Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT Mechanical Keyboard Review

It’s been quite some time since Corsair launched the K95 RGB Platinum back in 2017 and it’s finally getting a deserving upgrade that benefits both gamers and streamers. These upgrades include an improved wrist rest, dedicated macro keys that are compatible with Elgato’s Stream Deck software, double-shot PBT keycaps, etc.

As the upgrades aren’t actually major changes in this iteration, the K95 RGB Platinum XT should be fairly easy to get familiarized with if you’re already familiar with the original Corsair K95 RGB Platinum.

Specifications

Unboxing

The K95 RGB Platinum XT ships in a hard cardboard box packaging that gives it a premium feel, unlike most of the gaming keyboards you’ll find in the market. Not much information is provided on the packaging, except for the prominent features which are the highlights of the current iteration.

Inside the box, you’ll find not only the K95 RGB Platinum XT but also the warranty guide and user’s guide, as well as accessories such as the extra keycaps for the dedicated macro keys, textured keycaps for the gaming clusters (FPS and MOBA), ring type plastic keycap puller and the detachable cushioned wrist rest.

The Corsair K95 RGB Platinum XT

Design-wise, the K95 RGB Platinum XT looks pretty much identical to the K95 RGB Platinum, not many changes to the design overall. It’s still utilizing the same baseplate design with what Corsair claims to be, aircraft-grade Aluminum, and the brushed-metal texture for aesthetics. It’s still using the non-standard bottom row, which limits the choice of custom full-set keycaps you can go for.

The cable design is pretty much the same across all the K95 models, a thick braided cable with two properly labeled USB connectors at the end, one for the USB passthrough, and the other one for the keyboard itself. Although it’s stated on the box that the K95 RGB Platinum XT comes with two USB 3.0 connectors, a closer look at the connectors shows that it’s actually USB 2.0.

The USB passthrough on the K95 RGB Platinum XT is exactly the same as the previous K95 models. Having one or two USB passthrough can be a nice addon for a gaming keyboard, which serves great as a hub for other peripherals such as gaming mouse and headphones. It’s unknown why Corsair still sticks with USB 2.0 instead of USB 3.0, which is way more versatile than the older standard, in my own opinion.

Dedicated macro keys on the left have been the signature design for the K95 lineup since the beginning and it’s the same for the K95 RGB Platinum XT here. The major upgrade for this iteration is that it’s now compatible with Elgato’s Stream Deck software, which can be a really handy addon for streamers but this feature is limited only to Windows 10. The keycaps here can be replaced with the blue-colored keycaps that come together in the accessories pack, in case if you need a different look for your keyboard.

Apart from the dedicated macro keys, the K95 RGB Platinum XT also comes with a number of dedicated media keys, function keys for profile switching and lighting controls. The dedicated media keys have been our favorite since the first Corsair Vengeance mechanical keyboards lineup.  The volume wheel and mute button are very well placed in my opinion, which allows the user to adjust or mute the audio easily during unforeseen circumstances.

Looking at the keycap comparison, we can see that the keycap on the K95 RGB Platinum XT (middle keycap) is as thick as the OEM blank PBT keycaps (left keycap). The double-shot keycaps are probably the best upgrade for the K95 RGB Platinum XT, as the previous K95 models are all using translucent ABS keycaps (right keycap).

While PBT material is indeed much more durable than any typical ABS keycaps but the texture on the keycap is a bit too rough to our liking, and the same goes for the textured surface on the spacebar.

The K95 RGB Platinum is equipped with Cherry MX RGB switches and comes available in 3 different variants: Cherry MX RGB Blue, Brown, and Silver. The one we have here is equipped with the Cherry MX RGB Blue switches, which is more preferable by those who like clicky switches. The stabilizer used on the longer keys is the usual Cherry stabilizer, which is pretty common nowadays as compared to Costar stabilizers.

At the bottom of the keyboard, you’ll find some rather interesting design that is inherited from the K95 RGB Platinum. Two adjustable keyboard feet that are designed to be flipped from the side to raise the keyboard height if necessary, 4 large rubber feet that act as an anti-slip for the keyboard, and a cable routing path at the bottom of the keyboard that is made for wired headphones only.

The included wrist rest has been upgraded to a cushioned support but the installation mechanism is still the same clip-on design from the past, which is not really to our liking. As the clip-on design makes it less flexible for users who want to change the configuration on the fly, Corsair might want to consider revising the design to make things more flexible for the users.

Corsair iCUE Software

The Corsair Utility Engine or CUE was created as the main configuration utility for supported Corsair peripherals and Corsair has been continuously refining and enhancing the software to make customization as versatile and easy as much as possible. The iCUE is the latest revision of the CUE software, allowing users to create custom macros, customize key assignment and lighting effects.

Apart from the macro customization and lighting effect customization, the K95 RGB Platinum XT has an 8MB onboard memory that allows users to store the customized macros and assigned keys, as well as other settings up to 5 profiles in total.

User Experience

Honestly, I myself isn’t really a big fan of Cherry MX blue or any other clicky switches out there but it’s not really a big problem since the K95 RGB Platinum XT does come with other variants of switches like the Cherry MX RGB Brown and Silver. The aesthetics is definitely there and build quality is just as sturdy as the other K95 I’ve tried in the past, but personally I’m more inclined towards keyboards with old school keyboards with top frame design.

The dedicated media keys are still my personal favorite feature on Corsair’s keyboard, especially the volume wheel and mute button that have saved me from a lot of awkward situations while browsing videos posted and shared on social media newsfeed.

The double-shot PBT keycaps and cushioned wrist rest is definitely a worthy mention for this iteration, as many have been complaining about the keycap quality on the older K95. Having a much more durable keycap is definitely a good thing for theK95 RGB Platinum XT, but the keycap is a bit too rough for my liking but it does provide enough friction on the surface to prevent fingers from slipping off the keys during a heated up game session. The same goes for the unique textures on the spacebar, some might like it for its anti-slipping characteristic but definitely not for me. It’ll be great if Corsair can consider including a non-textured spacebar with the keyboard so that users can replace it if it’s not really to their liking.

The RGB lightings are not blindingly bright as some other gaming keyboards that I’ve tried previously, which is pretty much acceptable if you don’t like overly bright lightings on your keyboard. While you can definitely customize the lighting effects to your heart’s content with the Corsair iCUE software, I would prefer to turn off all the lighting effects and make good use of the more practical feature of that software which allows me to create custom macros and assign personalized functions to the K95 RGB Platinum XT.

The N-key rollover is much to be expected from a premium-grade keyboard like the K95 RGB Platinum XT and the actuation is pretty much on point as the keyboard is being tested.

Final Thoughts

Despite the small number of changes as compared to the previously released K95 RGB Platinum, Corsair has improved the K95 RGB Platinum XT a lot on the smaller details. As an avid rhythm game player myself, I have issues with the older K95 where the keycaps just popped off if the switch bounces back too much due to the loose fit of the keycap to the switch. I’ve never encountered such a problem with the K95 RGB Platinum XT after using it for months, thanks to the tighter fit on the new double-shot PBT keycaps.

The high price tag of RM 789 is definitely not something that everyone can afford but for prosumers who wanted something more than just another plain-looking keyboard marketed as a gaming keyboard, the K95 RGB Platinum XT has the quality and the features that are deemed worthy for the price.

Pros

• Good build quality
• Now with double-shot PBT keycaps
• Cushioned wrist rest for more comfort
• RGB lighting is not overly bright
• Easy to access dedicated media-keys and macro keys
• NKRO
• USB passthrough
• Easy to use Corsair iCUE software, plenty of customization options

Cons

• High price tag
• The plastic clip on the wrist rest design can be improved
• non-standard bottom row layout
• USB passthrough still uses USB 2.0