I am a creature of habit and I hate changing the tools I use every day. Anyone who spends hours at a PC knows that changing keyboards means several days of mistyping the keys and forcing your muscle memory to fight back. That's why it should be worth it when you finally make the switch, and why it's so important to choose the keyboard that best suits your needs.
I am set in my ways. For example, you must have a number pad. It's ingrained in me and without something available to me, it would feel completely strange and unfamiliar. Luckily, Turtle Beach's Command Series KB5 does just that, plus a few extras.
Is it a novelty or a core feature?
The first thing you notice about the KB5 is its touch display. This is one of those eye-catching features that feels a bit novel, but is nonetheless undeniably cool. Need a small touch screen? no. But can you imagine, after using a keyboard for a few weeks, now not having a little touch screen? Also no.
The 2.4-inch touchscreen display features programmable buttons that can be configured through the Turtle Beach Swarm II program. This allows you to set up a variety of profiles, each of three pages, spanning a variety of uses, from shortcuts to macros, OBS systems, monitoring system statistics or media control. Everything is right at your fingertips. I have shortcuts set up in my profile for all the programs and websites I use most, and although I initially did this just to test the screen, I ended up using it over and over again. It has become an ingrained part of how I use the keyboard.
The keyboard also features five dedicated macro keys on the left side, fully customizable per-key RGB lighting, and optional highly textured WASD keys (and installable keycap pullers). Overall, KB5 seems built to deliver a highly personalized user experience.
But it's not just about bells and whistles. When it comes to things we use every day, function is just as important as functionality. And when it comes to keyboards, feel is just as important. Titan low-profile mechanical switches provide a smoother, quieter feel than before, while double-shot PBT keycaps provide a solid, premium feel at your fingertips. As an added bonus, the quieter switches mean less complaints from family members who generally dislike the loud typing noises echoing through the office.
The KB5 features an 8K polling rate and ultra-low latency of 0.125ms, reportedly up to 8x faster than standard keyboards. This makes a huge difference when you need instant feedback and precision in the mid-game. To really test its prowess, I spent an evening playing Final Fantasy 14 to see if KB5 would help or hinder it in fast-paced combat where timing and reaction time are critical. The keyboard was consistently responsive and performed exactly as I expected, with no noticeable input lag or issues.
A winner for the right audience
There were some issues with the keyboard. The touchscreen became unresponsive a few times, but I soon realized it was because Swarm II needed an update. What makes this frustration even worse is that you can't use your keyboard while it's being updated. Fortunately, it only takes a few minutes. You'll also need to reapply your custom templates to your screens in the future, so save them for easier use after an update.
For a £140 keyboard with premium double-shot PBT keycaps, we expect the secondary legend to be just as durable as the primary legend. However, only the main legend of each key is backlit. The secondary is simply printed on the surface. This not only makes it harder to see in the dark, but it also makes it easier to wear. After just two weeks of use, the colon key is already almost unreadable, and the @ symbol isn't far behind.
Turtle Beach's Command Series KB5 is a solid choice for the right type of user. If you just want a keyboard for general use, you probably won't utilize or appreciate the extra features it comes with to increase its value. But if you're a competitive gamer who enjoys custom macros, a streamer or content creator who appreciates a built-in touch screen that makes streaming easier, or a more general gamer, this is a great keyboard for £139.99.
