Upcoming Kinesis Gaming Freestyle Edge Rgb Plus Review

There was very little wrong with the original Freestyle Edge RGB, so Kinesis Gaming has only tweaked a few things here and there. Gamers wanting features like snap tap, rapid trigger, and magnetic switches will need to look elsewhere. But for everyone else, this is the perfect blend of ergonomics and gaming performance.

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It's been nearly two years since I reviewed the Kinesis Gaming Freestyle Edge RGB, but it's still been our top pick for the best ergonomic gaming keyboard you can buy. While there are arguably more ergonomic options on the market, or simply ones with more gaming features, the Freestyle Edge is a near-perfect blend of comfort, performance, and price tag.

Well, it's back again, this time in the form of a small update: the Freestyle Edge RGB Plus. When I say small, I really do mean small, because Kinesis Gaming has only changed a handful of aspects of the original package. First up are the key switches, which have been swapped from Cherry MX to Gateron Pro v1.

This was probably done for cost reasons, but the good news here is that whatever money Kinesis has saved by using different mechanical switches, it's spent it on the lift kit (which tents the keyboard) and Apple Mac modifier keycaps. These used to be optional extras (and quite pricey, too), but now they're included in the box.

Switches: Gateron Pro v1 (Tactile or Linear)Connectivity: wired (USB Type-A)Polling rate: 1000 HzKeys: 95 in totalSplit: fully separate halvesTenting: 0/5/10/15 degreesTilting: noneBacklighting: per-key RGBMedia controls: programmable shortcut keysPrice: $199/£198

The circuit boards used in the two keyboard halves have also been upgraded so that they support hotswapping. Basically, this lets you use the included key puller to yank out a switch while the keyboard is plugged in and replace it with a Gateron Pro of your choice, or any other switch that uses the same pin layout.

Lastly, the stabilisers used on the long keys (e.g. space bars) are now pre-lubricated in the factory. Combined with the linear Gateron Pro switches, the whole keyboard feels smooth and easy to use, with just the mildest of clicks behind each key press. If you fancy a bit more of a clack, then choose the tactile option, or buy Gateron's clicky switches.

Other than that, it's still the same

Source: PC Gamer