I liked my Red Dragon K552 VATA so much that when I saw a "used" listing for a cosmeticly damaged box for for a K555, I snatched it up. I also have one of their low end backlit membrane non-mechanical that was great for its $15 price point.
This K555 may be $10 cheaper new compared to the K552, and in listing they're almost the same keyboard. But that extra $10 for the K552 is worth it if you're already going for this board and care about the aesthetics. This K552 is slightly heavier than the K555, both a very solid, metal boards. However the main difference between the two that is very noticeable in a side-by-side comparison are the color quality.
The colors on the K552 are glorious. Saturated and bright, the best colors I've ever seen. The K555, in comparison, looks very washed out and lower in saturation. The two boards don't look like they belong near each other due to how noticeable the difference is. The top row of the K555's macro and multimedia buttons may also be limited to just red, but that is much better than the K552's top row that doesn't have any lighting whatsoever. Some people may have a preference for the latter, though, as with the K555, only the usual 104 keys are backlit.
Both are plug and play, virtually identical in usage and on-board self-programming. The boards remember their settings like colors and macros all on their own with no software needed. They work with the default keyboard driver, and so they likely work with any device that works with Windows USB keyboards.
The macro buttons are the same on the top left on the 552 vs 555, but the media/control button are very different. The K552 has red, backlit, back, play/pause, and forward buttons. Great for controlling media behind games. The last button is the toggle switch for what the neighboring scroll wheel does, either for volume or lighting brightness, both of which have other key commands to toggle as well (like fn+up/down) so the wheel is just extra. In contrast, this K555 is a confusing mess of buttons I can't even tell what they do. They are also not backlit at all, as shown in the product photos. One button randomly opens up explorer, the arrows I assume are supposed to work as back/forward for media. The other 3 (symbol of a lock, monitor, and brightness) don't seem to have any function. I've tried them in combo with other keys and I haven't found a use. At the very least, it's an additional input which can likely be repurposed to do any number of things other than to control the keyboard itself.
The macros are easy enough to program and use on the fly, but they execute so quickly, with barely a millisecond between keypresses, and I've found that a lot of games can't handle input coming in that quickly. They may be useful for storing short words/phrases like usernames, but overall are superceded by using better software-based options. The ability to execute short sequences at the hardware level may be useful in niche scenarios, though.
The feel of the switches is much tighter than the blue-equivalents on the K555, with all the actuation force required at the top of the press. I was expecting to have to change some switches since I wasn't buying a brand new, undamaged K552, but was pleasantly surprised by every key working as intended 100%. That makes 3 total Red Dragon keyboards I've had that have been 100%/100% for key functioning on arrival.
Overall this board is great for its price. I'd recommend the $3-9 more expensive K552 VATA model over this one, but the K555 is perfectly acceptable even if a bit flawed with the noticeably weaker colors. I've tested their full range of Mouses as well and their low cost higher end model pairs very well with either board, although it's color saturation matches the 552 and exceeds the 555 which may not look the best together.
Pros:
-Very inexpensive and a great value, living up to the quality of even a twice as expensive board.
-Good quality control. Every device I've gotten has been 100% and I've been replacing all my big name peripherals with these for half the cost.
-The switches and tactile feel are great. Any membrane board feels like a handicap in comparison.
-Plug and Play, high compatibility with standard keyboard drivers. No bloatware or internet connectivity for your configurations like with Razer/Corsair.
-Great preset color modes for those who don't want to have to spend time setting it up. Just plug it in and fn+ins/del/home/end/pageUp/pageDown to set mode and repeat press to change colors. Individual key customization is available as well for those who want it.
-Heavy, metal, durable, and stays in place. Probably can double as a weapon...
Cons:
-Weak color saturation overall. The K552's colors are stunning, but the K555 are just colors.
-No white color back light by default. Every other color, but no white.
-USB cord is hard tied into the board and not detachable. Which although is still not a thing most boards have, makes it the weakest single point of failure on the device and couldn't be replaced.
-No USB extension ports. I've never seen a board anywhere near this price range with them, though.
-Little reason to not get a K552 instead as they are usually almost the same price, especially when the 10% off coupon goes available. I'd still prefer this board over any membrane board, however.
| 品牌 | Redragon |
|---|---|
| 制造商 | Redragon |
| 商品尺寸 | 44.75 x 21.7 x 3.93 cm; 1.05 公斤 |
| 制造商是否已停产 | 不是 |
| 颜色 | RGB 背光（黑色） |
| 硬件平台 | PC |
| 是否包含电池 | 不是 |
| 商品重量 | 1.05 kilograms |
