Cougar Attack X3 RGB (2018) review: An RGB keyboard for under $100? Believe it. - cyruspreges

Last clock time I looked at the Cougar Attack X3, I called it "an unpompous keyboard." Not exactly the most inspiring compliment, but about the best I could do at the time. The standout feature was that it contained honest-to-god Crimson Maxwell switches in an era where that's increasingly rare. Unruffled, the Attack X3 was far from the only keyboard to feature Cherry switches in 2016, and in complete other respects—bod, materials, lighting—it was just competent. Inoffensive. Boring, perhaps.

But dropping the cost buttocks ready an also-ran into a must-have detail. Much is the display case with the Attack X3 RGB's 2018 revision, a full RGB-backlit keyboard that's selling for under $100.

Mention: This retrospect is part of our best gaming keyboards roundup. Go thither for details about competing products and how we tested them.

RGB for the masses

Okay, the list price is technically $109.99, but a) That's a bit less exciting and b) I haven't seen anyone selling it for the tilt price in any event. Both Amazon and Newegg have the 2018 Attack X3 RGB traded for $99 and change.

That's wild. Around five years ago, when RGB backlighting first started spreading, you'd be hard-pressed to find an RGB keyboard for under $180. Then G.Skill's Ripjaws KM780 became our official RGB keyboard passport because it sold for around $140. Simply $99? With full per-key lighting customization? Literally unheard of until now. Non to mention the Attack X3 RGB also features Ruby-red MX switches, which are typically more expensive to procure than the Ruby knock-offs other companies employ.

How is information technology possible? I'm non really sure. You'd expect build choice to follow compromised, and indeed in that location are some trade-offs. E.g., the early Lash out X3 faced standalone volume controls in the top-right corner. Those have been removed, with all media keys now set atomic number 3 secondaries on the Function keys. That's not my favorite setup.

But the compromises are token, given the price. The 2018 Attack X3 RGB carries over a band—possibly even besides much—from its predecessor. It wasn't the best-looking for keyboard before, and its aesthetics have barely changed. The 2018 model has the same angled chassis, with the similar inclined sides, and the unchanged Affair key where a criterion Windows important typically lives (which continues to annoy Pine Tree State). Information technology also retains the double-toned melding of black plastic with a brushed-metallic-looking backplate. Cougar even kept the same blocky typeface on every key.

It's not an ugly keyboard in and of itself, but it's sure not a work of graphics either. As I said, "tasteful."

Hush, unpretentious as it mightiness be, IT appears Cougar hasn't sacrificed the pith build timbre. In fact, on that point's been one major plus to the 2018 exemplary—a wrist rest. Zero fancy, just a slab of plastic about two inches in astuteness. The 1 device is an additional stratum of rubber-clad constructive you can add to the left broadside, which I guess is why Cougar calls it an "Federal Protective Service Wrist Rest" and non precisely "A Boring Ol' Carpus Rest." In any case, it's a welcome addition, though really I wish the whole wrist rest were that one height and the same rubber texture.

I have no idea why the price is so low though. The Fire X3 RGB seems like a utterly fine keyboard. The feet are solid, the system of weights is good, the fabric-sheathed cable is suitably high-closing, and as I said, IT uses official Cherry Mx switches. The model we received for review shipped with good-ol' Ruddy MX Blues, my longtime favorite, and an increasingly uncommon sight in the gambling world.

And so yea, there's goose egg I can point to and enunciat, "Ah, this is where they cut corners." Just a top-tier keyboard for a cheaper-than-crummy price.

Locked connected

Indeed, Mountain lion fixed my biggest problem with the 2016 model. I hated—despised—the lighting. One aspect in particular, genuinely.

In the previous Onslaught X3, where separate media keys lived in the top-word-perfect tree, Cougar was forced to go the Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Num Lock indicant lights onto the keys themselves. And since Cherry's RGB switches let offset LEDs, as opposed to sitting right field beneath the center of the key, Cougar opted to illuminate the indicator as opposed to the identify text. As a result those three keys among all the others would remain unlit, save for the multiplication the indicator light was active.

As I wrote at the meter, it looked like a mistake. Much as I mourn the passing of the volume keys on the 2018 modeling, it does leave room for indicators in the top-reactionary corner, pregnant those three keys are now properly backlit. A small betterment, maybe, merely it changes the whole appearance.

And the ignition itself is dishy. In 2017 I said that Barbary pirate's K95 RGB Platinum was the prettiest keyboard I'd seen yet. The 2018 Attack X3 RGB lacks the light-typewriter ribbon across the top edge, but Felis concolor uses the very Cherry RGB switches and thus the lighting is differently indistinguishable from Corsair's keyboard—which, I might attention deficit disorder, costs twice As much.

Straight off the only issue is Cougar's actual software.

Computer software is a notorious weak point for every peripherals company, thusly it's non like Cougar is only here. Even thusly, Cougar's UIX system is underwhelming. It's got the same over-complicated and over-engineered look for as Corsair's CUE setup, but somehow is steady uglier. Take a look:

It's menus on pinch of menus on top of menus, with a 1990s-looking colouring scheme and wonky typeface to kick.

The lighting interface is even more batty. Instead of simply letting Pine Tree State choose a central and then choose a color operating theatre…asymptomatic, pretty a great deal anything rational, UIX alternatively serves upwardly this Dark Side of the Moon ripoff:

To change the lighting you have to drag those circles from the correct side onto one of the slots connected that Triangle thing, then hit Hold in the bottom starboard. Making matters worse, it takes upwardl of 5-10 seconds for the new kindling scheme to save to the keyboard, during which time the keyboard is fundamentally useless. Oh, and there's also no Static pick, for those World Health Organization just want to pick a color and leave it. The keyboard is always pulsing away, OR cycling through the rainbow, or whatever you end up choosing.

Non a great experience. As I said, software is a imperfect point for all peripherals, but Cougar's got a sesquipedalian room to go to make up the contender.

Merchant ship line

Software's a pretty bittie caveat though. This is basically a flagship keyboard with an entryway-raze sticker price. Full per-key RGB kindling, Ruddy MX switches, decent build quality, wrist relief—Felis concolor's pulled unconscious all the stops here, and so charged uncomplete as much as the competition.

And that's hooking enough for me. As I said earlier, the previous Onslaught X3 was sort of an also-ran—functional, sure, but nothing about it really stood outgoing. Panther hasn't changed much for 2018, just the price sure is true this time more or less. Those looking to upgrade to an RGB keyboard would be foolish to overlook this one—as long as you can deal with not having a left Windows describe.

That's a sacrifice, I get it on, but one that's probably worth $100.