Some individuals want a smaller keyboard, whether it be for mobility, a chosen aesthetic, or to conserve space. Some individuals choose keyboards with a large number of keys. Not simply full-size keyboards with numpads are being discussed here. We’re referring to the additional programmable keys that can start a favorite app, save macros, or enter a long string of text with a single push. In a manner, Corsair’s K100 Air aims to appeal to both demographics. The mechanical keyboard’s structure is just 0.4 inches (11 mm) thick and houses a small bank of macro keys.

That is some poor typing, even by low-profile standards. For contrast, the MX Low Profile Red switches in keyboards like the Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro and Das KeyBoard MacTigr we just reviewed feature 1.2 mm of pretravel, 3.2 mm of total travel, and activate at 45 g of force. Naturally, the keyboards are larger and taller, measuring 1.06 inches and 1 inch, respectively. The specifications for full-height Cherry MX Blue switches are 4 mm/2.2 mm/60.

Before judging the typing experience, we would need to test the keyboard, but we predict that keypresses would seem incredibly brief and swift, with the greater actuation force, tactile bump, and click helping to ensure that you won’t feel like you’re typing on squishy sand.

Currently, the Alienware m17 R5 and m15 R4 gaming laptops are the only high-end laptops that use Cherry’s MX Ultra Low Profile switches. Reviewers like Tom’s Hardware have drawn attention to the fact that typing performance is slightly inferior to that of specialized mechanical keyboards with conventionally sized low-profile switches. It is reasonable to anticipate that using the K100 Air will feel very different than using a full-height mechanical keyboard.

In spite of this, Corsair crammed the little peripheral with a row of G-keys above the numpad that can be programmed to do tasks like opening applications and macros without taking away any keys from a full-size layout. The keyboard includes 8MB of internal storage, according to Corsair’s announcement, allowing transferring macro settings and even RGB lighting preferences across 50 distinct profiles. We’ve seen expensive keyboards come with only one profile.

The mechanical keyboard from Corsair is designed with gamers in mind, which makes sense given the advantage certain players may gain from being able to record key inputs as swiftly as possible. As a result, when utilizing the keyboard’s detachable connection with a PC or Mac, the polling rate is 8,000 Hz rather than the usual 1,000 Hz. But bear in mind that in order to get the most out of the fast polling rate, you’d need a powerful PC with robust graphics capabilities and a quick display.

A USB-A dongle, Bluetooth, or a detachable cable can all be used to connect to the wireless keyboard. By pressing a specific button on the keyboard, the user may switch between the three Bluetooth-enabled devices that it can connect to.

The K100 Air will come out on October 4, but Corsair wouldn’t confirm a price yet.