When Cougar decided to join the PC peripheral market, it was met with some mixed reactions, but the most resounding is their new products are strikingly unique in presentation and to an extent, many of those that had the experience of holding these products first-hand during their reveal a few months back know that they are exceptionally well-made also which is the reason why many were really surprised at how much a leap Cougar has taken from their normal offerings of chassis, power supplies and cooling accessories.
We’ve already taken a look at the Cougar 600M Gaming Mouse and now we’re back once again with not one but two keyboards from Cougar’s new peripheral line: the Cougar 500K and the Cougar 600K. The Cougar 500K is the company’s most high-end membrane keyboard intended for high-performance gamers who don’t require a mechanical keyboard but want all the bells and whistles of the Cougar’s high-end Cougar 700K mechanical offering. That said, for those that want a more streamlined version of the Cougar 700K, the Cougar 600K mechanical keyboard is a slightly reduced option but still offers the same striking design as the Cougar 700K.
Today we’ll take a look at both the Cougar 500K and 600K to see what they offer. For this review we’ll have the Cougar 600K in the microscope and you can view our Cougar 500K review here.
Features
- MULTI-MEDIA KEYS
- Dedicated keys provide one-touch access to multi-media commands
- WINDOWS LOCK KEY
- A dedicated key to quickly disable the Windows key.
- ANTI-SLIP RUBBER FOOT
- The keyboard base remains stable even during intense gaming sessions.
- BRAIDED CABLE & GOLDEN-PLATED CONNECTORS
- Sturdy and durable solutions for gaming.
Closer Look
Cougar packages the 600K in a full-colored cardboard packaging. A full layout view of the keyboard is presented on front with the model name printed in big, bold text on the lower left and marketing icons on the lower right. Flipping over to the back we see the feature highlights and a breakdown of the keyboard including its multiple capabilities. Opening up the box we see an exquisitely packed product safeguarded from travel bumps with multiple foam lining the packaging.
Inside the packaging we have the detachable wrist rest, product guide and some Cougar stickers! Comes in 3 colors.
Here we have the bare Cougar 600K. Unlike the 700K, the Cougar 600K doesn’t have the extra G keys on the leftmost side of the board. Its ultimately your standard keyboard with a heavily accented body.
On the underside of the keyboard nothing much is going on
The Cougar 600K uses a tightly woven braided cable with a split dual-USB head. One is for the keyboard itself and the other is for the USB passthrough port.
Attaching the wrist rest is where the Cougar 600K really starts looking really bold. The wrist rest adds some serious length to the keyboard and adds an aggressive look to the design.
Here we have the USB passthrough on the upper-rightmost corner of thhe Cougar 600K.
Here’s a look at the sides with the feet lifted.
There isn’t much extra keys in the Cougar 600K as there is in the 700K. This is intentional and Cougar seems to be targeting a different audience with the 600K than its high-end counterpart. In this image we see normal additions like the multimedia buttons on top of the number pad.
Lighting toggle and the Disable Windows Key toggle are also on the upper right corner of the Cougar 600K.
Cougar aims to provide the best quality with its keyboard line up and has went on to state in our social media page that they are committed to delivering only the best and will ensure that they will only use Cherry MX switches in their lineup. The Cougar 600K is available in the popular Cherry MX variants of Brown, Red, Black and what we have in our sample today, Cherry MX Blue.
User Experience & Conclusion
The Cougar 600K is essentially a 700K without the extra bling. While it retains the mean styling of its older brother, everything about is a purely a cutdown version of it. This doesn’t make the 600K any less of a performer as its blinged-out counterpart though. The Cougar 600K is best looked at as an “essentials-only” mechanical keyboard with some extra features. By essentials, we mean the WASD/Arrow key illumination, wrist rest, multimedia key controls and repeat toggle. Other than that its main feature is its identity as a mechanical keyboard and a very good looking one at that.
Anyone who’s used to mechanical keyboards particularly those used to the now heavily mainstream Cherry MX keys will find the Cougar 600K the same as every other offering out there. But to differentiate itself, Cougar has ditched the traditional look and added its own twist, certifiably making the Cougar 600K and 700K just both very unfairly good-looking mechanical keyboards.
For $129 though, you’re certainly paying a premium for the build quality and as with the Vengeance K70 from Corsair, this in itself is worth it but to point out a few things that need improving here, albeit somewhat just nitpicks, it would’ve been nice if Cougar chose to coat all the keys and used a wheel instead of oversized volume keys for the volume controls. Other than that though, there isn’t really anything wrong with this keyboard and its pretty solid just like that.
In closing, Cougar has certainly made a statement with the Cougar 600K mechanical keyboard. With a solid build quality and excellent looks, the Cougar 600K is a tough option to pass if you’re looking for a mechanical keyboard that focuses on a robust look based on its frame rather than the color of its keys.
Cougar backs the Cougar 600K with a 1-year warranty. We give it our B2G Editor’s Choice Award.