nope the Corsair K100 Air Wireless and the Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro At the top of the heap when it comes to low-end wireless gaming keyboards. In this guide, we aim to help you choose between the two. Available at a hefty $279 (£279, AU$479), the Corsair K100 Wireless is an ultra-thin keyboard with tactile keys. Razer’s DeathStalker V2 Pro is as thin as the Corsair K100, sports linear switches, and costs $219 (£249, AU$359).
potential Wireless gaming keyboard To simplify a gaming setup, and thus raise the level of productivity, it cannot be underestimated. Some might argue, however, that this kind of stutter-free connection is wired gaming keyboard Capable of providing not found on wireless keyboards. While both types of keyboards certainly have their fair share of pros and cons, performance can also be determined by which brand you go for. The big names in the industry like Corsair and Razer are sure to impress you with their lag-free performance.
Corsair K100 Air Wireless VS Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro: Design
- K100 Air features an ultra-thin body and tactile keys
- DeathStalker V2 Pro also features a low-profile chassis, bright RGB lighting, and linear keys
The Corsair keyboard measures 17mm thick and 11mm thinnest. You don’t realize how incredibly skinny you are. The Corsair K100 Air features multiple design elements that we instantly became fans of. To start, its brushed aluminum frame is too good to be appreciated separately. It gives the keyboard its lightweight feel while making sure it looks good. As expensive as it is, the Corsair K100 Air doesn’t skimp on any of its features. It features ultra-low-profile Cherry tactile switches, which are one of the best in the game.
The K100 Air’s low-profile keycaps are fairly snug and are suitable for people with relatively large hands. The keycaps are subtly rounded inward to reduce finger slippage and ensure that your fingers sit comfortably on them.
The Corsair keyboard also has an LED section in the middle of it which makes it much more user friendly than it already is. It provides users with valuable information such as battery and connection status. It also has some great RGB colors. The lighting is programmable via a companion app and makes the keyboard vibrant and customizable.
Razer’s DeathStalker V2 measures 26.5mm at its thickest and weighs 776.5g (27.4z). We see 5052 aluminum alloy top plate and plastic bottom plate on this. The plastic used is of high quality, hence it has a good look. The linear keys on the DeathStalker V2 are covered with heavy duty ABS keycaps. The Razer keyboard comes with a detachable Type-C braided fiber cable.
This keyboard also features RGB lighting. In fact, thanks to Razer’s Chroma RGB, the lighting in DeathStalker can be customized to look extremely lifelike. Since the lighting on the K100 Air was a little less bright, the DeathStalker V2 definitely shines in this department.
Corsair K100 Air Wireless VS Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro: Features
- The K100 sports fully programmable keys and a long-life battery
- DeathStalker V2 also features fully programmable keys and very impressive connectivity options
Corsair’s K100 Air features fully programmable keys and dedicated media buttons. It also exercises cycling hotkeys through different profiles. We also see four dedicated macro keys on the keyboard. These keys double as call keys, too. There is also a handy volume roller. It also hosts very large onboard storage that can hold up to 50 profiles and 20 lighting effect layers.
Meanwhile, the DeathStalker V2 Pro comes with fully programmable keys and hybrid onboard memory that lets you save macros and RGB lighting profiles to it. The media button that lets you play or pause and the volume rocker that lets you adjust volume and mute are great as they come. However, if you want them to do more for you, you can simply change their settings in the Razer Synapse 3 app.
This keyboard offers three connection modes: 2.4GHz HyperSpeed Wireless, Bluetooth, and USB-C. Bluetooth mode allows you to connect it to three different devices. Even better, you can quickly switch between these devices using a set of three hot-swap buttons located on the front of the keyboard.
Corsair K100 Air Wireless VS Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro: Performance
- The K100 Air Wireless has a very fast polling rate and short travel
- DeathStalker V2 features extremely fast and quiet keys
- The K100 Air Wireless wins in battery life
The Corsair K100 Air Wireless has a lightning-fast 8,000Hz polling rate over the USB connection, which is pretty insane. When connected wirelessly, the keyboard has a polling rate of 2,000 Hz. While some might argue that the polling rate numbers may be a bit of an exaggeration, we think they have more advantages than negatives. Yes, it may end up taking up more of your computer’s resources, but overall, not having to worry about lag while gaming is a huge plus.
On the other hand, the Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro tops out at a polling rate of 1000Hz. We’re not quite sure why, as Razer has put out gaming keyboards with higher poll rates than before, but that should be more than enough for the majority of gamers out there.
Whatever the polling rate, we’ve tested both gaming keyboards, and we have no complaints about their performance. They both elicit incredibly quick responses.
The area where you might see the biggest difference is the keys. The Corsair K100 Air Wireless comes with a low-profile, scissor-like mechanical switch from Cherry. This Cherry MX Ultra Low-Profile Tactile switch features a pre-travel of 0.8mm, an actuation force of approximately 66g, and a key travel of 1.8mm. Meanwhile, the Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro comes with Razer’s signature low-profile linear optical switches, which have a 1.2mm actuation distance, 45g actuation force, and a 2.8mm key travel.
Both switches are ultra-fast, reliable, and extremely quiet, but they also feel very different when pressed. Personally, we feel the Razer optical switches feel a little mushy and we actually prefer the Cherry switches over the K100 Air Wireless for typing and gaming. However, at this point it really comes down to personal preference.
The only place Corsair is slightly ahead is in battery life. The DeathStalker V2 Pro’s battery life is good, with a rating of 40 hours with RGB lighting set to 50% and a rating of 24 hours with brightness set to 100%. On the other hand, the K100 Air Wireless has a battery life of 50 hours with the RGB lighting on and 200 hours of playtime with it turned off.
- winner: Corsair K100 Air Wireless, but only by a narrow margin
Corsair K100 Air Wireless VS Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro: Which Should You Choose?
Both keyboards are excellent in their own way. The final decision depends on what you’re looking for in a gaming keyboard. If you are an RGB fan, you will like DeathStalker more because it has much brighter lighting compared to the K100. If you don’t like your keys making a lot of noise, definitely go with DeathStalker. The linear switches are as quiet as can be.
On the other hand, the K100 offers long battery life, especially without RGB lighting, so that’s another feature you can base your decision on, some find the tactile feel of the keys better and more convenient to use. If you are that person, the K100 is what you should choose. His slender body is another of his very seductive features.