Alongside the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 gaming mouse we reviewed last week, Logitech G also released a new premium gaming keyboard, the Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard.  

“The exciting new PRO Series portfolio represents a pure and uncompromised product collection, designed for maximum performance of elite esports professionals and the most competitive gamers playing at the peak of potential” 

“These products exemplify our commitment to pushing the limits of performance, speed, and reliability, which is only made possible through our multi-year, collaborative design process with professional esports athletes. Our elite athlete partners help design, develop and test our products, ensuring they deliver the highest level of performance, quality and cutting-edge innovation.”

Brent Barry, Head of Esports and PRO Series at Logitech G

Logitech G sent us the white version of the Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard to review and we came away impressed with their offering although there were parts we thought could be improved.

The PRO X TKL gaming keyboard is not cheap (RRP $369.95) so we put it through its paces testing everything we could on it.

In the box

The packaging that the Pro X TKL keyboard comes in is fancy.  The keyboard is wrapped inside a nice soft paper and looks gift wrapped to be honest.  Sure, this doesn’t make it game any better but it is a nice touch.

The box includes the keyboard, a premium hard carry case for it and the USB-A Lightspeed wireless dongle.  One thing missing is a palm rest, which given the size (and price) of this keyboard I would have though the inclusion of would be a no-brainer.

The entire keyboard and packaging are carbon neutral according to Logitech – like so many of their new products these days – with renewable energy used in the manufacturing process and FSC-certified paper used in its packaging.

Design

Unsurprisingly, given the name, the Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard is a tenkeyless keyboard (ie. no numpad), giving you more room to move your mouse without having to place it a fair distance from your other hand on the keyboard.  Personally, I prefer the TKL keyboard over the larger option as it still has decent sized arrow keys etc but takes away that large area normally reserved for the numpad.  It’s a great space saver.

This compact nature allowed for easy use while gaming without tiring or reaching too far with either hand.  

Although it is compact in nature it has all the keys you need for gaming along with a few extras Logitech G has added to help your gaming experience.  There is a normal sized arrow navigation cluster, a full F-row and the gaming keys included are:

  • Connectivity option buttons to quickly change from one type of connectivity to another
  • Game Mode button to lock out some keys you don’t need while gaming (such as the Windows key)
  • Media control buttons
  • Volume roller for easy adjustment of the volume while in a game which I loved and was not only easy to get to but quick and easy to use
  • Programmable F keys as G keys on the PRO X 2 Keyboard to enable control of your whole desktop. Change mouse DPI preset, execute macros, combine spells and abilities, and even control your stream through plugins, including those from Streamlabs. 

The back of the keyboard has the power button and USB-C port for charging and USB-C connectivity.

Underneath is a storage port for the Lightspeed USB dongle and a couple of feet to adjust the elevation/slope of the keyboard – there are two different sizes each side.  I opted for the middle option (and a palm rest I had in the cupboard from another keyboard).

The keyboard itself feels extremely well built and solid and no amount of mashing on the keys caused it to move, bend or flex in any way.

Keys and switches 

First thing you look at on the keyboard is the keycaps.  These have seen an upgrade over previous Logitech G keyboards with them now ANSI-style keycaps and shipped with dual-shot PBT keycaps allowing the RGB lighting to shine through nicely.

You can change the keycaps you want to any ANSI keycap but I was happy with them as they felt comfortable under the fingers while in a game.

Logitech G use their own version of the CherryMX switches, GX tactical keys which are very much styled on CherryMX so there is not that much difference.  The sound between these and CherryMX switches is extremely similar, as is the feeling under the finger.  By the way any CherryMX keycaps will fit perfectly on the switches.

The switches included on the Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard here in Australia are their Tactile switch – or Brown for those looking for a CherryMX equivalent.  I’m used to red switches so found these Tactile/Brown switches to be a bit louder and a different feel but something I got used to pretty quickly.

“A quiet, yet discernible tactile bump.

GX Brown switches offer minimal feedback through actuation to ensure confidence and precision in the actuation moment—without being too loud or distracting. Tactile switches are ideal for competitive and FPS gaming.“

In the US the Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard can be configured with Red or Blue switches (Clicky (GX Blue), Linear (GX Red)) but not here.  You are stuck with Brown/Tactile although that isn’t a bad thing I found with the tactile nature of them feeling good under the finger.  If it didn’t drive my wife crazy with the loudness I may consider a swap to these as my preference.

The switches may be of Logitech G’s making and not CherryMX but that does not mean they are cheap knock-offs.  I found the switches to be solid with very little wobble in them and the feeling was extremely similar to that of a CherryMX switch.  In isolation it was difficult to tell they weren’t CherryMX switches and only by placing a CherryMX keyboard next to it and going abc and forth for a while was I able to discern any real difference.

If you don’t like the Brown switches, here in Australia you are out of luck because not only can’t you buy a different switch version but you cannot replace the switch itself either.  This is not an issue for a casual gamer like myself but for the more elite gamers with specific preferences that may be an issue.

I have seen some keyboards recently where you can adjust the activation point of the switches but there is none of that here and to be honest I’m not entirely sure 99% of gamers would be able to tell the difference in activation point anyway.

Connectivity

The big selling point of the Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard is its wireless nature while still being able to provide a near-zero lag experience thanks to its Lightspeed wireless dongle.  The dongle is very similar to that used in the Pro X Superlight 2 mouse and they both have the same functionality so you can use a single dongle to connect them both at once (to save on port usage).

The ease of connection using Lightspeed wireless is great and super easy.  When using this connection it was solid and fast with zero lag and no connectivity issues such as dropouts or anything.

You can also connect the keyboard using the USB-C port on the back of the keyboard (and an included 6ft USB cable) should you nearly be out of battery and still want to use it – it will charge while being used.

For those a little less concerned about speed there is a solid Bluetooth connection to connect to your PC/device.  I used this to test out the quality of the connection only because given how easy and good the Lightspeed connection is I just stuck to that.

With all this the Pro X TKL Lightspeed is meant to have a 50-hour battery life.  I haven’t had to charge it yet in my testing over the past couple of weeks – yes, I do need to do more gaming right?  The battery life left can be seen in the G Hub software.

Software and RGB Lighting

As you’d expect on a gaming keyboard, the Pro X TKL Lightspeed includes customisable RB lighting and although it isn’t as evident on the white background of the keyboard we reviewed it is everything you’d expect from a gaming keyboard.

Using the Logitech G Hub software you can easily customise the RGB lighting to your preferences and also to the game you are playing and the keys used in said game.  There are a multitude of options to change the lighting to in the G Hub software including the ability to change the rate of effect, brightness of the lighting and the saturation of the light.

As mentioned above, all the F keys can be customised and saved to a profile so they do different things in different games.  Various macros and actions can be programmed as well – by various I mean whatever you want, plus there are some pre-installed ones for certain games and apps.

All these settings can be saved to a profile and save to the onboard memory allowing you to take it with you wherever you take your keyboard (in the premium-feeling carry case).

Who buys the Logitech G Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard?

The Logitech G Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard is not a cheap gaming keyboard at RRP $369.95 but it is a serious keyboard. Logitech G may be trying to steal marketshare from better known gaming competitors such as Razer and with this keyboard they might have a shot.

The Pro X TKL keyboard offers nice-feeling tactile tactile GX Brown switches along with a myriad of specific gaming options such as a fast wireless connectivity (Lightspeed), a volume scroll wheel and the ability to set macros and turn of certain keys to prevent accidental keypresses (such as on the Windows key).

It is built incredibly solidly with many RGB customisation options along with Lightspeed, Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity and a very sturdy protective carry case. The only thing missing is the ability to change the switches to your personal preference with Logitech G opting for the Brown switches which they determine “ideal for competitive and FPS gaming.” If you want a different switch it may be best to look elsewhere though (unless you have a US hookup where all three colour switch options are available).

For users who want a keyboard with a multitude of options normally reserved for the most expensive keyboards which performs extremely well, with many pro gamers opting for it, then this is an option you should consider.

The Logitech G Pro X TKL Lightspeed keyboard is available for pre-order now for RRP$369.95AU in Black, White and Pink from the Logitech G website.