CM Storm Trigger Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review (Cherry MX Black 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, 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.

Now, let's take a look at the CM Storm Trigger. This time, this gaming keyboard is fully loaded with features like macro keys, programmable keys, backlits and more. Please do continue reading my review, and find out what I think about Cooler Master's CM Storm Trigger.



The CM Storm Trigger that was sent to me had a Black Cherry MX switch or model SGK-6000-GKCC1. The Trigger is available in four different key switch namely, Black, Blue, Brown and Red. I have tried the Blue in the Quick Fire Rapid, the Red switch on Quick Fire Pro, and this time Black on the Trigger. The Black switch needs more pressure for it to actuate. It’s the opposite of the Red switch. The Red switch is too soft for me. When I first use the Black Switch, I noticed that you need additional force to press the keys. It has an average of 60 grams actuation force and this switch doesn’t have a clicking sound.



Since the Black Cherry MX switch needs more force to press, it’s great for gamers who tends to press the wrong keys (or almost press a wrong key) most of the time. Because of the high actuation force it helps gamers lessen or avoid those accidental presses.

Features of CM Storm Trigger

• High durability gold-plated Cherry switches rated for over 50 million key strokes
• Multi-media control keys for convenient sound control
• 5 macro keys with profile management
• 18K gold plated ultra-low latency USB plugs
• Anti-ghosting 6 key rollover
• 64KB on-board memory for profile storage
• Storm tactics key for deactivation of Windows key
• 1000Hz driver-less polling / 1ms response time
• Two port enhanced USB 2.0 hub
• Detachable wrist rest
• Braided cable for durability
• Non-slip rubber coating

CM Storm Trigger Specifications

• Model Number: SGK-6000-GKCC1 (Black Switch), SGK-6000-GKCL1 (Blue Switch), SGK-6000-GKCM1 (Brown Switch), SGK-6000-GKCR1(Red Switch)
• Key Switch: CHERRY Black / Blue / Brown / Red
• Dimensions (LxWxH): 475mm x 162mm x 25mm
• Weight: 1260g
• N Key Rollover: 6
• Macro Key: 5
• Polling Rate: 1000 Hz /1 ms
• Backlighting: All Keys (except space bar)
• Windows Key Disable: Yes
• On Board Memory: 64 KB
• Media Keys: Yes
• Ports: 2x USB2.0, mini USB, DC5V power port

The Cooler master has a simple yet robust design. IT's definitely tough and I could not feed any flimsiness in this keyboard. It's somewhat heavy (compared to a typical keyboard) and it has a pretty solid build. It also comes with a wrist pad so that your wrist wouldn't be strain from long hours of usage.

[whatswithjeff]

Here's what the Trigger looks like under:



At the upper right area of the Trigger are the two USB 2.0 ports, one mini USB port that connects the keyboard to the computer, and an extra DC 5V input power. The USB ports are handy for accessing flash drives and other devices that do not require much power.



Just like other mechanical keyboards, the key caps are removable, making it easier to clean, specially in removing dust. You can also see each key has individual LED bulbs.



Here are pictures in different lighting modes:





Sorry for the blurry pictures, I took them while the lights are off and I don't have a decent camera yet when I took those pictures.

You can adjust the brightness of the lights and it also has different modes. When in gaming mode, only the WASD, arrows keys, Macro keys and CM storm emblem are lit. You can also press up to 6 keys at the same time and all of them gets registered.

[whatswithjeff]

The SM Storm Trigger comes with an application software and driver, where you can configure each key to your liking. In the application software you get the Storm CFG, Profiles and Macro Studio. If this is your first time configuring your keyboard, you might want to spend some time to master the setup and configuration. The profiles, key customization and macro keys are really useful when in gaming. Well, you can use these special functions in desktop operations too but its best made for gaming purposes.



Here are the things I like about this keyboard:

• It has a sturdy body yet the surface is smooth
• Its fully backlit which is very useful specially during at night
• Keys are fully programmable to your liking through its application software
• Has a USB port for easy access
• Easy to recognize laser-etched letters
• Comes with wrist rest
• And it's cheaper compared to other competing brands who offers the same features and functionality

What I did not like about the Trigger:

• Only 6 N-Key Roll Over
• Only one color for the LEDs and that's only Red, regardless of the switch. Come to think of it, the Razer Blackwidow Ultimate has only one color too, and that's Green
• The Application software’s installation size is too huge! You might not noticed it but it’s consuming half a Gig (around 449MB) of your storage. That’s a pretty big space consumed for an application software. Most of the space was consumed by the image files in the folder in different languages.

I have checked the current prices from online sellers, it looks like the street price is around Php 5,300 to 5,500. It's cheaper compared to Razer's Blackwidow Ultimate priced at around Php 6,500.

If you are looking for a full blown mechanical gaming keyboard, then I would recommend you try checking this one out. Also based on other users' experience, this is a bang for the buck mechanical gaming keyboard.

[archspace]

curious lng ko ts.. ikaw ga review ani?

[whatswithjeff]

Yes ako ga review ana.
May taga cooler master na nag padala ng items para ireview. Actually medyo marami. So share ko lang para may additional info para sa mga planning to buy.
Kung naay mali sa grammar pasensya na. Still newbie when it comes to making reviews ^_^