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CM Storm Quick Fire Pro review!

Specifications:
Key Switch CHERRY Black / Blue/ Brown/ Red
N-Key Rollover 6/Full N Key
Polling Rate 1000HZ/1ms
Backlighting Partial Keys
Windows Key Disable Yes
Media Keys Yes
Interface USB 2.0 Full Speed
Cable Length 1.8 m
Dimensions 454(L) x 155(W) x 31(H) mm
17.9(L) x 6.1 (W) x 1.2(H) inch
Weight 1300 g / 2.86 lb

While these are the basic specifications I thought I would go over the features of the keyboard that I find important as a gamer.

Sturdy: This keyboard is rock solid, while I am not an abusive gamer you could probably bash this keyboard quite hard and it would stay together easily. While I obviously don’t recommend abusing your keyboard in said ways, its important to note that it will keep together while traveling to LAN’s and can handle any accidental droppage during events.

Backlighting: While the keyboard is specified as backlit, it is only backlit on the left hand side of the keyboard, while this doesn’t bother me since I don’t actually look down at my keys if you are after aesthetics then this is important to note. What I do like however is the fact that you can change the mode and backlight to only the WASD keys. Sometimes when I am midgame and accidentally move my hand across, so this acts like a homing beacon of sorts allowing me to reposition my hand without having to actually look down. You can also increase/decrease the brightness, I personally just have mine set to max.


Media keys+lockable FN key: Basically with the use of the FN key you can increase/decrease the intensity of the back-light, change the song/volume and most importantly, lock the windows key. While this isn’t a huge deal for SC2 since you can do this in the ingame options it is extremely handy when playing other games and means you don’t need to manually remove your windows key (or in this keyboards case the CM Storm logo). As stated the FN key is lockable and also on the right hand side, meaning you don’t accidentally hit it and screw up all your camera hotkeys. This can be troublesome though if you forget to turn it off and then wonder why your camera keys aren’t working. You can also change the polling rate to 8/4/2/1ms, this allows you to swap the polling rate depending on what activity your doing whether it be Sc2, typing or other games. While the difference is pretty small its still a nice option to have.

Ease of transport: Put simply this keyboard fits into my backpack and still leaves room for other equipment, while this is obviously partly to do with the size of my backpack, my previous keyboards have not fit in it (too long). The cable is also detachable, allowing you to store it separately when traveling and not have a huge bunch of cables all tangled up. This is one of those small bonuses that I think alot of people underrate, less fuss=more time for other things!


No software required: This could be seen as both a positive and a negative, however for me this is definitely a positive. You just plug it in and play, there is no mucking around with settings to try and get the most out of it and there is no software taking up disk space/CPU usage. While I can understand some people wanting to tinker with settings etc I am not one of them, give me something that works so that I can play straight away and not have to muck about!

The keycaps/font: I’m going to be honest one of my favorite things about this keyboard is the CM Storm font they use, while this is hilarious since as I’ve stated I don’t look down at my keys. It’s still a good thing to be proud of your equipment, which I am!

Upgrading to mechanical switches: This is probably the most important part for me. My old keyboard was a Logitech g15, a very popular keyboard classified as being for “gamers”. The g15 does not have mechanical switches, instead using a rubber dome. While anyone will tell you that mechanical switches are superior I would really like to enforce this point. No matter what the keyboard says it is, no matter how many macro keys it has, if it doesn’t have mechanical switches it is not a gaming keyboard. The difference mechanical switches offer is absurd and is something I would recommend to any aspiring gamer. Get a mechanical keyboard!


What this means to me as a gamer: Previously on my old keyboard I felt like I was playing pretty fast, it actually felt hard mentally to play faster just because of the way the keys felt. As soon as I started playing on my Quick Fire Pro I realized how slowly I was playing and how much potential I had to improve my game mechanically. While this sounds a little silly, It’s amazing how much improving your gear can change your mindset. I can actually attest that this keyboard has improved my game substantially, I feel a whole new set of possibilities opening up and I can almost feel myself improving daily. I am also able to play for longer, whether this is the switches or the design I cant really tell, but needless to say I don’t really feel worn out after a long session or have to stop playing due to wrist pain.

Availability: What really surprised me about this keyboard was the price. Currently retailing on mwave.com for around $100 I was a little shocked considering it was cheaper than my old Logitech g15, which I paid $120 for at the time. Black, Blue, Brown and Red switches are all available, overall the differences are pretty nominal but still very important. In terms of switches I personally prefer reds as i find it more comfortable and easier to type with than the other switches and therefore those are the switches I would recommend.

Overall: If you are currently wanting to upgrade/buy a new keyboard I would highly recommend the CM Storm Quick Fire Pro. It is 0 fuss and offers you a sturdy design, mechanical switches along with basic features for an affordable price. This is especially relevant to me as a player that has always felt like I was on a plateau and stuck around a low GM level. Upgrading my gear helped me take my game to the next level, if you are struggling give it a try!