I'm a creature of habit and hate changing tools I use every day. Anyone who spends hours at a PC knows that changing a keyboard means a few uncomfortable days of misspelled keys and muscle memory fighting back. That's why, when I finally make the switch, it has to be worth it and why it's so important to choose a keyboard that's best suited to your needs.
I am set in my ways. For example, I absolutely must have a numeric pad. It's ingrained in me, and not having someone there to use would feel completely strange and unfamiliar. Fortunately, Turtle Beach's Command Series KB5 delivers just that, and even a few extras.
Novelty or core feature?
The first thing you immediately notice about the KB5 is the touch screen. It's one of those distinctly eye-catching features that feels like a bit of a novelty, but is still undeniably cool. Do I need a small touch screen? No. But after using the keyboard for a couple of weeks, can I imagine not having my little touch screen? Also no.
The 2.4-inch touchscreen display has programmable buttons that you set via the Turtle Beach Swarm II software. This allows you to set up different profiles, each with three pages, for different uses, from shortcuts to macros, OBS systems, surveillance system statistics or media controls; everything is at hand. Mine is set up with shortcuts for all the apps and websites I used the most, whereas I used the first screen and this screen I find myself using it all the time, and it's just become an ingrained part of how I use my keyboard.
There are also five dedicated macro keys on the left side of the keyboard, fully customizable RGB lighting per key, and it also comes with optional highly textured WASD keys (and a key puller so you can install them). Overall, KB5 feels built to create a very personalized user experience.
However, it's not all about bells and whistles. When it comes to something we use every day, function is as important as features. And when it comes to keyboards, feel is just as important. The Titan's low-profile mechanical switches offer a softer, quieter touch than I'm used to, while the double-shot PBT keys feel sturdy and premium under the fingertips. As an added bonus, the quieter switches have given me fewer complaints from my family, who generally hate the loud typing that echoes from my office.
The KB5 has an 8K polling rate and ultra-low 0.125ms latency, which reportedly makes it up to 8x faster than standard keyboards, making all the difference when you're in the middle of the game and need instant feedback and precision. To truly test its capabilities, I enjoyed an evening of dungeon crawling and test runs in Final Fantasy 14 to see if the KB5 helped or hindered me during fast-paced combat, where timing and reaction times are absolutely essential. It worked exactly as I had hoped, with the keyboard being consistently responsive and with no noticeable input lag or issues.
A winner for the right target group
There are a few niggles I had with the keyboard. The touch screen became unresponsive a couple of times, but I soon realized it was because it needed updating in the Swarm II. Compounding this frustration was that you can't use it when updating your keyboard. Fortunately, it only takes a few minutes. You'll also need to reuse your custom template on your screen after, so be sure to save it to make it easier after updates.
For a £140 keyboard fitted with premium double-shot PBT keycaps, I'd expect the secondary legends to be as durable as the primary ones. But only the main legend of each key is backlit; the secondary is simply pressed onto the surface. This not only makes it harder to see in low light, but also makes it more susceptible to wear. After only a couple of weeks of use, my column key is already barely legible, and the @ symbol is not far behind.
Turtle Beach's Command Series KB5 is a solid choice for the right type of user. If you just want a general-purpose keyboard, you won't use or appreciate the extra features offered to make it worthwhile. But if you're a competitive gamer who likes custom macros, or a streamer or content creator who will appreciate the built-in touch screen to make streaming easier, or even for more general gamers, it's a great keyboard for £139.99.
