Logitech's affordable new low-profile keyboard even fits Cherry MX-style keycaps

Logitech has announced a new low-profile gaming keyboard, the G515 Lightspeed TKL Wireless, featuring advanced low-profile switches that are now compatible with Cherry MX-style keycaps, improving the keyboard's customizability.

The G515 is a welcome upgrade to Logitech's G915 Lightspeed wireless keyboard, which debuted in 2019. The new G515 features a TKL (tenkeyless) design that's similar to the smaller Logitech G915 TKL update from 2020; it not only removes the G915's number pad completely, but also the wide volume wheel mounted above it.

Saying goodbye to the physical volume wheel leaves the G515 keyboard, which should be available today, priced at $139, which is considerably cheaper than both the $249.99 G915 and the smaller $229.99 G915 TKL. extremely That's just as cheap as the $104 Keychron K1 Max QMK Wireless Low-Profile Keyboard , which offers much of the same functionality, but for those looking for an even more affordable option, a wired-only version of the new G515 is also on the way, and is expected to cost $99 when it becomes available later this year.

The new G515 continues to use the company's low-profile GL mechanical switches, which when they were introduced in the G915 nearly five years ago were considered a modified version of Kailh's Choke V1 low-profile switches, which made them difficult to customize and swap out for alternate keycaps.

For the G515, Logitech is introducing an updated design for its GL mechanical switches that feature a “polyoxymethylene (POM), cross style stem,” making the keyboard compatible with low-profile Cherry MX-style keycaps. We've contacted Logitech to confirm whether the new G515 is using Kailh's Choc V2 low-profile switches, which have the same 1.3mm actuation distance as Logitech's updated GL switches, or whether they are a customized proprietary version instead.

Unlike the G915 Lightspeed wireless keyboard, which gave users a choice of three switch types – linear, tactile and clicky – the new G515 offers quieter tactile and linear options with just 45g and 43g of actuation force. It's also available in white or black with matching double-shot PBT keycaps, each with individual RGB lighting supporting 16.8 million colours, customisable via the Logitech G HUB app.

The G515 supports three different ways to connect to a computer or other device: Bluetooth, USB-C, or the company's proprietary 2.4GHz Lightspeed technology. Choosing the latter option provides a more reliable connection with better wireless performance. And while it requires using the included USB dongle, connecting two Logitech Lightspeed devices only requires one, potentially freeing up a USB port.

When using the keyboard wirelessly with the Lightspeed dongle, battery life is up to 625 hours with the RGB lighting turned off. This drops to 120 hours with the RGB lighting set to 50 percent brightness, or just 36 hours with the brightness set to 100 percent — a significant hit for those who want a dazzling light show under their fingers.