Corsair GALLEON 100 SD Mechanical Keyboard Review - Impeccable Design, Limitless Customization

TweakTown Rating: 96%

Our Verdict

The Corsair GALLEON 100 SD not only set out to combine a high-quality mechanical keyboard with an Elgato Stream Deck, but it managed to pull it off in an all-in-one package that doesn't compromise either. An impressive achievement.

Pros

• Excellent build quality and innovative hardware
• Both the keyboard and the Stream Deck side are fantastic
• Hot-swappable switches and 8K polling
• So many Stream Deck profiles and options available
• Fantastic for games with complex controls and lots of options

Cons

• Pricey
• USB passthrough is limited to USB 2.0

Should you buy it?

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Buy at Amazon for $349.99 USD

Buy at PC Case Gear for $599 AUD

Introduction & Specification Details and Close-up

The new Corsair GALLEON 100 SD Stream Deck-Integrated Mechanical Keyboard, or GALLEON 100 SD for short, turned quite a few heads when it was unveiled earlier this year for the simple reason that it combines two very popular things - a premium Corsair mechanical keyboard with an Elgato Stream Deck. The result is a full-sized keyboard where, instead of the usual NumPad, you've got two programmable control dials, a 5-inch display, and 12 LCD keys. Now, if you've used or have played around with a Stream Deck in the past, then this is essentially a dream scenario. A halo product that stands alone with its unique combination, capabilities, and seemingly limitless customization.

Over the years, the Elgato Stream Deck, in its many forms, has become an integral tool for many designers, creators, streamers, and gamers. It's a simple concept: a customizable physical control deck tailored to a system, specific apps, or even a general concept. For example, the full-color keys (each with its own display) could show Photoshop-specific shortcuts, shortcuts for Twitch, YouTube, and other creator platforms, or quick access to apps like Steam, Spotify, and more. With the addition of control dials, the options and freedom are limitless. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Stream Deck is that it's a fully fledged ecosystem with a marketplace and a vibrant community sharing tips, profiles, and more.

Integrating and fusing it with a premium mechanical gaming keyboard from Corsair, this seemingly limitless customization extends to PC gaming. For example, game-specific profiles offer quick access to in-game functions and commands, all with thematic icons, while quick access to Discord, Spotify, and other apps opens up a new level of interaction that is simply absent on a purely mechanical gaming keyboard. Of course, combining two very different pieces of gear also opens up the door to the possibility of compromise, that is, a device that doesn't excel at either of its two core functions.

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Well, the good news is that with or without the SD glow-up, the GALLEON 100 SD is still a fantastic mechanical keyboard. And yes, that good news applies to the Stream Deck or SD side, which is every bit as responsive and intuitive as the standalone thing.

Specifications & Close Up

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Design & Software

Design

First off, the build quality of the Corsair GALLEON 100 SD is impressive, and the physical design makes it look and feel like a single, cohesive product rather than two things stuck together. As a full-sized keyboard, it's large, but you get the sense that Corsair went all out with the design. In addition to a robust, durable aluminum frame, the keyboard features gasket mounting for a smooth, rattle-free typing experience, multiple dampening layers to further enhance feel and acoustics, and hot-swappable Corsair MLX Pulse Switches. Add in double-shot PBT keycaps, per-key RGB lighting, and a plush cushioned magnetic wrist reset, and the GALLEON SD is one of Corsair's best mechanical keyboards before you take into account the Stream Deck component.

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Now, as Elgato Stream Deck devices are software-dependent, the Corsair GALLEON 100 SD's Stream Deck still works or has a default mode if you don't have the software installed or it's not currently open. Without software, the left control dial lets you switch between two modes: one that replicates the NumPad the Stream Deck replaces, and the other offers shortcuts to audio controls, theme changes, polling rate adjustments, separate brightness settings for the keyboard and display, and more. This isn't to say you don't need to install the Stream Deck app, but it's reassuring to know that even without it, the GALLEON 100 SD is already a versatile and unique gaming keyboard.

As a mechanical gaming keyboard, the GALLEON 100 SD is impressive. Although it doesn't feature adjustable magnetic switches, the pre-lubricated MLX Pulse linear mechanical switches feel fantastic. As for their specs, they feature a 2.0mm actuation point, 45g actuation force, full key rollover (NKRO) with 100% anti-ghosting, and are rated for 80 million keystrokes. So even though they're hot-swappable, they'll definitely go the distance. And when paired with the gasket mounting and dampening layers, they might be Corsair's best-sounding switches to date.

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The GALLEON 100 SD also supports up to 8,000 Hz polling via Corsair's AXON technology, for low-latency responsiveness. The fact that the GALLEON 100 SD supports 8K polling with an integrated Stream Deck over a single USB connection is also impressive. As a plus, Corsair has included an optional second USB port for USB passthrough, which is a nice-to-have. Again, the feeling is that Corsair went all-in on the design here, including non-essential features like USB passthrough and a magnetic wrist rest. Of course, at $349.99, you expect the world when the price reflects that you're getting a keyboard and a Stream Deck in a single package.

Software

The Corsair GALLEON 100 SD is controlled by two apps: one for the keyboard side and one for the Stream Deck component. For the keyboard, customization is handled by the new Corsair Web Hub, which replaces iCUE as the streamlined browser-based interface for the company's PC gaming peripherals. Although we experienced a couple of connection drops with the GALLEON 100 SD, it's a solid app for the customization you expect from a mechanical keyboard. In addition to being able to remap all of the non-Stream Deck keys or assign secondary functions with a clean and easy-to-follow interface, you can also set up and test out the SOCD or FlashTap function, which by default is assigned to the A and D strafing keys. This feature is typically found on magnetic-switch keyboards, so its inclusion here is welcome.

In addition to this, you've also got lighting controls, once again limited to the keyboard side of the ALLEON 100 SD, which offers a range of different presets and options. The Corsair Web Hub also includes a separate page for enabling and configuring the Game Mode, which is more in-depth than the usual 'disable the Start key' you find on most gaming boards. Here, you set it up so that 8K polling is only enabled when this mode is turned on, which makes sense, as 8,000 Hz polling isn't really beneficial outside of playing an intense multiplayer competitive shooter.

As Stream Deck configuration is handled via the Elgato Stream Deck app, which any Stream Deck owner is probably intimately familiar with. Having two separate apps to configure a single device might sound like a bad move on paper, but it makes sense here to leverage the Elgato Stream Deck app for what is, by all accounts, basically a Stream Deck. Installing or creating profiles is relatively easy, but choosing icons and creating pages of different functions you can scroll through takes quite a bit of time. On the plus side, the GALLEON 100 SD includes a few Windows-based profiles that serve as great templates, featuring options for Discord, Twitch, YouTube, Emoji, and more that you can use as is or customize.

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What's great about a dynamic, versatile display is that you can set up a custom system-monitoring grid that shows everything from CPU and GPU temperatures to memory usage, with or without real-time charts. And when it comes to game-specific profiles, for this review, Corsair sent us a bunch, and trying out the ones for ARC Raiders and Expedition 33 (which both have pages of options you can scroll through) is a testament to how powerful the Stream Deck can be as a companion.

Gaming and Productivity Performance

Gaming Performance

With responsive linear switches that feel great with 8K polling and a dedicated Game Mode, using the GALLEON 100 SD to play DOOM: The Dark Ages, ARC Raiders, Diablo 4, ANNO 117, and other titles, it's clear that it excels when viewed as a pure gaming keyboard. The gasket mounting and sound dampening are also noticeable when gaming; even though it's not the quietest board on the market, the acoustics are clean. There's no wobble or rattle, which is always a plus when you're in the middle of an encounter or tense moment.

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Of course, when playing ARC Raiders, we tested out the game-specific Stream Deck profile and found it to be a super handy tool for accessing a wide range of options and features. In fact, the Stream Deck is perfect for games with a lot of controls, menus, and systems, so the GALLEON 100 SD would be incredible when paired with an MMO like World of Warcraft. That said, even when you haven't set up or installed an existing game-specific profile, being able to quickly mute or make changes to Discord, Spotify, and other apps directly from your keyboard is something you very quickly get used to. That said, positioning the Stream Deck where the NumPad would go can be a little awkward because it means that pressing the Deck's dynamic action keys when gaming is easier with your mouse hand (by virtue of proximity) than your WASD movement one.

Productivity Performance

As great and uniquely positioned as the GALLEON 100 SD is as a gaming keyboard, it excels at productivity because, well, the Stream Deck is an amazing tool. Whether you're using an Adobe app or simply browsing the web or checking email, the Stream Deck component of the GALLEON is an incredible time saver and productivity accelerator. As for the keyboard side of the equation, the responsive linear switches, robust build quality, and comfortable wrist rest all deliver a fantastic, smooth typing experience. The only real downside is that the GALLEON 100 SD is relatively large and heavy, and not exactly portable - it's the sort of keyboard that needs a decent amount of permanent desk space.

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 GALLEON 100 SD sits.

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Final Thoughts

Priced at $349.99, the Corsair GALLEON 100 SD Mechanical Keyboard is a niche product, as it costs about the same as the two products it combines. However, it's a winning combination because the two products are just as impressive when viewed together or individually. So, in addition to getting a mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable switches, multiple layers of dampening, gasket mounting, double-shot PBT keycaps, 8K polling, and support for PC gaming features like SOCD or FlashTap, you're also getting a proper Stream Deck with an LCD and dual control knobs.

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As someone who hasn't really used a Stream Deck daily, the GALLEON 100 SD quickly made me a convert. After using existing profiles and settings for a few days, it wasn't long before I spent hours setting up profiles for all the apps and tools that shortcuts would make using a PC far more intuitive. In fact, it's so good that if I end up swapping out the GALLEON for another keyboard, I'd seriously consider getting a standalone Stream Deck to fill that void. As it stands, the GALLEON 100 SD might be pricey, but it's a one-of-a-kind mechanical gaming keyboard and "all-in-one" that, for many, will feel essential.