Corsair Vanguard Pro 96

Corsair has for many years been something of a hidden gem. They make great keyboards, but their marketing isn't as flashy as much of the competition. This release seems like a fresh start: a new name, a new naming convention, and an entirely new approach to the keyboard line-up.

The latest model is the Vanguard 96, available in both Pro and non-Pro versions. As the headline suggests, this is the Pro version that we've tested.

As the name implies, it's a 96% form factor, enough that your fingers need some time to re-adjust, but not enough to make a real impact on desk space. The lack of spacing between the arrow keys and the rest of the layout takes a bit of getting used to, but that said, much of the space that's usually wasted isn't here, and by moving the extra macro keys to the side, additional space is saved as well.

On the bright side, it has four layers of sound damping, so only the keys themselves make noise. It also comes with a wrist rest, which I appreciate since it's not always included, even at a €230 price point. The chassis itself is aluminum, and the layout is a little odd, as the DEL key is placed beside the PRTSC key, making it feel a bit far away from my (tiny) fingers. I never really got used to that.

In addition, it has dedicated buttons on the side: five programmable ones and one for toggling gaming mode. There's also a huge multifunction knob, a large column wheel on the right. It's very tactile, really lovely to use, and despite its size, there's no wobble. It can handle many tasks and I mainly use it for volume control and little else.

The 1.9" IPS++ display is a great idea, but since the keyboard lies flat, the top row of the numpad blocks your view and you can't see much. As the keys aren't recessed into the chassis, and it isn't low-profile, I'm not sure how to fix this. I love the exposed underside of the keys however, with the RGB lighting shining through focal lenses in each switch, but perhaps we've gone a step too far, as after all, it's just RGB.

Since Corsair owns Elgato, keyboard shortcuts are easy to set up, and there's even a dedicated Stream Deck launch key.

Corsair uses their own pre-lubed MGX Hyperdrive Magnetic switches, which rely on Hall Effect sensors combined with an internal double-rail structure to prevent wobble when pressed. This allows Corsair to claim a 150 million-click lifespan per key, and if you don't like them, you can hot-swap to another switch type. Like other modern high-end keyboards, new but genuinely useful features are possible thanks to these switches. Rapid Triggering, for instance, means keys reset instantly, ready to be re-activated. I don't really see this as a "feature", as to me, it's simply how a good gaming switch should behave. The same goes for adjustable actuation, which can be set in 0.1 mm steps from 0.1 mm to 4 mm, backed by an 8000 Hz polling rate, equating to 0.593 ms of latency. Still, customize at your own peril. I do however not understand why there is no dual actuation support - the switch can do this, on does it with other Corsair keyboards, setting two different actuation points on one key, doing two different things, like crouching and proning, or walking and running - depending on how hard you press, and therefore activating two different activation points.

It also supports FlashTap, which lets you prioritise inputs when two opposite commands (like jump and prone) are pressed simultaneously. By default, the last pressed key is prioritised, which makes the most sense. And one thing I really want to highlight is the use of a web-based interface for customisation. No software is required: just the Corsair Web Hub, and I'm a huge fan of this solution.

So, is it a good keyboard? Well, yes and no. For typing, it takes some adjustment, and the lack of a clear view of the LCD screen makes it feel somewhat pointless. But the switches feel extremely fast and responsive, with near-instant reset speeds, which is a fantastic quality. At this very high price point, though, I would have loved to see wireless support. Alas, it does what it promises, and it does it well.