Logitech G512 X 75

When it comes to a keyboard, I'm quite an easy person to please. I don't need immense amounts of features, broad RGB, a full 100% layout, or much of that jazz. What I need is simply a responsive and straightforward device that uses punchy and reliable switches and that doesn't take up too much room on my desk. That being said, I do appreciate when technology gives me the option for a broad slate of features without requiring me to purchase add-ons or use nearby space for added extras. For the case of the Logitech G512 X (in this situation, the 75% layout model), this is what you get to a very competent degree, as we're talking about a keyboard that goes above and beyond on features all while providing a useful home for each bonus element.

Before we even get to the more advanced features and the customisation options on hand for the Logitech G512 X, let's begin by touching on the core build and design philosophy. For one, this isn't a very subtle keyboard at all. There's a huge amount of RGB, both in the backlighting of the keys but also in the lightbar on the front side facing towards you. The top plate is stuck on like an added extra, leaving gaps down the sides where the purple underplates shine through, and this is all while the backside of the keyboard plays host to the quirkier features we'll touch on later. It's made out of quality plastic that's firm to the touch and smooth to run your fingers over, but it does lack that true top-of-the-line material choice that, say, HyperX's Alloy Origins series of keyboards utilise with its rich and heavy aircraft-grade aluminium body. This analysis also applies to the keycaps and even the two rotatable dials in the upper right of the keyboard that can easily manage audio levels, for example.

At the end of the day, when you boil it down and ignore the flashy RGB and the slightly unusual design style, the Logitech G512 X functions as a competent and able keyboard, one that doesn't really require setup, as it's very much plug and play. But here's the thing about saying that; you won't be buying a Logitech G512 X as a plug-and-play solution. This is a quirky keyboard built for those who want the added functionality it offers, so where does it ultimately stack up when we judge it on these more intricate parameters?

The Logitech G512 X is designed to offer a very rudimentary engineering experience, one where you can take the base keyboard as it is out of the box, play around with the RGB lighting in G Hub software's Lightsync section, and maybe switch the polling rate from a completely usable 1000Hz to a completely extreme 8000Hz (for if you game and require input responsiveness that measures 0.125ms, which for reference is about 36 times faster than a bee's wing flaps during flight...). But if you do want to take the next step, you can remove the back panel of the keyboard and take one of the nine included Gateron KS-20 Linear Mechanical Analog Switches and replace the existing Linear Mechanical Switches to get a more enhanced responsiveness experience. The main thing to note is that there are only 39 Dual Swap switch beds on the keyboard, meaning not every input will be able to take full advantage of this swappable setup, but the ones that matter, the majority of the keys on the left of the keyboard and the arrows, are part of the Dual Swap range.

Once you've swapped a switch - which is easy as the Logitech G512 X comes with two handy plastic tools made for removing keycaps and then switches - you can return to G Hub and change the actuation point and the sensitivity of the Gateron KS-20 switches you've just installed. If you're unfamiliar with how the two different switch types change the experience of using a keyboard, the Logitech G512 X is an excellent gadget for proving this point, as the Gateron KS-20 switches are softer, make far less noise, require a fraction of the force to activate, and ready themselves up in a heartbeat too. And this is without even having to make any changes in G Hub and just using the base settings for an installed switch, so you can probably imagine how things change when you tweak a switch to exactly how you like it.

The customisation elements are an interesting feature, but they don't stand out as particularly crucial. Again, it's niche and it offers a unique way to customise this device to your preferences, but it's also limited in the sense that you don't get many Gateron KS-20 switches to play around with, can't utilise them properly across half of the keyboard, and likewise the majority of players likely won't notice a huge change in performance from granular improvement these switches offer even if they do deliver a different feel to the regular switches.

So I appreciate the customisation options and I do absolutely adore how Logitech has managed to incorporate a relevant home for these different features on the keyboard itself. There's even a slot on the base of the keyboard that includes five SAPP rings to further reduce the noise of key presses and otherwise also act as a second trigger point too, and if that's not enough, the keycap and switch removal tools double as 'legs' for the keyboard, meaning you can remove them, swap switches, and then pop them back onto the bottom of the keyboard so you won't forget where you left them. In these aspects, the Logitech G512 X is rather ingenious engineering, but when it comes to how it offers a more customisable keyboard and software experience, it doesn't quite fully lean into the depth a device like this could, truly offering users deep customisation tools to make a device their own.

But again, as a keyboard, it functions well and has been a pleasure to use on a day-to-day basis in my experience and I've had a bit of fun tweaking the switches and keys, playing with the RGB at the same time. But has any of this had a noticeable impact on my performance in video games? Not that I can see. So, if you do end up contemplating snagging one of these gadgets, just understand that it is basically a regular keyboard that gives you an added jolt of customisation tools, and considering it doesn't offer a wireless connection, perhaps we should be expecting a little more from a gadget that costs £170.