Logitech G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL model was introduced in Jun, 2024. Logitech claims that low-profile keyboards offer a cleaner, more aesthetically appealing look and deliver a high-performance typing experience. The G515 provides a more efficient and comfortable typing experience by combining low-profile switches with a slimmer design.
The keyboard is 22 mm high, and its compact dimensions eliminate the need for a wrist rest. The low-profile switches register a keystroke with minimal distance—just 1.3 mm—and a total key travel distance of 3.2 mm, which is shorter than traditional switches. Additionally, the G515 includes a sound-dampening foam layer, factory-lubricated switches, integrated stabilizers, and high-quality PBT keycaps.
The price of the Logitech G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL wireless keyboard is around $139.99, but a cheaper wired version of this keyboard is also available.
Design and Build
The Logitech G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL wireless keyboard has a pleasant weight and is very stable; at no point will you feel it bend, unlike some cheaper keyboards. It’s worth noting that part of its weight comes from the battery placement inside, but this isn’t a drawback.
The keyboard is quite compact, though its depth is increased slightly by an area behind the F-key row, where there are extra buttons, a power switch, and a USB Type-C charging port. On the bottom of the G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL, there are two-level adjustable feet and a slot to store the LIGHTSPEED USB dongle for computer connectivity.
The main keys are backlit with full RGB LED capabilities, allowing you to color each key individually if you wish. However, the extra buttons for connectivity selection are not backlit. Instead, they have small LEDs next to them to indicate the mode. There is also a small LED to show the battery level. This LED primarily alerts you when the G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL keyboard needs charging and remains out of sight in regular use, so it won’t be a distraction.
The G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL supports both a LIGHTSPEED connection using the USB dongle and a Bluetooth connection for a second device. If you also use another LIGHTSPEED device, like a mouse, you can pair both with the same LIGHTSPEED USB dongle through the G HUB software, which frees up USB ports on your computer. Interestingly, you can also use the G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL with a wired USB connection, a feature that Logitech sometimes restricts on certain models.
The keycaps are reasonably good, but it’s important to note that the LEDs are positioned in the “north-facing” style behind the key stems, so the backlighting isn’t always consistent. Larger keys, such as the Enter key, tend to have dimmer lighting compared to others.
My G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL came with brown switches, though a version with red (linear) switches is also available. I tend to prefer brown switches. The switches themselves are decent, but for short-travel switches like these, I would have preferred a bit less wobbling—or maybe I’ve just grown overly picky, expecting something unrealistic. In terms of sound, the keyboard is fairly standard, and you can’t really expect more from a mainstream manufacturer’s mechanical keyboard. I’m trying hard not to be a mechanical keyboard snob, but at this price point, my expectations are naturally higher.
Battery
The manufacturer claims a 36-hour battery life for the G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL keyboard on a single charge. I received the keyboard with around 70% charge and have been using it daily for two weeks without needing to recharge it. I’ve been using the key backlighting and the LIGHTSPEED wireless mode, which is the most power-demanding of the available wireless connection options.
Software
The keyboard comes with the familiar G HUB app, offering so many options that it’s hard to list them all. You can customize RGB LED lighting, sync lighting with other Logitech devices, and adjust key functions. There’s even a handy gaming mode that disables certain keys to prevent accidental presses during intense gameplay. You can assign multiple tasks to a single key as well.
The G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL keyboard also features Logitech G’s recently announced KEYCONTROL technology, offering more extensive customization options for gamers than standard keyboards. Each key can perform up to 15 different actions, allowing players to personalize the keyboard using macros, sound cues, lighting effects, and more. KEYCONTROL includes layers and modifiers, such as G SHIFT, which expands customization by allowing the entire key layout to change with the press of a button. With KEYCONTROL, the G515 enables an unprecedented level of personalization, adjustment, and control.
If you prefer not to install G HUB on your computer, you can also customize the G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL keyboard’s lighting with Windows 11’s built-in Dynamic Lighting settings.
However, even after weeks of using the G HUB, I still have some uncertainties specifically with the LIGHTSPEED TKL keyboard. For example, it’s unclear if the keyboard can store different visual effects in its memory or if those are only available when connected to a computer with G HUB installed. Basic single-color effects seem to save in memory, but for multi-color effects, the keyboard appears to rely on G HUB.
Logitech G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL
$139.99Conclusion
I’m not here to stand and vouch endlessly for the G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL keyboard and its performance because it’s still quite an expensive keyboard. Yes, it offers a host of benefits, colors, software tricks, and so on, but at this price, you can find some really great mechanical keyboards from other brands that may provide even more satisfaction for your fingertips.
The G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL keyboard is certainly not to be dismissed; it’s better than some of Logitech’s previous attempts to break into the mechanical keyboard market. The MX Mechanical Mini and MX Mechanical keyboards weren’t bad, but I’d consider the G515 LIGHTSPEED TKL to be significantly superior, especially for typing and for gaming enthusiasts.
