Matt Faulkner

Professional Goober

Logitech G413 Carbon - Keyboard Review

Disclaimer - Wait, why is there a disclaimer? Maybe its because I purchased this product with my own money? Nah, that’s not it. Is it because I have gifted friends with this keyboard? No, probably not. Oh okay I remember now; I have used this keyboard far longer than I have EVER used a keyboard. This is my, “como se de se” IBM Model M.

It was late 2018 and I had finally landed a role as an IT guy in a place that allowed us to bring our own “toys” to work. I had already brought in my Logitech G602 mouse, but typing on a “from the box” HP keyboard drove me bonkers. Even the US Government had better keyboards for folks to use! My wife and I took one of our weekly trips to MicroCenter and I was dead set on getting a keyboard for work, and the only requirement was that it had to be mechanical.

Quick facts about this keyboard

  • Weight: 1105 grams = 2.4lbs
  • 6 ft braided USB Type-A cable with 2 USB interfaces. One for the keyboard, one for USB pass-thru.
  • 1.5mm actuation for key presses needing only 45 grams of force
  • Logitech manufactured, Romer-G switches (Check out this LTT video on Romer-Gs)
  • Key switches rated for 70 million keystrokes each!

The Good

First and foremost, the build quality is amazing. The brushed aluminum front-plate doesn’t show fingerprints or other dirt all too bad. As well as it provides plenty of structural stability, really making it feel like a premium product. They key layout makes it easy to clean with a note card and a can of compressed air. If you are comfortable typing on basically any standard OEM keyboard from the likes of HP, Dell, or another Logitech than there is not much muscle memory that needs to be re-learned. On top of the fact the font used on the key caps is very neutral. I feel like this makes it very presentable in a professional environment.

Compared to OEM membrane keyboards, the keystrokes are a bit heavy I have found. But that is okay! You quickly get used too it and the best part is that the clacking isn’t loud at all. The Logitech Romer-G switches on-board feel very similar in weight and noise to something like a Cherry MX_Brown. Oh, lets not forget that each key is rated for 70 million keystrokes!

This is split between Good and Bad but the pass-thru USB interface must be mentioned! Since it lives in the top right corner of the keyboard, it makes a great spot for a USB mouse receiver such as that for the Logitech G602.

The Bad

In the three years I have had this keyboard, I have numerous times attempted to preform a file transfer from a computer to a USB flash drive and never hit the 480Mbps speeds the pass-thru USB interface is rated for. This is not a huge deal because instead it provides a spot for a wireless mouse receiver. While I have not had this issue, my wife has had the CAPS LOCK key come loose on her Logitech G413 Carbon. I tried to fix this with some superglue, but it was NOT a great idea. Don’t try that at home!

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for an entry-level backlit mechanical keyboard for less than $100, then I think this is the best keyboard on the market. I’ve owned 7 distinct keyboards since 2013 that I can remember and none of them have come close to providing me with the same level of satisfaction. Sure, I wish it had more backlit options and maybe some “fun” lighting profiles but for its price-point this is a keyboard meant to really draw you into the world of mechanical keyboards. The typing experience it provides is down right exceptional.

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