- Lightspeed: Wireless technology for super-fast 1 ms report rate
- Romer G mechanical switches deliver quiet, precise mechanical performance and 70 million click life for incredible feel and durability
- 6 programmable G keys put custom macro sequences and in app commands at your fingertips. 1 Customize G key profiles individually for each app
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth enabled device with Windows 8 or later, Mac OS X 10.12 or later, Chrome OS, or Android 3.2 or later, iOS 10 or later
- G613 delivers up to 18 months of gaming on 2 x AA batteries. System requirements: Windows 7 or later, Mac OS X 10.10 or later, Chrome OS, Android 3.2 or later, USB port
Logitech G613 is Logitech’s first wireless mechanical gaming keyboard. As a matter of fact, it is one of the first wireless mechanical gaming keyboards on the market entirely. In addition to G613 there’s only Corsair K63 Wireless and the rest are from cheap no-name manufacturers.
Last year we saw some serious wireless contenders pop up for both CS:GO gaming mice and CS:GO gaming headsets that even bested their wired competitors on some areas. Previously they had always been lacking so much that they were useless for serious competitive gaming.
It’s quite understandable that keyboards are the last ones to jump the wireless train – we still aren’t quite convinced on the necessity of the entire concept.
With mice and headsets the benefits are obvious. Missing a frag because your mouse cable got stuck somewhere is probably a scenario we’ve all been through at some point.
Of course there have been solutions like mouse bungees to deal with this previously but completely removing the cable is a cure, not only a treatment. With headsets it’s just a small life enhancing detail to not have a cable tickling your arm 12 hours a day.
But keyboards just lay in the same position 24/7, what’s the point of it being wireless? Let’s dive in.
What’s In The Box
For the $150 (recommended retail price) you get
- Logitech G613 wireless mechanical keyboard
- LIGHTSPEED USB receiver
- Extender USB cable
- 2x AA batteries
- Manual
- Phone stand
The phone stand is for… placing your phone on it. For some reason. We have literally no idea why it is included, it does not have any connection to the keyboard at all. Maybe they thought that you would not immediately notice the plastic feel of the keyboard if you have your phone standing nicely on your desk.
First Impressions
If you are used to higher end mechanical keyboards similar to the new Logitech G513 or even the older G413, you are bound for an initial disappointment. The aluminum alloy of G513 gives makes the chassis exceptionally sturdy and this reflects on the overall feel of the keyboard. G613 has none of that. The switches are the same great Romer-G’s that will last for 70 million keypresses, but still the experience is somewhat lackluster after using the G513.
Don’t get us wrong here. Even if the chassis quality is not exceptional, it is still great when compared to your average office keyboards. On a gaming mechanical keyboard scale we would place the G613 at ”good”.
Connecting
You can connect the keyboard via either the more traditional Bluetooth or Logitech’s own LIGHTSPEED wireless technology. The latter will provide a staggering 1 ms report rate which is plenty even for the most hectic esports out there (read: CS:GO).
Connecting the device is as simple as you would imagine: plug the receiver on your PC, power up the keyboard, press the connectivity button and you are good to go. Pro tip: the receiver is located in the battery case on the bottom of the keyboard, not in the box with other accessories like you could expect.
Logitech G613 Features
G613 has six macro keys at the left side of the keyboard, exactly like in the G710+. Additionally there are your regular multimedia keys and the handy gaming mode switch to disable the Windows key. This makes sure that you don’t accidentally get thrown on your desktop when playing. The multimedia keys are always a pleasure when deathmatching while blasting your warmup playlist.
Just like with any Logitech keyboard the macro keys are programmed through the Logitech Gaming Software. It’s as nice and easy as ever but does not allow programming any other keys than the dedicated macro keys. The only real use for these we could come up with for CS:GO was buy binds, but if you are a streamer you’ll probably have more use for additional keys for switching scenes, muting your mic and so on.
Two AA batteries will give you up to 18 months of battery life, which is excellent. The battery life indicator on top will alert you when you go below 15%, so there’s nothing to complain about in terms of the battery aspect. It works fantastically.
The Palmrest Disaster & Size Comparison With G513
However, the biggest problem of the Logitech G513 is the palmrest. Don’t get fooled by the different color of it: it is not removable. The biggest draw of a wireless keyboard we could imagine is the portability, and the integrated palmrest is a big contradiction to this.
Let’s have a look at a pixel per millimeter artificially crafted comparison, as laying a keyboard on top of the other in real life would not create such a clear image.
As you can see from the photo above, the G613 is not actually that portable if compared to the G513, which itself is rather big and bulky. Comparing it to a tenkeyless is not even worth illustrating.
Is It Suited For CS:GO And Competitive Gaming?
Even after taking the negatives into account Logitech G613 is still a good mechanical gaming keyboard that is a pleasure to play with.
However, deciding if the wirelessness will actually provide any extra value is up for you. Want to remove all cables on your desk for the aesthetics and like to play games? Go for it. Already have a good mechanical but want to upgrade? Go for the G513 instead.
If you are looking for a heavy duty gaming keyboard but would also like to access your PC from a sofa or bed for a smooth Netflix experience, you are better off getting the G513 and a $20 Bluetooth keyboard that’s actually sized for the purpose.
For better alternatives have a look at our CS:GO keyboard guide.