Reader Review: Corsair K55 RGB keyboard, Harpoon gaming mouse, MM300 mouse mat and HS50 gaming headset!

Throughout December and early January, we ran a series of giveaways for our readers. There was only one catch- we wanted winners to get back to us with their thoughts on the prizes they won. So far, we’ve had quite a few winners get back to us and today, I am pleased to share Mat Mynett’s reviews for all four prizes he won- the Corsair K55 RGB keyboard, Harpoon gaming mouse, MM300 mouse mat and the HS50 gaming headset!

Before we dive into the reviews, here is a gallery showing off the images Mat took for each of his prizes. Do note that if you have Adblock switched on, then it may be blocking the images from loading in. Disabling it and refreshing the page should fix this. 

Corsair K55 RGB Keyboard

Design:

The best way to describe the K55 RGB from Corsair is, it is a sheep in wolves clothing. It may not be the greatest keyboard from their extensive line-up but it certainly looks the part. Since using this button mashing panel as my daily driver I've had more than one comment from people saying that it looks awesome (RGB Master-race)

The main body of the board is an all black, textured plastic design headed up with the Corsair logo sitting at the top in a contrasting slither of smooth shiny plastic. The keys sit nice and high and give a very satisfying clunk when typing. Layout is pretty standard here, with the addition of 6 dedicated macro keys sitting on the left hand side of the board. These keys do take some getting used to, as it is quite easy to hit the ‘G1' key instead of escape. There are also additional keys for media playback, volume control, windows key lock, lighting control (more on that in a minute) and finally, macro record located in the upper right section.

There is a wrist rest included with the K55 which is made of soft black plastic. It is very textured and ‘grippy'. Initially, I used this wrist rest but have since removed it due a desk space being at a premium. The keyboard is quite large with the rest attached, so this is something to consider if you have shallow desk like myself. The rest coupled with the standard height adjustment feet on the bottom make for a comfortable keyboard all round.

RGB. ARR GEE BEE! We all know that RGB lighting improves headshot percentage by at least 14.782%. This keyboard has a 3 zone RGB backlight system which can be set to Rainbow Wave, Colour Shift, Colour Wave and Static Colour modes via either different function key shortcuts or via the Corsair Utility Engine Software. The lighting is not as smooth and seamless as individually lit keys but for an entry level keyboard it is pretty decent.

Usage:

After using this keyboard extensively for a month or so I am pleased to say this it is a joy to use. Typing is smooth and satisfying and gaming has been great fun. There was an initial ‘breaking in' period as with any new keyboard but you will quickly get used to the different shape, size and additional macro keys. Once muscle memory has caught up, this is not a problem.

The Corsair Utility Engine software has been a bit of a pain when using this keyboard. Especially when using it alongside the Harpoon RGB mouse. Upon it's release the K55 was not supported in CUE, with support being added at a later date via a firmware update. This has created issues with the original system of using the FN + 1-0 keys for changing between the different pre-programmed backlight modes. When the software is open and has detected the keyboard, the function key commands do not work. When the software is closed they will then begin working again. This would not be that much of a problem, that would be if I wasn't using this alongside a Corsair mouse that has been tweaked in CUE. When I close the software to gain access to the backlight modes, I lose all of my saved mouse settings. This is something that I hope Corsair can address as it is the only thing hindering the use of these two entry level products.

Final thoughts:

Pros:

• Design
• RGB!

Cons:

• Quite large with the wrist rest attached
• CUE software issues

If you are looking for an entry level RGB gaming keyboard from a reputable brand at a decent price then look no further. It really is a sheep in wolves clothing. Coming in at a retail price of roughly £50 you're getting a well built, RGB backlit gaming keyboard that should last a long time.

Corsair Harpoon Gaming Mouse

Design:

The Harpoon RGB gaming mouse is a compact and simple looking gaming peripheral that I've really enjoyed using over the past month. The top and bottom are covered in black plastic, with the sides being encased with a textured, grip section that will keep you on point during long gaming sessions.

The RGB in the name comes from a large backlit Corsair logo that can be modified using Corsair's Utility Engine software. There are 5 different modes to choose from when in simple configuration mode with basic settings for colour choice and the option to tweak the gradient of the colour shifting and adjust solid and static colours when in advanced mode.

The left and right click on this mouse feel great, with the left click being home to some more Corsair branding. The clicks are well defined and don't feel spongy or mushy in the slightest. The mouse wheel is a little loose for my liking and could do with so more resistance when scrolling.

Seated just behind the mouse wheel is a DPI selector switch which can be programmed via the CUE software. Upto 5 DPI steps can be setup ranging from 250 all the way up to 6000 in 250dpi increments. There is also a sniper mode present which can be mapped to any button of your choosing and then activated in game for those extra precision headshots. Boom!

The cable comes out of the main body of the mouse in an off center position in the middle of the left click button. This is not something I have come across and in my opinion it looks a little strange.

The overall design of this mouse is excellent. There is not any over the top tackiness and it looks smooth and clean. It's comfortable to use with palm grip like myself and I cannot see any other style being a problem.

Usage:

I've used the Harpoon RGB as my main gaming mouse for just over a month and I'm very pleased with how it's holding up and how it has performed. It's simplistic design is pleasing to the eye and it is easy to setup and use with the Corsair Utility Engine software.

With a few little tweaks to DPI profiles this mouse can be setup to suit any gamers preferences. Whether you're a high dpi sensitivity guru or a low dpi headshot master – this mouse has the settings for you!

Final thoughts:

Pros:

• Price
• Design
• Configuration and Setup

Cons:

• Mouse wheel a little loose
• Cable placement is not central coming out of the mouse

This mouse can currently be purchased for roughly £25 and for that amount of money it is hard not to recommend it. It's solid for the price and has a smooth, simplistic design that is easy on the eye.

Corsair MM300 Wide MouseMat

Design:

This mouse mat comes in a variety of sizes. I have the extended version which measures 930mm x 300mm x 3mm. It is BIG! It requires quite a bit of desk space. My monitor feet currently sit on the top edge of the mat as my desk cannot accommodate everything with room to spare.

The surface is easily big enough for my keyboard, mouse and a few extra random items that always seem to end up on my desk.

The polymer coating is very, very smooth and offers optimal reflective properties that ensure your mouse movements are tracked in the most intense of situations.

It comes in a black and grey design with the Corsair logo sitting at the bottom right.

Usage:

This mouse mat is massive. I'd never used an extended mouse mat before using this one and I don't think I could ever go back now. It has never moved or slid whilst in use and is functionally perfect.

My mouse glides effortlessly across the surface and there is plenty of room for fast flicks and sweeps whilst playing with a lower dpi setting.

Final thoughts:

Pros:

• Size
•  Smoothness of surface
• Design

Cons:

• Price

This a huge gaming surface that requires quite a bit of desk space. It has a beautiful design and is as smooth as butter. It's not cheap though, coming in at roughly £30 for the extended version.

Corsair HS50 Stereo Gaming Headset

Design:

The Corsair HS50 stereo headset keeps in line with the iconic Corsair design and branding. It's simple design and useful no-nonsense features make it a very nice headset to look at.

Corsair logos sit central on the outer portion of each ear-cup and Corsair branding runs across the headband.

As for comfort, this headset delivers by the bucket load. Each ear-cup is lined with a plush memory foam cushion that will help keep you comfortable through those long gaming sessions (Civilisation – 1 more turn anyone?)
This along with the headband being cushioned on the inside make for a very pleasant experience when using this headset.

Clarity has been good and I have listened to music and watched many videos, with audio being crisp and clear at all times. The microphone, which is removable, is also of a good standard and I have received comment that I sound clearer than when using a standard, no-frills desktop microphone.

A volume dial and microphone mute switch are both located on the bottom of the left cup. They are both easy to reach while gaming and can be very useful for turning down the volume of say – a plane flying overhead and sounding like it's actually inside your house!

Usage:

I have used these headphone for a few hours a day, almost everyday, for a month solid and not once have they felt uncomfortable at all. They produce loud and crisp audio and microphone quality has been good. A braided cable would have been nice but is sadly not included.

Sound direction is well replicated for a non surround headset and has helped me out of a few sticky situations in Erangel.

Final thoughts:

Pros:

• Comfort
• Simple minimalist design
• Easy access controls

Cons:

• Non braided cable
• No RGB

It was really hard to choose Con's for this headset. I went with 2 that really are slightly nit-picky but would be nice additions to an already solid headset. Coming in at roughly £50 – This isn't a cheap headset. It's well built however and should last an average gamer a long time. It's comfortable and sleek. A solid choice for entry level.

KitGuru Says: Thanks to Mat for the very comprehensive reviews! We'll have more reader reviews to share with you all over the next few weeks.

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