E3 2015: Corsair Strafe Hands-On

While I've been a longtime fan of Corsair PC components ranging from their cases to power supplies, I hadn't before E3 seen their line-up of gaming products in person. At E3, Corsair Gaming was showcasing their new Strafe mechanical gaming keyboard.

The primary aspect of the keyboard that immediately stood out was its minimalist design that features a sleek, black matte texture. In addition, the keyboard's red LED backlighting creates quite the bold appearance which can be customized through the Corsair Utility Engine (CUE) program. My particular favorite placement of the red LED lighting is on the keyboard's sides with a strip following each edge.

Appearance is great and all, but a keyboard's internals are just as important to ensure top gaming performance. The Strafe features Cherry MX red switches that are described as the "highest rated key of its class." One particular feature with the Strafe that made an instant difference in performance was the inclusion of textured and contoured WASD keycaps. The retail keyboard will include a set of FPS and MOBA keycaps.

Other keyboard features include a USB pass-through port, 100% anti-ghosting technology with 104-key rollover, and quick access multimedia controls on the F keys. The Strafe will retail for $109.99 and is scheduled for release in late June, which means it should soon begin appearing at retailers. Stay tuned for future review coverage on the Strafe.