Logitech’s first analog gaming keyboard aims for pinpoint precision
0.1mm actuation and hall effect switches for insane input accuracy
There’s pretty much no escape from analog gaming keyboards at this point. What started as hushed whispers among pro players has erupted into a deluge of boards promising near-instant response inputs and adjustable actuation. Logitech is the latest to get in on the action with the Pro X TKL Rapid, which promises even more key customisation – as long as your game of choice approves.
This tenkeyless wired ‘board uses magnetic Hall effect switches made famous by boutique brands like Wooting. Each key can register an input with 0.1mm precision – thinner than a human hair – and deactivate just as quickly. For rapid inputs like counter-strafing in first person shooters, no traditional keyboard switch comes close.
Demanding gamers can also expect a genuinely linear force profile all the way through the key travel, and fully adjustable detection points for rapid trigger inputs on press and release. Hall effect switches promise reduced mechanical wear than contact-based switches, too, which bodes well for longevity (bouts of gamer range notwithstanding).
Dig into the Logitech G Hub software and you can assign multiple actions to a single key – say walking in-game with a light press, then running when you press harder. Logitech might’ve missed the boat on Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions (SOCD) inputs, now that big-name esports developers have deemed them illegal for competitive play, but the option is still there for titles where key priority is allowed. The Pro X TKL Rapid goes even further on customisation than big-name rivals like Razer do, letting you pick precisely which two keys to compare.
The Pro X TKL Rapid is a wired-only ‘board, with no wireless version seemingly on the horizon any time soon – most likely because hall effect switches aren’t very power efficient, and would drain batteries at an alarming rate. Which wouldn’t be great for a week-long esports tournament.
It does get the full contingent of Lightsync RGB backlit keys, which default to solid blue out of the box so as not to be distracting during in-person esports events, and a scattering of dedicated multimedia shortcuts. There’s also a usefully oversized volume dial on the board’s top edge, just like the reborn G915 X low-profile gaming ‘board.
Elsewhere you’re looking at the same attention to detail as the rest of Logitech’s G Pro range, including wear-resistant dual shot PBT key caps, factory lubed switches, and sound-dampening foam inserts so each key press makes a satisfying thunk rather than a hollow clack.
It’ll set you back $170/£170/€190, and is up for pre-order now directly from the Logitech G website. The Pro X TKL Rapid should be landing on gamers’ desks by December.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
