Taiwanese manufacturer Cooler Master started business 25 years ago, and it has since built a reputation for well-designed computer components. CM is known especially for its snazzy (and often gigantic) computer chassis and, of course, PC coolers of all kinds: case fans, CPU heat sinks, elaborate liquid-cooling gear. More recently, like many PC component makers, it has expanded into gaming peripherals—and in its MasterKeys line, created a keyboard brand that covers the field, from the pseudo-mechanical MasterKeys Lite L currently retailing for just over $50, to the top-of-the-line MasterKeys MK750 debuting today, with an MSRP of just under $160. Now, $160 isn't the MSRP we've seen on an enthusiast/flagship-grade keyboard. (Some top $250.) But it sure isn't chicken feed. So what new and improved features does an MSRP three times as high as Cooler Master's base model buy you, and what remains the same? (Teaser: For one thing, a premium feature here is elaborate RGB backlighting you...
The Cooler Master MasterKeys MK750 is a solid, pricey keyboard with excellent Cherry MX switches and a sober, yet RGB-bedecked, look. We'd like to see some software improvements, and a price drop.
Sturdy aluminum-and-plastic frame; Open-frame design; Supportive magnetic wrist rest; Cherry MX switches; Braided, detachable cord
Expensive for feature set; Stores only four profiles, with no game-specific profiles; No key binding on shifted keys; Ho-hum macro editor; Only some media controls are on dedicated keys