Cooler Master CK720 65% Gaming Keyboard Review
Peter Donnell / 2 years ago
How Much Does it Cost?
The Cooler Master CK720 65% Gaming Keyboard is available now for just £99.99 at most major retailers, it’s on Scan for £94.99 with a small sale right now, and even comes with a free Xclio Invade XXL mat right now too, but for some reason, the price is showing a little higher on Amazon at the moment. That’s about £20 cheaper than the Asus ROG Falchion, £70 cheaper than the Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini, and £5 less than the HyperX Allow Origins 65. So really, the price is very competitive, and bonus, not all the rivals at hot-swappable either or aluminium so a couple of points to Cooler Master there.
Overview
There’s really no shortage of kick-ass mechanical gaming keyboards, there are countless models from seemingly countless brands. You only have to check Amazon to see brand names like XXTSLK or SLICKMICK or Whogivesabibble, OK I made those up, but they’re no less random than the thousands you’ll find. However, let’s stick to the big names, Razer, Corsair, ASUS, Cooler Master, Ducky, they all have something around this price, so you’re not limited to one brand regardless of your budget. All the big brands have a 65% keyboard now too, but as I said above, prices vary wildly, and in the grand scheme of things, Cooler Master is on the more affordable end of high-end keyboard prices right now.
In terms of build quality, the CK720 it top-tier stuff, but then again, Cooler Master has a long history and reputation for overbuilding their keyboards, and I’m glad that’s still true. You can always tell the Cooler Master blindfolded as it’s most often the heaviest of the bunch and for a 65% keyboard, this thing is pretty heavy. It is packed full of silicone pads and more metal so that it doesn’t rattle, echo, vibrate or anything really, so when you smash away at those keys, the only feedback you get is from the little switches, and honestly, it feels and sounds so nice as a result.
The customisation is not something I suspect many will do, but it’s nice to have the option. Being able to hot-swap the switches in a few seconds means that regular folk can have a go at it, rather than the old enthusiast boards that needed a soldering iron. The 8 x Cherry Green switches in the box act as a nice tester for this too, but personally, the Kailh White Box switches are so good, you’ll likely want to retain them. I should remind you, there are other switches available pre-installed, so pick what suits you best.
Should I Buy One?
The Cooler Master CK720 65% Gaming Keyboard is one of the best-made, robust, and stylish 65% keyboards on the market today, which is made even more impressive when you realise it’s also one of the most affordable, despite having the pedigree that Cooler Master has continued to bring to their keyboards over many years. For the office, the lack of F-keys and Numberpad can be tiresome, but you do adapt after a while. However, for pure gaming excellence, this one is going to be hard to beat.