Review: Corsair Gaming Keyboards and Mice Attack with a Vengeance

Specifications and Features

First up are the Vengeance K60 and M60 keyboard and mouse, which are primarily designed with FPS (First Person Shooters) in mind. These are followed by the K90 and M90 keyboard and mouse, which have more of a focus on MMO (massively multiplayer online) and RTS (real time strategy) games.

Corsair Vengeance Gaming Keyboards


The Corsair Vengeance keyboards come in two variants, the Vengeance K60 and the Vengeance K90. As stated earlier, the K60 has a focused on FPS gaming while the K90 is focused on MMO and RTS gaming. Here we will detail the features and pricing of each of them.

The Vengeance K60 is a mechanical keyboard (unlike Logitech’s G-series). This means that the keystrokes not only feel better but are also much more precise, which is why they are so sought after for gaming. In our review of the Thermaltake MEKA G1 we detailed the differences between the majority of mechanical switches, and the MEKA G1 used the more gaming-centric Cherry MX Black switches. Corsair chose to use mechanical switches as well, but wanted to provide the best experience for gamers possible. They opted to use the Cherry MX Red switches which had until recently been discontinued due to a lack of OEMs using them. The reason for the discontinuation is the same reason Corsair chose to use the Cherry MX Red switches. It is because they are the most sensitive and therefore not necessary for non-gaming applications, but provide excellent response for gaming and are still very suitable for general use. Mechanical switches have only recently begun to be widely used for gaming keyboards, and this renewed interest has brought unprecedented popularity to the Cherry MX Red switches.



Since this keyboard is mechanical, it allows for multiple key presses to occur simultaneously. With the K60, there is a 20-key roll over (via USB) which means that the user has the ability to strike 20 keys at the same time should they ever desire. However, for most practical purposes users should not have to worry beyond 10. The K60 also comes with a textured and colored WASD and 1-6 key set (something similar to what we saw on the MEKA G-UNIT). The keyboard has a variable polling rate ranging from 1ms to 8m with 2ms being the default setting. Corsair included a wrist rest to avoid wrist cramping when playing games for long stretches of time. The wrist rest also doubles as a storage unit for the red textured keys.



There are also dedicated media keys and a Windows Key lock to prevent the user from accidentally pressing the Windows Key while gaming and minimizing the game. This key is a necessity on any keyboard marketed as a gaming keyboard. Corsair also chose to use a solid metal volume roller for adjusting volume on the fly. This feature is something we have seen on a couple of keyboards but we would like to see more widespread use. The solidness of the K60 is further reinforced by the fact that the entire top plate of the keyboard is solid aluminum which gives the keyboard a more solid feel and provides a great aesthetic.

The K90, in reality, is very similar to the K60 but it packs a slightly different set of features that will appeal to a different type of gamer. It has the same mechanical switches, 20-key rollover, polling rate and aluminum top plate, but it also adds some very desired features which could leave you wondering which keyboard you really want to get. The K90 is different in that it adds 17 macro keys to the side of the keyboard. This is extremely useful for anyone that plays an MMO or an RTS because it allows users to execute their commands in Starcraft 2 without panicking or cast the right spells in World of Warcraft.



There are also 3 sets of macros which results in having up to 54 different macros on one keyboard. The K90 also adds backlit keys which is something that we would like to see on more mechanical gaming keyboards. Backlit keys are not often a feature people care about until they don’t have it. Since this keyboard is a little longer and users will often find themselves gliding from side to side, Corsair included a full length wrist rest that goes from end to end to ensure maximum comfort.

The K60 is expected to retail for $99 while the K90 is expected to retail at a slightly higher $129. Considering the quality of the components in these keyboards and the overall design, the pricing is spot on.
After having taken a quick look at these keyboards, there is nothing to say other than we are having a lot of allusions to other gaming keyboards we’ve seen in the past. However, we would not say that Corsair is copying anything, but rather taking the best of features from other keyboards we have encountered putting them into their two keyboards.

Corsair Vengeance Gaming Mice



Corsair has also launched two gaming mice to match their gaming keyboards. These are the M60 and M90 mice. The Vengeance M60 will feature an ultra-high resolution Avago 5670 DPI laser sensor with on-the-fly resolution adjustments and an aluminum unibody design, adjustable center of gravity, programmable lift detection, high-mass scroll wheel and PTFE low resistance glide pads. It also has a 1ms or 1000Hz polling rate which is required of a good FPS mouse. The M60, since it is geared towards FPS features a Sniper button which allows the user to quickly toggle from high DPI resolution to a high precision (low DPI) mode for more accurate aiming. The mouse itself is designed to be as ergonomic as possible and for long gaming sessions. This mouse is just screaming Battlefield 3 and we are certain that everyone (including Corsair) knows it.



The Corsair M90 takes many of its cues from the M60, but once again it has an MMO/RTS focus to make it more attractive for users who play them. The M90 uses the same sensor and many of the previously mentioned features, but M90 adds 15 fully programmable buttons which are managed by Corsair’s Vengeance utility. The Vengeance utility allows users to control on-board profiles and sensor settings. The button placement for these 15 is quite ergonomic and makes them intuitive and easy to use. This allows for a very highly customized gaming experience that enables MMO, RPG, and RTS gamers to mold their gaming peripherals to their liking. Because of this, you will probably find many Diablo 3 and Skyrim users switching to this mouse.