Corsair K55 RGB PRO (Black)

Corsair K55 RGB PRO (Black)

By Corsair · Mechanical Keyboards · Home & Workspace

  • 110 keys, rubber dome switches
  • 1000Hz polling rate, 12-key selective rollover
  • IP42 dust and spill resistance
  • 6 dedicated macro keys, 5-zone RGB
  • Dedicated media keys, detachable palm rest

Lowest price seen
~$39.99 (approx.)
from $39.99 at Amazon

Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Summary

A full-size wired membrane gaming keyboard for budget buyers who want quiet keys, dedicated macro and media controls, and RGB lighting without mechanical prices. Corsair also sells a per-key-lit K55 RGB PRO XT and an older K55 RGB, so confirm the model number before you buy.

Strengths

  • Dedicated macro keys and media controls are uncommon at this price.
  • 5-zone RGB backlighting with iCUE lighting profiles.
  • IP42 dust and spill resistance for everyday accidents.
  • Detachable soft-touch palm rest and one incline setting.
  • Quiet rubber-dome switches suit shared rooms and offices.
  • On-board memory keeps lighting and macro profiles without the software running.

Weaknesses

  • The all-plastic body is light and feels less stable than heavier keyboards.
  • Rubber-dome switches need a fair amount of force and have high pre-travel, which can tire you out.
  • Keys wobble noticeably under the finger.
  • The RGB is zone-lit, so you cannot light individual keys.
  • The macro-key layout takes up a lot of desk space, and there is no wireless option.
  • Corsair forum users report iCUE 5 onboard-memory and firmware problems.

Verified specifications

ModelCH-9226765-NA, North American layout with 110 keys.
Switchesrubber dome (membrane), not mechanical.
Rollover12-key selective rollover with anti-ghosting.
Polling1,000Hz.
Backlighting5-zone RGB, not per-key.
Macro keys6 dedicated.
Controlsdedicated media hotkeys and a WIN lock key.
Spill and dust resistanceIP42.
Connectivitywired USB 2.0 Type-A, bus-powered at 5V 600mA.
SoftwareCorsair iCUE, with on-board memory for saved profiles.
Heightone incline setting; detachable soft-touch wrist rest included.
Weight0.8 kg (about 1.76 lb) for the US model.
CompatibilityWindows 10 and macOS 10.15 or later, with a USB 2.0 Type-A port.
Warranty2 years.
In the boxkeyboard, quick start guide, safety leaflet, warranty card.
Full research notes and sources

Typing feel and switches

The switches are rubber domes with a tactile bump, quiet enough for an office. RTINGS found the keys heavy and noted that they wobble, and several reviewers say long sessions get tiring. The layout is full-size with 110 keys, 6 macro keys and dedicated media keys, and the 12-key rollover covers most gaming. It is wired only.

Corsair lists the US unit at 0.8 kg (about 1.76 lb) and does not publish dimensions for the North American model; its Turkish page for the same model gives 481 × 167 × 36 mm and 1.3 kg, while the older K55 RGB is 480 × 166 × 35 mm. The palm rest is detachable with a soft-touch rubber finish, and the cable is plain rubber rather than braided.

RGB and software

The backlight splits into 5 zones, so each zone takes one colour rather than each key, and profiles save to on-board memory. The K55 RGB PRO XT adds per-key lighting and USB 3.0 for more money. Owners on Corsair’s forum report that after the iCUE 5 update the keyboard loads its stored profile at boot instead of the current iCUE settings, and some threads describe firmware updates that fail and loop. A hardware reset (FN+F4 while plugging in) is the fix owners pass around when keys stop responding.

Which model this is

This page covers the K55 RGB PRO, model CH-9226765-NA, the 5-zone, 12-key-rollover membrane board. It is not the older K55 RGB (CH-9206015-NA), which has three RGB zones and 8-key rollover, nor the K55 RGB PRO XT (CH-9226715-NA), which adds per-key RGB and USB 3.0, nor the cheaper K55 CORE (CH-9226C65-NA).

On the US listing, the black model is ASIN B0FWRWFNVR.

Is it worth it?

At $50 or less the K55 RGB PRO is strong value: macro keys, media controls, IP42 resistance and 1,000Hz polling are rare at this price, and the membrane feel is an acceptable trade-off. PCMag’s June 2023 review put the list price at $59.99 and recorded $62.99 at Best Buy; Laptop Mag noted a $49.99 street price for the non-XT in March 2021. Corsair’s own US page listed $69.99, another Corsair page showed $89.99, and the UK listing was £59.99. A refurbished Revival Series model comes with a 90-day warranty at $29.99. Above $65, mechanical boards with better build and per-key lighting start to make more sense.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Buying guides for this category

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