Logitech G512 Carbon Lightsync RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

I almost never leave reviews for products (I should do it more), however if you're reading this and wondering if this keyboard is worth the money the short answer is a definitive yes.It is very responsive and I can rely on it in intense split second moments in competitive games where it's life or death.Clicky feeling feels good and satisfying.Relatively small and compact size which is nice but not too small.The only thing I would change or add per se is having a program that allows me to change the RGB settings for the keyboard, I don't care too much about lighting but it's a small thing that would be nice. Overall though this keyboard is great and honestly better than my last which was much much more expensive than this so that is saying something.

After 4 years my Logitech G413 was starting to double-key or mis-key at times, so I went looking for a replacement. The G512 Carbon was supposed to be the newer equivalent, and I got brown (tactile) switches. I'm not a fan of RGB on my keyboard, I just want the keys illuminated. As with the G413, there are no programmable keys.On first use, the keys feel loose and wobble around under my fingers. The space between keys is tighter than the G413.The main problem I have is with the illumination. The GHub app is clunky to use, but it does allow the user to select keys and their colours. The trouble is the keyboard illumination - even on its brightest (white) setting, it is at best a grey-blue when sitting at the keyboard normally. If I lean forward so my eyes are ... MoreAfter 4 years my Logitech G413 was starting to double-key or mis-key at times, so I went looking for a replacement. The G512 Carbon was supposed to be the newer equivalent, and I got brown (tactile) switches. I'm not a fan of RGB on my keyboard, I just want the keys illuminated. As with the G413, there are no programmable keys.On first use, the keys feel loose and wobble around under my fingers. The space between keys is tighter than the G413.The main problem I have is with the illumination. The GHub app is clunky to use, but it does allow the user to select keys and their colours. The trouble is the keyboard illumination - even on its brightest (white) setting, it is at best a grey-blue when sitting at the keyboard normally. If I lean forward so my eyes are directly above the keys, the colour improves to a brighter grey - but nobody uses a keyboard like that, and it is still on the blue side of white due to the colour of the material used on the key cutouts.The other problem is with the illumination of the 'shift-key' characters - e.g. $, &, (), ?":< etc. There IS NO illumination of these, so unless you have completely memorised your keyboard, you have to squint to find the key you need. Even in a brightly-lit room, these keys are hard to see - the main character has the illumination from behind (poor that it is), but the shift-keys are identified with a dark-grey image, which on a black key is nearly impossible to see even in bright light.There was no opportunity to look at an example keyboard at PBTech - almost all of the keyboards are sealed in their boxes so you have to fully rely on the images on the web or side of the box. There's no opportunity to see how widely the keys are spaced, and there's no opportunity to feel the key strike. I spoke with two different PBTech employees and asked if I could open a box to see and feel what I was buying before purchasing, but I was told 'No'. With the amount of sales that PBTech make, I would have expected them to open a box and write off the cost of one of each keyboard so that users can see/feel them before purchasing. There's nothing technically wrong with this keyboard so I can't return it to PBTech - I feel like I've thrown away $

Good keyboard for the price but there are some cons. I have used this keyboard daily for the past 18 months. I have ran across some issues.The keys feel good to press, the noise is fine, the RGB is actually RGB, you can set any range of colours on any key along with animations and a variety of customisations. The default for this keyboard is unicorn vomit until you install the software or until the Logitech software starts. It's like the keyboard has zero memory or brains. You will literally need to log on to your computer for it to change the unicorn vomit.I had issues with my left Ctrl key. I use it pretty much constantly copying and pasting things 9 hours a day and it would intermittently not work. This was super frustrating as it started happening without 10 ... MoreGood keyboard for the price but there are some cons. I have used this keyboard daily for the past 18 months. I have ran across some issues.The keys feel good to press, the noise is fine, the RGB is actually RGB, you can set any range of colours on any key along with animations and a variety of customisations. The default for this keyboard is unicorn vomit until you install the software or until the Logitech software starts. It's like the keyboard has zero memory or brains. You will literally need to log on to your computer for it to change the unicorn vomit.I had issues with my left Ctrl key. I use it pretty much constantly copying and pasting things 9 hours a day and it would intermittently not work. This was super frustrating as it started happening without 10 months of owning the keyboard. Instead of taking it back under warranty I decided to just swap that switch with another switch. This involved disassembling the board and desoldering/soldering in the keys, much faster than doing a return to manufacturer.Now the latest issue is I quite often get an extra space or random space thrown into a word so it seems the space is a little bit sensitive now. I haven't bothered swapping the switch as of yet as it isn't too frustrating to remove an extra space occasionally but it just goes to show the switches aren't super awesome long term with heavy use. Perhaps it is just the brown switches?All in all, knowing what I know now I won't buying another one. I've always had good luck with Logitech products in the past but this one falls short. I guess I'll go back to a good old K120, absolutely bullet proof keyboards.

Almost perfect.

I've been using the G512 with tactile switches for around 12 months now, and it's almost perfect.The packaging was minimal, which is nice.Setting the keyboard up was a breeze: plug it in, plug my mouse into the USB pass-through, play with some colours in G-Hub and get gaming!The keys themselves feel great with very little undesired movement. Perhaps a slightly stronger actuation force would be perfect but that's entirely subjective.Typing with the G512 is great, nothing bad to say here.Gaming with the G512 is great, also nothing bad.Unfortunately few things in life are actually perfect, and the G512 is no exception. It has lights for CAPSLOCK and another function (I can't remember), but no light for NUMLOCK. Dedicated media keys and a volume knob or ... MoreI've been using the G512 with tactile switches for around 12 months now, and it's almost perfect.The packaging was minimal, which is nice.Setting the keyboard up was a breeze: plug it in, plug my mouse into the USB pass-through, play with some colours in G-Hub and get gaming!The keys themselves feel great with very little undesired movement. Perhaps a slightly stronger actuation force would be perfect but that's entirely subjective.Typing with the G512 is great, nothing bad to say here.Gaming with the G512 is great, also nothing bad.Unfortunately few things in life are actually perfect, and the G512 is no exception. It has lights for CAPSLOCK and another function (I can't remember), but no light for NUMLOCK. Dedicated media keys and a volume knob or roller would have also been nice to have.Finally, the paint or coating on the keys I use the most with my games is coming away to the point that the left CTRL key is almost completely transparent on top.Overall, a great keyboard let down by a couple of weird design choices and questionable keycap quality. I would buy another one on sale.

Great features... BUT...

I bought this in 2019.During the time it was working perfect, it was an amazing keyboard. I specifically chose linear because of the quiet switches and the speed of my playing style matched the characteristics of this keyboard. I did not want a big keyboard with extra macro keys and this was amazing. Love using the usb input to plug my wireless mouse in.In 2020 some of the LED's died out. Mostly the blue led node. I also have key switches that dont register a click and i have to sometimes press it 3 to 5 times for it to activate. Basically meaning that when im typing sometimes my words have missing letters which then i have to go back and correct.

My First Mechanical Keyboard

Having spent a few years with the G512 CARBON LIGHTSYNC RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, I can confidently say that it has been an absolute asset for both my gaming sessions and video editing work!The feeling of the clickity-clack of the mechanical keys felt incredibly satisfying and added a whole new level of enjoyment to my gaming and typing experiences. The keyboard's durable build quality assured me that it could handle my intense gaming sessions without any issues. The only issue in its built, is as it ages the lights start to flicker out of order.However, prior to its age the light features have been fantastic! The LIGHTSYNC RGB technology creates a visually captivating spectacle. It has breathed life into my gaming desk setup that could only be ... MoreHaving spent a few years with the G512 CARBON LIGHTSYNC RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, I can confidently say that it has been an absolute asset for both my gaming sessions and video editing work!The feeling of the clickity-clack of the mechanical keys felt incredibly satisfying and added a whole new level of enjoyment to my gaming and typing experiences. The keyboard's durable build quality assured me that it could handle my intense gaming sessions without any issues. The only issue in its built, is as it ages the lights start to flicker out of order.However, prior to its age the light features have been fantastic! The LIGHTSYNC RGB technology creates a visually captivating spectacle. It has breathed life into my gaming desk setup that could only be complemented by my 502G Hero!It has also become an invaluable tool for my video editing work. The mechanical keys offer precise and accurate typing, while the customizable macros have streamlined my workflow, making complex tasks a breeze. It has truly become an extension of my creative process.Beyond its exceptional performance, the G512 CARBON prioritizes user comfort. The ergonomic design ensures that even during long gaming or editing sessions, I can stay focused and comfortable. The dedicated media controls and the convenient USB pass-through port have further simplified my setup and boosted my productivity.In summary, the G512 CARBON LIGHTSYNC RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard has been my perfect companion for years. Its satisfying tactile feedback, stunning lighting effects, and seamless integration into my gaming and editing workflows have made it an essential asset. If you're in the market for a top-notch mechanical keyboard, the G512 CARBON is the one to go too!

Perfect for literally everything!

For me this keyboard is an absolute game changer. With a great key feel, and suspringly quiet typing profile, it is in my opinion the PERFECT keyboard for both gaming and general use.One of the main things I really like about this keyboard is how nice it feels to use. The keys feel incredibly responsive yet smooth, and have that distinct mechanical keyboard feel which makes it really nice for typing.I also found the USB port on the back of the keyboard to be incredibly handy for plugging in flash drives and other peripherals on the fly without having to mess around with my laptop or pc.The one nitpick that I do have with this keyboard however is that the USB port on the back of the keyboard does not just use the default keyboard cable like you would expect it ... MoreFor me this keyboard is an absolute game changer. With a great key feel, and suspringly quiet typing profile, it is in my opinion the PERFECT keyboard for both gaming and general use.One of the main things I really like about this keyboard is how nice it feels to use. The keys feel incredibly responsive yet smooth, and have that distinct mechanical keyboard feel which makes it really nice for typing.I also found the USB port on the back of the keyboard to be incredibly handy for plugging in flash drives and other peripherals on the fly without having to mess around with my laptop or pc.The one nitpick that I do have with this keyboard however is that the USB port on the back of the keyboard does not just use the default keyboard cable like you would expect it to, as it instead requires for you to plug in a second USB cable to your pc in order to utilize it.All in all, the G512 carbon has been an essential part of my setup for the past 2 years now, and I would 100% reccomend this to anyone who wants a high quality, fairly priced keyboard for general use.

Sophisticated Fun

We will start off with saying in the end I sold mine, BUT!Okay Logitech is great, the software you can use with this keyboard is amazing and fun, the colour options you get are awesome I really loved the audio visualiser, pretty easy to set up and tune, the other settings are really intuitive and fun to play around with. The lights are also really smooth in their transitions which is more important than you would think.For gaming this set up with these keys is great! Really easy for small movements in game. Keys are spaced apart well so you won’t touch the wrong key and my normal sized hands were able to reach the common gaming keys easily which makes a huge difference.If you are doing lots of gaming I highly recommend this.The reason I am selling this is ... MoreWe will start off with saying in the end I sold mine, BUT!Okay Logitech is great, the software you can use with this keyboard is amazing and fun, the colour options you get are awesome I really loved the audio visualiser, pretty easy to set up and tune, the other settings are really intuitive and fun to play around with. The lights are also really smooth in their transitions which is more important than you would think.For gaming this set up with these keys is great! Really easy for small movements in game. Keys are spaced apart well so you won’t touch the wrong key and my normal sized hands were able to reach the common gaming keys easily which makes a huge difference.If you are doing lots of gaming I highly recommend this.The reason I am selling this is due to the fact that as university work got more important then playing video games I ended up doing much more typing, I found that although the keys sound really nice I could type faster on other keyboards, I think this is due to the spacing between the keys and the fact that they are raised up more compared to the keyboard you would have on your laptop. Just found my fast typing was less accurate on this keyboard, it’s exam time so didn’t have the spare time to get used to it.Overall this keyboard is awesome and I highly recommend it! Just make sure if you are doing lots of typing you are comfortable with how it feels.

Sturdy And Silent

I've had this keyboard for around 6 months and it hasn't skipped a beat. It's sturdy in structure and has a beautiful sleek design with customizable RGB. I've come from a Blue key KB and I would never turn back. The Linear keys are a nice soft and silent touch, no more of those clickity click keys. Perfect for those late night gaming sessions when you don't want to disturb the people around you.Another bonus is the USB pass-through. Easily accessible at the front of the keyboard. If your tired of having to reach around the back of your rig to find a USB slot, this keyboard is for you.

Symphonic, Comfortable, Crisp

I must begin by saying I spilt orange juice on my first one I received as a birthday gift, so I swapped to a spare keyboard of another brand. After weeks of feeling agitated and disgusted as to the atrocity I was using, I went and bought another G512 keyboard. It immediately felt natural. I felt at home and at ease with this keyboard. It improved my words per minute when writing my assignments and helped me get back into my usual and comfortable rhythm when gaming. Although quite loud, I never found this to be an issue, rather a merit, as the quick typing of words from across the keyboard etched melodies and urged me to keep the song going with more and more words. I can say without doubt that this keyboard is what allowed me to complete my lengthy assignments and ... MoreI must begin by saying I spilt orange juice on my first one I received as a birthday gift, so I swapped to a spare keyboard of another brand. After weeks of feeling agitated and disgusted as to the atrocity I was using, I went and bought another G512 keyboard. It immediately felt natural. I felt at home and at ease with this keyboard. It improved my words per minute when writing my assignments and helped me get back into my usual and comfortable rhythm when gaming. Although quite loud, I never found this to be an issue, rather a merit, as the quick typing of words from across the keyboard etched melodies and urged me to keep the song going with more and more words. I can say without doubt that this keyboard is what allowed me to complete my lengthy assignments and reports during my studies. It also comes packed with an array of personalisation and features to assist functionality, further adding strength to this keyboard. It deserves no less than 5 stars as this board will stand the test of time and cement itself as a long lasting solid investment that I hope to use forever.