Cooler Master’s “CM Storm” line of keyboards are quite well respected throughout the industry and CM Storm offer one of the widest range of keyboards both in terms of different models and with a variety of different key switches. Cooler Master’s latest addition to the CM Storm line is the QuickFire XT and this doesn’t really try and do anything that different to previous CM Storm keyboards. To me this simply looks like a more compact and “less flashy” version of the CM Storm QuickFire Pro.
As you can see Cooler Master are going really minimal on the branding. As far as I can tell there are no CM Storm keys or CM Storm logos on the top of the keyboard, there is one on the back plate with the USB 2.0 input. The QuickFire XT uses laser marked key caps and a matte finish. It is operational in both PS/2 and USB modes as well as having media keys accessible with the function button. Though these keys are not dedicated as they are shared with the F5-F12 keys. Unlike previous keyboards I am glad to see CM Storm doing away with the stupid CM Storm keys. I myself have the CM Storm Trigger and it was one of my dislikes.
Impressively CM Storm will offer this keyboard with red, green, brown or blue switches – though there is always regional variability. As you can see the back offers only a single USB 2.0 connection so there is no additional connectivity. Pricing and availability will come soon and will vary by region. On the CM Storm USA store the red version is selling for $99.99 while the blue version is selling for $89.99.
Images courtesy of CM Storm
I couldn’t agree with you more on those silly CM Storm keys. Pity it has no back lighting, a (full) wrist rest and the option of Cherry blacks (my favourite, but the blues aren’t a bad option) because that’ll make it ideal keyboard for me personally. That said, those extras just serve to drive the price up and it’s expensive enough as it is. In the meantime I’ll just soldier on with my Trigger. I would’ve grabbed the Corsair K70 I tested in a heartbeat if it wasn’t for those Cherry reds. Pity.
I have a K70 its a really nice keyboard and it comes in brown and blue as well now so just get it. I had a Trigger before and the K70 is way way better, the trigger was ok but the outer shell was a bit flimsy and you cant beat dedicated media keys.
I know it does but you don’t understand, I don’t pay for these things, they are supplied to me & I test whatever the supplier sends me. Some stuff I can accept as a sample, others I return. Unfortunately my supplier only had a K70 with red keys in stock when I requested a test sample so after the testing was finished I passed it on. If I’d received a sample with blue keys I wouldn’t have been so quick.
Ah fair enough that kinda sucks 🙁
Not really. It has it’s perks as with most jobs.
Looks exactly like a Filco Majestouch. Wouldn’t be the first time that CM has used Costar so it probably is identical on the inside as well. Would be interesting to see which stabilizers it uses as that is the tell tail sign.