus another one for Windows.
When we logged onto our gaming PC, we were able to press a single button to open emails. The other button loaded Discord, while the other for a different application. We even set another button for Spotify, which was pretty awesome.
And because the profiles can store lighting settings, we gave each one of these their look to avoid confusion. With that, it was much easier for us to determine which profile we were currently utilising.
Overall, the K95 RGB Platinum XT from Corsair performed excellently, and it functioned seamlessly without issues. It worked efficiently with a variety of games, plus it was also effective for other non-gaming tasks. The keyboard has a durable build with great aesthetics, making it a highly recommended gaming keyboard.
With that, we’re giving the K95 RGB Platinum XT five stars.
Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT Review Summary
The K95 RGB Platinum XT from Corsair is a high-end keyboard but less expensive and better in several ways. It has all the excellent features that one would expect from a Corsair product, plus new additions for more convenience.
It’s an excellent choice for MMO players and streamers since it has aesthetics and comfort. The Elgato Stream Deck integration is a new feature that makes the keyboard ideal for streamers and content creators.
Most importantly, the K95 RGB Platinum XT delivered excellent performance. It was precise and responsive during our tests, which was an advantage, especially while gaming. To conclude our Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT review, we were satisfied with this product, and we’re recommending it.
The K95 RGB Platinum XT is currently unavailable from the company’s official website. If you want this keyboard, check out Corsair’s store locator to see a list of authorised stores.
