Cooler Master Masterkeys S Mechanical Keyboard Review

A Closer Look and Performance

The general aesthetics of this keyboard don’t offer much in the way of innovation, and that’s no bad thing. While this keyboard has all the tricks of the trade to make it a great gaming keyboard, it’ll look just fine sitting in the office. There’s no fancy RGB/LED lighting here at all, some may want it, but Cooler Master make plenty of keyboards with it. I love this more grown up and toned down approach. Those who don’t want massive wings and lights on their gaming keyboards are going to appreciate this too.

PBT is Greater than ABS

I’ve only had a couple of PBT equipped keyboards over the years, and they’ve always been a joy to use. The general feel of them under your fingertips is a little nicer, and they tend not to wear down or go smooth as quickly; we’re talking years rather than months of extensive use. They also have a different acoustic property and sound a little nicer. That doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it’s the little details that add up. With CM making these caps 1.5mm thick, they’re slightly heavier too, which makes the switch response a little lighter, requiring less force to trigger each one.

Gaming Features?

Tippy tapping away at the keys all day is love, but what else does this keyboard offer? First up, you’ll find that all the features on this keyboard are built-in. That means you’re not going to need any desktop software, and it’s always plug and play ready. F5-F8 feature controls for the adjustable repeat rate.

F9 has the Windows Key Lock, while F11-12 feature an on-the-fly macro recording engine. There are also controls for repeats and loops on the tip right, and multimedia controls below that. Overall, anything you need to do, from setting custom macros for Photoshop or farming mobs to skipping a few tracks of your favourite album while gaming, it’s all covered here.

The slim chassis is a welcome bonus too. Of course, the TKL design is going to save a lot more space than a slim chassis but combined the space saving it even better. This, combined with the removable cable makes the keyboard very easy to

The keyboard has four tough rubber grips, as well as two wide and durable kickstands that are sure to keep it well placed on your desktop. However, it’s quite a heavy keyboard, so mashing at the keys isn’t going to cause it to slide around anytime soon.

Overall, this is a fantastic keyboard to use for work and gaming. Not everyone will love the MX Green switches. Greens are a little heavier than MX Blue, but they have a loveable sound and tactile feel to them. Also, they’re a nice pairing with the thicker PBT keycaps. It’s fast, responsive and feels very accurate.