It’s a real possibility Logitech has found the secret formula to repeatedly crafting fantastic peripherals. From the G613 Wireless to the G Pro and beyond, both fans and critics alike seem to agree that when it comes to keyboards, Logitech can do very little wrong.
Most gamers — and writers like myself — keep coming back to Logitech for three reasons: quality, consistency, and useability. Bringing those three pillars together under one roof means there are a lot of Logitech boards on a lot of desks around the world.
Add the sleek G513 to the list.
Sporting two great RomerG options, a futuristic, gunmetal design, a comfortable wrist rest, and LightSync compatibility, the G513 is relatively light on frills but heavy on fancy. Since receiving it, the keyboard hasn’t left my desk — a testament to its design considering I have plenty of other options for both home and work.
It’s not perfect at $150, but it’s an excellent piece of equipment worthy of your attention and consideration.
Design
From its size to the Logitech logo in the upper right-hand corner of the board, the G513 takes almost all of its cues from the Logitech G413.
Its sturdy gunmetal body, which comes in equally sleek black carbon and silver colors, measures 17.5 x 5.3 inches and has the same 104-key layout as the G413.
Furthermore, the board also uses similar USB pass-through technology to allow for device charging and data transfer. It’s located in the upper right-hand corner of the board and works as advertised.
However, there are a few key design differences that set the G513 apart from other boards. The most obvious is that this keyboard doesn’t have dedicated media keys (mute, volume up/down, play, stop, fast-forward, and rewind) like many other mechanicals currently on the market. It’s something I’ve grown accustomed to in offerings from Corsair, HyperX, and even Logitech, so it’s a bit strange not having them here. I wouldn’t say it’s something that detracts from the useability of this board, but it’s something to keep in mind for the price tag.
The other differences are a bit more positive.
Sticking with keys, the Logitech G513 moves away from the if not boring, then bland single-color backlighting of the G413. Here, you’ll get per-key RGB backlighting across the entire color spectrum. Using Logitech’s consistently cogent gaming software, you can easily set profiles, presets, effects, and much more. The addition of Lightsync to the Logitech suite of products also means you can have the same profiles, presets, and effects across multiple devices, too, such as mice and speakers. It’s a nice touch that makes your desktop look that much more uniform and elegant.
It’s also welcome to see the G513 has a plush wrist rest that’s more comfortable than you might first expect. When originally unboxing the board, I thought it was odd that the memory foam palm rest didn’t connect directly to the board but instead floated separately from it. But the more I used it, the more I came to believe that this is how wrist rests are meant to be.
Romer-Gs FTW
I’ll admit it: I’m not a super fan of the traditional Romer-Gs. It’s not because they aren’t fantastic keys, and it’s not because they aren’t quieter and faster than more conventional mechanical keys. It’s really because I’m not a huge fan of Cherry MX Browns — and traditional Romers are very similar in make and function.
However, the big draw here is the G513’s key options: tactile and linear.
I’ve personally come to appreciate the linear versions presented here because they provide a fluid and smooth keystroke when typing and playing games. They have the same 45g actuation force, 1.55mm actuation distance, and 3.2mm travel distance as the tactile switches, but there’s no discernible bump between press and actuation as there is with the tactiles.
Since I spend almost all of my working and free time in front of the computer, having a key that works well and feels “right” in each situation is a boon. In fact, the small familiarity curve I often have with new keyboards wasn’t present when first using the G513, which is a huge deal for both gamers and professionals making the switch to Logitech — or between primary and secondary boards.
Based on what I’ve read, I’m not the only one who feels this way.
I tested the keys against my typical workload, which sees me typing thousands of words a week on average, as well as a variety of games ranging from Paladins and Warhammer: Vermintide 2 to Cities: Skylines and Tyranny. Each set of keys — both traditional and linear — performed as advertised.
In my time reviewing the G513, there weren’t any major variances in quality between the two sets of keys, and all are rated for 70 million clicks.
An Almost Full Feature Set
Aside from the aforementioned USB pass-through and full RGB backlighting, the G513 has a few more features that are worth noting.
Via Logitech’s Gaming Software, you’ll be able to program macros and keystrokes to the G513, as well as enable Game Mode to disable the Windows key when playing games. However, you won’t be able to reprogram each and every key as you can on some other boards. You also won’t find dedicated macro keys or G keys on this variant, either.
Like most keyboards, you’ll also find the G513 provides anti-ghosting features, as well as key rollover. The anti-ghosting works well and assures you have reliable control when gaming, but you’ll only get 26-key rollover here. It could be argued that having full N-key rollover is often overkill, but at $150, it would be nice to have the feature here, especially since several less expensive boards offer it.
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Overall, the G513 is an excellent keyboard. If you’re looking for complete RGB or linear keys, this is the upgrade you’re looking for. If you don’t care about either one of those things, the 413 is a board you’ll want to check out — or stick with if you’ve already got it.
At $150, the G513 is a relatively tougher sell considering it’s more an upgrade than a true full-step iteration. That doesn’t mean you should pass it up at all; it just means you’ll need to consider your options before taking the plunge.
You can buy the Logitech G513 mechanical from Amazon for $150.
[Note: Logitech provided the G513 used in this review.]
Published: May 31, 2018 01:35 pm