Nevertheless, if you like the sound of the unique switches, or maybe want that Lightsync integration, the G513 will serve you well for years to come. Verdict

They call this ‘Lightsync’, and with over 300 supported titles, there are many more games that work with it compared against the competition. Games such as Mass Effect Andromeda and Battlefield 1 light up the keyboard upon launch, changing the RGB to new patterns that reflect what’s happening in-game. It works pretty perfectly, and while it’s more subtle than Logitech RGB speakers, it’s a really nice touch. The G512 and G513 gaming keyboards feature onboard memory to store lighting effects. This comes in handy if you need to use a computer that does not have LGS installed. At the time of release, you can only store one Freestyle, Zones or Effects (except Star Effect and Key Press) Lighting Mode layout on the keyboard’s memory. For more information, read Access On-Board lighting effects on the G512 and G513 gaming keyboard s. The only caveat I'd mention here is that the keyboard doesn't have any dedicated macro keys (although you can program macros and assign them to the F1 - F12 keys). If this is something you need for MMO play, you'll have to invest in a different model, such as the G613 or the G910. If dedicated macro keys are something you need for MMO play, you'll have to invest in a different model than the G513. Bottom Line By comparison, the Romer-G Linear switch feels firm but without introducing too much resistance. Thanks to the boxy nature of the underlying mechanism, each key press actuates evenly and comes to a nearly silent stop. Comparatively, we’ve always felt Cherry MX Red offers so little resistance, the keys chatter and feel uneven when actuated.

Your Effects: create and manage your own animated lighting effects. Choose from one of the 16 presets or read Create and manage lighting effects with Logitech Gaming Software to learn how to create your own. Zones: Group keys together into color zones. You can only assign an individual key to one zone at a time. Color Wave — Select this option to set the colors to change horizontally, vertically or from the center out. Use the slider to set the speed at which the color wave cycles. The linear Romer-G is a little bit louder than a Cherry MX Red key, but it feels very similar. If you like pushing key caps all the way down before a letter appears, the Romer-G Linear switch is probably the way to go. In terms of overall quality, though, there's not much difference between the two. I tried both models and found that it really came down to individual preference.

I was, however, impressed with the RGB effects shining through those legends. I found them to be particularly vibrant, with a crisp, precise feel to each color and very little blur between wave effects. There is a little bleed around the bottom of the caps, but everything generally feels remarkably restrained yet bright. Performance Most brushed metal finishes on PC peripherals are fingerprint magnets, but Logitech’s blend of aluminum and magnesium seems to be built to repel them. The frameless design of this keyboard also features floating keycaps that make cleaning up dust and food crumbs with a can of compressed air a lot easier. Each key appears to almost float in place, with a bright RGB LED shining through every cap. The layout is pretty minimalistic – there are no dedicated media keys – and the function keys are labelled on the lower side of each cap. To add keys to a zone, select a zone in the Lighting Zones pane and then select a key. You can also use the + button to create additional zones. Otherwise, the big draws of the G513 are the USB pass-through and the wrist rest, described above. Not many of Logitech's other keyboards offer these features, and depending on your gaming habits (and how much room you have at your workstation), you could find them either very useful or almost totally superfluous. Performance

Estimated delivery times are provided to us by the respective delivery companies. We pass this information onto you, the customer. We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3, which overhauls how key input is evaluated. We've added new tests for Single Key Latency, Multi Key Latency, Data Transmission, and Chord Split. We've also introduced a new Raw Performance usage and adjusted how the Gaming and Office usage scores are calculated. You can see the full changelog here. You’ll familiarise yourself with the positioning of each function over time with muscle memory, but they’re not that easy to read when you’re trying to learn the layout. The volume wheel and media keys on the ROG Flare and Corsair K95 are much easier to use. Lighting is an interesting one, since the G513 is actually my new favourite keyboard for RGB integration. This is really down to the software interface, however. The G513 is a full-sized keyboard, and unlike a lot of gaming boards, it’s actually quite suave and sophisticated. The design oozes quality, with a brushed metal plate across the entire top face that’s smooth to the touch. In combination with a plastic underbody, it forms a strong and rigid structure that’s free from any flex.