Corsair K70 PRO TKL Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard Review

TweakTown's Rating: 91%

The Bottom Line

CORSAIR's latest is an excellent keyboard for competitive gamers thanks to its inclusion of Hall Effect switches with Rapid Trigger support and a smooth and fast 8K polling rate.

Pros

• Rapid Trigger ready magnetic switches
• Excellent customization options
• 8K polling for seamless performance
• Premium build quality and comfort
• Control Dial and Game Mode button

Cons

• A little louder than most modern keyboards
• Not all keys feature customizable magnetic switches

Should you buy it?

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Buy at Amazon for $179.99 USD

Buy at Amazon for $199.99 CAD

Buy at Amazon for £181.92

Buy at PC Case Gear for $299 AUD

Introduction & Specification Details and Close-up

Outside of a general increase in the quality of components and the shift to a more modular design with hot-swappable customization, the mechanical gaming keyboard market has seen a shake-up in recent years thanks to the arrival of magnetic switches and what they bring to the competitive scene. If you've heard the terms 'Rapid Trigger' or 'Snap Tap,' you're on the right track. Essentially, what is happening is that the adjustable actuation and reset points that you get with a magnetic or 'Hall Effect' switch are leading to some fascinating gaming features that would otherwise be impossible to pull off with a traditional mechanical switch.

A quick look at the Corsair K70 PRO TKL Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard

Rapid Trigger works pretty much as the name suggests. As you can adjust the actuation point of a magnetic or Hall Effect switch, Rapid Trigger works by resetting the key or switch the moment you let go. This allows the key to be rapidly pressed repeatedly without letting go entirely. For the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard, the company calls its 'Snap Tap' feature 'FlashTap Technology,' which allows you to prioritize directional or WASD movement. While maintaining the last direction or movement key, the result is evasive movement in a first-person shooter that, like Rapid Trigger, would otherwise be impossible to pull off.

CORSAIR's FlashTap allows gamers to strafe rapidly and move faster than what would be possible on a non-Hall Effect keyboard. This is why Valve has taken a stance to ban its use in Counter-Strike 2, which is probably why CORSAIR includes a quick and handy Function key press to turn FlashTap on or off. Of course, there's much more to the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard than these features; however, there's a lot to love about its PC gaming-first design.

Even though it adheres to the now widespread and commonplace TKL form factor, the spacious layout includes ample room for the function and arrow keys, CORSAIR's context-sensitive Control Dial, a customizable translucent button, and a Game Mode switch that lives up to its name and then some.

Specifications & Close Up

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Kosta's Test System

Best Deals: Corsair K70 PRO TKL Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard

	Today	7 days ago	30 days ago
	$179.99 USD	$179.99 USD	$149.99 USD	Buy
	$199.99 CAD	$249.98 CAD	$199.99 CAD	Buy
	£181.92	£172.38	£152.98	Buy
	$179.99 USD	$179.99 USD	$149.99 USD	Buy
	$299 AUD	$299 AUD	-	Buy
* Prices last scanned on 3/15/2025 at 4:43 am CDT - prices may not be accurate, click links above for the latest price. We may earn an affiliate commission from any sales.

Design & Software

Design

CORSAIR's K70 series of keyboards have always, more or less, been impressive - from general features to functionality, software support, and, of course, reliability and comfort. The CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL is no different. As a TKL board, it's one of the most comfortable regarding the space you get, and the inclusion of a soft wrist rest, double shot PBT keycaps, multiple layers of foam, and a sturdy body made up of a mixture of an aluminum top plate and high-quality plastic. It's not the most affordable Rapid Trigger keyboard on the market or the most premium. But its $149.99 USD price feels fair for the features, build quality, and inclusion of Hall Effect or magnetic switches. Plus, that peace of mind that comes with picking up a CORSAIR product.

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All switches on the keyboard are pre-lubed; however, not all switches on the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL are the CORSAIR MGX Hyperdrive V2 'Hall Effect' switches - with double-rail structures and adjustable magnetic sensors. The function, arrow, and system keys surrounding the main keyboard all use the red CORSAIR MLX Plasma linear mechanical switches, which have a similar default feel to the MGX Hyperdrive V2 switches. Still, they lack Rapid Trigger and FlashTap functionality. This makes the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL a hybrid magnetic-mechanical gaming keyboard, with the decision to limit the Hall Effect switches to the primary keys probably coming down to cost.

For the keys with CORSAIR MGX Hyperdrive V2 switches, rated at an impressive 150 million presses, you can adjust the actuation point in 0.1 mm increments from 0.1 up to 4.0mm. There's also the option to set a secondary actuation point for multi-function keypresses, customize the reset point, add a secondary actuation point, and enable Rapid Trigger functionality with the ability to adjust the sensitivity value. With the ability to do this on a per-key basis (or group of keys), the customization is impressive and an excellent showcase for why Hall Effect gaming keyboards have grown in popularity.

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The CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL is a wired keyboard, which is still the connection method of choice for most gamers. Here, over USB, you've got up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate with CORSAIR AXON technology. The standard polling rate for a gaming keyboard, wired or wireless, is 1,000 Hz, and this 8X improvement in latency might not be as noticeable in all tasks, but when used in conjunction with Hall Effect features like Rapid Trigger and FlashTap, it adds to the seamless gaming experience you get.

The dedicated 'Game Mode' button is another notable feature of the physical design. The CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard is not the first keyboard to include a dedicated 'Game Mode' button or switch, but it might just be the best implementation of this feature to date. Here, pressing the 'Game Mode' button - which is a funky translucent circle located next to the Control Dial - sets the Polling Rate to the maximum, locks system keys, and functionality, applies a static LED color to all keys, and enables Rapid Trigger on all relevant keys for an FPS or MOBA.

Software

Like all of its products, the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard uses iCUE software for customization. For those who have used iCUE to customize a keyboard in the past, the setup here will be straightforward; however, making those actuation point adjustments does take a good minute or two to learn. It's a simple process, however, one that isn't spelled out. Instead of selecting a single key or highlighting a group of keys to make the actuation point and Rapid Trigger adjustments, you create different Actuation Presets and then apply these to a single key or group of keys. It's impressively intuitive once you get the hang of it, and having a graphic of the switch helps you better understand what each change or adjustment is doing.

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With the ability to assign different colors to each Actuation Preset, it doesn't take long to put together a quick set of settings and other functionalities for all the primary keys on the keyboard. CORSAIR leaves all of the customizations to you, as there are no preset profiles or modes you can cycle through that might have been created for various tasks or different styles of games. However, with five onboard profiles and near-limitless customization options, there's a lot of power on offer.

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CORSAIR's iCUE application also allows you to change the lighting and key assignments. It includes built-in macro tools for creating complex assignments, including triggering a string of text or firing up a specific application. The system and layout are intuitive for making actuation point adjustments, but the learning curve is a little steep for key assignments.

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iCUE also includes a dedicated section for adjusting the various Control Dial modes (the dial itself isn't customizable) and a separate module for fine-tuning the Game Mode button. Outside of creating that perfect Hall Effect profile for Call of Duty or Counter-Strike 2, most of the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL's features are accessible directly from the keyboard. From switching between profiles to adjusting the lighting and brightness, it's accessible without opening iCUE.

Gaming Performance and Productivity

Gaming Performance

A mechanical keyboard with responsive linear mechanical switches is fine for most gamers and has more than enough performance for gaming and day-to-day usage. Adjusting the actuation point of a magnetic switch is excellent for those looking for a more responsive keypress, which can be immediately felt when playing a first-person shooter like DOOM Eternal or Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 - any game with WASD movement. Going from an actuation point of 2.0mm down to even 1.7mm or 1.5mm adds speediness to keypresses, and the benefit here is that you can always go back if needed.

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Rapid Trigger support and FlashTap add the ability to strafe and dance around the battlefield rapidly - which can be game changers in their own right. Even for a single-player game like DOOM Eternal, Rapid Trigger and FlashTap are two things that add to the experience, and when coupled with the 8,000 Hz Polling Rate, lead to a more enjoyable time gaming in a competitive, fast-paced setting. Even though FlashTap is banned in Counter-Strike 2, it's not something that will elevate an average gamer to God-tier status, and to get the most out of it, you do need to have a lot of skill being jittery (or twitchy) as you strafe through a map.

Productivity

Outside of two things, which might be the make-or-break catalyst for some, the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard is an excellent productivity keyboard. The first and obvious thing is the lack of a dedicated numpad; this is a TKL board. The second only becomes noticeable when using the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL. It's a reasonably loud-sounding keyboard that is all in on delivering that 'Thwocky' mechanical keyboard sound. Even with two layers of sound-dampening, the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL lacks the smooth, almost cushiony sound and feel of other modern keyboards - and there's a slight rattle you can hear, too. Outside of this, with dedicated media controls, the Control Dial's scrolling functionality, and adjustable actuation points, the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL's productivity chops are here.

Keyboard Click Sound Level

To test a keyboard's overall sound level, we use the Ozito Digital Sound Level Meter, capturing the sentence "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" multiple times and recording the maximum dB level. This indicates how "loud" the switches used are for everyday usage. The following chart showcases where the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard sits.

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Final Thoughts

As we head into 2025, the gaming keyboard market feels as competitive and alive as ever, with excellent options from brands you know and those you might not even know. CORSAIR is a brand that has been delivering excellent gaming keyboards for several years, and the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard is an impressive, if flawed, entry. Some of the criticism you could chalk up to is a matter of taste, like the relatively loud sound of the keyboard that could be viewed as a throwback. Also, some keys aren't adjustable because CORSAIR has chosen not to include the Hall Effect or magnetic switches on every key.

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But it's there on all of the primary keys. And when you add the robust build quality, comfortable wrist rest, and excellent add-on features like the Game Mode button and Control Dial, the CORSAIR K70 PRO TKL is a fantastic choice for gamers who live and breathe fast-paced competitive action. As a TKL Rapid Trigger-ready keyboard from CORSAIR, it's a winner and tailor-made for gamers who rapidly strafe and move in an FPS or trigger abilities in a MOBA at a speed that would make most non-gamers struggle to figure out what just happened.