CM Storm QuickFire Stealth Mechanical Keyboard
Overview
Hardware: PeripheralsWHAT WE LIKED:
Minimalist design; Stealthy styling; Compact size; Great build quality; Good priceWHAT WE DISLIKED:
No numpad; No wrist rest; Lack of advanced features such as profilesDiscuss in the Forum
Introduction
Keyboards come in many flavours, from the plain Jane, old-school PS/2 clackety-clack models, right up the outrageous OLED varieties, where you can program every key with its own picture and many different macros. Price then also factors into the equation, as different keyboards are available to suit just about any budget.
Of course there is the question of build quality; surely a $10 keyboard won’t be as solid as one that costs $85. At least, that’s the logical assumption. And what about features: backlit keys? Add-on pads and peripherals? The notion of a simple keyboard might not be so simple when you start to peel back the layers and delve a bit deeper into what’s needed and what’s being offered in the marketplace.
It seems, then, that specializations or niche designs are becoming the trend in keyboards. Gaming keyboards, and specifically mechanical ones, are quickly taking hold amongst the enthusiast crowd. The days of the cheap plastic boards that die after a few fragging sessions are becoming a distant memory.
I’ll admit right off the bat that I love mechanical keyboards. They harken back to an old school vibe where you could really whack the snot out of the keys without worry, since they’re built like tanks. I just love the clackity feel as well; mushy keys really don’t get me terribly excited, as awkward as that may sound.
In any event, we’ve got the latest mechanical keyboard from Cooler Master: the QuickFire Stealth. It’s part of their growing Storm lineup that’s geared to gamers, and this board features the vaunted Cherry MX switches. It comes with an attractive price of $85 as well, and a few other nice features to boot.
Let’s take a closer look at the Cooler Master QuickFire Stealth Blue and see what it can do.
