Logitech G512 X 98 lets gamers mix analogue and mechanical switches on the same keyboard
The Logitech G512 X 98 tackles keyboard customisation in a more unusual way than simply making every switch hot-swappable.
Logitech has equipped the 98% gaming keyboard with 39 Dual Swap switch positions using Tunnel Magnetoresistance, or TMR, sensors. Those positions can operate with Logitech’s magnetic analogue switches or accept standard three-pin and five-pin mechanical switches.
That means a player can potentially use analogue switches on the keys where adjustable actuation and multi-stage input matter, while fitting conventional mechanical switches elsewhere.
The G512 X 98 also supports an 8,000Hz polling rate, adjustable actuation from 0.1mm to 4.0mm, two actions from different depths of a single key press, LIGHTSYNC RGB and Logitech G HUB configuration.
Logitech launched the G512 X family in April 2026 as part of its G5 Series. The 98% version was announced alongside a smaller 75% model, giving gamers a choice between a more complete keyboard layout and a more compact desk footprint.
TechnologyBlog.co.za has not tested the G512 X 98. This article therefore focuses on its verified specifications and Logitech’s documented capabilities rather than making conclusions about switch feel, latency or competitive performance.
Dual Swap is the feature that separates the G512 X
Hot-swappable keyboards are no longer unusual.
The interesting part of the G512 X is that Logitech is not limiting users to one switch technology.
The keyboard includes 39 Dual Swap switch beds equipped with TMR sensors. Logitech says those positions can be switched between its magnetic analogue switches and standard three-pin or five-pin mechanical switches.
That creates a hybrid keyboard.
A player might want analogue control on WASD and other frequently used gaming keys while preferring the familiar feel of traditional mechanical switches elsewhere.
The switch technology can therefore be chosen according to what an individual key actually does.
That is considerably more flexible than buying an entire keyboard around one predefined switch type.
It also gives the G512 X a different upgrade path.
Changing preferences does not necessarily mean replacing the whole keyboard. Compatible mechanical switches can be installed in the Dual Swap positions, while the TMR system provides the additional capabilities available from magnetic analogue switches.
TMR measures more than whether a key is simply on or off
A traditional mechanical keyboard switch generally behaves as a digital input.
The key is either actuated or it is not.
Magnetic analogue systems can measure the position of the key through its travel.
Logitech uses Tunnel Magnetoresistance sensors for this purpose.
That positional information allows G HUB to change the point at which an analogue key registers.
Logitech specifies an adjustment range from 0.1mm to 4.0mm.
A player could therefore configure an extremely shallow actuation point for a control that needs to respond quickly while giving another key more travel before it activates.
That degree of control can also reduce accidental presses if sensitive keys are deliberately given deeper actuation points.
The important distinction is that actuation becomes software-configurable rather than being determined entirely by the physical switch.
One press can trigger two separate actions
The G512 X takes analogue key travel further with Multipoint Action.
Logitech allows two different commands to be assigned at different depths of the same analogue key press.
The company gives the example of a lighter press performing one action and a deeper press triggering another.
Logitech also includes Second Actuation Pressure Point, or SAPP, rings that create a tactile indication around the second trigger point.
That could be useful in games where related actions normally require separate keys.
A shallow press might select an item, for example, while continuing the press could execute the next action.
How practical that becomes will depend heavily on the game and the player.
Two commands on one key can reduce finger movement, but they also demand accurate control over key depth. Some users may prefer the certainty of separate physical keys.
That is why the configurability matters more than the existence of the feature alone.
True 8K polling provides a 0.125ms theoretical report interval
Logitech specifies a maximum 8,000Hz polling rate for the G512 X.
At 8kHz, the keyboard can theoretically report its input state to the PC every 0.125 milliseconds.
That is eight times the polling frequency of a conventional 1,000Hz keyboard.
It does not mean the player automatically gains almost a millisecond of real-world advantage.
Complete input latency also includes switch behaviour, firmware, USB processing, the operating system, game engine, CPU, GPU, frame timing and display refresh.
Very high polling rates can also increase processing overhead.
The benefit therefore makes most sense on gaming PCs already producing high frame rates and driving high-refresh displays.
For less demanding games or everyday typing, 8kHz is unlikely to transform the experience simply because the specification is larger.
A 98% layout keeps the number pad without using a traditional full-size footprint
The G512 X 98 uses a 98% layout.
This retains a number pad and most of the functionality associated with a full-size keyboard while arranging the keys more tightly.
That makes the design relevant to someone who uses the same computer for gaming and productivity.
A dedicated number pad can remain useful for spreadsheets, data entry and applications involving frequent numerical input.
At the same time, compressing the layout can leave slightly more desk space for mouse movement than a conventional full-size board.
For players who want considerably more mouse room, Logitech also offers the G512 X in a 75% configuration.
The 98% model is aimed at users who do not want compactness to come at the expense of the number pad.
LIGHTSYNC adds a front-facing RGB light bar
Logitech has also given the G512 X a front-facing LIGHTSYNC RGB light bar.
Lighting can be customised through Logitech G HUB.
RGB does not affect gaming performance, but it gives users another way to integrate the keyboard into a wider Logitech G desktop setup.
Logitech also sells a matching G512 X palm rest separately.
The company specifically notes that the palm rest is not included as a standard part of the keyboard, so buyers who want the complete visual setup need to account for that accessory separately.
That distinction is worth checking because product photography can easily make optional accessories appear to be part of the standard package.
Logitech G HUB becomes essential for the analogue features
Hardware flexibility is only half of the G512 X story.
Its TMR switches rely on software configuration to unlock the most interesting capabilities.
G HUB provides the interface for adjusting analogue actuation points, multi-stage actions and LIGHTSYNC behaviour.
That makes the G512 X another example of Logitech moving from conventional peripherals towards what it describes as software-enabled hardware.
The keyboard continues a much longer history of computer input hardware.
TechnologyBlog.co.za’s history of Logitech traces how a mouse developed during the company’s early Swiss years helped establish Logitech in personal computing before the business expanded into keyboards, gaming, audio, collaboration, streaming and sim racing.
The G512 X reflects how much those input devices have changed.
A keyboard key is no longer necessarily just an electrical switch.
It can now provide positional information that software interprets differently according to the game or user profile.
The 39 Dual Swap positions are important to understand
One specification deserves particular attention.
Logitech says the G512 X 98 provides 39 Dual Swap switch beds.
That does not mean all keys on the 98% keyboard receive the same TMR Dual Swap functionality.
The 39 designated positions are the ones Logitech identifies as supporting its combination of TMR analogue technology and standard mechanical-switch compatibility.
For gaming, that makes sense because the controls most likely to benefit from adjustable analogue behaviour occupy only part of the keyboard.
It also means buyers should not interpret “analogue/mechanical keyboard” as meaning every single position can necessarily be configured identically.
The feature is focused where Logitech believes it is most useful.
Logitech G512 X 98 specifications
| Specification | Logitech G512 X 98 |
|---|---|
| Series | Logitech G5 |
| Keyboard format | 98% |
| Keyboard type | TMR analogue / mechanical |
| Dual Swap positions | 39 |
| Analogue sensor technology | Tunnel Magnetoresistance |
| Mechanical switch compatibility | Standard 3-pin and 5-pin switches |
| Adjustable actuation | 0.1mm–4.0mm |
| Multi-action support | Two actions at different press depths |
| Tactile second-stage system | SAPP rings |
| Maximum polling rate | 8,000Hz |
| Theoretical report interval | 0.125ms |
| Lighting | LIGHTSYNC RGB |
| Additional lighting | Front-facing RGB light bar |
| Configuration software | Logitech G HUB |
| Model supplied | 920-014003 |
| Colour | White |
| Palm rest | Sold separately |
Specifications are based on Logitech G’s official South African and European product information checked on 23 September 2026.
Logitech launched the G512 X in April 2026
Logitech announced the G512 X family on 28 April 2026.
The company positioned the keyboard around personalisation rather than simply replacing its previous mechanical gaming boards with another fixed switch configuration.
At launch, Logitech announced a suggested US price of US$199.99 for the 98% model, while the smaller 75% version launched at US$179.99.
The company’s official European store currently provides the more relevant pricing reference for the link supplied for this article.
Official European pricing is currently €199.99 for this SKU
The official Logitech G European page supplied to TechnologyBlog.co.za listed the white G512 X 98 SKU 920-014003 at €199.99 when checked on 23 September 2026, reduced from the displayed €219.99 regular price.
The page also showed the model as in stock and ready to ship.
That promotional figure was correct on Logitech’s official website at the date of publication and may change.
TechnologyBlog.co.za does not convert the European price into rand because a currency conversion is not the same as an official South African selling price.
Logitech already lists the G512 X 98 on its official South African website, confirming the product for the local market, but no official rand price was displayed on the South African page when checked.
Official South African pricing had therefore not been published by Logitech at the date of publication.
No retailer or marketplace pricing has been used.
Dual Swap is more interesting than another polling-rate race
Logitech could have marketed the G512 X almost entirely around 8kHz.
That would miss the more meaningful part of the keyboard.
Gaming peripherals are increasingly moving towards hardware that can change behaviour after it leaves the factory.
The G512 X gives 39 key positions access to TMR analogue sensing while retaining the option to use standard mechanical switches.
Those analogue positions can then be configured anywhere from 0.1mm to 4.0mm actuation, with two actions potentially assigned to different depths of a single press.
That creates a keyboard where the switch type and actuation behaviour can vary according to what each key needs to do.
Not every player needs that complexity.
Someone who wants a conventional mechanical keyboard may never use the deeper analogue functions.
For the enthusiast who already adjusts sensitivity, polling, mouse actuation and individual game profiles, however, the G512 X adds another layer of control.
The most important specification is therefore not 8,000Hz.
It is the fact that Logitech no longer expects every important gaming key to behave the same way.
