I've always wanted an ultra-slim gaming keyboard, and the Corsair K100 Air seems to not only encompass everything you need in a good gaming keyboard, but also promises to deliver. With ultra-thin Cherry MX keyswitches, minuscule actuation, and extreme 8K polling, it dangles a super-fast esports highlife in your face and teases you with an unfathomable price tag.

Corsair has pulled out all the stops with the Corsair K100 Air gaming keyboard. From the moment we took it out of the box, we were mesmerized by its sleek design. It took me a day or so to break in the exclusive Cherry MX keyswitches, but typing has been heavenly ever since. This is Cherry's thinnest offering, operating at 0.8mm with only 65g of force; coupled with the 1.8mm full travel distance and phenomenal tactile feedback, I feel like a master at playing a thin piano in my daily work.

My only problem with this ultra-low profile goodness is that my long nails tend to accidentally activate the wrong keys, and the F12 is now my bane. However, if I shorten my nails, these keys will sing whether I'm in the middle of a game or trying to rush through a month-late review; combined with 8,000 Hz polling, I'll never again blame my keyboard for my tardiness, whether at work or at play.

Writing up a review on the K100 Air, you get the unwavering quality of a gorgeous piece of CNC-machined kit. It doesn't bend when you press down the middle or try to twist it, and the brushed aluminum finish is a true testament to the quality. Inline media controls are always a plus for a keyboard, but it's no surprise that Corsair is offering them at this price.

In addition to a slim, durable body that offers the best portability of even this full-size keyboard, Corsair doubles down on versatility with incredible connectivity: the K100 Air can connect to up to three devices via Bluetooth and one device via a wireless dongle. Gkeys makes it easy to switch between connection types.

Gkeys can also be used as macro keys, another feature of the K100 Air: the integration of the Elgato Stream Deck (open in new tab) Elgato is assimilated into the Corsair ecosystem. And while it's nothing new hardware-wise (the average macro already offers this feature), Corsair has at least made the setup process a little easier by bringing everything together in one place.

Corsair's iCue software is also easy enough to use and fairly unobtrusive. The lighting options per key are varied and the option to set lighting effects up to 20 layers deep may be a bit unnecessary. I must say, however, that I had fun playing with it.

The main wireless contender for the K100 Air is the low-profile Logitech G915 (opens in new tab). Compare this $50 cheaper board and you have to ask yourself what you are really getting for the extra cost.

Both offer 40+ hours of battery life with RGB on, excellent usability, and dedicated media controls, but not much to offer other than impeccable style The K100 Air's 8,000 Hz polling rate is its biggest boast, but even that ends up being unnecessary in most situations.

Sure, the Logitech may not be a full-sized board, and it doesn't have multi-device connectivity or fancy Stream Deck integration, but these features are worth the extra $50 over the keyboard, which is currently the top of the best wireless gaming keyboards Is it really worth it?

Similarly, the Corsair K100 Air's wireless features, dedicated media controls, and ultra-thin Cherry MX switches seem to give it an edge over the Wooting Two HE (open in new tab), the best gaming keyboard available today. And while these are all great features, the Wooting offers hot-swappable analog switches and adjustable actuation for $85 less.

Speed and versatility are clearly at the top of Corsair's priorities for the K100 Air, and exclusive switches from the world's leading manufacturer will put it firmly on the radar for keyboard red switch lovers. But that exclusivity comes at a price. After all, cost is king, and while the K100's underwhelming specs make for a very good experience and near perfection, at $280 I was expecting something truly groundbreaking. It doesn't even come with a wrist rest.