Cooler Master CM Storm Trigger Mechanical Keyboard Review

1. Introduction2. Design and Ergonomics3. Software and Performance4. Closing Thoughts5. View All Pages

As we mentioned earlier in the review, Cooler Master supply a comprehensive software package with the CM Storm Trigger which lets the user configure various aspects of the keyboard.

We are greeted by a sizable diagram of the keyboard on the first page of the software which lets us set the button assignments.  Each button can be set to a number of different functions, including custom macros, and various pre-defined multimedia functions.

We can also set certain keys to launch applications, or disable them altogether. It's possible to create a number of profiles so you don't have to reconfigure the keyboard every time you switch between games.

Clicking the ‘Profiles' tab at the top of the page brings up the second page of the software.  This lets us set which of the configured profiles are stored on the keyboard and on the PC.  There is enough built in memory in the keyboard to store up to five different configuration profiles.

The third and final page of the software utility lets us create our own macros.  It has a number of different options which allow for key timings and use several predefined actions.

It's very difficult to sum up the performance of a gaming keyboard as the experience depends largely on your personal preference.  The CM Storm Trigger feels almost identical to every other gaming keyboard we've tested that features Cherry MX Black switches. This means it is good!

Cherry is renowned for producing high quality gold-plated mechanical key switches which find their way into various gaming keyboards from a number of different manufacturers.  There are four types of Cherry MX switches available in different keyboards: red, black, blue and brown.

Each type of switch feels quite different and we have tested the red, black and blue ones in the past.  Many keyboard manufacturers will select one variant for a particular model but Cooler Master have decided to offer this model with all four types of switch.  As we mentioned earlier, we have the black variety.

The black switches don't feature tactile feedback like the blue ones which we prefer for gaming.  They also have a heavier action than the red switches which makes them feel slightly more responsive.

Even though mechanical keyboards are also preferable for typing, the Trigger features N-key rollover which makes you more prone to error.  Those looking for a typists keyboard should consider a non-gaming model instead.

The Trigger offers great gaming performance and is far nicer to use everyday than a membrane based keyboard.  it will also offer slight in-game performance benefits which will be important to the most serious gamers.  Cooler Master include a wrist rest with the keyboard which makes it more comfortable to use for long periods of time. This can be removed when not required.

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