Logitech announced the new G512 keyboard with full 16.8 million color RGB lighting and clicky GX Blue switches. This is the first keyboard to feature the new switches; Logitech’s other recent offerings have mostly been restricted to the Romer-G tactile and linear switches.
The G512 is pretty much what you’d expect from one of Logitech’s gaming keyboards. It offers full RGB lighting controlled via the Lightsync software, 26-key rollover, and onboard storage. You also get dedicated media keys (pause, skip, etc.) as well as gaming-related options that can disable the Windows keys to make sure you don’t accidentally leave a game. Interestingly enough, the keys that activate Game Mode and the keyboard’s RGB lighting are dual-purpose Fn keys, even though the G512 is full-size and the tenkeyless G Pro found room for dedicated buttons.
Logitech said the G512 also boasts USB passthrough and a 1ms report rate. But the main draw is the new GX Blue switches being launched along with the keyboard, although they’ll also be available with the G513 keyboard, on which the Romer-G linear switches debuted in March. Logitech’s Omron-built Romer-G switches were previously only available in a tactile version that debuted in 2014; now the company offers switches in all three major categories. It’s not clear why the company opted to call its clicky switches “GX Blue” instead of including them in the Romer-G brand.
The Romer-G tactile and Romer-G linear versions of the G512 are currently available for pre-order. Logitech said the GX Blue version is expected to debut at select Asia Pacific retailers in June with an MSRP of $100. The GX Blue version of the G513 will cost $150 when it’s released to the U.S., Canada, and select European markets in June. (Versions equipped with the Romer-G switches are currently available.) The company didn’t say when the GX Blue version of the G512 is expected to expand beyond Asia Pacific or when the GX Blue-equipped G513 will do the inverse.
Logitech also announced that it will soon offer early access to the upcoming G Hub software with which it hopes to “create a software experience that provides the same functionality and benefits of Logitech Gaming Software, but with a modern, easy-to-use interface and enhanced capabilities.” G Hub is expected to be made available to early testers in July, though Logitech didn’t say if the tests will be restricted to certain regions or a specific number of people. If you don’t mind using pre-release software, you’ll have something to explore with your new keyboard.