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Corsair Galleon 100 SD one minute review
I still don’t quite know what to make of Corsair’s Galleon 100 SD gaming keyboard. On the one hand, the ethos of this thing, the switches, the design, the implementation are generally very well thought out, and it’s solidly built too.
Sound-dampening is decent, the linear MLX switches are delightful to type on, and the Stream Deck integration on the right-hand panel gives the whole thing a lot more versatility than you first might think.
Whereas before your Stream Deck buttons sat beside your monitor, the Galleon 100 SD brings them within reach, taking up that numpad position instead. That makes it a more natural flow while you’re gaming and streaming at the same time.
That’s a long-winded way of saying you can actually use all of the Stream Deck’s vast utility in-game, finally, without stretching halfway across your desk to do it. Not only can you have all of those macros and keybinds added into the numpad directly, with visual indicators as to what they actually do, but the display element gives you key system stats while you do it.
The bigger issue lies in the absolute bonanza of software you need to get this thing running. The Galleon, by default, requires two separate programs to fully function. Corsair’s Web Hub, a PWA interface (or website effectively) that replaces the desktop iCUE app, allowing you to change your lighting, keybinds, polling rate, all with a lightweight web page rather than a full-blown software suite. And then the standalone desktop Stream Deck app, which you need to configure, well, the Stream Deck.
The worst part about that is that the Galleon’s not backwards compatible with iCUE directly, and similarly, a lot of the “legacy” Corsair hardware hasn’t made its way to the Web Hub either yet (there’s a promise it’s coming, but nothing confirmed). So, if you’re running RGB lighting with some older fans, or a different mouse that isn’t supported by Web Hub, you’re effectively running iCUE, Web Hub, and the Stream Deck app to keep all of your Corsair products in line, and that just feels messy.
Then there’s the price. It isn’t cheap, by any measure. Yes, you are technically getting a full Stream Deck in here as well, so there’s that to bear in mind, but it’s near enough $100 more than the likes of Corsair’s Makr Pro line (a markedly better keyboard if your sole aim is gaming).
It’s a good board, and if you’re not phased by the ludicrous software setup and the price tag, you’ll get along with it just fine. Arguably for many, that expanded Stream Deck utility might make it one of the best gaming keyboards you could buy. But you really need to be able to justify what you gain from the Stream Deck itself. If you hesitate even for a moment on that thought, you might be better off looking elsewhere.
Corsair Galleon 100 SD review: Price & availability
- Priced astonishingly high for a standard mechanical keyboard
- Available globally today
- Only worth it if the Stream Deck is for you
Perhaps the biggest talking point of the Galleon 100 SD is that price tag. $350 and ÂŁ310 (around AU$500) for a keyboard of this magnitude is a tough pill to swallow, particularly because at its bare bones, the keyboard itself doesn’t really outclass boards a third of the cost.
Like yes, the MLX switches are lush to type on, pre-lubed, and there’s plenty of sound dampening going on here, but those aren’t exactly Corsair exclusives, and you can find a number of full-size boards from other manufacturers that feature exactly that, for a lot less.
Now, yes, of course, you do get that Stream Deck baked into the side here, sacrificing a full numpad for it (although technically that is a function that’s available with a quick profile swap), but if you’ve already got a Stream Deck in any form, it’s quite hard to justify the extra cost.
Corsair Galleon 100 SD review: Specs
|
Price |
$349.99 / ÂŁ309.99 / AU$599 |
|
Layout |
Full-size “Extended” |
|
Switch |
Corsair MLX Pulse |
|
Switch specs |
45g actuation; 2.0mm actuation point; 3.6mm travel; 80M keystrokes |
|
Keycaps |
Shine-through PBT |
|
Dimensions |
448 Ă— 159 Ă— 42mm (17.6 Ă— 6.3 Ă— 1.65″) |
|
Connectivity |
Wired USB-A; 2Ă— USB 2.0 Type-C passthrough |
|
Polling rate |
Up to 8,000Hz (wired) |
|
Rollover / anti-ghosting |
Full-key rollover (NKRO), 100% anti-ghosting |
|
Weight |
1.392kg (3.07lb), excl. palm rest |
Corsair Galleon 100 SD review: Design
- Lush aluminum frame, dense and filled with sound-dampening
- Stream Deck replacing the numpad is wildly cool
- Twin dials is highly divisive, and the lighting is average
From a pure design perspective, there’s a lot here that generally leans positive. The aluminum body is clean, solid, and it feels durable. There’s little, if any, flex in the shell, and the sound dampening is doing its work nicely.
There’s no errant pings or metallic rattlings going on here at all. Certainly not compared to the 2022 generation of K70 keyboards, that’s a fact. And without a doubt, Corsair’s keyboard design and build quality has come a long way in the last few years; that’s very easy to see. Still, it’s not quite as solid as the Makr line, nor does it feel as heavy.
Styling on the whole is a bit of a mixed bag. The aluminum outer shell mimics most of Corsair’s product line right now with soft bevelled edges and this relatively satin-esque finish.
The top LED bar is a bit gauche. You’ve got this quite bizarre, triangular three-point pattern running along the length of it as a plastic strip with the Corsair logo embedded in the middle, which, if I’m honest, looks quite cheap. It would’ve been far better suited just to have a singular Corsair logo, and that’s it. In fact, that’s something that the Makr line does well.
I’m not entirely sold on the twin dial setup either. There’s just something about it that looks a bit diabolical, and I can’t quite place it. This is a bit of a hangover from the Stream Deck Plus, and I get the utility here being able to configure two dials to two different operations (particularly useful for video scrubbing, or creative work), but visually it’s a bit eugh.
There’s also a few other bells and whistles here, too. Namely, for some reason (despite there being a fully dedicated Stream Deck with 12 buttons, media controls, and twin dials over to the right) a fully embedded set of function keys here too. I mean, sure, why not? It’s not like you’re losing anything by having them.
Keycaps are clean, too. The font face is professional and sensible, more subdued than some of the more custom units out there, and the PBT touch is comfortable enough to type on, that’s for sure. Corsair’s also included two USB Type-C passthroughs on this thing as well.
Corsair Galleon 100 SD review: Performance
- MLX Pulse switches are smooth and satisfying, if over-damped.
- Stream Deck’s finally usable in-game properly
- The three-app software stack drags the whole experience down
So the good news is, typing and gaming on the Galleon 100 is a real treat. It’s smooth to use on those linear MLX switches feel buttery under touch. It’s not quite as pleasant an experience for me as on the Makr Pro, or Asus ROG Strix Scope II RX, but it’s still top quality. If you like a linear switch, and you’re not quite as heavy-handed as I am, bottoming out every key strike, you’ll love this thing.
The Stream Deck, too, is immensely satisfying to use. Once you’ve got it set up and it’s swapping into profiles on game load, with your keybinds and macros set, it’s a real treat. I’ve already mentioned, but having the keys within reach like that makes it far more useful than leaning across your desk to whack a macro real fast. Star Citizen in particular, and well, any simulator, rife with keybinds, benefits a ton.
I will say, the feel of those switches, though, sucks. Certainly, when you have the direct comparison of a mechanical switch right next to them. That’s particularly jarring if you just need to use a numpad quickly to enter a pin, or your phone number. It’s mentally very jarring. Almost like you’re going back in time for a second, using a membrane board.
Then there’s the software stack. Oh boy. You effectively need two programs to run this board efficiently. The Stream Deck app, to configure your deck profiles and each key, along with the display. That’s local, sits on your desktop. Then, the Web Hub to configure the Corsair side of the keyboard. That’s web-based (although you can install it on desktop via the “Save and Share -> Install page as an app” feature).
Web Hub is effectively a lighter-weight replacement for iCUE. You access it via URL. Configure your settings once, and it disappears into the ether. The problem with it is that it’s not entirely backwards compatible with the rest of Corsair’s legacy hardware. So, older products still need to be configured and set up via iCUE on your desktop. What’s worse is that the Galleon isn’t compatible with iCUE, so if you are embedded in the Corsair ecosystem, you’re then left in a position where you have effectively three apps to control your products.
There’s a more pressing issue, too, in that Web Hub isn’t supported by all browsers currently. In short, it uses two browser APIs to access the keyboard directly via USB: WebHID, and WebUSB. Firefox doesn’t natively support those APIs as it (rightly) views it as a harmful fingerprint/security attack vector that exposes your USB hardware unnecessarily to web pages. So it’s not even a case of “Mozilla will catch up eventually”, the company has taken a philosophical stance against the implementation of it, and it doesn’t have anyone working on it.
Similarly, Brave, although Chromium-based, will only allow device configuration through Web Hub with permission enabled, and doesn’t allow you to update the firmware at all. If you want to do any of that, you’re effectively forced to install Chrome, Edge, or Opera.
It’s a tricky one to justify. Particularly as iCUE itself was already stripped down in the last few years anyway. Currently, it only installs modules based on what you actually need and what products you have plugged in, rather than the entire back catalog.
Theoretically, yes, you could install a second browser specifically just for Web Hub. Then install that as a PWA app, but this just feels so hard to justify from a user experience perspective. It’d be far better just to add compatibility into iCUE directly, and it’s hard to see why Corsair didn’t.
Should I buy the Corsair Galleon 100 SD?
|
Attribute |
Notes |
Score |
|
Performance |
Switches are a dream to type on, ideal if you don’t bottom them out, and having access to that Stream deck gives it greater in-game utility, but the software stack leaves a lot to be desired, particularly if you use Firefox or are security-conscious. |
3/5 |
|
Design |
Clean, crisp, professional with plenty of sound dampening, and quality switches. The implementation of the Stream Deck is top-tier, but the lighting strip could use some work. |
4/5 |
|
Value |
Thoroughly expensive compared to other mechanical boards with similar build quality but you do get a full display and Stream Deck thrown in for good measure. |
3/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider
How I tested the Corsair Galleon 100 SD
- Tested over three weeks as my daily driver
- Used for gaming, professional writing, and creative work
- Full Stream Deck integration tested
- Compared to competitors and my back catalogue, with 11 years of experience in the tech field
I lived with the Galleon 100 SD for about three weeks, running it as my main board. I tested it across all manner of different tasks, from creative agency work to freelance journalism and, of course, gaming sessions in Total War: Warhammer 3 and World of Warcraft as well.
During my time with it, it was the Stream Deck that I focused on most; after all, keyboards are very similar, and Corsair’s got a name for making good ones, but implementing a Stream Deck into the side of it and swapping out the numpad? Had to be put through its paces.
I benchmarked it against a selection of modern-day keyboards I have in-house, and compared it to the wider market at the time of testing, including the Makr Pro 75, which I’d just finished up reviewing as well. I’ve spent over a decade testing PC hardware and peripherals, so I’ve got plenty of knowledge to draw on when it comes to mechanical keebs and the plucky old Stream Deck, too.
Read the full article here
