At a Glance: Logitech Pro X Review
To the uninitiated, one keyboard may seem essentially the same as the next one. But as anyone that has tried a few mechanical keyboards can testify, keyboards can differ significantly in how they feel and function. Looking to provide the ultimate tenkeyless typing experience, Logitech launched the Pro X, which offers a unique twist on the traditional mechanical keyboard with its swappable switches.
When picking a keyboard, one of the most important details is the type of switch used; this is the key (no pun intended) factor that affects how a keyboard feels. Cherry’s MX Blue switches, for example, provide tactile and audible feedback when the switch is actuated, whereas Cherry’s MX Brown switches have tactile feedback without the noise and MX Red switches don’t produce any feedback at all until they bottom out.
Every key on a mechanical keyboard will have one of these switches, but typically, they’re all the same type. The Pro X ships with Logitech’s homegrown GX switches, which are essentially clones of the Cherry MX switches referenced above. For $149.99, the keyboard by default comes with a single set of switches pre-installed, with additional sets of switches available for $49.99.
Our sister site PCMag tested out one of these keyboards and reported that pulling the individual switches is relatively quick and easy to do. It took the PCMag reviewer just over 30 minutes to pull and replace all 87 keys on the keyboard.
At first, the idea of swapping switches sounds like it would be beneficial. I personally prefer using keyboards with blue switches for gaming, but I feel the noise overwhelming when I’m working. As such, I typically use a keyboard with brown switches for work. Being able to swap between the two gives you the benefit of having both types of keyboards in one, but the time required to switch the keys and the added cost are counter-intuitive.
Numerous mechanical keyboards nowadays are available for less than $100. It would cost you $199.98 to purchase the Logitech Pro X with a second set of keys, and at that point, it would really make more sense to just buy two separate mechanical keyboards with different switches. As such, I don’t really feel the Logitech Pro X is practical from that point of view.
Looking at it as just any other tenkeyless mechanical keyboard, at $149.99 it’s a bit costly for what you get. The keyboard doesn’t have any USB ports, multimedia keys, or any extra programmable keys. Other than the RGB LED lights, it’s lacking on features. I’d personally recommend looking at other options for a mechanical keyboard unless you really want a keyboard with swappable switches.
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