Corsair K95 mechanical keyboard - durability update

[TeaLeaf]

I bought a Corsair K95 keyboard earlier this year, it was my first mechanical keyboard purchase so I thought an update on its durability was in order.

Durability - Scientific Testing Methodology:
This keyboard has been great so far with nothing breaking and the keyboard responsiveness from the Cherry MX Red switches being brilliant throughout.   As I don't have a suitably sized blender and was therefore unable to do the usual 'does it blend' test, I thought I'd go a different route with this durability test.

Requirements:
one-third of a bottle of rose wine
a pint glass
one slightly careless keyboard operator (me)

Testing Procedure:
Put all the rose wine into the pint glass.
Accidentally pour the one-third of a pint of rose wine into the middle of the keyboard making sure to cover the majority of the qwerty layout and the function keys above.
Then call Whitey and let him know that 'rain stopped play' and tell him about the unusual localised meteorological conditions on the keyboard.
The keyboard is then placed in a warm, dry place (i.e. on my underfloor-heated kitchen floor tiles) and left to dry overnight.

Results:
After dunking -
Almost immediately and very predictably the back lighting for the keys and buttons started shorting out, the keyboard became unresponsive as it was shorting key-press signals at higher than maximum rate and various lights all over the keyboard were flickering on and off randomly.   The keyboard was unplugged after letting it broil its electronics for 90 seconds.

After an overnight drying -
The keyboard was then plugged in again next day (this morning) to see if it still worked.
All the back lighting still works, all the programmable keys work and after a wipe down with a clean cloth no stickiness seems to have remained on any of the keys or typing actions (probably because they are mechanical and the switch is protected like an umbrella by the key shroud) and there so far seems zero performance degradation post-dunking.

Conclusion:
This keyboard is one durable sob.   It is the first and only keyboard I have owned that has survived the 'third of a pint' dunking test with no ill effects (and I usually dunk 2-3 keyboards per year so I have amassed considerable experience here).   For just surviving the test it deserves praise, but as it still works perfectly I'm giving it top marks and a 'Platinum Award' for sheer ballsy performance in the face of a torrential rose downpour.   Thoroughly impressed and highly recommended for gaming use in unusually damp conditions.

Score:    5/5 - Most Recommended! :thumbsup:

[Tutonic]

I think you can consider that a bullet dodged

I've got the K70, which is essentially exactly the same but without the extra macro keys on the side, and it's a fantastic bit of kit. Easily the best keyboard I've ever owned, a joy to use.

[Chaosphere]

Just my two cents, I once spilled a cup of coffee on my K90, and it never worked again But, I was able to get Corsair to replace it for me by pretty much just asking really nicely...

[Liberator]

I need to see the results of a red wine test before I take the plunge.

I did like the programmable key lighting on it though.

[Liberator]

Hmm, K70 is on sale for £90 with eBuyer and I'm tempted. Trouble is, I'd like the Silver with Blue back light, but that's not on sale with Red switches, but is with the brown switches. From what I understand the browns are not clicky, but tactile and the pressure is 45g like the reds. From what I read this is less noticeable than a standard rubber domed keyboard but does give a slightly different actuation point than MX reds.

Has anyone played with both.

The Cherry red is available with red back lighting on black for £90 as well.

[smilodon]

Yes I have although I don't own a mechanical keyboard. I have used a brown for a few weeks (loaner) and the effect is a bit like patting the keys rather than pressing them, if that makes any sense? I think for competent touch typers, who know whether they have clicked a key, then browns would be a more relaxing experience and much quieter, which I think is another feature of browns. But for gaming I like the effect of getting the tactile feedback that I have successfully clicked a key. As mentioned I don't use a mechanical keyboard (I have a Logitech G15) but I do still prefer the clicky-ness I get from the G15 keyboard and that a red would provide more off. Just my pennies worth and I guess it's down to personal choice.

[Tutonic]

Red's don't have any feedback, apart from the loud 'clack' you get as the key bottoms out. Brown's have a very subtle tactile bump when the switch is activated.

There isn't much to choose between them, both are good for gaming and general typing although it does take a little while to get used to the sensitivity. I went for Red switches on my K70 and I'm very, very happy with it. Easily the best keyboard I've ever owned.

[suicidal_monkey]

On the liquids test front my pre-millennium Microsoft Internet keyboard has survived beer, red wine, and even a vodka+coke dunking. Had to be stripped, thoroughly rinsed and rebuilt for the worst ones (coke is the worst) but it's still going!

 Cooler master quickfire with cherry browns at work is slightly nicer though my typing is still too ham handed to detect the click point.

[Tutonic]

If anyone's toying with the idea of a mechanical keyboard but you're not sure about the noise, I just bought a set of these and they work a treat.

[albert]

Aaaghhhr that is hell. Rings

Sent from my LG-F320S using Tapatalk

[Sneakytiger]

Erm what about a razer black widow mech keyboard and lucasade any tips?

[BrotherTobious]

I would possible try the same thing mate.

On a lighter note got myself the K70 (shamlessly trying to be like Tut )

It is epic I like the clack myself, thanks for the advice all

[TeaLeaf]

Unplug it!
Dry it thoroughly
Take a photo with your phone of the keyboard layout of the keys (for later reconstruction)
Remove the keys and wash them in warm soapy water and air dry
Use a cotton bud dipped in something like 'glasses cleanrer or screen cleaner fluid' and wipe down the stick areas (pay particular attention to the moving part)
Reassemble with dried keys
Et voila.

I had to do this with my '=' and F9 keys after my 'accident' as they were not depressing cleanly.   They now work fine.

Good luck with the Lucozade cleanup!

[Gorion]

My K90 sometimes keeps repeating a key press.  To fix it, I have to press the key again - the key isn't stuck.

Anyone encountered this before?

[Chaosphere]

Yeah Gorion it happens on mine sometimes too.