Custom PC - UK (2020-06)

T

heG413Carbonis oneofthepriciest
peripheralsinthisgrouptest,but
there’sgoodreasonforit. Alongwith
theHyperXAlloyFPSPro,it’soneofonlytwo
keyboardstohavelong-lasting,moreprecisely
engineeredmechanicalkeyswitches,rather
thancheaperrubbermembraneswitches.
What’smore,unliketheHyperXmodel,you
don’tmissoutona numberpadhere,instead
gettinga full-sizedkeyboardwiththeusual
105 keys.Suchis theadvantageofusingthe
company’sownRomer-Gkeyswitches.
It’sa great-lookingkeyboardtoo,witha
farmorematurefeelthanmanyofitsrivals,
thankstoa brushedaluminiumplateonits
topsurface.Underneath,it’sallplastic,but

LOGITECH G413

CARBON/£70inc VAT

SUPPLIER game.co.uk

build quality is superb, with the whole thing

having a solid feel. That said, the relatively thin

aluminium top plate overhangs the edge of the

plastic below in a way that looks good but does

make for a slightly sharp edge.

The G413 has cable management channels

underneath, and in the box, you get twelve

faceted keycaps that offer a little more grip

than the conventional buttons, which are only

slightly concave as on most keyboards.

This is also the only keyboard in the Labs to

have USB pass-through, although it’s a USB

2 connection – not faster USB 3.1. Unlike the

HyperX, the cable isn’t removable.

There are no dedicated macro or media

buttons on the G413, although macros can

be recorded to the function row and media

controls are also available here. No wrist rest

is included so you’ll have to make do with an

aftermarket one, which in fairness is generally

preferable anyway as most included wrist rests

pale in comparison with proper padded ones.

There’s no RGB lighting on this keyboard,

either, with the G413 sporting red backlighting

throughout. The brightness can be set to four

levels via one of the secondary functions of the

F keys. It’s bright and even, but only a couple of

basic effects are available.

The G413 doesn’t have extraneous features

or RGB LEDs, then. Instead, Logitech lets

the internals do the talking. Those Romer-G

switches are rated for a superb lifespan of 70

million keypresses, and the keyboard has 26-key

rollover and anti-ghosting. These tactile variants

of the switches have a slight tactile bump but

no audible click (linear and clicky versions of the

switches are available but not on this keyboard).

They have an operating force of 45g, a 3.2mm

travel distance, and a 1.5mm actuation point.

The G413 squares up against the HyperX

Alloy FPS Pro as the only other mechanical

unit in the Labs. The HyperX uses Cherry MX

switches which we do find slightly nicer in use

but it’s a close-run thing, and both far exceed

the responsiveness of the other keyboards on

test, and they’ll last much longer too. Potentially

crucial for some users, the Romer-G switches

have shorter travel and actuation distances

than the Cherry MX switches.

Unusually for a mechanical keyboard, the

G413’s buttons are surprisingly quiet, creating

less din than most of the other keyboards on

test, whether mechanical or membrane.

The Romer-G switches do still feel lighter and

softer than most mechanical designs, though

• including both of the faster, firmer Cherry MX
  switches inside the HyperX. The affordable,
  membrane Corsair feels a little weightier, too,
  even if those switches are also slower.

Conclusion

The G413’s mechanical switches are a big boon

at this budget, putting the G413 comfortably

ahead of the membrane keyboards on

test when it comes to typing speed and

consistency. Plus, they’ll last longer too.

We prefer the switches on the HyperX Alloy

FPS Pro, but you pay a premium for those

switches, with that keyboard missing out on a

numberpad. Both mechanical keyboards also

have minimal designs and feature sets, with no

extra switches or RGB LEDs.

The Logitech G413 is a sturdy, robust

mechanical unit, that while not flawless, offers

a lot of value for its price.

VERDICT

Solid mechanical keys and robust design, but

other options are better and more versatile.

FIZZY

• 
  

  Decent mechanical
  switches

  
  


• 
  

  Sturdy build quality

  
  


• 
  

  Includes replacement
  keycaps

  
  

FLAT

• Few extra features


• Better mechanical
  options elsewhere


• No RGB LEDs

SPEC

Connection Wired, USB

Cable 1.8m, braided

Material Plastic, aluminium

Switch type Romer-G Tactile

Backlighting Red

Extras USB pass-through, additional keys, key puller

DESIGN

32 / 40

FEATURES

26 / 35

OVERALLSCORE

79 %

VALUE

21 / 25

LABS TEST / KEYBOARDS