![Trust Gaming GXT 1863 Thaz Mechanical Keyboard with UK Layout - Mechanical Outemu RED Switches, Anti-Ghosting N-key Rollover, 14 Colour Modes, USB Plug and Play, PC/Mac/Laptop [Amazon Exclusive]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71uCY83LASL._AC_SS450_.jpg)
Quite simply the best keyboard I've ever owned. I work off a Macbook Pro, and lately the 'e' key has jammed to the point where I need to slam it several times (hard) before it knows who's boss. Having to re-write every sentence three times got old fast, but writing code was especially tedious, where every character counts.
Rather than suffer the downtime of a Mac repair (the keyboard issue is a known and unfortunately common problem), I decided to hook up an external keyboard and monitor and use the laptop more as a desktop. At first, I used an old wireless keyboard I had lying around from years back, that I bought in a kit with a mouse for about £20. The keys were flimsy and my typing accuracy left a lot to be desired. Apparently the test for a good keyboard is pressing the edge of the 'space bar' and if it only dips at the end you press, it's naff. This one was very much naff.
Seeking a bit of nostalgia for the old days where keyboards sounded like keyboards, I decided to punt for a mechanical one, and settled on the K63 due to both the Corsair brand and the right balance of price. There's a ton of different models available and I wasn't totally sure what the difference was (I'm still not, to be honest.) So I went for something that wasn't totally the cheapest, but also wasn't an insanely high-end model intended for gaming. This keyboard would solely be used for bashing out heavy-duty code for 8-10+ hours a day, so I wanted something 'pro' that wouldn't light up all the colours of the rainbow or that I could play 'snake' on (apparently you can get ones that do!)
In short, this keyboard is simply awesome. Every keystroke connects, and gives a deeply satisfying 'thud' and finger feedback. I can FLY through sentences like they're nothing, and when I look back at the screen, I'm amazed at the accuracy I've been able to achieve. Very rarely have I plugged in and a keyboard before and immediately felt right at home with it, but I did with this. Literally within 5 mins of opening the box, my productivity went up. No joke.
I was also happy to find that the keyboard is WIRED. Call me eager, but I obviously didn't read the description, and based on YouTube reviews on keyboards I'd watched, I only saw the wireless K63 available. I wasn't looking forward to having to change batteries every day or two, so I was very pleasantly surprised when I opened the box to find it wired! Probably obvious to anyone that bothers to read the description, but for an eager skimmer like me it was a nice surprise.
There are only two minor issues with this keyboard that aren't really issued at all, more like features:
1. Keystrokes are LOUD. Unpacking it and using it in the living room on the first night was enough to cause a barney with my better half. Apparently it got in the way of her telly after a hard day of slaving away! That was quickly rectified by being 'moved on' to an outside garage to use as my office. Fine by me! Now I can type as loud as I want. Seriously though, if you're thinking of using this in an office or any type of shared space, make sure you either have a door separating you and other humans, or colleagues with less sensitive dispositions. It is a mechanical keyboard, after all.
2. It's intended for use with Windows, so expect a Windows key. This might be obvious, but as a Mac user, the layout is ever so slightly different. Setting the Mac to 'British - PC' in System Preferences kind of worked. The Windows key is now a Mac Command key, but it and a couple of other keys are slightly out of place and don't map quite perfectly to the assigned keys. This hasn't gotten in the way of using the keyboard and can probably be tweaked further, but just a heads-up for Mac users.
Overall, a pretty perfect keyboard. Oh yeah, I also wrote this review using it and (get me!) without looking down at the keys once. If I've made a bunch of spelling errors, you can blame me and my poor spelling. If I happen to have got the words mostly right, then consider that my best testimony. Great keyboard-- I'll make the £70 I spent on it back in productivity gains 100x over, I'm sure of it.
| Brand | Corsair |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 36.5 x 17.1 x 4.1 cm; 1.12 Kilograms |
| Item model number | CH-9115020-UK |
| Manufacturer | Corsair |
| Color | Black |
| Are Batteries Included | No |
| Item Weight | 1.12 kg |
