While the professional gaming mouse scene has been evolving towards a market that’s dominated by wireless mice, we haven’t seen such a dramatic shift with keyboards. One explanation for that could be down to the fact that there aren’t really any gains to be made by making a keyboard wireless. A mouse, for comparison’s sake, is moving around all the time, making a cable something that can be cumbersome, whereas a keyboard just sits on a desk most of the time.
Another reason could be the fact that there just aren’t a lot of reliable wireless keyboards on the market right now. Logitech is trying to change that, and if we take a look at the LoL scene it seems as if they’re pretty successful at doing so. The G915 TKL is one of the most widely used keyboards in the professional LoL scene, and with its flawless and lag-free wireless connection as well as an impressive battery life and gaming-grade switches it’s not that hard to see why.
In order to find out just how good this keyboard is we’ve sent one over to our reviewer. You can read his verdict in our full Logitech G915 TKL review!
At A Glance
Logitech G915 TKL Carbon
Used by 31 players ()-
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The G915 TKL is a great wireless gaming keyboard, and due to the underlying tech (Logitech’s LIGHTSPEED wireless technology ensures a lossless and hassle-free connection) it’s one of your only options on the market today if you’re a serious gamer with a desire to cut the cord. All of that comes at a price though, so if you don’t really care about the wireless aspect there are plenty of other options to look at from Logitech and other brands that’ll be a bit friendlier on your wallet.
Pros
- Flawless wireless connection
- Sturdy build quality
- Looks sleek and modern
- Included media keys and volume rocker
- Multi-device connectivity thanks to BT and USB connection options
Cons
- Expensive
- Keycaps aren’t the best
Specs
| Form Factor | TKL |
|---|---|
| Switches | GL Clicky, GL Tactile, GL Linear |
| PCB | Non-Hotswappable |
| RGB | Yes |
| Height | 1.9cm |
| Width | 36.7cm |
| Length | 15.1cm |
| Weight | 814g |
First Impressions
One thing that immediately jumps out with the G915 TKL is just how sleek and stylish it looks. The very thin brushed silver/grey case combined with the various tones of black from the buttons and keycaps combine for a board that would definitely look great in any modern office setup. The RGB kind of betrays that it’s a gaming-focused keyboard, but you can always set that to a subtle white backlight or turn it off entirely if that’s what you desire. I really quite like this look, and if you’re going for a very minimal kind of setup this will look great, doubly so because there are obviously no wires attached to the board, reducing cable clutter on your desk.
One thing that kind of surprised me is the price, however. At an MSRP of 229.99 USD (this can and will vary based on location, promotions, and so on, so don’t take that price as gospel) this is certainly not a cheap keyboard. Don’t get me wrong: it doesn’t feel cheap, quite the opposite even, but you are paying a hefty premium for the wireless functionality of this board so it’s important to consider how badly you want that wireless aspect before purchasing if you’re asking me.
In the looks department this board ticks all the right boxes, at least if you’re asking me. It’s super thin (coming in at under 2 centimeters) and decently lightweight without feeling cheap. Thanks to the aluminum top the case is sturdy and doesn’t bend or flex, so all in all this does feel like a premium quality keyboard. When tilting the board vertically you can hear some things moving, but there’s no such thing when the board is placed on a desk so that’s not really something that I am personally concerned with.
As far as the RGB is concerned I can be short: it’s decent. I don’t think it was Logitech’s intention to compete for the spot of ‘best RGB board’ with this keyboard, but the caps do let through a decent amount of backlighting, and the animations and transitions are smooth and flicker-free. It’s not super bright but in a way that does kind of add to the ‘classier’ vibe that this board has going on.
Packaging
Inside the box of the G915 TKL you’ll find a bunch of things. There’s the board itself, obviously, but there’s also a charging cable, an extender that allows you to place the wireless receiver closer to your keyboard, a Logitech sticker, and a quickstart guide along with some other common leaflets.
I don’t really need anything extra with a keyboard, but I always appreciate it when companies include a keycap puller. Not that you’ll be switching caps on this board often (Logitech’s Kailh-based switches won’t accommodate most aftermarket caps) but for cleaning purposes it can be handy to have one.
Features and Build
The most important feature is of course the wireless aspect of this keyboard. I’ll talk about it more in the next section, but given that this uses the same wireless tech as Logitech’s gaming mice use (their LIGHTSPEED technology) I don’t expect any surprises on that front. If you use it in LIGHTSPEED mode (which is what you want to be using if you’re going to game with it since it’s lag-free and lossless) you can expect a battery life of around 40 hours of usage, which I think is pretty impressive.
One thing that does tick me off a little bit is the fact that you need a Micro USB cable to charge the board. It’s not a huge deal (doubly so because it doesn’t use any proprietary connectors) but given the fact that the (custom) keyboard market predominantly uses USB-C cables it would’ve been nice to see a USB-C connection here.
The keycaps that are on the board feel decent. They’re not the most high quality caps I’ve ever seen (but then again I don’t expect the caps on a mass-produced board to match the quality of aftermarket sets that can cost more than this entire keyboard) but they don’t feel overly thin or flimsy. I am a bit suspicious of how long they’ll last though, as I started to notice a shine developing even during my testing period. Nevertheless, I can only speak about what’s in front of me and for me these caps are fine, aside from the fact that there’s a tiny bit of wobbling.
Aside from the usual buttons you can also find a bunch of dedicated media and control buttons on the keyboard. There are two buttons to change between wireless connection modes, one to turn on gaming mode, one to switch between different RGB brightness levels, and then four standard media control buttons. There’s also a volume wheel that’s made out of aluminum. It feels sturdy and is smooth to operate with minimal wobbling or rattling, so for me that’s fine. Do note that I don’t really tend to use volume wheels and the likes, so perhaps the experience might be different for people who utilize these things a ton.
On the bottom of the board there’s a ‘storage indentation’ for the wireless receiver. That’s something that I always appreciate: these things are so tiny that they can get lost really quickly so I rather like the fact that Logitech almost always gives you a spot to store your receiver on the product itself. There are also five rubber feet to hold the keyboard in place (and they do just fine at that) and two sets of flip-up feet that allow you to place the keyboard at an angle of either 4 degrees or 8 degrees. These also have a rubber element on the bottom for stability. I had no issues with stability at any point during my testing.
Performance and Everyday Usage
One of the standout features of the board (aside from the wireless aspect) is the fact that it’s a low profile keyboard. Those who read my reviews regularly will perhaps know that I’m not really a fan of low profile keyboards, but that’s just my subjective opinion. I personally like the heftier, more robust typing and gaming experience of a regular keyboard better, but that’s entirely my preference.
Logitech uses their own switches, and in my testing board I got the GL Clicky switches. From what I can see on the switches themselves, these are based on Kailh low profile switches so if you have any experience with those you might feel at home here but I have to be honest and say that I don’t have any experience with clicky Kailh low profile switches. That’s because not many boards use them, and also because I don’t really like clicky switches.
Having said that: I actually don’t have any issues with the GL Clickies. Sure, they’re a bit loud (though not overly so, I’ve tested plenty of keyboards with regular switches that sounded louder overall) but the tactile bump is noticeable, and not too harsh. They’re absolutely not my favorite switches because of my aforementioned dislike for low profile keyboards and clicky switches but if you do like a clickier sound and feeling then I don’t think you’ll have any problems here.
The stabilizers also pleasantly surprised me. There’s a bit of rattling here and there (but honestly that’s to be expected with mass produced keyboards, seeing as it can be incredibly difficult to completely eliminate rattling even when building your own board) but for the most part they sound completely fine to me. There is something to be said for the fact that the clicking sounds kind of mask any imperfections when it comes to stabilizer rattle, but that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t have any problems with the auditory qualities of the stabilizers on the G915 TKL.
All in all I can say that the typing and gaming experience that the G915 TKL offers is nice, if you’re into the more laptop-feeling experience that a low profile keyboard gives you.
On to the main attraction of the board, then: the wireless capabilities. I have to say that I personally don’t see the need for a wireless keyboard (that’s also because I have some custom coiled cables lying around for my keyboards) but I do know that there are people who want to eliminate every last inch of cable on their desk, and for those people this board can be a lifesaver. There are of course plenty of wireless boards on the market, but most of those use Bluetooth which is notoriously unreliable for any serious gaming purposes. Logitech’s LIGHTSPEED tech, on the other hand, was built from the ground up for gamers, and thanks to its lossless and lag-free connection this is a board that responds as reliably and quickly as a wired keyboard. As a result, you get to game without any distractions at all times, no strings attached. I did not notice any connection drops or lag during my testing, which is what I’ve come to expect from Logitech’s wireless technology.
If the battery gets low you get a notification in the form of an LED indicator on the board itself, which is handy to prevent any awkward ‘my keyboard died just when I was clutching’ moments. Should you run out of juice you can obviously also keep on using the board with the charging cable attached to it.
As is the case with all of Logitech’s peripherals this G915 TKL can be configured through Logitech’s G-Hub Software. That’s not the most expansive piece of kit on the planet but it does the job and it’s not confusing to use. The keyboard also has enough on board memory for up to 2 lighting profiles and 3 macro profiles, so if you like to tinker with special binds and all of that you’re good to go here, even though it’s obviously not the most macro-friendly board due to the lack of dedicated macro keys and the likes.
Sound Test
Logitech G915 TKL Review – Conclusion
The G915 TKL is a great wireless gaming keyboard, and due to the underlying tech (Logitech’s LIGHTSPEED wireless technology ensures a lossless and hassle-free connection) it’s one of your only options on the market today if you’re a serious gamer with a desire to cut the cord. All of that comes at a price though, so if you don’t really care about the wireless aspect there are plenty of other options to look at from Logitech and other brands that’ll be a bit friendlier on your wallet.
All in all, this is a fine product, and thanks to the sturdy build quality, sleek looks, and multi-device functionality you could be rocking this board at a big LAN event one weekend and using it at your fancy office job during the week. Everything works as advertised, but the main deciding factor here is (as I said before) the wireless aspect. If that’s something that you desire then by all means take a good, long look at the G915 TKL. If you don’t really care for a wireless keyboard connection you should probably look elsewhere.
This product was received for free from the manufacturer and given to our reviewer to test and review. Brands and manufacturers have no editorial control over our reviews. For more information, check out our review FAQ.
