CM Storm MECH Mechanical Keyboard Review

By Hank Tolman

Manufacturer: Cooler Master Ltd. Inc.
Product Name: CM Storm MECH
Model Number: SGK-7000-MBCM1-US (CHERRY MX Brown Switch)
UPC: 884102020100
Price As Tested: $159.99 (MSRP)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Cooler Master.

If you haven’t heard, yet, mechanical keyboards are making a comeback in a big way. Nearly every peripheral manufacturer out there has line of them. But why are we going back to mechanical keyboards, which were popular in the early days of computing and then fell out of style? Should you consider investing a mechanical keyboard? They are typically more expensive than what we might consider a normal, or common keyboard. In this article, Benchmark Reviews takes a look at one of Cooler Master’s CHERRY MX Brown Switch mechanical keyboards, the CM Storm MECH.

Membrane keyboards are the most common keyboards and you’ve probably used a membrane keyboard a lot. They come in many different styles and types and vary in the amount of tactile response and sound that they produce. But, while very inexpensive, membrane and hybrid keyboards suffer from short lifespans and can require full compression for actuation. Because each key doesn’t have a dedicated switch, you can suffer from ghosting if you depress multiple keys at once. You will also find that you can only press a certain number of keys if you are using a USB keyboard. Some keyboards have anti-ghosting technologies which limit the ability to use multiple keys even more.

The bottom line is that mechanical keyboards are most useful for people who type A LOT or gamers. Theoretically, since the keys on a mechanical keyboard don’t have to travel the entire distance before actuation, people who type a lot could see less finger fatigue and faster typing speeds using a mechanical keyboard. Depending on the distance between actuation and reset, gamers can jam keys over and over again much more quickly (useful for “double-taps” and for those games that want you to hit E over and over again to escape from a rear naked choke.)

Now that we have decided why you might consider moving to a mechanical keyboard, let’s get a closer look at the CM Storm MECH Mechanical Keyboard and what it has to offer.
Delivering the utmost quality in construction and features, the MECH mechanical keyboard includes a various selection of CHERRY MX switches and a powerful ARM based processor to run its Rapid Fire Engine. This helps the MECH take full advantage of its ability respond at high speeds to in game actions and record and edit not only macro keys, but profiles as well. MECH is equipped with the ability to store 5 easily accessible profiles while making up to 75 total macros available for multiple gaming needs.

Durable, Customizable Aluminum Cover

Built with a unique removable and customizable aluminum plate, MECH is the ultimate gamer’s mechanical keyboard. Whether it is providing that extra look of professionalism to your eSports team or matching your keyboard to your own style, MECH makes it simple to do. The included premium aluminum plate can be removed and replaced via a few screws.

Excellent Tactile Feedback

All mechanical CHERRY MX switches means 50 million+ keystrokes are guaranteed for every single key.

Light ‘Em Up

Full LED backlighting so you never miss your target, even in the dark.

Macro Keys

Store all commands on the keyboard in an easily accessible way with up to 5 profiles and 75 macros. Quickly switch between each profile for your favorite games seamlessly.

Built-in ARM Core 32 CPU (72MHz)

Quick response during gaming and powerful computing capabilities for recording/editing profiles and creating macros.

Integrated I/O HUB

2 Super Speed USB 3.0 ports for gaming gear or phone/tablet charging and audio/mic ports for cable management.

Detachable USB 3.0 cable

2 USB 3.0 Super Speed ports for Gaming Gear or Phone/Tablet charging.

Rugged handle for easy transportation

Model Number	SGK-7000-MBCM1-US (Brown Switch)
Key Switch	CHERRY MX Brown
N Key Rollover	64
Macro Key	15 in each profile
Profiles	5
Polling Rates	1000 Hz/1ms
Backlighting	All keys, 5 settings, 3 modes
Output	Dual USB 3.0 port and mini USB port for charging
Windows Key Disable	Yes
Onboard Memory	128k bytes
Media Keys	Yes (via F keys)
USB Cable	Removable
Dimensions	553(L)x267(W)x43(H) mm 21.7(L)x10.5(W)x1.7(H) inch
Weight	1686 g / 3.71 lbs
Warranty	2 years
UPC Code	884102020100: SGK-7000-MBCM1-US (Brown Switch)

I think Cooler Master likes to err on the side of caution when packing their products for shipment. A little while ago I reviewed the CM Storm Pulse-R headset and it came packed in an enormous box. The CM Storm MECH Keyboard was no different. The packaging box was big enough that my 5-year old daughter is currently using it as a play car. Both her and my 2-year old son fit in it with room to spare. It was filled with bubble wrap and packing paper, though, so the CM Storm MECH was nestled in there quite securely. That’s not to say that the CM Storm MECH retail box is small, however. It has to be pretty large, considering the size of the keyboard itself. There is a lot of foam packed in there as well, to keep the keyboard safe in transport.

The CM Storm MECH Keyboard was covered from head to foot in a plastic protective sheeting to avoid smudging and scratching in packaging and shipping, I suppose. After I peeled all of the plastic off, the CM Storm MECH was nice and shiny and sleek. It’s a good look. I like it.

The CM Storm MECH Keyboard is insanely long, just under 2 feet, due to the carrying handle on the left side. I don’t mind much because I keep it on my desktop, but if you use a keyboard tray, you may want to bust out the measuring tape first. You probably won’t have room for your mouse and keyboard together with the CM Storm MECH. You may not even have room for the keyboard itself. I have a MERC Gaming Keyboard with all the extra gaming keys on the left side and even it is almost half an inch shorter than the CM Storm MECH.

While the carrying handle and the wrist rest are shiny black, the plating around the keys on the CM Storm MECH is aluminum silver. The CM Storm MECH goes along with the CM Storm Pulse-R Gaming Headset and the CM Storm Reaper Gaming Mouse as part of CM Storm’s fully customizable gaming peripherals. All three have aluminum plating that can be removed and stylized to your taste. You can clearly see the 7 holes housing the screws that need to be removed to take the aluminum plate off the CM Storm MECH Keyboard. Once it is removed, you design it how you like with paint or vinyl or stickers. I’ve looked around to see if Cooler Master sells any of the plates that are already designed or any modding kits, but I haven’t found anything.

The CM Storm MECH Keyboard keys are typical cylindrical keys, which is very common. The CM Storm MECH keys are also completely LED backlit. Using the FN key with the F1-F4 keys, you adjust the backlighting between 3 modes and 5 levels of brightness. You can either have all keys backlit, just the WASD and arrow keys backlit, or all the keys minus the spacebar backlit. I also like the lighting for the num lock, caps, and scroll lock keys. Between the wrist rest and the keyboard is a groove that CM Storm calls the glow lighting groove. The keys’ indicators light up inside this groove.

The I/O panel on the back of the CM Storm MECH Keyboard is of particular interest as well. If you couldn’t tell from the blue coloring on the detachable USB cable used to plug the CM Storm MECH into your computer, it’s a USB 3.0 cable and connector. Plugging it into a powered USB 3.0 port on your system turns the CM Storm MECH into a USB 3.0 hub with two ports on the I/O panel. The I/O panel also includes audio ports for headphones and a microphone that are part of a USB audio device. You’ll need to download and install the audio drivers from the CM Storm website to get the most out of them. That being said, I actually got less feedback from the CM Storm MECH Keyboard audio ports than from the front panel passthrough ports on my case.

Besides the two USB 3.0 ports and the audio ports, there is also a micro USB port. Clearly intended for peripheral device charging, it seems odd to me that it is here. While I do have a number of devices that charge off a micro USB connector, I don’t have a single micro USB to micro USB cable. In fact, I don’t have a micro USB to anything but full USB cable. Rather than go out and buy a new cable, I’ll probably just never use that port at all. The final port on the CM Storm MECH Keyboard is the USB 3.0-B port used by the supplied cable to connect the keyboard to your computer.

Now that we’ve taken a look the CM Storm MECH Keyboard, let’s see what makes it tick. Literally. The CM Storm MECH Keyboard that Benchmark Reviews received uses Cherry MX Brown switches. You can also find the CM Storm MECH with blue or red switches. Cherry MX switches come in a lot more styles than just those three, but those three give the CM Storm MECH a very rounded repertoire. The Cherry MX Brown and Red switches have very low actuation force at 45cN (centiNewtons). The Blue switches actuate a little bit stiffer at around 50 to 60cN. The real difference between the three switches, though, is the reset, or release point. That is the point when you can actuate the key again and the true reason why typists and gamers like mechanical keyboards. The lower the distance between the actuation point and the reset point, the faster you can re-engage the key and have it actuate again.

Cherry MX Red and Black switches have the “best” reset (depending on what you are looking for) because their actuation and reset points are the exact same position. That means that they require the least amount of movement to re-actuate. Once you find and become comfortable with the actuation/reset point, the Red and Black switches are the best for quick multiple single-key strokes. The only difference between the two is that the Black switches have a much higher actuation force, around 60cN. For that reason, many gamers prefer the Red switches. The problem with the Red and Black switches is that they are linear switches, which means that you don’t get any tactile feedback when you have reached the actuation point. Like membrane switches, there is really only a click when you bottom out the keys.

The Blue and Brown Cherry MX switches are what’s known as tactile switches. They physically click when the actuation point is reached. That clicking mechanism, however, means that the actuation and release points can’t be the same. The key has to travel back up beyond that mechanism to reset. Don’t think that it is that much of a difference, however. The switches are small, and you would probably allow the Red and Black Switches to travel that much anyway just out of habit. The nice part about the tactile switches is that you know when you have reached the actuation point because the key tells you. You can hear the audible switch and feel the bump. That feedback is another feature that draws a lot of people to mechanical keyboards. Between the two, the Brown switches have a smaller difference between the actuation and reset points because of the floating actuator in the Blue switches. This also gives the Blue switches more tactile feedback.

All in all, the differences really boil down to personal preference. I happen to like the Brown switches, because I get that tactile feedback while still taking advantage of the low actuation force. I also like the Red switches because of the low actuation force and that combined actuation/reset point. That being said, you really have to try them out to figure out what your preferences are.

One of the major benefits of mechanical keyboards that we haven’t talked about yet is insane lifespan. Even the best hybrid membrane keyboards have a lifetime of up to only 15 million or so strokes per key. More inexpensive keyboards only last between 1 and 5 million keystrokes. That’s a mere drop in the bucket compared to the CM Storm MECH Mechanical Keyboard, with keys rated for upwards of 50 million strokes. In pure lifespan alone that means you might go through 10 or more keyboards within the same time that you can keep the CM Storm MECH.

Software

The CM Storm MECH Keyboard software doesn’t come on a disc with the keyboard, you need to download it from the website. That’s alright by me, since I’m always connected to the internet, but if you aren’t you’ll have to connect to get the software if you want to customize your profile. When I went to download the software, I first went to the Cooler Master USA website. The version of software there was 1.2.1, which is outdated and didn’t work on my computer. At the time of publishing, the updated version is 1.3.0 and can be found on the CM Storm website.

The MECH software opens up to the Storm CFG tab; the first of three tabs in the software. Within the Storm CFG tab you can select one of up to five profiles. Within the profiles you can actually change the function of almost any button on the keyboard. The top area of the tab shows the key that you have highlighted and gives you options for what you can change. Click the red button next to the description to change the function of the button.

The available options are:

• Default – Just your normally expected action for the button. A = A, 1=1, etc.
• Single Key – Lets you change the key to any other key. A=B, 1=2, etc.
• Macro – You pick one of your programmed macros and assign it to that key.
• Advanced – You can assign the key a volume control or media function, similar to the FN+F5-F11 keys.
• No Function – Disables the key.
• Launch Program – Assigns a program to launch when you press the key.

If you get confused about which keys you have changed to what assignations, you can click the little boxes next to the red buttons to change the color associated with the functions. Each key that is assigned to that function will show up in that color on the keyboard map.

The next tab is the Profiles tab. Quite obviously, the Profiles tab lets you configure the various profiles that you have assigned to the CM Storm MECH Keyboard. The top half of the tab is dedicated to the profiles stored within the 128kb of memory within the keyboard. You can store up to five profiles here. If you take the keyboard with you to use on other systems, this is where you’ll want to store the profiles you’ll need. The bottom half of the tab shows the profiles stored in your system’s memory.

The features in the Profiles tab are pretty self explanatory. You can create new profiles or delete old ones. If you only want to change a few things, you can make a copy a profile so you don’t have to start over. The best part about this tab, in my opinion, is that column that says application. You can assign any of your profiles to a specific application so that, whenever you run the application, the keyboard automatically switches to that profile (if the auto-switch button is clicked).

The final tab is the Macro Studio tab. I’ll bet you can guess what you do in this tab. There are a couple of ways to do it, though, so I’ll go through those.

The quickest way to make a macro for the CM Storm MECH Keyboard is to make a new macro and use the Record button. After clicking the Record button, you’ll get a pop up with options for 1:1 Mode, Speed Mode, and God Mode with an explanation for each of them. As soon as you click OK, the recording starts. You have 30 seconds to enter up to 25 different key presses. The other option for making a macro is to create a new macro and use the action dropdown menu to the right. You can manually insert commands and times there to make the macro do what you want, using the virtual keyboard and mouse rather than the actually keyboard and mouse to pick.

Once you save a macro you can go back the Storm CFG tab and assign it to a key. You can then set it to run once, 2 to 10 times, in a loop, or as long as the button is held down. And there you have it. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for experimentation.

While most of what makes a keyboard good or bad is purely preferential, there are a few things that we can test for to make sure that the CM Storm MECH Mechanical Keyboard lives up to it’s claims and feature set. I can tell you all day long that I like the tactile feedback of the Cherry MX Brown switches and the keyboard is functional and full-featured, but that all boils down to my preference. It could be that you don’t like the tactile feedback, or that the Cherry MX Brown switches actuation force is too little for you. You might not like the hard wrist-rest or the pure size of the keyboard. To tell you the truth, I’m not really a fan of the carry handle, since I won’t likely be transporting the CM Storm MECH very often. It makes the keyboard so big that it takes up most of the room on my desk.

In any event, the CM Storm MECH Mechanical Keyboard claims to have 64 key rollover capabilities, which would alleviate ghosting effects. Ghosting happens when your keyboard can’t recognize certain combinations of keystrokes. This is usually more of a problem with membrane keyboards, since each key does not have it’s own individual switch. You can imagine the trouble that ghosting might cause if you think of playing a game where you are trying to sprint (SHIFT), run diagonally (A+W), and reload (R), all at the same time. If your keyboard won’t recognize some three key combinations, you could end up running in the wrong direction and with out of ammo when you need it.

To test out the n-key rollover capabilities and the anti-ghosting of the CM Storm MECH Keyboard, there are a few places you can go. A site that I like that incorporates many of the these tests is located at controlspace.org. The site has an input field to test your keyboard’s rollover behavior. To test it, you press down both shift keys at the same time and type the phrase, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” That will check every letter on your keyboard. I tested out four of my keyboards on the site. Check out the results below:

CM Storm MECH

THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOG

Ideazon MERC

HE QUIK BROWN FO JUPS OER HE LA DOG

HP KUS0133

HE QUIK BROWN FO JUPS OER HE LA DOG

Rosewill RK-7431

HE QUIC BROWN OX UMP OVER HE Z OG

To check ghosting, I used Microsoft’s Ghosting Demo. Here you can test out which key combinations work together. Ghosting generally occurs with three-key combinations.There a thousands of combinations that you can test. I just pressed down as many keys as I could at the same time with one hand to see how many would be recognized by the ghosting demo.

As you can see from both of the tests, the CM Storm MECH Mechanical Keyboard doesn’t suffer from the ghosting affects that the membrane keyboards have. The ghosting demo shows that as many keys as I could press down at the same time all registered. Try as I might, I couldn’t press 64 keys at the same time, but as many as I could press was enough to show that the CM Storm MECH is superior in this regard to membrane keyboards.

Keyboards are interesting peripherals. There are thousands of different styles and types and dozens of different manufacturers. What types you like or dislike really boils down to personal preference. In a market where keyboards can be had for a few dollars, mechanical keyboards have really become a niche product. If you remember back to the early days of personal computing, you’ll probably have a good idea of what to expect from a mechanical keyboard. Don’t think they haven’t come a long way, however.

With gamers and typists realizing the benefits of mechanical keyboards, there are dozens available from all sorts of manufacturers. That, of course, breeds competition, which is good for mechanical keyboards, because every manufacturer wants to add that little bit of extra functionality that sets their keyboard apart. Even the mechanical switches are still being improved. Cherry MX Red switches came on the scene in 2008 and are now arguably the most preferred by Gamers due to the actuation/reset point, low actuation force, and low tactile feedback. New mechanical keyboards also commonly include LED backlighting, macro functionality, onboard memory, and a host of other features. All this innovation means that you can find all the features that you love and get the benefits of a mechanical keyboard as well.

The fact still remains, however, that mechanical keyboards are expensive and they don’t suit everyone’s taster. If you don’t spend a lot of time using a keyboard, you may not notice that a membrane keyboard causes hand fatigue. If you don’t game a lot, you may not be concerned about the the actuation and reset points and the fractions of a second that can be saved when double- or multi-tapping a single key. For those reasons, mechanical keyboards still only fill the needs of a niche market and aren’t something that everyone will be interested in.

I, for one, both type a lot and game a lot. That makes a mechanical keyboard very advantageous on multiple levels. I like the tactile feedback, but I also like low actuation force, easy double-tapping, backlighting, and macros. That’s makes a mechanical keyboard perfect for me, but you’ll have to make up your own mind.

IMPORTANT: Although the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, please be advised that every author perceives these factors differently at various points in time. While we each do our best to ensure that all aspects of the product are considered, there are often times unforeseen market conditions and manufacturer changes which occur after publication that could render our rating obsolete. Please do not base any purchase solely on our conclusion as it represents our product rating specifically for the product tested, which may differ from future versions of the same product. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas that we rate.

In terms of performance, the CM Storm MECH Mechanical Keyboard did everything it was supposed to. I couldn’t fully test the 64 key rollover capability, but I pressed as many keys as I could and they all registered. If I ever do have to use 64 simultaneous key presses, I’ll definitely update and let you know. As far as gaming goes, I can crouch, sprint, run diagonally, reload, and jump at the same time, so I think I’m good. The mechanical switches are great, in my opinion. I’m a big fan of the brown switches for both typing and gaming. Some gamers like the red switches better for gaming, but I like the tactile feedback on the brown switches.

I also like the look of the CM Storm MECH keyboard, for the most part. I like the contrast between the silver and black. I also like the customizable plate, although I think it would be nice if CM Storm offered some designs, as I’m not sure if I will actually get around to customizing it myself. I like the wrist-rest, although some might find the hard-plastic uncomfortable. What I don’t like is how the carry handle affects the appearance. I think it looks out of place, like a piece that was added as an afterthought and doesn’t quite fit in. It would be nice if it were removable, especially since I probably won’t use it.

As with all CM Storm devices that I have tested, the CM Storm MECH Keyboard is very solidly constructed. The Cherry MX Brown switches are rated for 50 million strokes, which is light years ahead of membrane keyboards. The customizable aluminum plate is certainly solid. The rest of the CM Storm Mech is made of durable and solid plastic, which feels like it could certainly take some abuse if necessary. Even the carry handle, although I might not find it useful, is solid and rugged. With the detachable USB cable, I think I could probably use the CM Storm MECH as a pretty formidable weapon against a would be intruder. It has definitely proven to be a formidable weapon for me in BF4.

Which brings me to the functionality of the CM Storm MECH. It is a great gaming keyboard and provides functionality for everything a gamer needs in a keyboard. The Cherry MX switches give you long lifespan, tactile feedback, and surprising durability. You also get up to 64 key rollover and apparently no ghosting. The LED backlighting lets you type or game in the dark, with five different brightness settings no less. The three different modes let you light up only the keys you need, or everything if you want. The carry handle also adds functionality if you want to take the keyboard with you to use on different computers. Paired with the 128kb of onboard memory that can store up to 5 different profiles, this could be very useful. I guess I can potentially see the use as a typing keyboard at work and a gaming keyboard at home. Finally, the USB 3.0 hub and Audio I/O bring the functionality full circle. It let me plug the CM Storm Pulse right in to the back of the keyboard, LED USB cable and all!

The CM Storm MECH Mechanical Gaming Keyboard has a MSRP of $159.99. That puts it near the top end of mechanical gaming keyboards, but right in the mid-range of mechanical gaming keyboards with LED backlighting. $159.99 for a keyboard, in my opinion, makes the CM Storm MECH, or any backlit mechanical gaming keyboard for that matter, a luxury item. It’s not something most people will splurge on unless they are really going to make use of it. For heavy typists and, of course, heavy gamers, a mechanical keyboard is a must. For the amount of features it presents, from the onboard memory, separate profiles with auto-switch functionality, USB 3.0 hub, backlighting, and more, the CM Storm MECH Keyboard has a good price. I’m not going to lie and say I wouldn’t like it to be less expensive, but it is priced competitively and certainly worth it.

+ Low Actuation Force
+ Tactile Feedback
+ 64 Key Rollover
+ Customizable plate
+ 3 LED Modes and 5 Brightness Levels
+ Carry Handle (Could be pro for some)
+ USB 3.0 Hub
+ Detachable Cord
– Huge and Heavy
– Carry Handle (I personally don’t like it)
– No plate designs available to buy

• Performance: 9.00
• Appearance: 8.50
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 9.50
• Value: 8.50

Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.

COMMENT QUESTION: Which switches do you prefer in a mechanical keyboard?