Computex 2018: Peripherals galore at Cooler Master’s booth

While Cooler Master's core business may be CPU coolers and cases, the company has a very broad product portfolio, and that is set to get even broader with a myriad of new peripherals unveiled at Computex 2018. We had Briony on hand to show you all of the new gear.

Starting with new keyboards, the first things to cover are the CK530 and CK550. These are RGB mechanical keyboards with the CK530 being a tenkeyless (TKL) design while the CK550 is full size. While they are not Cooler Master's flagship boards, they still offer aluminium top-plates for a rigid build and mechanical switches. Availability is expected this month for the CK550, with the CK530 following at the end of this year or early 2019. Pricing for the CK530 is not yet confirmed, though the CK550 will cost £74.99.

We also saw the SK620, SK630 and SK640 boards which are unique in that they use Cherry's low-profile mechanical switch that was announced at CES 2018. These boards also have aluminium top-plates, RGB lighting and on-the-fly controls. The SK620 – a 60% form-factor board – is due in Q1 next year, but the SK630 (TKL) and SK640 (full size) are due later this year.

Sitting at the top of the pile, there is the MK850. This is a full-size board with pretty much every feature you could ask for – Cherry MX switches, dedicated multimedia keys, 5 macro keys, removable wrist rest and aluminium construction. The real kicker is the ‘Aimpad' technology, which was first demoed to us back at CES 2018. This is essentially Cooler Master's marketing name for the analog input technology the MK850 supports – meaning each key is able to recognise how much pressure you are applying, and your in-game movement/control varies accordingly. The MK850 will retail for $229, so hopefully around the £200 mark in the UK, though that it is still right up there with the most expensive keyboards we have ever tested.

Moving onto mice, the CM310 is a new entry-level gaming mouse that will retail for just $29.99. It sports a symmetrical design, with the PMW 3325 sensor and plenty of RGB lighting. The CM310 will be available in July.

Cooler Master's MM531 is an updated model of the MM530 we reviewed last year. The shape appears to be exactly the same, and it also retains the PBT panels of the MM530, with the main difference being a slight reduction in weight. The optical sensor is likely to be the same PMW 3360, and it is rated up to 12,000 DPI. However, this will only be available in North America, exclusively through Best Buy.

Completely new, however, is the flagship MM830. This is due early in Q3 2018, with a price of £69.99, and sports an all-new shape and optical sensor rated up to 24,000 DPI which is quite absurd. It also has an OLED screen on the left hand side of the mouse, similar to the Rival 700, which can be used to display in-game information like kills per round. There is also a large thumb rest with four rubberised side buttons on the left hand side.

We also saw a RGB headset stand that we don't not currently have a name for, and that is not due until next year. It sports RGB lighting, 2x USB passthrough ports, 1x 3.5mm jack input – but most interestingly, it can also charge your phone wirelessly which is a great feature. Pricing is unclear at this stage.

In terms of actual headsets, we got hands on with the MH751 and MH752. Both headsets share the same design, build and mic as far as we can tell – the principle difference is that the MH751 connects via a 3.5mm jack, whereas the MH752 comes with a USB dongle to allow for virtual 7.1 surround sound. Both are due in Q3 of this year, the MH751 will be $79.99, while the MH752 will cost an extra $20.

Lastly, we come to the MH710. This is actually a pair of in-ear earphones from Cooler Master that are designed to be for both gaming and listening to music. This is thanks to a unique button on the back of each earbud which changes the emphasis of the MH710's sound – it can either have a more focused and clear mid-range, which would be good for music, or it can emphasise the bass for an immersive gaming experience. The MH710 sports 10mm drivers and also comes with a variety of different ear tips, allowing for a custom fit. Pricing is $59.99, with availability from Q4 2018.

KitGuru says: Wow! Cooler Master has unleashed a tonne of new peripherals – I am personally quite taken with the CK530, but let us know what has caught your eye.

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