Corsair Galleon 100 SD Overview: Stream Deck Now Included

As a substitute of utilizing cutting-edge Corridor Impact switches with adjustable actuation factors and options like Speedy Set off, this keyboard comes with customary mechanical switches. This implies the actuation level can’t be modified, and a few efficiency and customization are left on the desk.

The good thing about mechanical switches is that there’s extra bodily customization. Beneath every secret is a hot-swap socket, which means these switches could be changed with any MX-style change. Whereas this enables for in depth fine-tuning of the typing really feel, the characteristic gained’t objectively improve gaming efficiency.

Contemplating the switches and the scale of this keyboard, it’s actually not meant to be a totally performance-oriented gaming keyboard. As a substitute, it strikes a center floor of excessive efficiency paired with open-ended customization choices.

Shipshape Typing Expertise

The Galleon is made utilizing a gasket mount meeting, which implies the whole inner meeting is suspended contained in the case utilizing rubberized gaskets as an alternative of screws. This creates a softer typing really feel. I discovered this to be very snug. If you backside out on a key press, it seems like touchdown on a trampoline as an alternative of a tough floor.

A small bonus of the built-in Stream Deck, versus a standard quantity pad, is the ensuing inner packaging and meeting. On this design, the PCB of the keyboard space is separated from the Stream Deck space, leading to constant rigidity over the alphabet keys for typing. This delivers the identical really feel as a Tenkeyless (TKL) keyboard for typing.

The gasket mount, which gives some cushioning with out being overly versatile, finds a center floor between gaming and typing that’s snug with out dropping accuracy. Past that, I’m additionally impressed by the stabilizers. As a substitute of the everyday plate-mount stabilizers, which could be susceptible to rattling, Corsair as an alternative opted for PCB-mount stabilizers which can be actually well-tuned from the manufacturing unit.

All Fingers on Deck

The built-in Stream Deck is virtually an identical to a standalone model, with 4 rows of three buttons, two knobs, and a customizable display screen. Every button could be freely programmed, remapped to show any characteristic or macro, or used to show dwell information.

I’ve additionally seen some folks combine their Stream Deck immediately into video games. One in every of my favourite makes use of is establishing macros for various Stratagems in Helldivers 2, the place the shows on the buttons present the icon for every skill. One other apparent instance is establishing an auto-buy for Counter-Strike 2, or programming devoted for instructions like Alt+Tab, Ctrl+Alt+Del or muting the microphone.

There are just a few small points with the Stream Deck. My greatest gripe is that the buttons are designed round a direct viewing angle. For the reason that keyboard is much extra horizontal, viewing them from this non-ideal angle leads to the outer fringe of the show being lower off. If there may be any textual content on the prime or backside of the button, you may not be capable to see it throughout common use.