We conclude this journey into the world of peripherals for the PC Gaming at MSI with the precious piece of the catalog: the keyboard Vigor GK80. If you missed the reviews of the Force GC20 controller and the Clutch GM60 mouse, get them back because these products have so much in common, especially if you pair them via software or have MSI hardware. No more chatter, the keyboard is a splinter but it is not cheap at all, will it be worth buying it? Let's find out together!
unboxing
The Vigor GK80 arrives in an impressive all black box wrapped in a dust jacket. On the front face is presented the keyboard with the Mystic Light logos (the software for managing the RGB, which we have already found during the review of the Clutch GM60 mouse), Gaming Gear which indicates its belonging to the gaming family and the Cherry MX logo. , manufacturer of mechanical keyboard switches.
The back of the package carries a huge amount of information, starting with the color of the switches (the Vigor GK80 is available with both silver and red switches), an introduction to Mystic Light and a presentation of everything in the keyboard excluding the cable. power supply because it is already integrated into the body.
A comfortable one completes the equipment Wrist Rest in metal and rubber, very heavy which ensures excellent stability, and a series of extra buttons to improve the gaming experience that can be inserted into the bottom of the palm rest if necessary. Twelve of these keys are black and have a "dragon scale"Anti-slip, ie covered with rubber with a texture immediately recognizable to the touch that replace the generally most useful keys in the game: four specific for space, control, shift and alt while the other eight are universal and can cover the various numerals and keys keyboard shortcuts.
Four other light gray colored buttons in zinc alloy they replace the WASD and differ chromatically from the rest of the keyboard so as to be immediately recognizable. The keys are removed with great ease thanks to a very easy to use black tweezer.
ERGONOMICS, MATERIALS AND USABILITY
The Vigor GK80 features a frame in satin finish aluminum in the upper part and one in plastic in the lower part which also includes the feet, a solution that gives an excellent feeling to the eye and to the touch.
On the upper side, the black of the keyboard is interrupted by a red plate that contains i keys for multimedia, a much more comfortable and intuitive choice than the combinations with the FN key that are often adopted by manufacturers, although these are turned towards the side of the keyboard and not towards the front, making them hard to recognize at first glance. Always within the red band there is one USB port pass through to connect other peripherals directly to the keyboard.
There are two models of the Vigor GK80 that differ according to the type of Cherry MX switches they are fitted with: Red and Silver. The model we tested is equipped with a Speed Silver switch with an actuation point of only 1.2 mm compared to the almost 2mm of the Red, which makes it possible to detect input 40% faster than the other switch. For the rest, the two keys are both linear, so there is no detectable click or step, and the actuation force is 45g for both.
These are the specifications of the Cherry MX Speed Silver switch:
- Switch lineare
- 45g of actuation force
- 1.2mm pre-stroke (from rest to operational position)
- Total stroke of 3.4mm
- Silent clicks
This type of switch is very convenient during gaming sessions because lightning, it takes very little to give input to the PC. If you come from a switch with a step for a while you will have the sensation of pressing empty, a sensation that will also accompany you in the writing sessions that I personally found less comfortable than other switches with tactile feedback but that you will learn to appreciate for the speed. of typing and for the fluidity in the passage between one key and another.
During the test period I did not encounter any problems both on the gaming and writing side, despite the trial version having US layout. It is really hard to miss a key even without looking at the keyboard and you get the feeling that each letter is adequately spaced. The only one negative note in this sense it is the enter key, not in the shape of an inverted L like on most keyboards but a large button above which is positioned another with the u accented, a change that I really couldn't get used to.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Dimensions (mm): 4450 x 1420 x 420 mm
- Weight (g): 1055g / 2060g (with box)
- Switch: CHERRY MX RGB SILVER Switches
- Interface: USB 2.0
- Cable: 2 m in fibra
- Key durability: 50+ million
LIGHTING AND SOFTWARE
The MSI Vigor GK80 features two led strips on the lower edges in addition to the RGB contained in the switches. The effect is really cool and if you're a fan of light-filled setups you won't be disappointed. There are preset profiles to be set by pressing the FN key + arrow designed for the most common types of games: DOTA, FPS and MMORPG that illuminate only the keys useful for that game. As with the GM60 Clutch mouse, this keyboard has MSI Gaming Center and MSI Mystic Light software available.
Gaming Center allows you to set macros, profiles, LEDs and shortcuts to set specific video card and motherboard modes, but only if these are also produced by MSI. Every single button is customizable and allows you to create the style suitable for any video game we want.
Mystic light allows to synchronize the LEDs of all the MSI peripherals connected to the PC, giving the possibility to choose among the many different light effects of which we can set the speed, brightness and direction of the LEDs to our liking.
PRICE AND CONCLUSIONS
The MSI Vigor GK80 keyboard is on sale on Amazon and ePrice at 175 €, with the possibility of saving money by purchasing from third-party retailers. The price isn't cheap at all, and that's it the major flaw of this keyboard which after all is built with excellent materials, solid, reliable and very colorful. During the game sessions you can count on hyper reactive switches that will put you in a position to excel in any type of video game and even in the office the experience is comfortable.
Net of some burrs such as the enter key and a satisfactory feeling in most situations but not in all, you will have no regrets buying this keyboard considering the care for accessories such as the customizable keys, the palm rest and the software that allows you to make the even more personal experience. If you need a premium product that makes speed its forte, this is it Vigor GK80 it might be the right choice, but before embarking on an expensive purchase you'd better take a look at the other switches to figure out which ones are right for you, bearing in mind that the same GK80 model is also available in the version with red switches.
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