Durgod K320 Corona Mechanical Keyboard Review – Cherry MX Silent Reds

Today, we are taking a look at the Durgod K320 Corona Mechanical Keyboard, a keyboard that looks and feel premium with the backing of the most popular mechanical switches from the German brand Cherry MX. And if you’re a frequent reader, you know for a fact that I love budget mechanical keyboards with the likes of the Anne Pro 2, or even the twin brothers the Geek Gk61 and GK64. While these budget mechanical keyboards are a good option, it is still a breath of fresh air to take a look at something that is already good out of the box. At the price of 5700 pesos or 110USD, is the Durgod K320 worth it? let’s find out.

MY EARLY BREAKDOWN

Pros: Great build quality, Neutral colorway, Two-colored PBT Doubleshot Keycaps, Cherry MX switches, Polished and intuitive software

Cons: Expensive, Mushy Cherry MX Silent Red

SPECIFICATIONS

Brand: DURGOD
Model: K320 Corona – White Backlit Limited Edition
Color: Gray
Backlit: White Backlit
Connection: USB & Type-C Wired Dual Option
Layout: 87 Key
Keycaps: Cherry Profile PBT Keycaps
Switch: Cherry MX Silent Red Switches
Report Rate: 1000Hz
Dimension: 357.5*132.5*24.5mm

FEATURES

• 87 key compact layout 
• Original Cherry MX Silent Red Switch minimizes the click noise, making it ideal for office or library environment.
• Cherry profile PBT keycaps, fadeless and wear-resistant.
• Supports Durgod Zeus Engine driver setting and built-in onboard memory to save the settings.
• Driver link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ShvTjnJ-7fBDebrA25_9Vat8-6svcwCP

WHAT’S IN THE PACKAGE

Durgod K320 Corona Mechanical Keyboard, USB Type A to Type C Cable, USB Type C to Type C Cable, Wire Keycap Puller, Durgod Sticker, Durgo Velcro Strap, Quick Start Guide, Plastic Dust Cover

FULL REVIEW

Design and Construction

At first look and feel, it is really solid with a weight of around 900g which is one of the heaviest board that I’ve tried so far.

The construction, for the most part, is made of plastic but it is super robust and doesn’t flex at all.

This is the corona edition with the light and dark grey colorway that I personally like, it gives that neutral premium look on it and the keycaps itself looks pretty good, not to mention they are made of PBT plastic.

The finish on the housing has a nice shiny texture on it which adds to the overall great look.

Parts Overview

Flipping it on its side we can see that the profile of the housing is relatively slim with built-in angled design for the usual ergonomic form factor. The keycaps’ profile is Cherry profile, which is shorter than the usual OEM profile and as you can see, this keyboard also has a semi-high-profile case which means you can see a little bit of the key switches from the side view.


Looking at the back, we have the USB type C port at the center with a view of the cable routing channels.

At the bottom, we have a very nice edgy looking design and as mentioned, we have some channels here to route the cable which is a very appreciated feature. And, of course, the USB type C port at the center.


We also have 5 rubber feet, 4 adjustable stands, 2 of which are smaller for more height adjustment options. All 4 stands have a rubber tip as well.  And lastly, we have the usual technical information at the center.


Before I forget, we also have a subtle Durgod branding here at the front side. And that’s about it for the design and construction and parts overview. 

Layout

In terms of the layout, this one is a Ten Key Less keyboard, which means we don’t have the numpad but we still have the arrow keys as well as the complete nav cluster. The keycaps’ colorway perfectly matches the entire keyboard with a combination of dark and light grey colors. So out of the box, you already have a pretty decent looking keycaps and since this is PBT already, there’s pretty much no need to replace this. Although the font without illumination is a little bit hard to read, they are clean and not the gamery looking font. 

Above the arrow keys, we have the LED indicators for caps lock, scroll lock, windows key lock, and onboard memory. The keycaps also have side printing for the secondary functions of some keys.

The included cable also has a protrusion on each side to help guide and secure it on the port. 


This kind of additional features is a breath of fresh air that you won’t usually see on budget keyboards.


Now, let’s check out the second layer of this keyboard, first, we have the media controls up top that you can toggle by pressing FN + F1 to F7, then we have the FN + F12 to toggle memory mode which you can set up with the Durgod Zeus Engine Software. And then, of course, we have the FN + Windows key to prevent start menu from popping. 


The good thing about this keyboard is that it has LED indicators right here that you don’t typically see on TKL keyboards and mostly only available on full-size keyboards.

Lighting Effects

This particular version that I have here which is the corona is non-RGB and it only has white LED, if you want you can choose the Durgod K320 nebula if you want RGB illumination.

This keyboard has 11 built-in lighting modes that you can toggle by pressing FN + Printscreen.

To turn on the lights you just have to press FN + Insert and then to turn it off, press FN + Delete. You can also change the direction of the animation by pressing FN + PageUp or FN + PageDown. To increase and decrease the brightness you can press FN + Up or Down arrow keys. And lastly, to change the speed of the animation, you can press FN + Left or Right arrow keys.

As per my research, corona actually means an aura of plasma that surrounds the Sun and other stars, which is perfectly depicted with this keyboard’s colorway and white LED illumination.

LED Closeup Look

The backlit on this keyboard is very bright and the reason for that is that the LEDs are mounted on top of the switches and not surface mounted to the board, which we typically see on budget keyboards. This is good for the quality of the light but a bit hassle when it comes to changing the switch as you’ve got an additional 2 pins to desolder. Nevertheless, it is definitely better than SMD LEDs when it comes to brightness.

Switch 

Now, let’s discuss the switches, this particular keyboard I have here has Cherry MX silent red switches, but you can get the Durgod with blue, brown and the regular red switch.

Cherry MX silent reds have the same actuation force of 45g as the regular Cherry MX reds but with reduced travel. But the main difference obviously is the sound signature, the Cherry MX silent reds have additional rubbery material on the stem to dampen the bottom out and top out noise of the switch caused by plastic to plastic contact.

While the sound dampening works, it also introduced one downside, and that is the softer feel or mushy feeling of the switches. You won’t get the usual clacking sounds so bear that in mind if you so desire to choose this silent switch. But I would say that this is much much better than the silent Gateron brown that I recently experienced with the X-bows Ergonomic Keyboard. This one is very smooth, albeit quite mushy.

Keycaps

Now when it comes to the keycaps, as I said earlier, this keyboard uses Cherry profile which is smaller than the usual OEM profile, and this will be subject for personal preference when it comes to the typing experience; Personally, I don’t see any huge difference when it comes to comfort between these two profiles.

The keycaps on the Durgod K320 is double-shot PBT which means it has a separate material for the legends and that it will not fade away, and this being PBT, it will not inhibit shine over time like an ABS keycap. The thickness is only 0.6mm but 1.1mm overall if you include the double shot material.

Stabilizers

When it comes to the stabilizers, it is one of the better stabs that I’ve tried recently, and rightfully so given its premium price tag. There’s not much rattle to it even with the modifiers. 

Size Comparison

Just for good measure, here’s a size comparison.

So this is a 60% keyboard, 

And this is a full sized keyboard. These are the three most common sizes with the TKL as the middle ground.

N-Key Rollover

The Durgod K320 as with most keyboards, features NKRO or N-Key Rollover, a feature that allows you to press multiple keys at the same time without conflicts. And as per my testing, I wasn’t surprised that it worked flawlessly. I can press as many keys as I can and they are all registering. I also didn’t encounter any input delay as expected for a wired keyboard.

Typing Experience

Now, when it comes to the typing experience, as usual, it will be based on personal experience depending on the switch, but to give you an objective idea, the cherry MX silent reds is indeed quiet but in return is a little bit mushy, and if you’re looking for that clack or click sound for a mechanical keyboard then this might not be a good option for you. But, if you’re one of those people that wants a very quiet keyboard with reliable switches for work environment, then this is a very good option. It is also worth noting that a red switch is quite light at 45g so it is ideal for fast and accurate typist but not so much for those who are not very good with typing like myself as you might end up making a lot of mistakes. Then again, of course, you’re mileage may vary.

Gaming Experience

When it comes to gaming, as with any linear switch, the cherry MX silent reds is very ideal, although like I said, it’s a little bit light to actuate so bear that in mind again. I think this is also good for streamers so that the keyboard’s sound will not get in the way of the gameplay and viewer interactions. And for my personal experience, while testing this keyboard, I didn’t find any issue with it and I feel like it even helps me with fast movements for FPS games like CS: Go, the experience will vary of course with other games that require more accurate key presses.

But the bottom line is, you really need to try it for yourself, I mean, my reviews are just a guide and you have to take everything with a grain of salt especially on the factors that are subject for personal preference.

SOFTWARE

Alright, guys, let’s check out the Durgod Zeus engine software, this is the beta 0.99.0.8 version.

The software looks professional and polished which I really appreciate.

You can access your device by clicking on the thumbnail or by going to the devices tab like the keyboard and mouse if you also have one. We also have the macro tab wherein you can create and record your macros that you can assign to any keys later.

On the device page, we have different function options like customization, lighting, and performance. For the customization option, you can pretty much customize any key to a different function like assigning macro, remap the key to any other key, remap the key to a key combination which I always look for on a software. In addition, you can also change the key to a multimedia function, mouse function, text, and use it to launch any program or file that you want. You can also choose to disable the key or use it to change your profile.

Now for the lighting tab, you have the option to turn it on and off here, the good thing about this is the changes you make on the software takes effect immediately on the keyboard without pressing any additional keys like apply or whatnot. You also have here all the lighting effects and you also have the ability to change the brightness, speed, and direction of the animation.

But what the software gives you as a bonus is that it allows you to create your own custom lighting where you can also adjust the lighting gradient of each individual keys.

And now for the performance tab, this will take effect when the windows lock is turned on. So you have the option to disable these additional key combinations if you want as well.

The Durgod K320 also has a built-in memory that we can use if we want to keep and use our settings without the software. Once you’re done setting up your customization, you can download your settings to the onboard memory of the keyboard that you can toggle by pressing FN + F12.

CONCLUSION

Ok so we’ve tackled a lot on this review but to conclude, the Durgod K320 is definitely a great keyboard when it comes to build quality, design and switch options with the popular Cherry MX switches. You can really feel the quality of the materials used and the construction that doesn’t have much-unwanted flaws. It also comes with much-appreciated accessories with the 2 set of cables, wired keycap puller, sticker, and a velcro strap that you don’t usually get from other brands.

This keyboard is also good to go out of the box with its two-color themed doubleshot PBT keycaps, not to mention that the corona colorway partnered with the white LEDs is already unique on its own and there’s no need to further customize it if you ask me. 

When it comes to performance and overall typing and gaming experience, it did not disappoint except for the fact that the switch on this particular keyboard is a little bit mushy, and that is not without a reason, you’ll get in return a very quiet and reliable switch with the Cherry MX Silent Red.

In the end, if you think all your boxes are checked and you have around 5700 pesos or 110usd to burn, then I can definitely recommend this keyboard.