Quality meets affordability with Logitech G413 Mechanical Backlit Gaming Keyboard [Review]

While I am a huge fan of mechanical keyboards, I am not a fan of all mechanical keyboards. What I mean to say is, not all of them are created equally. In fact, many of these keyboards can be downright terrible -- even from some so called reputable brands. You see, it is not uncommon for a company to simply slap its name on a low-quality offering. With that said, some lesser-known brands sometimes make really good keyboards -- it can be a crapshoot.

All of these variables can make it difficult for consumers to make a good choice -- especially when they are looking at low-priced budget models. Logitech is looking to change this, however, with the all-new G413 Mechanical Backlit Gaming Keyboard. Priced at a very low $89.99, you get the company's legendary quality and much-respected Romer-G switches. I have been testing this keyboard and have come away very impressed.

Please note, while the color I am testing is a darker "Carbon," there is also a silver variant that is exclusive to Best Buy. They are functionally identical, with the exception of the outward appearance.

Specs

• Key Switches: Romer-G
• Durability: 70 million keypresses
• Actuation distance: 1.5mm
• Actuation force: 45g
• Total travel distance: 3.0mm
• Length: 132 mm (5.1 in)
• Width: 445 mm (17.5 in)
• Height: 34 mm (1.4 in)
• Weight (w/o cable): 1105 g (39.0 oz)
• Cable Length: 6 ft

Unboxing

Impressions

Taking it out of the box, I was impressed with the heft. The G413 is made of aircraft grade aluminum, making it very strong and durable. The braided USB cable is very thick, and for good reason -- it is actually two cables. You see, at the end of the cable is two USB Type-A connectors -- one for the keyboard itself, and the other for the USB 2.0 pass-through. You see, on the top of the keyboard is a USB port for connecting a mouse or anything else you want. It is extremely convenient.

There is some cable management on the bottom too, so you route the cord for a mouse. In addition, there are pull-out legs if you prefer your keyboards on an angle. The legs offer just one position, however, so you have to choose between it or having it sit flat.

The keys themselves are fairly flat on the top, although slightly concave. Key movement is wonderful, as they move up and down in a very responsive way, and luckily, they are not too wobbly. The Romer-G keys do not have a tactical click like, say, Cherry MX Blue switches, nor are they very audible.

Whether or not you like the Romer-G switches is a personal preference, but I appreciate not bothering others with overly loud keys. That's not to say they are silent, but the typing noise is not distracting to other people near me. Logitech's home-grown switches strike a good balance. In practice, I was able to type very fast with minimal typos. During gaming sessions, I was very pleased with my performance.

While the keyboard is backlit, it is not an RGB affair. The only lighting color available is red, which you can turn off entirely if you prefer -- you cannot customize individual keys. You can also change the behavior of the lights -- such as making them pulse -- which can be done using Windows software. Don't worry Mac and Linux users, you can also change some aspects of the lighting, such as dimming, using just the keyboard.

Speaking of the Windows software, it is fairly robust, and will allow you to set different profiles. Unfortunately, the keyboard itself has no onboard memory, so you can not store them for when moving between machines. Not the end of the world, and not to be expected on an $89.99 keyboard.

Surprisingly, at this budget price, you do get replaceable keycaps for common gaming keys -- W, A, S, D, Q, E, R, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. These optional keys feature distinct grooves so that a gamer can more easily find them without looking down. To be honest, the use of such keys is sort of a "newbie" crutch in my opinion, but I can see how some people might like them. Logitech also supplies a key puller, so you can easily switch the keys when you want.

In my experience, the inside of the keys are a bit fragile, so I would not suggest switching them often -- pick your keys and stick with them. If you are too rough or aren't paying attention, you can easily bend or break them. My advice is just be delicate and use some finesse.

Keep in mind, the G413 is not tenkeyless, so you have a number pad on the right. For some people, such as yours truly, these keys will go to waste, but other folks like having them. There is really no downside to having the number pad, however, unless your desk is very tight on space. Some of the function keys double as media keys, and they work well on both Windows and macOS.

Do I recommend the Logitech G413 Mechanical Backlit Gaming Keyboard? Oh, heck yes. Logitech has successfully married quality with affordability, making the $89.99 offering an absolutely insane value. While the no-nonsense keyboard is inexpensive, it is certainly not cheap -- you will be shocked at how solid it is for the money, thinking it should cost more. Buy it.