Yes, the Logitech G512 X is a gaming keyboard, but it takes things a step further with a few clever tricks up its sleeve. The headliner being swappable analog and mechanical switches, making this one of the most customisable keyboards Logitech has ever made.
Opinions on what a perfect keyboard looks like are very subjective. And even more so when it comes to gaming keyboards. With this being the case, has Logitech created the perfectly customisable product that everyone will love? Or have they tried to be a little too clever with this one?
Table of contents
- First impressions
- Specifications and price
- Design
- Swappable analog and mechanical switches
- Performance
- Lighting and software
- Who is the Logitech G512 X 98 for?
First impressions
Right out of the box, I think the keyboard’s bold design looks great. It has lots of RGB lighting, including all of the keys and a large light bar at the front that is certainly hard to miss. With the purple around the back and a few touches of purple on the keys and dials, it has a striking look that is unmistakably for gamers. I tested the larger G512 X 98 model, which has more keys, while there’s also a $299.95 G512 X 75 model without the number pad.
The only thing I didn’t like at first was that this is a wired-only keyboard. But I don’t think it’s a dealbreaker. Keyboards don’t move much, if ever, so it’s not like one cable will have a big impact.
With the styling of this keyboard like nothing I have ever seen before, I like how it looks. The flexibility the RGB lighting provides plays a big part in that for me. But more about that later.
Logitech G512 X 98 specifications and price
| Dimensions | 387.2 × 155.2 × 46.6 mm |
| Weight | 1,000 g |
| Connectivity | Wired USB connection |
| Cable length | 1.8 m |
| Switches | 9x Linear Magnetic Analog Switches 39x Dual Swap TMR Analog Switch Beds |
| Polling Rate | Up to 8,000 Hz |
| Lighting | LIGHTSYNC RGB with per-key lighting |
| Anti-Ghosting | Yes (10-key anti-ghosting) |
| Price (RRP) | $339.95 |
| Warranty | 2-year limited hardware warranty |
| Official website | Logitech G Australia |
Design
Coming from a keyboard that is a little more understated with its styling, the G512 X is quite the contrast. Bright purple accents and all the RGB you could wish for make this a gamer’s dream. The keyboard feels quite premium, and Logitech have certainly thought about some quality-of-life features like the customisable dials in the top right.
The nine replacement analog switches are positioned cleverly along the back of the keyboard, nice and out of the way. Logitech has also integrated the key and switch pullers with the keyboard feet. This is great in a practical sense, as this keeps them from easily being misplaced or lost. There is also storage for the five included SAPP (second actuation pressure point) rings on the underside of the keyboard. Overall, the Logitech G512 X gives off the vibe that it can do it all, like it’s the Swiss Army Knife of keyboards.
Swappable analog and mechanical switches
Now let’s address the elephant in the room. What is the difference between mechanical and analog switches? The simplest description for me is that mechanical switches only have two states: on and off. Where analog switches track how much you are pressing. They’re meant to provide more precise input, like multiple levels of movement speed. Immediately, I think of racing games, where gradual acceleration is near impossible with a keyboard if you don’t have analog switches.
Analog switches also let you customise the actuation point of a key press, allowing you to specify the exact point of travel before the key is activated. There is also a feature called rapid trigger, which allows you to select the travel distance needed to reset a key to be used again.
Not all switches on the Logitech G512 X are replaceable. 39 TMR analog switch beds are located primarily on the left side of the keyboard — where gamers need them most — as well as the arrows on the right-hand side. Replacing WASD was a good practical choice as they are largely used for in-game movement. The space bar or surrounding keys are also prime for analog switches to provide more precision for abilities in certain games.
Once I changed out the switches by removing my selected keys and switches with the appropriate pullers, the analog replacements easily slotted right in without a fuss. Do note that you must then press the ‘analog scan button’ for the G512 X to identify which switches have been changed. Once that is done, you are ready to play!
Logitech lets you customise the exact actuation point for each of these keys, anywhere from 0.1mm to 4.0mm. To take it a step further, you can assign two actions to a single key, triggered at different depths of your press. The SAPP rings are used to help by adding a tactile bump to discern the two points.
As impressive as I think this is, it’s not something I will get much use out of. Putting this into practice, I found myself a little let down. I’m not sure what I was hoping for, but there wasn’t enough of a distinct difference provided by the SAPP ring. Maybe my muscle memory of how to use a keyboard is too strong to fight against at this point.
Performance
To start with, there is a clear difference in the tactile feel between the mechanical and the analog switches. It’s subtle, but noticeable for sure. To get the full experience of the benefits of the analog keys, I decided to see how it performed with a few of the games I currently play, as well as a new racing title. This should provide enough variety for me to get a good feel for how this keyboard performs.
Frustration with analog switches and game compatibility
I ran into some issues right off the bat. Although lots of games do technically support analog keyboards, the reality is rather different. Most games treat keyboards as standard digital (on/off) inputs. This is strange to me, as we know most games do allow for joysticks and triggers on gaming controllers, so the technology is there.
When playing racing games, you can use controller triggers to slow-squeeze on the accelerator. I hoped the analog switches could replicate this. And to be fair, they can. But not all games support analog keyboard inputs. I found myself endlessly searching “Does [insert game name] natively support analog keyboards?” with typically disappointing results.
Even for games that do support analog, they require third-party software to essentially tell your computer that your keyboard is not a keyboard, but a controller. Adding to this puzzle, Logitech’s G Hub software doesn’t let you do this natively. Why isn’t there an option within the brand’s app to take full advantage of the hardware?
To be totally blunt, this was a very frustrating experience. With all of that aside, I decided to use the keyboard primarily for what its own software could deliver. And I figure it would be best tested on some fast-paced games with plenty of action.
Running through some of the FPS games I currently play, like Overwatch, Counter Strike 2 and Valorant, the G512 X performed very well. Rapid trigger was one of the standouts in these types of games, giving me much faster and more responsive movement as well as the edge when it comes to ability spamming.
I also had a go at adjusting the actuation points to really dial in the feel I was after. I would suggest this is a very personal thing, and the perfect distance for one gamer will likely not be quite right for another. But this is the beauty of having such customisation at your fingertips. So much control in such a detailed way is brilliant, but I can’t help but feel it’s also a little overwhelming.
Lighting and software
For the casual user of a generic keyboard, software typically isn’t all that necessary. That is to say that the software won’t be doing much for you. In the case of the Logitech G512 X, it’s a must. For you to take full advantage of all available customisation options, you will need to download Logitech G Hub, if for no other reason than the very cool RGB lighting options. I had a lot of fun playing with these, making them match my other lights on my PC and exploring all of the fancy options available.
The G512 can also be paired with a palm rest that cleverly leverages the front RGB light bar. It is an acrylic design that essentially amplifies the light from your keyboard, taking it to a whole new level. I didn’t get my hands on one to test out, yet it’s almost a necessity for this keyboard. Which makes me wonder why it wasn’t included.
Who is the Logitech G512 X 98 for?
Having swappable analog and mechanical switches is a rather niche customisation option. You either need them or you don’t. And although I found the analog switches beneficial in some cases, we still have a way to go in terms of games natively supporting them properly.
With that said, the rapid trigger and actuation point customisation is fantastic. And those who love their RGB lighting will be sold right away. With so many customisation and lighting options, it’s a lot of fun. The gamer in me loves everything about this keyboard, and although I would typically gravitate towards something a little less in-your-face, I still find it very appealing.
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