Corsair’s first 60% with Hall Effect
Corsair has released the Clipper Pro Mini 60, its first Hall Effect keyboard in a 60 percent layout. It’s compact, the cable detaches, and it costs $99.99.
Two things genuinely get me going here: the price, and the IP57 water resistance.
Here’s Corsair’s own spec sheet.
A lot cheaper than the MAKR Pro 75
The flagship in Corsair’s Hall Effect range is the MAKR Pro 75, a solid all-aluminium board that lists at $249. The Clipper is much cheaper, a good chunk in fact, at $99.99. UK and European pricing isn’t exactly confirmed at the time of writing, but at that level this is definitely a budget-friendly board.
A big gap in price. Does that gap translate to your fingers?
That’s exactly what makes this interesting. A 60% Hall Effect keyboard at this price lands in a completely different segment than the flagship, and that makes it fun to feel out how much of that solid MAKR feel disappears once you save all that money.
I’ve already put the big brother through its paces, so if you want to know what the extra money actually buys you, start there.
MGX Hyperdrive vs Core
The switch is called MGX Hyperdrive Core, and it isn’t the same one used before, in the MAKR Pro 75. That board runs the regular MGX Hyperdrive.
Core is the lighter, cheaper little sister. Lower actuation force, a narrower adjustment range and a slightly lower rated lifespan. It comes pre-lubed from the factory and has a square keycap mount for stability.
| Specification | MGX Hyperdrive Core (Clipper 60) | MGX Hyperdrive (MAKR Pro 75) |
|---|---|---|
| Actuation force | 27 g | 30-55 g |
| Adjustment range | 0.2-3.8 mm | 0.1-4.0 mm |
| Total travel | 4.0 mm | 4.1 mm |
| Lifespan | 100M presses | 150M presses |
The square keycap mount that’s meant to keep things stable. / Credit: Corsair
8000 Hz, FlashTap and the features
The rest is familiar fare in today’s market. Up to 8000 Hz polling rate, FlashTap for opposing directional input, and an updated feature pack with Multi Action (up to four actions on a single key), Tap Lock and Smart Tap. Rapid Trigger is of course included.
Multi Action lets you put up to four actions on one key. That can get complex fast. / Credit: Corsair
My muscle memory is not capable of learning 4 actions per one key.
Connectivity is cable only, no wireless, but the cable detaches. There are five onboard profiles, and the keyboard is set up in the browser through Corsair Web Hub. Nice to see it works with both Xbox and PlayStation too.
Water resistant, but let it dry
IP57 means it handles dust and brief submersion in water. For a keyboard, which lives on a desk, that’s along for the ride as a nice extra.
That water resistance is a lovely detail. Spill a drink over it and IP57 should save the board from dying, on paper at least. But note that the manual says it has to dry properly first, ideally around 70 hours.
I’m glad more makers are including an IP rating regardless. It’s cheap insurance for the day the accident actually happens. And moisture has killed plenty of keyboards over the years.
I’ve tested Razer’s affordable Ornata V3 X before, which also takes a bit of moisture. The difference is that Razer only states it’s “spill-resistant” (without a formal IP rating), while the Clipper has a lab-tested IP57.
Competition is good
I love that cheaper Hall Effect keyboards are coming for those of us who care about keyboards. With the Clipper it looks like Corsair has made some changes, on the switch and the build quality among other things, to reach the cheaper price segment. How that works in practice remains to be seen… and felt.
This is how it looks in ISO layout, with a lovely, fat enter key. / Credit: Maxgaming
