Logitech Announces G512 Keyboard With Clicky GX Blue Switches
Logitech announced the new G512 keyboard with full 16.8 million color RGB lighting and clicky GX Blue switches. This is the first keyboard to feature the new switches; Logitech's other recent offerings have mostly been restricted to the Romer-G tactile and linear switches.
The G512 is pretty much what you'd expect from one of Logitech's gaming keyboards. It offers full RGB lighting controlled via the Lightsync software, 26-key rollover, and onboard storage. You also get dedicated media keys (pause, skip, etc.) as well as gaming-related options that can disable the Windows keys to make sure you don't accidentally leave a game. Interestingly enough, the keys that activate Game Mode and the keyboard's RGB lighting are dual-purpose Fn keys, even though the G512 is full-size and the tenkeyless G Pro found room for dedicated buttons.
Logitech said the G512 also boasts USB passthrough and a 1ms report rate. But the main draw is the new GX Blue switches being launched along with the keyboard, although they'll also be available with the G513 keyboard, on which the Romer-G linear switches debuted in March. Logitech's Omron-built Romer-G switches were previously only available in a tactile version that debuted in 2014; now the company offers switches in all three major categories. It's not clear why the company opted to call its clicky switches "GX Blue" instead of including them in the Romer-G brand.
The Romer-G tactile and Romer-G linear versions of the G512 are currently available for pre-order. Logitech said the GX Blue version is expected to debut at select Asia Pacific retailers in June with an MSRP of $100. The GX Blue version of the G513 will cost $150 when it's released to the U.S., Canada, and select European markets in June. (Versions equipped with the Romer-G switches are currently available.) The company didn't say when the GX Blue version of the G512 is expected to expand beyond Asia Pacific or when the GX Blue-equipped G513 will do the inverse.
Logitech also announced that it will soon offer early access to the upcoming G Hub software with which it hopes to "create a software experience that provides the same functionality and benefits of Logitech Gaming Software, but with a modern, easy-to-use interface and enhanced capabilities." G Hub is expected to be made available to early testers in July, though Logitech didn't say if the tests will be restricted to certain regions or a specific number of people. If you don't mind using pre-release software, you'll have something to explore with your new keyboard.
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Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry.
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DookieDraws "You also get dedicated media keys (pause, skip, etc.)"Reply
Hmmm, I do not see dedicated media keys. I see keys to control your media, but you'll have to press the FN key to use them. -
thrakazog Good job even spotting the media markings on the front-side of those keys. I could barely see them...lol. But yeah, I wouldn't call those "dedicated" media keys at all. A nice looking keyboard, though. If it actually had dedicated media keys, I would be more interested. As it is, I still like my G510 with it's media keys and LCD screen for Afterburner.Reply -
DookieDraws Reply21051755 said:Good job even spotting the media markings on the front-side of those keys. I could barely see them...lol. But yeah, I wouldn't call those "dedicated" media keys at all. A nice looking keyboard, though. If it actually had dedicated media keys, I would be more interested. As it is, I still like my G510 with it's media keys and LCD screen for Afterburner.
Yep. Dedicated media keys are pretty nice to have. Should be the norm on all newer keyboards these days. -
d_ghst_lst_rd_p "It's not clear why the company opted to call its clicky switches 'GX Blue' instead of including them in the Romer-G brand."Reply
That's because the GX Blue is unmistakably using a Kailh/Kaihua switch housing, so like any big brand keyboard manufacturer, they'll do anything to hide the fact that its a Cherry MX clone despite how obvious it is from the cross stem mount, the travel and actuation distance specs, and exploded parts view they provide in their marketing pictures. Why Logitech has chosen to use an MX-type RGB clicky clone over collaborating with their original partner Omron for a clicky Romer-G design is beyond baffling for me. Kailh isn't a bad manufacturer by any means, especially when they make versions of switches that nobody else, not even Cherry, bothers to make (like Clicky and Tactile speed switches, or the innovative Box line of switches), but the GX switch pretty much uses the exact same internals as an standard MX clone design. I can only despair that Logitech cheaped out.