Custom PC - UK (2021-05)

LABS TEST / MECHANICAL KEYBOARDS

T

he latest addition to Logitech’s

keyboard line-up is, like the

company’s other G Pro peripherals,

a hyper-focused gaming tool first and

foremost, or at least that’s what Logitech

would have you believe. In practice, the G Pro is

simply a compact tenkeyless (TKL) keyboard

with very little in the way of extra features, but

crucially, it also comes with a surprisingly

modest asking price.

One area where this keyboard strongly nods

towards its gaming peripheral siblings is that

its removable cable has the same micro-USB

plug on the end that fits into the G Pro Wireless

mouse, so in theory, you can use the same

cable to charge and use the mouse. However,

the keyboard isn’t battery-powered, so if you

unplug it to use the mouse, the keyboard

is useless. With this in mind, it seems like

a strange design decision, rather than just

providing a normal micro-USB socket and

cable (or, even better, a Type-C socket). You

also miss out on a USB pass-through port.

Elsewhere, the keyboard sports a very

simple set of features, with the TKL layout

joined by only two buttons in the top right

for switching the backlighting on and off (it

doesn’t even adjust between brightness

levels like some keyboards) and a Gaming

mode button, which locks the Windows key.

They’re undeniably two very useful one-touch

buttons for gaming, but there’s not much else

• there are no dedicated macros keys here,
  for instance.

LOGITECH G PRO X /£110£130 inc VAT

SUPPLIER logitech.com

The rest of the keyboard is a modest

affair, with a simple all-black plastic chassis

surrounding the slightly sunken keys. It’s a

smart, attractively designed board with a

reasonable heft and rigidity to it, but it lacks any

of the premium touches of some of the other

options on test this month. The TKL layout does

make for more room for your mouse, though,

meaning you can get into a more comfortable

position for using both your keyboard and

mouse together.

All the keys, extra buttons and the Logitech

logo in the top left are RGB backlit, so you can

sync up the whole lot. Logitech’s software

provides options for per-key lighting, grouped

key lighting, built-in whole-board effects or

even creating your own custom effects. You

can also specify which keys are disabled when

the Gaming button is pressed, as well as create

macros and custom key binds. However, binds

can only be assigned to the F1-F12 keys.

The G Pro keyboard is equipped with

Logitech’s latest Cherry MX keycap-compatible

GX switches – a change from the company’s

previous proprietary switches. Moreover, the

switches are hot-swappable, so you can mix

and match the three switch types (linear, tactile,

clicky). This will no doubt have niche appeal, but

key sets are only £43 and it’s handy to at least

have the option. We tested the linear switches

and they felt great. They’re slightly stiffer than

Cherry MX Red, with stats of 50g, 1.9mm and

4mm, but they felt every bit as comfortable for

typing and gaming.

Conclusion

The G Pro X is a well thought-out, gaming-

focused mechanical keyboard. However,

complicating our verdict is the fact that

Logitech lists both the G Pro X and G Pro on

its website, despite there being no difference

between the two. The G Pro can be had with

clicky switches for £110 with a UK layout (with

stock widely available) but the G Pro X with

choices of all three switches costs £130,

doesn’t have a UK layout option and is only

available from Logitech. At £110, it’s a decent

buy but £130 is pushing it.

VERDICT

A great little keyboard for gamers, but

don’t pay over the odds for it and make

sure it’s in stock.

LOGICAL

ARGUMENT

+ Simple, compact

design

+ Cable works with

G Pro mouse too

+ Modest price

LOGICAL

FALLACY

• Basic feature set


• Plastic build


• No wrist rest

SPEC

Dimensions (mm) 361 x 153 x 34 (W x D x H)

Weight 990g

Format TKL – 87 keys

Connections USB

Switch type Logitech GX (linear, tactile or clicky)

Switch life Not specified

Backlighting RGB

Extras Keycap removal tool, key removal

tool, 1.8m micro-USB cable

DESIGN

20 / 25

PERFORMANCE

20 / 25

FEATURES

20 / 25

VALUE

20 / 25

OVERALL SCORE

80 %