The Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL is an excellent option if you want a low profile, simplicity and reasonably compact size from your keyboard.
The Logitech G515 TKL has a low-profile design. In practice, it means a keyboard whose keys are thinner and lower than in traditional keyboards. The distance to press the keys is also shorter. The low-profile keyboard is a bit like a laptop keyboard and offers a lighter and faster typing experience.
The choice between a low or standard keyboard is largely a matter of opinion and habit. I myself write and work most of the time on a laptop keyboard, so I’m used to the low profile, and a standard mechanical keyboard feels a bit stiff for my fingers.
Due to getting used to it, I prefer, for example, typing on a MacBook keyboard to a standard mechanical keyboard, if the choice has to be made between two options. In my own use, however, the Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL low-profile mechanical keyboard is the most preferred choice, which combines the light and smooth user experience of a low-profile portable keyboard with the response of a mechanical keyboard.
The feel of the keyboard is good for both working and gaming. Whether the game is a shooter based largely on the WASD buttons or a MOBA that requires a little more keys, there is nothing to complain about in the user experience. During the test period, Deadlock, Counter-Strike, Dota 2 and Civilization V were played on the keyboard, and no problems were encountered in any of the games.
The keyboard uses Logitech GL switches. Their activation distance is 1.3 millimeters and the entire Travel distance is 3.2 millimeters. Depending on the selected variant, the keys are either linear or equipped with a tactile response. The color options are black and white, and in addition to the tested wireless model, the keyboard is also available in a wired version.
The pressing force required by the tactical switches is 45 grams and 43 grams by the linear switches. The tested unit has tactile switches and, at least in personal use, they feel very comfortable. The force required for pressing is just the right combination of soft smoothness and the sturdiness of a mechanical keyboard. In addition, typing on the keyboard is reasonably quiet, as the sounds are dampened with foam. Switches cannot be changed on the fly (so-called hot-swap), but it is a particularly necessary feature for few everyday users anyway.
The Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL is, as the name suggests, a TKL i.e. tenkeyless keyboard, which means it lacks a separate numeric keypad and is therefore 75 percent the size of a full-sized keyboard. The keyboard’s reasonably compact external dimensions are 368 x 150 x 22 millimeters and it weighs 880 grams. The keyboard is so compact that it can be carried, for example, with a laptop in the same backpack if necessary.
On the table, the Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL is beautifully reduced. Apart from the three buttons found on the top left corner, it doesn’t have a single extra button. They can be used to activate a wireless connection or game mode, which disables the extra keys that are accidentally pressed. For some, the lack of, for example, a volume wheel or other additions can be annoying, but I am attracted by simplicity and the keyboard looks beautifully simple on the desktop.
The wrist rest is not supplied with the keyboard. I personally don’t feel the need for such a thing either, especially with a low-profile keyboard, but again it’s a matter of getting used to it.
The keyboard can be connected to a Windows or Mac computer using either Bluetooth technology or Lightspeed wireless technology. The latter requires connecting the supplied USB receiver, and some of the newer Logitech Lightspeed mice can also be connected to the same dongle, so the devices only take up one USB port. For example, this support was not found in the original G502 Lightspeed, because the mouse is too old, and both devices need their own dongles.
Logitech promises Lightspeed to be as fast and reliable as a wired connection. At least in normal everyday and gaming use, the promise holds true, and at least I don’t notice a difference between a Lightspeed connection and a wired connection.
However, wireless comes at a price, and that is battery life. The Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL does not last very long on a single charge, as the device is only promised a 36-hour battery life on a single charge, which seems to hold its own in real life as well. In many controls, the battery life is many times longer. The battery is charged via the USB-C connector, which can also be used to connect the keyboard to the computer via cable.
On the back side of the keyboard, you can find the feet, which can be adjusted to an angle of either four or eight degrees. In addition, there is a storage place for the Lightspeed dongle in the back, where it can also be found when opening the sales package.
The Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL’s management program is Logitech’s old familiar G-Hub. It can be used to adjust, among other things, macros, RGB lighting, binding of keyboard buttons to functions, and control G-Shift. G-Shift allows you to map keyboard buttons to alternate options and switch profiles on the fly. With Key Control, you can add levels to the macros, so in theory you can bind up to 15 macros to one button.
For me, macros are not a very practical feature, but for example MMORPG players or avid streamers can benefit from them.
In general, G-Hub works well and its user interface is quite clear. There is also a macOS version of the application and integrations with Discord, OBS streaming program and Streamlabs can be found there.
Overall, the Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL is an excellent keyboard for lovers of a low profile. In my own use, it is perhaps the most comfortable keyboard I have ever used, because my previous mechanical keyboards have been high-profile keyboards, and a low profile suits my fingers much better.
The keyboard combines a compact size, elegant minimalist design, reliable Lightspeed connection and alternative support for Bluetooth, and a particularly good typing and gaming feel. You can’t ask for much more from a keyboard. The weakness of the Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL is mainly its poor battery life.
Good
- Ergonomics and writing feel
- Minimalistic stylish design
- Support for both Lightspeed and Bluetooth
Bad
Technical data Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL
- Price: €149
- Mitat: 368 x 150 x 22 mm
- Switches: Logitech GL
- Battery life (claimed): 36 hours
- Connection options: Bluetooth and Lightspeed + wired connection
Source: muropaketti.com
