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CM Storm QuickFire Pro: Full NKRO over USB?

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling | April 4, 2012 - 04:51 PM |
Tagged: cooler master, mechanical keyboard

Cooler Master announces the Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Pro mechanical keyboard available soon in four different CHERRY flavors. They claim full N-Key Rollover (NKRO) through USB, which is a first to my knowledge.

Higher-end keyboards seem to be growing further and further in fashion as of late.

Cooler Master jumped into the mechanical keyboard market with their QuickFire Rapid release in late 2011. The Rapid was available in Cherry MX Blue and Cherry MX Red switches. The Rapid was a Tenkeyless design, sparing you the width of a number pad if you do not wish to have one.

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Of course only the Pro keyboard would have a numpad… only accountants use it or something.

Cooler Master has obviously found that the Rapid a successful product as they will launch a sister design allegedly sometime this month. The Storm QuickFire Pro is a partially backlit full-sized keyboard. The Rapid Pro will be available in Cherry MX Blue, MX Brown, MX Black, and MX Red switch designs. If you are curious about the differences between keyboard switches then check out my explanation in the Rosewill RK-9000v2 review.

The most interesting feature of this keyboard is their claim of full NKRO through USB. Traditionally in order to press every button down on a keyboard you are limited to using a PS/2 connection. Recent research at Microsoft increased the USB limit to approximately 18 keys from the usual 6kro. I would be curious to see someone put that keyboard through Aquakey to verify those claims.

The QuickFire Pro is expected to have an MSRP of $99.99. If they are like other keyboard manufacturers, that likely depends on the switch used.

Source: Cooler Master

Cooler Master's expanding Storm now features the Xornet gaming mouse

Subject: General Tech | February 6, 2012 - 02:35 PM |
Tagged: input, gaming mouse, cooler master, CMStorm, xornet

The CMStorm Xornet attempts to give you the performance of a full sized gaming mouse in a form small enough to be easily portable.  It still features the 2000 DPI Storm Tactical Optical Sensor that its bigger relatives sport as well as programmable buttons.  Red & Blackness Mods had some trouble getting used to the shape of the mouse, it is smaller lengthwise but much taller than other mice in the CMStorm lineup.  If you find yourself on the road and in need of a gaming mouse, for $30 CoolerMaster might have the perfect solution.

RaB_xornet.jpg

"Corsair has recently entered the mouse/keyboard gaming peripherals market and decided to make a good impression. The M90 mouse features multiple programmable buttons for RTS/MMO gamers, contains an aluminum chassis for increased durability and comes with the Avago Technologies ADNS-9500 LaserStream Gaming Sensor."

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Source: Red & Blackness Mods

There is an elegance in simplicity; Cooler Master's QuickFire Keyboard

Subject: General Tech | January 26, 2012 - 01:31 PM |
Tagged: quickfire rapid, mechanical keyboard, input, gaming, cooler master

If you prefer keyboards with built in fans, sirens, LEDs and a key count somewhere north of 200 then you might as well skip this review.  Cooler Master not only eschews extra function keys on the QuickFire Rapid gaming keyboard, they've also dropped the numpad.  The keyboard features CHERRY MX blue switches which are intended more for typists, with the red and black varieties more for usage by gamers.  Sporting a quick response time in USB mode and true n-key rollover in PS/2 mode, you won't find yourself dying because the game didn't register a keystroke.  If you are interested in a mechanical gaming keyboard and don't mind paying $80 then check out the review at Techgage.  If you want to shop around then check Scott's reivews on out front page.

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"CM's QuickFire Rapid gaming keyboard is unlike any other. It's not flashy, it doesn't have a bunch of bright LEDs, it has no macro support and... it has no numpad. So what is it that sets it apart? Its sturdy design and use of CHERRY MX blue mechanical key switches. Let's see if those features make up for what's lacking."

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Source: Techgage

The expanding Cosmos; Cooler Master thinks wider, taller, deeper and heavier

Subject: Cases and Cooling | January 23, 2012 - 05:55 PM |
Tagged: cooler master, cosmos ii

Be warned, the obvious handles on the Cooler Master are there for a reason!  That handy lip on the front of the case is not a handle, it is a spring loaded cover for your peripheral plugs and fan controller and should not be used to pick up the case.  There are 11 card slots at the back of the case, just to give you an idea how big this case really is and in the front are 13 places to stash 3.5" or 2.5" drives.  The official measurements are 27.7" x 13.5" x 26.1" (704 x 344 x 664 mm) so you will have no problems fitting in even the largest of GPU cards.  The Tech Report is a little shocked by the $350 price tag but ended up deciding that the case was worth that much to anyone willing to pay the price.

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"Cooler Master's latest creation is a follow-up to the revered Cosmos line of enthusiast enclosures. We put this super-sized newbie through its paces to see if the Cosmos II is worthy of carrying the torch."

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Source: The Tech Report

Video Perspective: Cooler Master Cosmos II Case Review

Author:
Date: January 18, 2012
Subject: Cases and Cooling
Manufacturer: Cooler Master
Tagged: video, cosmos ii, cosmos, cooler master

Cooler Master Aims to Impress

Right at the start of 2012, Cooler Master released a new case that was trumpeted as an "Ultra ATX" design.  And while the name itself is purely a Cooler Master creation, the Cosmos II chassis fits the name more than anything we have seen in recent memory.  Even though we posted this video on our PC Perspective YouTube channel before CES, I didn't get a chance to write up this short post and embed our host of images below.  

This is an impressive chassis design with tons of features and great layout decisions that needs to be seen to be understood - hence the video review below!

Cooler Master's new Cosmos II case is going to cost you $349 and while that price is extremely high, the fact is this is designed exactly for the PC builder that doesn't want to compromise on anything.  It weights nearly 50 pounds without a single component installed and feels like it could take more than its fair share of beating without showing damage.  Still, it is unique and stylish enough to look good at the same time. 

If you have the space and the money for the Cosmos II, then you will undoubtedly be happy with the purchase.

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If you still want to see some photos of the Cosmos II, I have included an assortment of them below along with some descriptions and notes. 

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Continue reading our review of the Cooler Master Cosmos II Case!!

A CPU Cooling Heatsink With Built In Computer From AMD

Subject: Cases and Cooling | January 10, 2012 - 08:43 PM |
Tagged: nano-itx, heatsink, e-350, cooling, cooler master, CES, APU

At CES today we saw what at first resembles a Cooler Master V6 CPU heastink and fan combo. The processor cooler features a red 120mm fan housed in a black shroud which is then attached to the heatsink itself. The heatsink is a tower design with six copper heatpipes attached to a copper CPU block. The heatpipes then lead into a tower of aluminum fins to dissipate heat.

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On the back of the unit; however, there's a little something extra in the form of a nano-itx motherboard and AMD E-350 APU based on the Brazos platform. The computer is self contained and provides a number of connectivity options. For more information on the Brazos platform and E-350 APU, see our preview and review articles. A quick run down of the E-350 specifications; however, is below.

  • Two Bobcat CPU cores at 1.6 GHz
  • A Radeon HD 6310 GPU with 80 processing cores running at 500 MHz
  • A TDP of 18 watts
  • DirectX 11 Graphics and DDR3 Memory Support

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The bottom of the rear of the CPU cooler is the location of the nano-ITX motherboard's rear IO panel. The motherboard features Wi-Fi, HDMI, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, VGA(?), and e-SATA(?) connections.

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A side view of the Cooler Master heatsink is available below.

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It's certainly a new idea, and it will definitely hit home for people that don't need or want to run their power hungry main desktop all the time. Because the system is self contained it does present some usability issues. Mainly that you will need to have a KVM or VNC connection to control it and the inside of the computer case is going to become a lot more crowded with cables. Further, it would be a pain to have to open up the main desktop system just to plug in a flash drive or cable. On the other hand, it'd make for a nice media or file server and would not require the desktop be on 24/7 without needing yet another box crowding my desk so I'd give it a shot. (The inside of my computer case is already a mess of wires so what do I have to lose?)

What are your thoughts on this somewhat strange CPU cooler?

PC Perspective's CES 2012 coverage is sponsored by MSI Computer.

Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!

Source: PC Perspective

Cooler Master's fully controllable Silent Pro Hybrid 850W PSU

Subject: Cases and Cooling | January 4, 2012 - 02:18 PM |
Tagged: Silent Pro Hybrid 850W, PSU, modular psu, cooler master, 80 gold

Cooler Master's new Silent Pro Hybrid 850W PSU differs somewhat from your average PSU.  Like many it is fully modular and uses a single 12V rail which is becoming common for high wattage PSUs.  The 80+ Gold rating is a little rarer but what really makes it stand out is a faceplate that acts as a fan controller.  The controller allows a variety of speeds to be set for the PSU fan as well as three system fans and can even switch the PSU into fanless mode to make this PSU truly silent.  Guru3D put the PSU through its paces and were truly impressed by this ~$200 PSU, see why in the full review.

If you are looking for a little less power, Lee just wrapped up his review of the Corsair TX550M and TX750M PSUs.

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"Cooler Master launched the new Cooler Master Silent Pro Hybrid PSU series. The end result as such is enticing alright, a very nice power supply rates 80+ gold, that comes with a modular design and one big massive 12V rail, which we all like so very much. Carrying a 80+ Gold certification (90% efficiency at typical load) , being modular, with included fan controller and having good looks yeah the Silent Pro Hybrid promises to be an excellent product series."

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Source: Guru3D

Cooler Master invents a new form factor to handle their monstrous new Cosmos II Ultra enclosure

Subject: Cases and Cooling | January 3, 2012 - 02:25 PM |
Tagged: cooler master, Cosmos II Ultra

Cooler Master has released the second version of their COSMOS case, which has grown so much larger in all dimensions that Cooler Master has decided to call it an Ultra tower.  The size has also increased the air capabilities of the case with larger and more numerous fans as well as providing space and tools for a bottom mounted reservoir.  They also focused on cable management features which makes sense when there are 13 drive bays in total.  The size of this case will accept XL-ATX motherboards, multiple GPUs of up to 15.1" and even extra long PSUs.  The only thing that Legit Reviews felt was lacking with the case were casters to move the 50lb monster.

For more visually focused individuals you can catch a video of Ryan reviewing the Corsair Carbide 500R and 400R cases.

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"At first glance the COSMOS II looks very similar to the original case as it has the top and bottom rails still, but beyond that it is very different. For one thing it is bigger in all dimensions with the original Cosmos at 10.47"(W) x 23.54"(H) x 24.72" (D) but the new and improved Cosmos II Ultra Tower stands a whopping 13.5"(W) x 27.7"(H) x 26.1"(D). This is larger than most cases classified as a Full Tower which is why Cooler Master came up with the Ultra Tower category..."

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Source: Legit Reviews

Coolermasters new mouse for the small of hand

Subject: General Tech | November 4, 2011 - 03:26 PM |
Tagged: cooler master, storm xornet, gaming mouse

Measuring only 4"x4.2"x1.3" the new CoolerMaster Storm Xornet is not one of the larger gaming mice on the market. It still sports the 2000 DPI Storm Tactical Optical Sensor common to CoolerMaster's eSports line, which means it certainly qualifies as a gaming mouse.  High Tech Legion were surprised how quickly they got used to the claw style grip that this mouse encourages and did not mind the new position at all, pointing out that the rest for your pinky finger.  For $30 this shrunken version of the CoolerMaster Storm Spawn gets their recommendation.

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"The CM Storm Xornet is a basic gaming mouse designed for claw-grip users. The CM Storm Xornet’s shell is essentially a black version of the CM Storm Spawn but internally, the CM Storm Xornet is outfitted with the Avago ADNS-3050 optical LED sensor with adjustable DPI settings of 500, 1000 (default) and 2000. Similar to the CM Storm Spawn, the CM Storm Xornet features long-lasting Omron micro-switches with a lifetime span of 5,000,000 clicks. Whether you are an e-Sports athlete or just a hardcore gamer, the CM Storm Xornet will fit your needs and your budget."

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Source: Hi Tech Legion

CM Storm Trooper; great case but a lousy shot with a blaster

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 29, 2011 - 02:21 PM |
Tagged: cooler master, storm trooper, XL-ATX

The Cooler Master Storm Trooper joins a small group of XL-ATX cases available to fit such large motherboards as the EVGA SR-2.  Not only will it fit extra large motherboards, you can add 14 drives and several 240mm radiators if you so desire in this 250 x 605.6 x 578.5 mm (9.8" x 23.8" x 22.8") case.  With all that space they could fit a lot on the outside of the case as well, a 2.5" external docking station, a pair of USB 3.0 and a pair of USB 2.0 connectors, as well as an eSATA port.    Headphone and microphone jacks and an LED On/Off button for the fans and three LED lights to indicate what setting you have the 6-speed fan controller set to.  Head over to Bjorn3D for a full review.

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"Ever since the HAF X was released last year in June, we haven't seen anything too exciting from Cooler Master. The HAF X supported XL-ATX motherboards like the GIGABYTE G1.Assassin or the EVGA Classified, but for extreme enthusiasts, it is a disappointment that there are only a limited number of cases that actually support these motherboards. Users can get modded cases, but that will cost a fortune, so Cooler Master designed a case that is not only very customizable, but also easy to carry around. This is a new addition to Cooler Master's Storm lineup of products, called the Cooler Master Storm Trooper."

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Source: Bjorn3D

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