Corsair K95 Platinum vs Corsair K70
Corsair keyboards have earned quite a reputation for themselves for being built like tanks and having extreme durability. They are built with premium components and use Cherry MX switches to ensure longevity. However, they are also notorious for being some of the most expensive keyboards available in the market.
Especially when you are talking about the Corsair K70, and K95 Platinum for that matter. Both of these keyboards are among the best gaming keyboards that we can suggest and they will both run you a pretty penny with the K95 Platinum retailing for around $200 and $160 on sale, and K70 RGB for $145, and the non-RGB version for around $90.
Needless to say, these keyboards are not cheap, but they are worth the price thanks to the value they bring to the table.
If you are in the market looking for either of the keyboards and you find yourself in a confusing situation. Do not worry, we have got you covered. In this comparison, we are going to look at both the Corsair K95 Platinum and Corsair K70 keyboard and see which one is better suited for who.
Switches
The first thing that we are going to discuss is the switch type these keyboards are available on. If you are looking to buy the Corsair K95 Platinum, you will find the keyboard in Cherry MX Speed, or Cherry MX Brown switches. Speed switches are the fastest available in the market and are more preferred by gamers whereas the Brown switches are made for gamers, and typists both as they have a tactile bump but no audible click.
On the other hand, the Corsair K70 comes with a more versatile choice of Cherry MX Red, Brown, and Blue switches. However, if you want to invest a small premium, you can even go with the Corsair K70 Rapidfire RGB that comes with Cherry MX Speed switches.
Needless to say, as far as the switch situation and option is concerned, the K70 definitely wins and that too, with a good margin.
Winner: Corsair K70.
Layout
When it comes to layout, some people prefer the freedom of having extra keys that help them make their own macros. Both the K70 and K95 Platinum are fully programmable, which means that you can set any key to a macro. However, the K95 comes with 6 extra, fully programmable keys that you can program to anything you like. If you go for the older K95, you will be getting 18 programmable keys, which is just insane on a keyboard.
As far as the K70 is concerned, you just get the basic layout, meaning that there are no extra programmable keys that you can use to assign your macros to. Still, the macros can be assigned on almost any other key should you prefer to go with that.
As far as the layout is concerned, even if you do not want to use the additional keys, it is fairly evident that the K95 Platinum or the standard K95 is the winner here.
Winner: Corsair K95 Platinum/K95.
Features
Speaking of features, both keyboards are identical in almost every single aspect. Both are controlled through Corsair’s iCUE software. Both support integration with games that offer that support, and both can be programmed the same way. There is absolutely no way to differentiate one from the other when it comes to features.
Winner: None.
Lighting
As far as the lighting is concerned, you have the Corsair K95 Platinum that only offers RGB lighting. Aside from the lighting on the keys, it has a light strip on top that is completely addressable along with the Corsair logo that too, is addressable.
On the other hand, the K70 RGB, K70 RGB Rapidfire, and K70 LUX RGB offer RGB lighting, but you can get a standard version with red LED lights as well. As far as the effects are concerned, the lighting effects are the same on both keyboards. The K70, however, lacks the light strip and the LED backlit Corsair logo. For that logo, you have to go for the K70 MK.II.
The lighting is inherently better on the K95 Platinum thanks to the LED light strip on the top along with the Corsair logo.
Winner: K95 Platinum
Conclusion
The Corsair K95 Platinum is definitely the winner here, simply because it provides more value for a higher price. However, another reason why this keyboard is a winner is that it is almost 2 years old, and you can now buy it on sale for almost the same price as the K70.
Not just that, the keyboard inherently looks better thanks to the LED light strip and the additional 6 keys that you are going to get.
For anyone who has the budget, going for the K95 Platinum would be the right thing to do as you are getting more than what you are paying for. In the end, not everyone is interested in spending $150+ on a keyboard, for these people its best to choose the safer route which can be found in the Hyper X Alloy Core RGB that we just reviewed, The keyboard offers premium features with a very pocket-friendly price tag, so definitely check it out.
