Canyon Gaming Cometstrike TKL GK-50 Review: Cheap low-profile keyboard

Looking for an affordable gaming keyboard in TKL format with RGB lighting and red mechanical switches? The Canyon Gaming Cometstrike TKL GK-50 could be an option for you.

• Read more: Basic Tutorials guide: Best gaming keyboard – what matters

Technical data

Canyon Gaming Cometstrike TKL GK-50 test: standard fare in ANSI

• Only English ANSI layout available
• Black TKL design
• Rickety and wobbly build quality

The Canyon Gaming Cometstrike TKL GK-50 comes in the English ANSI layout. The manufacturer claims that there is a version in ISO-DE with QWERTZ layout, which is common in Germany. But I couldn’t find it.

The Cometstrike TKL GK-50 is a low-profile mechanical keyboard that is just 2.66 cm high (rear; front 2.1 cm) thanks to its low mechanical switches and keycaps. It is based on a TKL layout with 87 keys and therefore does not have a numeric keypad.

However, many functions can be implemented using the FN key combination. There is a USB-C port on the top, as the keyboard can only be used with a cable. If you don’t like it quite so flat, you can fold out two feet on the underside to set up the GK-50 at a slight angle.

The keyboard, which is only available in black, is made of plastic, which looks pretty good thanks to the anodized surface. However, the ABS keycaps reveal fingerprints very quickly.

The build quality is quite good. Overall, however, the keyboard looks a little wobbly but it’s ok. The feet on the underside in particular have a lot of play and don’t seem particularly robust. The scroll wheel for the volume control also has a little too much play and has no rasterization at all.

On the other hand, there is a very appealing RGB lighting with 20 preset effects, which can be switched between by pressing FN + Insert. But here, too, it is noticeable: The lettering and illumination of the keys is uneven and looks a little unclean.

Practical test of the Canyon Gaming Cometstrike TKL GK-50

• red linear switches from Gazzew
• no accompanying software

The first thing I noticed shortly after connecting the Canyon Gaming Cometstrike TKL GK-50 are the switches. Low-profile keyboards have a slightly different feel to “big” keyboards with normal switches anyway.

This keyboard uses red mechanical switches. Canyon Gaming advertises these as “MX Red switches”, which gives the impression that they are the familiar Cherry models.

Removing the keycaps, however, reveals the imprint “GTMX”, which reveals that these are Gazzew GTMX Low Profile Switches in the color red instead. And they are considerably cheaper than their Cherry counterparts. You can clearly see this on the keyboard.

Especially as Canyon Gaming does not provide any accompanying software for the Cometstrike TKL GK-50. You are therefore limited to the factory settings. At least you can use the FN key combination for full media control, while the RGB lighting, including its brightness and effects, can be adjusted. However, there are not many more functions.

Typing and typing feel, volume

• spongy typing feel

With a release force of 60 grams and a stroke of 4 mm, the keyboard is actually well positioned. However, you don’t really notice much of it. With a little getting used to, you can certainly work (or play) with it, but many low-profile keyboards do this much better.

A Cherry Xtrfy MX-LP 2.1 (our test) plays in a completely different league here and a Genesis Thor 303 Silent Switch (our test) also proves what quality you can get for around 65 euros.

The manufacturer has dispensed with stabilizers for larger keys as well as insulation. As a result, the GK-50 is one of the louder keyboards, if you like that.

The overall package of the Cometstrike TKL GK-50 is therefore not bad. But you won’t find any real arguments in favor of buying this keyboard.

Canyon Gaming Cometstrike TKL GK-50 review: Conclusion

The Canyon Gaming Cometstrike TKL GK-50 is a decent low-profile keyboard at an affordable price. The design is pleasantly compact and at first glance looks quite high-quality, the keycaps are interchangeable and the scroll wheel is certainly very practical.

The workmanship could be better, however, and the unclean lighting could have used a little more fine-tuning. The MSI VIGOR GK50, for example, did all of this much better over two years ago and a Sharkoon PureWriter RGB TKL also offers significantly better quality at a comparable price.