I'm not an esportist. In terms of gaming prowess, I'm what the kids might call "washed," and as a result, I'm not exactly the target market for high-end, esports-focused hardware. But if you see yourself as a future esports pro and are looking for a keeb that can help you reach that level, Logitech has created a keyboard designed in collaboration with some of the best esports players in the world," designed to break every barrier between you and victory".
It's called the Pro Especially since this is a 60% keeb, meaning it's a small form factor board that's missing a few keys that many of us would consider a requirement. That means no cursor keys and no number pad, although it does have a few software tricks up its sleeve to get around these limitations that we'll get to later.
What you do get, however, is a wireless backlit keyboard with a USB Lightspeed dongle, a USB-A to USB-C charging and data cable, an extra Escape keycap and a rather handy carrying case. Because you supposedly take it with you to esports tournaments, but in my case it was quite useful for keeping crumbs out of the switches when I threw it in my backpack to take to the office.
My review unit came in white, with one black G key in the top left corner, where the escape key would normally be. As mentioned, Logitech does provide you with an extra keycap if you prefer it to be labeled in a more traditional way, although there's no key puller to help you insert it. Still, the dual-shot PBT keycaps are easy enough to pull off with a little force.
Pro X 60 specifications
Mate: 60%
Switches: GX optical, choice of tactile or linear
Connectivity: wireless (USB 2.4 GHz receiver or Bluetooth), USB connection
Keys: 61 in total, to be reassigned
Tilt: fold-out legs
Backlight: adaptable
Media Controls: side mounted volume wheel
Software: Logitech G Hub
Price: $180/£180
Speaking of those keycaps, these are apparently built "for the intensity of esports athletes." While I won't pretend to have the mighty numbers of an esportist, I will say that they feel very robust under your fingertips, although there is a caveat: they are actually quite "clacky" as you type.
Keyboard noise is about as subjective a topic as it gets, but for me I found the sound to be quite distracting, and my partner clearly resisted the urge to strangle me while I finished this review.
The switches here are the tactile version of Logitech's GX optical units (although you can opt for linear models instead) and they feel quite clicky and responsive under your fingers. However, the key travel has a level of resistance that took some getting used to, as I do my daily typing on a Corsair K65 RGB Mini equipped with Cherry MX RGB Speed switches that feel a bit "smoother", for lack of a better term.
But once I got used to the heavier shifting resistance, I found my typing accuracy was a little better than I was used to on the Corsair keeb, so pick one for the esports pros - they apparently prefer precise shifting feel. This is a keyboard that likes it when you really hammer the keys, and while it took some adjustment to input my finger movements, I appreciated the improvement in overall input accuracy.
There are some features here that seem unusual. Firstly, the Pro X 60 does have a volume wheel, but it takes the form of a small control mounted on the left side of the chassis. This is apparently because traditional volume wheels get in the way when you're gaming at a professional level, so here Logitech seems to want you to reach to the side of the board with your pinky finger and adjust the volume, while using the rest of your body retains. fingers right next to the keys you'll use most, probably WASD.
Hmm. As you can see from the images above, I am in possession of a set of long, skinny fingers that come in handy for all kinds of tricky tasks. But even with my slenderman-esque wieners, this motion feels very strange, and I can't imagine anyone adjusting the volume mid-game so much that a traditionally placed volume control becomes a problem. And even if it were, this little wheel is still hard to find in the middle of the game.
The second unusual feature is a switch on the right side of the board that puts it into "Game Mode", which disables the Windows and Menu keys by default. As an occasionally clumsy person, I found it fairly useful for gaming, and it can be customized in the G Hub software to disable other keys as well.
Ah yes, the software. Logitech's G Hub suite offers a plethora of customization options for this board, which are really quite impressive in terms of thoroughness. Not only can you customize each individual key to perform or remap virtually any key combination you can think of, you can also download community presets for individual games or upload your own versions for others to use.
It's a fairly intuitive system, although I must admit I jumped right into it, mainly to remap the right Ctrl and Menu keys to the right and left cursor keys respectively, because I'm a writer and you need That. 60% keyboards are an acquired taste and I would much rather have those keys back than all that fancy software to help others do the same job.
If you're an MMO or MOBA player, all this customization will probably come in very handy. Although that might also be the case with a number pad. Still, it is a well-thought-out system, with easy switching options to jump from preset to preset in an instant.
You can also adjust the backlight. There are huge color ranges and options available here, although none will get around the physical drawback inherent in the design of the switch itself: on the longer keys, such as Caps Lock or Shift left and right, the lighting doesn't illuminate the text on either tests. sides, making the effect look inconsistent.
A minor gripe perhaps, but it doesn't look as premium as you'd hope in low light for a keyboard this expensive.
But basically, this keyboard shouts loudly from the rooftops that it's all about gaming performance, and I'm happy to report that my multiplayer scores were... exactly the same. Naturally. No peripheral can make up for the poor reflexes, and while the precise shifting feel and Game Mode feature were useful additions, I wonder if it's legitimate to lean on the recommendations of eSports pros to buy a very expensive keyboard selling that, for the majority of gamers, will make little difference over a much cheaper wireless unit.
Like the Keychron K2 version 2 for example. You even get some cursor keys to play with there, in a compact chassis, for less than half the price.
Buy as...
✅ You want extreme accuracy: While I wasn't a huge fan of the feel at first, I found that the resistance in the key travel improved my typing accuracy, and it's also very responsive for gaming.
✅ You want a huge amount of customization: Logitech's G Hub software lets you customize key input, lighting, and feature options in virtually any way you can imagine.
Don't buy if...
❌ You want special cursor keys: Even though the Pro
❌ You have a limited budget: It costs $180, and a lot of that money feels like it went into things most gamers will never need.
What I will say, however, is that the customization options are great, the inputs are very accurate, and the build quality is long lasting. Connectivity was stable and lightning fast (at least, in my opinion, non-esports professional), regardless of whether I used the Lightspeed dongle, the Bluetooth connection, or just the mini dongle itself connected directly to my PC.
And as for feeling? It takes some getting used to, but I have to say that after a few days of use I came to those slightly larger switches.
But really, I'd think carefully before spending that much money on peripherals that advertise themselves as designed by and for the elite competitive gamers. While that customization is probably useful to many, I can't shake the feeling that you're paying for response times here that most gamers will never notice, and some other, more questionable features of limited use.
For my money, I'd still opt for my Corsair K65 RGB Mini and its small size combined with the handy cursor keys, or the Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless, a full-size board that's at the top of our best gaming stands. keyboard guide for a little less money. It has features up the wazoo, a true multimedia wheel, PBT keycaps, partner-friendly noise dampening, and is surprisingly compact for a full-size board.
What it doesn't have, however, is that handy carrying case that allows you to take your keyboard with you when you travel. Looks like I might need that, because after spending all morning playing through this review of the Pro
