Product On Review: MECH Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Manufacturer: CM Storm / Cooler Master
Price (MSRP): £129.95 (inc. V.A.T.)
It’s been some time since a CM Storm keyboard last graced our tests, but Cooler Master’s gaming arm haven’t been taking it easy in the intervening period. Earlier this month CM Storm revealed their new AL-series of peripherals, setting up a cohesive range of products sitting near the top of their range with a fascinating twist. Beginning with the MECH keyboard, and then continuing with the Reaper mouse and Pulse-R headset, this new range brings both aluminium design flourishes and the potential for greatly increased customisation. You will hopefully have read our thoughts on the Pulse-R already, but if you haven't now is your chance.
In this review we're looking at the keyboard of the range, the MECH. As the name suggests it is indeed a mechanical keyboard, with a switch type determined by the specific model you choose and the region in which you're buying the keyboard. The ever-reliable Cherry switches are used throughout, with MX Blue, Brown and Red switch types all part of the available range. However the keyboard diverges significantly from the relatively vanilla keyboards CM Storm have produced in the past.
Firstly, it has an unorthodox shape designed to facilitate mobility, customisation and present an eyecatching first impression. Taking cues from a limited edition variant of the QuickFire mechanical keyboard, the aluminium faceplate of the MECH is removable, allowing the user to design their own, easily cover it in a vinyl print or some other use which we (and CM Storm) may not have thought of yet. Encouraging users to bring their own graphical design talents to personalise their peripherals is almost unheard of, and Cooler Master are not just pushing it with their keyboard, but with similar design attributes in the Reaper and Pulse-R.
The MECH still needs to go a long way to justify its near £130.00 price; we're deeply aware of the extremely accomplished keyboards available were this your budget. However the MECH also brings with it dedicated macro engine and 128KB of on-board memory for 5 profiles and up to 75 macros, all processed in hardware. In terms of LAN gaming features the MECH also includes a USB soundcard and two-port USB 3.0 hub. It is, without fear of overstatement, one of the most feature-rich keyboards we have yet examined.
Can this offer value to the discerning consumer? We’ll have to see...
