Cooler Master CM Storm Mech

Cooler Master CM Storm Mech

The first Aluminum Gaming Series component we got our hands on from Cooler Master’s CM Storm division was the Pulse-R headset, and we liked it for its audio fidelity as much as for its aesthetics. The Mech, Cooler Master’s latest CM Storm gaming keyboard, has a similar visual appeal thanks to a large aluminum plate framing the keys and a subdued CM Storm swirl etched into the plate and the plastic wrist rest.

This is a full-sized gaming keyboard that acts as USB hub and has built-in audio ports for connecting a headset. A handle running along the left edge makes the Mech easily portable. As its name implies (and like the Trigger and Quick Fire keyboards that preceded it), the Mech is a fully mechanical keyboard that comes with your choice of Cherry MX switches, in Blue, Brown, or Red. The unit we tested uses Cherry MX Brown switches, which are designed to deliver medium resistance and tactile feedback. Blue switches offer a more audible clickclack feedback, and Reds are lighter linear switches that offer little to no feedback. We could write pages on which style switch can be best suited to which type of tasks, but it generally comes down to personal preference. Suffice it to say that the Brown switches that this keyboard has work well for both typing and gaming (two things we do lots of around here).

This keyboard comes with a bright white backlight and four illumination modes—all on, all pulse, all off, or just the gaming keys (WASD, arrows, and macro). To access the illumination settings, you can press the right Function key and press F4 (to select a mode), adjust brightness with the F2 and F3 keys, or disable all LEDs with the F1 key. The F5 through F11 keys support multimedia functions, and the F12 key can be used to lock the Windows key (or left Function key), saving you from instant death if you accidentally tap it instead of Z, SHIFT, or CTRL while in-game. There is a row of programmable macro keys on the left side of the Mech, but you can also tweak the key mapping via the software. All told, the keyboard can store 75 macros and five distinct profiles thanks to the 72MHz RapidFire Engine and 128KB of onboard memory. It also delivers 64-key rollover, a 1,000Hz polling rate, and a 1ms response time.

The Mech is very solid thanks in part to its steel backplate and the aluminum cover that bolts (literally) over the top. You can remove the seven screws with the included hex wrench and customize the plate in a variety of ways. Removing the cover also makes cleaning the Mech simple. Other features we like include the removable USB cable and the NUM LOCK, CAPS LOCK, and SCR LOCK key lights that appear in the reflective groove at the bottom-right corner of the keyboard.

Like with the Pulse-R, we found that the Mech performs as well as it looks. If you’re in the market for a new gaming keyboard that can take some punishment but keep on ticking (and looking sharp), then check out Cooler Master’s Mech.

Specs:Mechanical switch type: Cherry MX Brown/Red/Blue; white LED backlight; 64-key rollover; 128KB onboard memory; USB 3.0 interface; USB 3.0 hub and audio I/O ports; removable faceplate