Logitech G512 Carbon Keyboard Review

Here's what no one tells you about this mechanical keyboard.

"Punishing" Quirks & Deficiencies

The letterings of the keys are Invisible!!? Which means that without backlight on, most are illegible. Something like this:

(emulated in G Hub with near black backlight colour)

Yes, other backlit keyboard also have lettering cutouts for the backlit to shine through. However, those are still mostly visible when the keyboard and/or backlight is off. This G512's is on a whole different level of "invisible", LOL
- Yes joker, you can also use G Hub to set backlight to black aka invisible!
When powered up, the backlight defaults to rainbow waves - which maybe distracting, but at least now makes the keys (lettering) visible and hence keyboard more usable.
You better pray the backlight never fails, or else you'll have to use touch typing for good.
The letterings for alternate Fn printed on the side of the Function keys are only easily visible is a well-lit room - they are not backlit.

Backlight customization is available via Logitech's G Hub software. However, customization only takes effect when G Hub is running.
There is no right-side Windows key. Instead, there are the Fn key and right click context menu key.
It is only "mildly" programmable - only the Function keys are programmable.
- Thus, you cannot remap away the irritating right click context menu key.
- There does seem to be a "Game Mode" where the trio of Windows key, Fn key and right click context menu key are "disabled by default".
  - Game Mode is toggle via Fn+F8.

There's only a Capslock LED and Game Mode LED indicator. No scroll-lock indicator. Their markings are black craving and invisible in a dim room. Same goes for the big "G" logo in the top right corner. The overall aesthetics design seems to be a black slab with invisible ink - a truly inexplicable choice to make things/keys impossible to read.

G Hub

Good: it does Not require account login. Thus, this should be one less point of failure unlike Razer products. The latter trashes your hardware in any of these situations: Razer server down, software fails to login, etc, and locks your customization profiles away.
- Creating an account is optional. Highly suggest not to, as you never know when it (login) may fail and lock out your customization profile like crappy Razer.
Good: no longer updated for Windows 7, but the last version available "2021.3.5164" still works in Win 7 as of Jan 2024.

Overall

It's a good "usable" replacement for Razer keyboards, despite its flaws.