The Corsair K55 RGB PRO is a decent entry-level gaming keyboard with rubber dome switches and zone-lit RGB backlighting, and it's a direct update of the Corsair K55 RGB. It has very low latency and good ergonomics with one incline setting and a detachable wrist rest. It also has dedicated media and macro keys and companion software that offers plenty of customization options. Unfortunately, the overall build quality is only adequate, and the rubber dome switches provide mediocre typing quality. Also, all keys have a noticeable wobble while typing, and they're fairly heavy to press. This keyboard is nearly identical to the Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT, but the XT has RGB backlighting with individually lit keys.
Our Verdict
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO is a decent gaming keyboard. However, its build quality is just adequate. The rubber dome switches have a somewhat high pre-travel distance, and they take a fair amount of force to operate. While it has RGB backlighting, it's zone-lit, so you can't customize the lighting of individual keys. That said, it has very low latency, dedicated macro keys, and companion software for customization. It also has good ergonomics with one incline setting and a detachable wrist rest.
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Exceptionally low latency.
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Six dedicated macro keys and all keys are macro-programmable.
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Good ergonomics.
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Only five RGB lighting zones; keys aren't individually-lit.
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Build quality is adequate.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO is a wired-only keyboard and isn't designed for use with tablets or mobile devices.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO is satisfactory for office use. It has very quiet rubber dome switches and good ergonomics with one incline setting and a detachable wrist rest. However, the typing quality is mediocre. All keys wobble noticeably, and they're fairly heavy to press, so your fingers may get tired when typing for long periods.
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Rubber dome switches are very quiet.
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Good ergonomics.
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Build quality is adequate.
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Keys are fairly heavy to press.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO is passable for programming. Its build quality is only adequate, and its typing quality is mediocre. Unfortunately, the keys wobble noticeably, and the rubber dome switches are fairly heavy to actuate. That said, you can program macros to any key, there are six dedicated macro keys, and the ergonomics are good, with a detachable wrist rest and one incline setting. It also has RGB backlighting, but it only has five lighting zones.
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Six dedicated macro keys and all keys are macro-programmable.
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Good ergonomics.
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Only five RGB lighting zones; keys aren't individually-lit.
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Build quality is adequate.
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Keys are fairly heavy to press.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO is bad for home theatre PC use. You can't connect it wirelessly, and it has no trackpad, so you'll likely need to use it with a mouse for navigating menus. On the bright side, it has dedicated media keys and RGB backlighting. However, it only has five backlighting zones.
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Dedicated media keys.
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Wired-only.
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Only five RGB lighting zones; keys aren't individually-lit.
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Build quality is adequate.
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No trackpad.
- 7.4 Gaming
- 3.2 Mobile/Tablet
- 7.2 Office
- 6.4 Programming
- 4.2 Entertainment / HTPC
- Updated Apr 26, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Apr 21, 2021: Early access published.
- Updated Apr 16, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Apr 16, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Apr 08, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO is only available in a default black color and has no other switch types available. Though not a variant, the CORSAIR K55 RGB PRO XT is nearly identical, but it has backlighting with individually-lit keys. You can see the label for our unit here.
Compared To Other Keyboards
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO is a decent entry-level gaming keyboard. It's an update of the Corsair K55 RGB with marginally better latency and more RGB zones. It may be a good choice if you're looking for a budget keyboard without getting into mechanical switches. It's similar to other entry-level gaming keyboards like the Razer Cynosa V2, the HyperX Alloy Core RGB, or the SteelSeries Apex 3.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best keyboards, the best gaming keyboards, and the best Corsair keyboards.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO and the Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT are nearly identical wired gaming keyboards with rubber dome switches. The K55 RGB PRO XT has RGB backlighting with individually lit keys that are customizable on a per-key basis. It also supports dynamic lighting effects with certain games through Corsair iCUE.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO is an update of the Corsair K55 RGB. The PRO has five RGB zones compared to three on the original, and it has significantly improved latency. Its rubber dome switches also require less operating force, and it has onboard memory for saving customized settings, which the original lacks.
The HyperX Alloy Core RGB and the Corsair K55 RGB PRO are similar wired keyboards with rubber dome switches, but the Corsair is a much better gaming keyboard. The Corsair has significantly lower latency, six dedicated macro keys, and all its keys are macro-programmable. It also has five RGB backlighting zones and companion software compatible with Windows and macOS for customization. On the other hand, the HyperX lacks a wrist rest, none of its keys are macro-programmable, and while it has five RGB backlighting zones, it has no companion software for customization.
The Razer Ornata V2 and the Corsair K55 RGB PRO are full-sized, wired keyboards, but the Razer is a slightly better gaming keyboard. The Razer has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys, one additional incline setting, and a volume wheel. It also has clicky Razer Mecha-Membrane switches and provides good typing quality, but its software isn't compatible with macOS. On the other hand, the Corsair has significantly better latency and onboard memory for customization profiles. It has tactile rubber dome switches and provides an okay typing quality.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO and the ROCCAT Magma are both non-mechanical gaming keyboards that use rubber dome switches, but the Corsair's switches feel heavier to press and are mushier than the ones on the ROCCAT. Otherwise, the Corsair has dedicated media keys, a much lower latency, and, along with the dedicated macro keys, all of its keys are macro-programmable. Comparatively, the ROCCAT can have macros set to certain keys only. The ROCCAT has a semi-transparent base plate that lets a lot of RGB lighting through, but you may find this overwhelming if you prefer more subtle backlighting.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO and the Keychron K6 have many differences, but the Keychron is better overall. The Keychron is a compact 65% mechanical keyboard available with tactile Gateron Brown, linear Red, and clicky Blue switches. You can use it wired or wirelessly via Bluetooth, and you can wirelessly pair up to three devices. It also has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys and two incline settings, but it lacks a wrist rest. On the other hand, the Corsair is a membrane keyboard with rubber dome switches that are very quiet but feel heavier and have a longer pre-travel distance. It has an included wrist rest and one incline setting. It also has companion software for customization, dedicated media keys, and all its keys are macro-programmable. Unfortunately, while it has RGB backlighting, it's only zone lit.
The Razer Cynosa V2 and the Corsair K55 RGB PRO are entry-level gaming keyboards with rubber dome switches. The Razer has RGB Backlighting with individually-lit keys and one more incline setting, but it lacks a wrist rest, and its companion software isn't compatible with macOS. On the other hand, the Corsair has significantly lower latency, but its keys have marginally higher pre-travel travel distance and are a bit heavier to press. And while it has RGB backlighting, it's zone-lit, so you can't customize individual-key lighting.
The EVGA Z12 is a better gaming keyboard than the Corsair K55 RGB PRO. The rubber dome switches on the EVGA are lighter and have a shorter pre-travel distance than those on the Corsair, and the typing quality is better. The Corsair has a wrist rest, but you can buy one separately for the EVGA. The keyboards are similar overall, but the Corsair has much lower latency for a more responsive gaming experience.
The Corsair K55 RGB Pro and the Keychron Q2 are both wired-only gaming keyboards, but they have significant differences. The Keychron is a compact mechanical keyboard with individually lit keys and a much better build quality. It's hot-swappable, meaning you can change out any of the switches. On the other hand, the Corsair is a full-size keyboard that uses rubber dome switches. It has better ergonomics thanks to its incline settings and included wrist rest, and its latency is significantly lower.
Test Results
This is a full-size keyboard that takes up a considerable amount of desk space, especially with the wrist rest attached.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO has adequate build quality. The body and backplate are plastic and flex quite a bit, and the top portion of the board has a glossy plastic finish that is very prone to showing fingerprints and scratches. The laser-etched ABS keycaps feel a bit cheap and prone to oil shine from fingers, and their texture is almost slippery. There are rubber pads on the bottom of the board with a decent grip, but the keyboard may slide around with the feet extended because they're only plastic. Corsair states this keyboard is rated IP42 against solids and liquids, but this isn't something we test.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO has good ergonomics. It has one incline setting with the feet extended and a detachable rubber wrist rest. However, those with larger hands may find the wrist rest is too short, and the level of comfort it provides may vary from person to person.
This keyboard has disappointing backlighting. It lacks individually-lit keys, there are only five lighting zones, and the white light has noticeable blue hues. The Corsair K55 RGB XT is nearly identical to this keyboard, but it has individually lit keys.
This keyboard has a tangle-resistant rubber cable.
This is a wired keyboard that can't be used wirelessly.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO has six dedicated macro keys that can also perform streaming commands using stream deck software. It also has dedicated media keys, a Windows Lock key, and a key to adjust the RGB brightness.
This keyboard has rubber dome switches. They have somewhat high pre-travel distance, and they're fairly heavy to press. These characteristics can make accidental keystrokes less likely, but your fingers may get tired if you're typing for long periods. If you want a non-mechanical option with lighter switches, then look into the EVGA Z12.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO has mediocre typing quality. The texture on the ABS keycaps isn't great, and it borders on being slippery. The rubber dome switches offer a bit of tactile feedback, but they feel mushy, and you may find it tiring to type for long periods because of the amount of force required to operate the keys. Also, despite actuating evenly, all keys wobble noticeably. This wobble may contribute to more typos when you strike keys off-center as you might slip onto other keys accidentally.
This keyboard is very quiet and likely won't bother anyone around you, even in quiet environments.
The Corsair K55 RGB PRO has superb latency that should provide a very responsive feeling experience, even for competitive gamers.
Corsair's iCUE software has plenty of customizable settings. It allows you to assign key bindings, set macros, adjust lighting, and change the polling rate. The available polling rate settings are 125Hz, 250Hz, 500Hz, and 1000Hz. You can also save settings to onboard memory and use them on computers that don't have the software installed.
The companion software is compatible with macOS, but F11 hides open windows, Print Screen registers as F13, Num Lock registers as Clear, and the Scroll Lock and Pause Break buttons do nothing. All keys work in Linux, but the software isn't compatible.