CM Storm Quickfire TK Review

Overview

 

What we have here is the CM Storm Quickfire TK gaming keyboard. This particular keyboard (SGK-4020-GKCR1) features Cherry MX Red mechanical switches and as you can see from the image below left we have received an early non-retail version specifically for review. The keyboard is also available with either Brown or Blue switches (see Specifications/Features).

 

 

In this instance the box provided very little information of what was inside so let’s just get on and open it, shall we…

 

 

The accessories include a key puller for removal of individual keys and a 1.8 metre braided cable for connecting the keyboard to your rig.

In this case (as this was a pre-production sample) no instructions were included, Cooler Master have stated that the full retail version will have the User Guide in the box. If not the instructions (PDF) can be downloaded from here.

After reading the instructions the keyboard has the following additional functions:

• LED Backlight Control
• Media Keys
• Windows Lock Key
• Full N Key Rollover / 6 Key Rollover

Once the protective packaging was removed the CM Storm Quickfire TK could be seen for the first time.

 

 

At the time of writing Scan.co.uk are selling the CM Storm Quickfire TK for approximately £68.00 and it comes with a 2 year limited warranty.

 

Specifications/Features

courtesy of CM Storm

* Additional details available here

 

First Impressions

 

The CM Storm Quickfire TK keyboard fits into the compact variety of keyboards when it comes to size. The merging of the cursor / home keys onto the numeric keypad means this keyboard is definitely a lot smaller than my current Logitech G15 keyboard. It’s obvious from its feel that the CM Storm Quickfire TK is well built as it feels particularly solid when handled.

The keyboard has 4 rubber pads on its underside to prevent the keyboard from moving. The feet also have rubber on the bottom. The mini USB connection is situated on the underside of the keyboard in the centre, which is well away from the keyboard’s feet, these can be used to raise the back of the keyboard if your gaming/typing preference requires it.

 

 

The underside of the keyboard also has several channels into which the braided keyboard USB cable can be inserted to help keep your desk tidy.

 

 

After downloading the user guide I was slightly perplexed by NKRO/6NKRO mode? which the keyboard is supposed to do? After a little bit of research I found that is stands for ‘n-Key Rollover’, or in English, the ability of the keyboard to detect more than n keys depressed at the same time. This should allow you to provide more accurate instructions, via the keyboard to your avatar / vehicle / soldier etc.

 

Hardware Installation

 

The enclosed 1.8 metre braided cable was connected to the mini USB connection under the keyboard and channeled through the rear of the keyboard to allow the USB A connector to connect to my Test Rig.

 

Testing Methodology/Setup

 

The CM Storm Quickfire TK keyboard was tested using my Test Rig, running Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit (Service Pack 1) with all associated drivers installed. As no software is supplied or required for the CM Storm Quickfire TK keyboard no fresh install of Windows was performed.

The keyboard was then tested with the following games / software over a 3 week plus test period:

• Call of Duty – Black Ops 2
• Blacklight Retribution
• Crysis 2
• Media Player (testing of media keys)

 

Hardware Performance

 

I must confess that the CM Storm Quickfire TK keyboard is the first mechanical keyboard that I have had the pleasure of testing.

In the past I haven’t seen the need to use a mechanical keyboard over normal membrane keyboards. I have to say that my thoughts on this have now changed. Initially when testing the keyboard I didn’t think there was any difference so partway through the test I went back to my own keyboard and was amazed at the difference a mechanical keyboard makes. I can assure you that my old keyboard was replaced with the CM Storm Quickfire TK again the next day. The rubber pads at the base of the keyboard locks the keyboard to the desk and prevents the keyboard from moving even during those intense firefight moments in game. When the keyboard is raised onto its feet the rubber pads on the bottom of the feet don’t have the same stability level as the rubber pads on the base of the keyboard. In using the keyboard in the upright position I have had it slide on the desk a couple of times in game. The feet themselves have been stable (i.e. not collapsed) and kept the keyboard in the raised position throughout the test.

The keyboard doesn’t have a wrist rest so if you used to being lazy with your wrists you may find the Quickfire TK a little uncomfortable…

The keyboard’s special functions (lighting, media keys, Windows lock key and NKRO) are accessed by using a function key (FN). Pressing the FN key at the same time as any of the F1-F12 keys enables a second function programmed to this key. This FN key can be found just to the left of the keyboard’s right CTRL key. The function key can be activated in 2 ways. By holding the FN key for 3 seconds you can lock the FN key in an always on state, pressing the FN key for 3 seconds again restores the F1-F12 keys to their default functions. Or by just holding the FN key (for less than three seconds!) and pressing one of the F1-F12 keys. This first state is similar to using the CAPS LOCK key, the second state is similar to using the SHIFT key.

 

LED Backlight Control

The keyboard comes with 3 different modes of backlighting

• WSAD
• Full
• Breathing (not shown)

 

 

The WASD mode illuminates the WSAD keys and cursor keys (the cursor keys on the numeric pad are illuminated only when Number Lock is off).

Full back light mode illuminates the whole keyboard excluding the function key (FN) and Windows lock key. These keys are only illuminated when the function is selected.

For each lighting mode, 5 levels of illumination can be selected to allow you to select the right level for your own preference.

The breathing mode illuminates the whole keyboard while pulsing the back light through its 5 levels of light over a 4 to 5 second period. I personally didn’t like this mode and after 5 minutes found it to be very annoying!

In all modes when you activate the Number Lock the keyboard switches off the lights under the four cursor keys. This is showing you that the cursor functionality has now effectively been superseded by the numbers only functionality (i.e. the cursor keys no longer work). In full back light and breathing mode this leaves you with a partially lit numeric keypad. This isn’t an issue when using the keyboard for gaming, but could be if your using the keyboard for general office use etc. This is a compromise that you have to accept as this is a compact gaming keyboard after all.

With cursor key lighting in mind I decided to use the keycap puller which was included with the keyboard to remove the cursor keys and the 1 and 3 key to see how the keys are illuminated

 

 

Ignoring the slight flare from the red LEDs it shows that the LEDs are positioned at the bottom of the cursor keys rather than at the top as for all of the other keys. So CM Storm have been clever to vertically change the arrangement of the mechanical keys to provide the lighting specifically for the keys to illuminate them in cursor mode.

 

 

The keyboard does remember what mode it was last in and returns to that mode on reboot.

At one point during the review I attempted to enter my gaming rigs BIOS. Unfortunately my motherboards BIOS didn’t recognize the keyboard at boot up and I had to use my old keyboard to enter the BIOS. After updating my motherboards BIOS with a later release the keyboard was recognised and provided access to the BIOS. This isn’t a problem in anyway with the keyboard, but is something to think about if your building a new machine and this keyboard is the only keyboard you will have access to.

Media Keys

The media keys functioned as expected and allow control over Windows Media Player. The only thing to note is that the volume keys have a small delay before the change in volume is noticeable. On the other hand the mute key worked immediately!

Windows Lock Key

As expected the Windows lock key function stops users from hitting the Windows key by accident and being brought back to the Windows desktop. It’s worth noting that in full backlight mode the Windows keys are illuminated irrelevant of the mode.

Full N Key Rollover / 6 Key Rollover

According to the instructions the keyboard mode can be changed between full NKRO and 6KRO mode. This is achieved by locking the function key (FN) and pressing the ‘ESC’ key and ‘N’ key to put the keyboard into full NKRO mode or pressing the ‘ESC’ key and ’6′ key to out the keyboard into 6KRO mode. Unfortunately the keyboard doesn’t have any means of indicating which mode the keyboard is in. Because of this oversight you can spend all the time in the world trying to switch between modes and still not have any idea which one you are in!

All I can report is that during the time I have been using the CM Storm Quickfire TK keyboard I never experienced any issues when gaming and have found the keyboard very responsive, to the point that I can no longer blame my keyboard when I die in game!

 

Final Thoughts

 

Overall I have enjoyed my time with the CM Storm Quickfire TK keyboard and it has now given me a problem. I am going to have to spend some time thinking as to whether I finally replace my trusty Logitech G15. I admit I would miss the LCD panel, but the mechanical keys are very tempting. With this in mind it’s worth looking at the other aspects of the CM Storm Quickfire TK keyboard as it does have a few minor issues:

• The keyboard isn’t as stable when raised up on its rear feet and it can occasionally slip
• NKRO Which mode are you in?

The lack of an indicator to show which mode (NKRO/6KRO) the keyboard is in is an oversight, but for the low price of around £68.00 (at the time of review) for this keyboard it’s probably expected. It’s also worth noting that for around £65 you can find other Full Size mechanical keyboards in the market place.

But the one thing the CM Storm Quickfire TK Mechanical Keyboard does bring to the table is its ability for precision keystrokes to be recognised which allows you to respond in game without any hesitation, and as noted above if the keyboard is responding with a high level of accuracy then it can only be your own fault when things don’t go right in game.

 

Verdict