Corsair has announced two new additions to its keyboard lineup in the shape of the Corsair K70 Core TKL and K70 Core TKL Wireless. Along with offering a snazzy new design and a relatively affordable price, these new Corsair gaming keyboard models also include extra sound dampening, improved MLX switches, and the addition of a mode that apes Razer’s Snap Tap feature for ultra-fast key changes.
As a maker of some of the best gaming keyboards, Corsair isn’t looking to push new boundaries with the Core TKL lineup’s build, but the new feature set could comfortably put this new TKL version ahead of the existing full-size K70 Core, while the new FlashTap feature is currently exclusive to this board.
The Corsair K70 Core range is a more budget-oriented option than other K70 boards, and as such its most obvious difference from other K70 boards is the lack of an aluminum top plate. From my experience of previously handling the full-size Core keyboard, this lends the board a lighter weight but less rigid feel.
Both versions of the keyboard come with new MLX v2 switches, which re pre-lubricated for a smooth switch feel. The boards are only available with a linear switch – rather than tactile or clicky – but this is generally a preferred option for gaming.
These switches don’t offer any sort of analog response via an optical or Hall Effect trigger, but they do offer RGB lighting with per-key lighting control. The keyboard as a whole is also sound-dampened with two layers of foam.
What’s more, Corsair has added a feature called FlashTap, which is essentially like Razer Snap Tap, where the board allows you to hold down one key after another and the board will instantly switch back to the key you pressed first once you’ve released the subsequent keys. This means you can strafe left and right by just holding down A (or your chosen left strafe key assignment) and tapping D only when you need to strafe right – FlashTap will automatically switch back to strafing left once you release the D key.
The first implementation of this type of feature was Razer Snap Tap, and it quickly proved a huge advantage in games such as Overwatch and Valorant, leading to a Razer Snap Tap CS2 ban, where Valve would ban gamers it detected using the feature. As such, FlashTap arrives disabled by default on these boards, but you have the option to use it if you wish.
The K70 Core lineup also includes a multi-function dial in the top right corner of the board that lets you control volume, zoom in, pause music, and more, plus there’s a game mode button that switches off the board’s Windows keys and sets the lighting to a static color.
That’s the core feature set of both boards, but the Wireless version adds the option for 2.4GHz or Bluetooth connections to your PC or other device, with the K70 Core TKL Wireless boasting a surprisingly long battery life. Over 2.4GHz it can last 890 hours, while over Bluetooth it can last 2,400 hours, according to Corsair.
The Corsair K70 Core TKL is available now priced at $99.99 for the wired version or $129.99 for the wireless version. For more perfect peripheral picks, check out our best gaming mouse guide, which also includes a range of wired and wireless options.
