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Did nobody tell them about the lockdown? Logitech releases new 'luggable' mechanical keyboard for LAN parties

Wireless kit has 40 hours' battery life, but turn off the RGB fripperies and you might get 135 days

Swiss peripherals maker Logitech has lifted the lid on its latest mechanical keyboard – the G915 TKL.

The intended target audience seems to be die-hard gamers, and the G915 TKL hopes to win over this demographic with its ultra-slender mechanical keyswitches and more RGB lights than you can shake a stick at.

The G915 TKL also emphasises portability. By forgoing the number pad, the keyboard is much narrower, making it easier to chuck in a backpack when you're off to a LAN party. It measures just 21.6cm across.

That's svelte compared to most mechanical keyboards. For the sake of contrast, the keyboard I'm writing this piece on (a Unicomp SpaceSaver) measures 45.5cm in length, which is more than double that of the G915 TKL.

It's thin, too, with a stated depth of 3.3cm. A major reason behind that is Logitech's use of its in-house GL mechanical keyswitches, which are designed to be low profile.

The overwhelming majority of mechanical keyboards on the market use Cherry's keyswitches, or some flavor of Chinese knock-off. While these are tried and tested, they were also designed in the 1980s. Industrial design has since moved on, and Logitech reckons it can produce slimmer keyswitches that feel equally pleasant to type on.

They're not far off. A couple of weeks ago, a G815 crossed my desk, packing Logitech's GL tactile switches. These are Logitech's closest approximation to the venerable Cherry MX Brown switches, themselves serving as a happy middle ground between the ultra-responsive "linear" Cherry Red switches, and the ubiquitous "clicky" Cherry Blue switches. For the most part, I was impressed.

Obviously, Logitech has bowed to the gaming peripheral cliché of filling the kit with RGB lighting. This is more style than substance, and clearly doesn't really make it easier to type. But if you're taking this thing to a competitive gaming party, this might be for you.

The G915 TKL also differs itself in a crowded market with the inclusion of wireless connectivity. While this isn't the solitary wireless keyboard on the market (there are excellent options from the like of Happy Hacking and Obins), it's fair to say that it belongs to a somewhat exclusive club.

Battery life is 40 hours with the RGB lights switched on and a claimed 135 days with it deactivated. The keyboard can be fully recharged with three hours connected to a power source, Logitech says.

At £199.99, the G915 TKL isn't cheap – even by the standards of wireless mechanical keyboards, which are a relatively scarce commodity. That said, the slender form factor helps differentiate this keyboard in an otherwise crowded market. If you're tempted, it'll be available next month in linear, tactile, and clicky variants. ®

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