CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Cherry MX Blue Switch)

[whatswithjeff]

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Hi guys! Cooler Master has sent me some of their gaming peripherals (Trigger, QuickFire Rapid, QuickFire Pro, Sirus, HAF XM, etc) for me to try out. Just want to share my review and findings here on Istorya.net so that more people would be aware of their gaming lineup. The review is based on my personal experience.

The CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid they sent me got a Cherry MX Blue Switch. There are several type of Switches. Some of the common type of switches are Cherry MX Black, Cherry MX Blue, Cherry MX Red, Cherry MX Brown and Cherry MX Clear. Each type of Switches has a different mechanism and actuation force. But commonly they produce a somewhat “loud” clicky sound and a “feel” that a typical keyboard could not provide.

When I first get hold of the CM Storm Quick Fire, I noticed that the packaging is quite heavy. Later, after I have pulled out the CM Quick Fire Rapid from its box, I found out that the keyboard itself was heavy (compared to a typical keyboard). The keyboard itself weighs 940grams, that’s almost 1 kilograms.



The packaging itself is simple but it looks good. The CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid package includes a user guide, a keycap puller, extra keycaps, USB to PS/2 adapter, keyboard’s USB cable and the mechanical gaming keyboard itself. It does not have a CD Driver included in the package since it’s ready to use, you just plug it and play.

The CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid mechanical keyboard itself is quite small, since it does not have a numeric pad. Primarily because this mechanical keyboard was designed for gamers who needs to maximize the space between the mouse and the keyboard.



The keyboard’s surface (not including the keys) has a nice and soft rubber coating. The key-caps are laser mark for superior quality and craftsmanship. The Caps Lock, F9 and Scroll Lock keys are the only keys that have a red LED indicator. The “Windows logo” on the Windows button is replaced by the CM Storm logo or Cooler Master logo.

The W,A,S,D buttons can be replaced with the red arrow buttons when in gaming mode. Aside from the arrows imprinted on the top portion of the red keycaps, the letters W,A,S,D are also imprinted on the side portion respectively.



The USB cable connecting the keyboard to the computer is removable, although I do not find it necessary to be removable though. The cable itself is braided to avoid tangles. And the USB connectors, including the mini USB, is gold plated giving a plus factor.

All the key caps in the CM Storm QuickFire Rapid is removable, and can easily be removed using the keycap puller included in the package. Although I have not tried removing the bigger keys like spacebar and enter key.

Underneath the CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid is a three way path for the USB cable for easy cable management. Like a typical keyboard, it also has an adjustable feet.

[whatswithjeff]

Cooler Master CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid Specifications

Key Switch: CHERRY MX Blue
N Key Rollover: N Key in PS/2 mode
Polling Rate: 1000 Hz/1ms
Interface: USB/PS2
Extra Keys: 6 pcs
Keycap Puller: Included
USB Cable: Braided, Removable and Gold Plated
Dimensions: 355mm x 135mm x 35mm or 14 x 5 x 1 inch (L x W x H)
Weight: 940g / 2.1lbs
OS Supported: Windows 7



Testing the CM Storm QuickFire Rapid

When I first tried typing using the CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid, I was a bit annoyed by the loud “clicky” sound. I usually blog during night time when people are already asleep. But after a few minutes of typing and blogging using this mechanical gaming keyboard, my fingers felt good. My typing accuracy and speed got better. I’m telling you, the moment you try a mechanical keyboard, you wouldn’t want to go back to the regular dome/membrane type keyboard (that you probably are using right now).

Although it’s very hard to notice (most of the time unnoticeable), the response time is better. When using a regular keyboard, you have to press the key until it reaches the bottom until it actuates. Unlike the CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid, I only need to press the key half way, that’s about 2mm. And when you heard the click, it means that it already actuated or responded.

I also tried to press multiple keys at the same time and every key was actually registered. Unlike in a ordinary membrane-type or dome-type keyboard, some of those keys don’t get registered or entered as command. That’s the beauty of Anti-ghosting. No matter how many keys and how fast you press them, it all gets in when using the Quick Fire Rapid mechanical keyboard.

I also tried playing some games, and disabled the Windows button by pressing the FN key and F9. Well it did disable the Windows button. This is quite useful, specially when you are in the middle of the heat of the battle and suddenly you accidentally pressed the Windows button and your game suddenly minimized. A must avoid situation.



Conclusion

What I like about CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid (Pros)
It’s compact and easy to bring especially during LAN parties. It’s very durable and will definitely last longer. And it feels great on my fingers!

What I think that could improve CM’s mechanical gaming keyboard
The CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid itself is definitely a great mechanical gaming keyboard considering its price. But Cooler Master could improve their lineup of mechanical gaming keyboard by adding back light on the keyboard or back light on each keys, programmable keys and perhaps a numeric keypad.

Locally, the Cooler Master CM Storm QuickFire Rapid mechanical gaming keyboard is priced at around Php3,300 to Php3,500, that’s around $75 to $80 USD. Mechanical Keyboards are usually priced above $100 USD. So if you are looking for a mechanical gaming keyboard under the $100 price mark, the CM Storm Quick Fire Rapid is definitely a great choice.