Cougar 700K Gaming Keyboard Review
Category : Keyboards
Published by Luca Rocchi on 21.11.14
Cougar has been active on the market for gaming peripherals for several years now, but they've never managed to score very big. Judging simply by the looks, their new 700K gaming keyboard might be a game changer. But still, one the question remains: is it a convincing product?
Article in English |
Artikel in Deutsch |
Article en français |
Articolo in italiano |
Today we are checking out the latest gaming keyboard from Cougar, the 700K. The Cougar 700K is a mechanical keyboard with a rather unique design.
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Software |
| Page 6 - Conclusion |
Photo Gallery
Delivery
The delivery is unspectacular. Inside a solid cardboard box, there is a manual, a double wrist rest and, of course, the keyboard itself. Everything is well protected so nothing gets damaged during shipment.
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Software |
| Page 6 - Conclusion |
Features
| Model number | COUGAR 700K |
| Keys | Cherry MX Red |
| Keycaps | ABS |
| Materials | Aluminium + ABS |
| Backlight | Custom |
| Profiles | 3 |
| Macros | 6 |
| Interface | USB 2.0 |
| Cable | 1.8m |
| Dimensions | 487mm x 230mm x 40mm |
| Weight | 1.2 Kg |
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Software |
| Page 6 - Conclusion |
Closer Look
Although the pictures above might be misleading, the size of the Cougar 700K is fairly small, in fact, the keyboard measures 487x230x40mm, with a weight of 1.2 kg. With the K700 Cougar is using the same high-quality aluminium that can also be found with their gaming mouse 700M, which makes for a very stiff product. The keyboard uses an aluminum chassis with a wrist rest made from hard plastic and rubber. In addition, inside the package, you get an additional wrist rest that adds extra comfort for WASD or arrow zones. The fastening system uses magnets and it is very easy as well as quick to deploy. Regarding the layout, you have five silver G-Key macro buttons at the left part of the keyboard, while the top part features profile and multimedia buttons. To offer a sixth programmable G-key, Cougar has literally split the space bar in two parts and the the right part is actually the sixth G-Key. Like all high-end gaming keyboards, the Cougar 700K uses CherryMX switches with orange backlight. In our case, these were Cherry MX Red switches.
As we mentioned earlier, the Cougar 700K also comes with quite a few multimedia buttons. Unlike many gaming keyboards tested so far, Cougar has also added dedicated buttons for volume and track control. Overall, we believe that this keyboard simply does not lack anything. The multimedia keys are located at the top end of the keyboard, which means they're not too easy to reach, but on the other hand that is not really an issue.
Front/Back
If you flip the Cougar 700K you will realize that this product is not too heavy. Although the weight is not as high as with other gaming keyboards, and thanks to its comfortable rubber feet, the 700K is well anchored to your desk. On the rear profile there are two 3.5mm audio jacks and a USB 2.0 port. The cable is sleeved, has an overall length of 1.8 meters and features double gold plated USB headers.
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Software |
| Page 6 - Conclusion |
Software
Cougar did not include the software in the bundle. In this case, you first have to go to the manufacturers website to download the latest version by yourself. The software GUI is perfectly in line with the attractive design of the keyboard and it is practical and easy to use. With the supplied software, you can configure basically everything you might like to set yourself, such as for example, macros, profiles and much more. The backlight system is completely customizable, in fact, you can choose which keycaps will be backlighted and which will not.
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Software |
| Page 6 - Conclusion |
Conclusion
| General | + | - | |
| With the 700K, Cougar has created a high quality gaming keyboard, which has almost no flaws at all. We like the fact that this keyboard feels very sturdy thanks to the aluminum chassis. Apart from that, there are some very good features, including mechanical CherryMX switches and a double wrist rest. The orange backlight is completly customizable and the software is easy to use. |
- Weight
- Design - Bundle - Hub USB |
||
| Manufacturing quality / Ergonomics | + | - | |
| The Cougar 700K gaming keyboard is really comfortable to use, all the keys are well placed and easy to reach so you will not find yourself pressing the wrong key by accident. It also comes with five programmable G-Key buttons are placed at the left side of the keyboard and the sixth is the second part of the space bar. Despite the initial doubt regarding this split space bar design, we have to admit that Cougar's solution is well designed, since you can easily access the sixth G-Key with your thumb. However, out of the box the G6-design is not assigned and therefore if you use the space bar with your right hand you will miss several key presses at first. In addition to standard programmable buttons, the Cougar 700K also has the multimedia keys which make the usage of the keyboard much easier. The key travel is precise and linear while the feedback is always good and perfect, as you would expect from a mechanical keyboard in this range. |
- Build quality
- Comfort - Multimedia buttons - Backlight |
- G6 buttons not assigned out of the box | |
| Software | + | - | |
| Unlike other manufacturers, Cougar had to save a bit money since the software is not bundled in the package and you have to download it from the manufacturers site. The software is clear and precise, the functions are few and easy to edit. The GUI is well made and in line with the style of the keyboard. |
- GUI
- Easy to use |
||
| Recommendation / Price | + | - | |
| If you are bored with the classic design of most keyboards on the market and you are looking for a unique product, with high-quality materials and finish, we can definitely recommend the 700K from Cougar. A closer look at the price of the Cougar 700K reveals that you have to pay 130 Euro in order enjoy this keyboard. For this price you get a gaming keyboard, which features mechanical switches, customizable backlight and a very high build quality. | - Gaming
- Office |
||
| Rating | |||
| We gave the 700K from Cougar 5 out of 5 stars. | |||
| Page 1 - Introduction |
| Page 2 - Photo Gallery / Delivery |
| Page 3 - Features |
| Page 4 - Closer Look |
| Page 5 - Software |
| Page 6 - Conclusion |