Editor’s take: Modern PC peripherals are jam-packed with features and customization options, so they usually require bloated software tools to express their full potential. Corsair, one of the worst offenders in the bulky software business, is now offering an alternative – at least when it comes to updating a device’s firmware.
Corsair recently introduced a web-based utility for installing newer firmware versions for PC peripherals. The Firmware Update Utility allows users to “effortlessly” update a device’s microcode using a browser, eliminating the need to install complex companion software.
Corsair Vice President Tobias Brinkmann said they developed the new tool in response to customer feedback. The web-based installer is lightweight and flexible – though accessing a device’s low-level hardware over the internet might sound counterintuitive to many.
Corsair already offers its iCUE software suite for customizing keyboards, mice, and other compatible gear, including RGB lighting effects. The last time I updated iCUE to tweak the lighting on my Corsair K70 Lux mechanical keyboard (Cherry MX Brown switches), the installer was a hefty 430MB – so it’s safe to assume the software has only gotten more bloated since.
Those looking to keep their device’s firmware up-to-date will likely never force themselves to suffer the iCUE ordeal. The new web-based tool lets customers access the latest firmware directly from Corsair servers. It even has an option to register via email and get notifications when a new firmware version is available.
Corsair describes the firmware update tool as convenient, accessible, and portable – so feel free to give it a shot if you’re comfortable letting a web browser mess with your hardware. The company shared a list of currently supported devices and promised to add new and existing peripherals over time. Eventually, the web tool might get additional features, too, meaning the bloat will remain on your browser instead of your computer.
The Firmware Update Utility currently works with select Chromium-based browsers – Chrome, Edge, and Opera – but doesn’t support Firefox or Safari yet. PC World notes that it can detect connected devices and check for available firmware updates. Still, installing firmware directly from a web app feels strange, no matter how convenient it sounds.
