Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 review

I know a lot of keyboards these days have tiny LCD screens that you can employ to do things like check system parameters and the like, but I like the one on the recent Corsair Vanguard Pro 96 purely because I can display an image of the keyboard Bullseye logo on it.

Every time I look at the keyboard, I’m reminded of the quintessential British darts game show and inevitably the theme tune gets stuck in my head. That alone makes it obviously worth its £210/$240 asking price.

For some reason, I think my superior Jacob would expect a fuller justification (just let me enjoy Bullseye-based fun), and I think I’ll be reprimanded if I end my review copy there.

OK, I guess I’ll have to be more specific in this review – I like the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96. Very. ANDis it still not enough?

The Vanguard Pro 96 reminds me of the venerable Corsair keyboards – large, brash, full-size options that required little physical compromise in layout and, therefore, function. You get a 96 percent, or 1800, layout with all the creature comforts like arrow keys, numeric keypad, and function row, which turns the customary full-size layout into a slightly space-saving option. Combine that with Corsair’s more state-of-the-art design language, and it means this board looks good, too.

Somehow, Corsair managed to fit a 1.9-inch LCD screen, a gigantic volume knob, and six macro keys into this chassis without making this keyboard the size of a whale. That’s a feat in itself. This means that the Vanguard Pro 96 is certainly one of the most feature-rich keyboards you can find today.

These macro keys, plus the dedicated Elgato Stream Deck key on the bottom row, mean you can employ this keyboard as your own Stream Deck, which is very clever. Oh, and did I mention you get a magnetically attached, plush wrist rest?

Build quality is also good, with a metal top plate and overall solid plastics. It’s not as weighty as the fully machined options from Keychron and the like, which limits its usefulness as a physical weapon, but it’s weighty enough that it won’t slide around on your desk if you look at it amusing.

The LCD screen can do more than just display Bullseye wallpaper. Using the Fn+F12 keys, you can toggle through the settings it can display in conjunction with the rotary dial to its right, such as volume control, macro recording, and even vertical or horizontal scrolling. This is one of the most versatile screen and knob combinations I’ve seen on any keyboard in a long time.

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Corsair also ditched its terrible iCUE software for the Vanguard Pro 96, instead following the example of Keychron and other smaller brands, opting for web-based software that is sleek, lightweight, and very effortless to employ.

Here you can program the operation of the screen and the keyboard’s rotary dial, as well as do all the usual things like remapping keys, configuring RGB, and setting things like actuation point and quick trigger power.

This keyboard is a Hall effect option, which means we have versatile and customizable magnetic switches – the ones inside this keyboard are Corsair’s own MGX Hyperdrive switches.

They have the all-around customization I’ve come to expect, with the ability to adjust both the actuation point and reset of the switch over virtually the entire travel range, from 0.1mm to 4mm.

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Fast trigger MGX Hyperdrive switches have the advantage of an adjustable actuation and reset point for near-instantaneous response times. You can set both the actuation and reset points as high as possible – in the case of this keyboard, down to 0.1mm – which means you barely have to breathe on the switch for it to register an input signal. At this point, Corsair claims they have a super lithe actuation force of 30g, and setting it all the way to 4mm means a force of 55g.

There’s also the usual SOCD-type technology we’ve seen on competing boards from Wooting, Keychron and others, with different priority modes for all those unnaturally speedy firing actions. I maintain that brands put it in the keyboard to add it to the spec sheet because this feature is about as useful as a chocolate flame in a competitive online game, as it can allow others to employ the ban hammer against you, like Valve did with Counter-Strike 2.

Technically, the MGX Hyperdrive switches are hot-swappable, and Corsair includes a handy switch and keycap remover in the box. It’s unclear what switches can replace them, though, as they lack the usual 3 or 5 pins of standard MX switches, and compatibility with Hall-effect hot-swappable keyboards can be quite tough to determine anyway.

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During my few attempts at Counter-Strike 2 (more than I care to admit that using low-level bots can be quite addictive), I found the Vanguard Pro 96 switches to be particularly speedy and consistent in operation. These are velvety and fast-acting, pre-lubricated switches that make the keyboard one of the fastest in its class, and if you want it, the polling rate is 8000Hz – not that most mere mortals will be able to tell the difference.

The connectivity of this keyboard is fully wired, which means you never have to worry about pairing it via Bluetooth or 2.4GHz or charging it. The included braided USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable is of decent quality, and the Vanguard Pro 96 has multiple cable channels on the bottom so you can easily decide where to route the cable.

However, I have a little problem with the Corsair when it comes to cable management. The USB Type-C port for connecting the keyboard is embedded so deeply in the housing that access to it may be a bit tough at first. It would certainly be easier to place the port directly on the back edge of the case rather than recessing it several inches deep.

To sum up, I liked the Corsair Vanguard Pro 96, and for more than just children’s fun with the LCD screen. This really is one of the best Hall effect keyboards if you want a full-size layout with plenty of nice touches, as well as versatile software and responsive switches. However, at £210/$240 it will come at a significant cost compared to rivals.

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