Review of the Masterkeys Pro L & S RGB

 Introduction:

The Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro L RGB turned into the first mechanical keyboard that I ever bought. After days of gaining knowledge of and trying to find the first-class board that could healthy my wishes, I eventually pulled the cause.

In this assessment, I’ll be talking about my first impressions of the board and its foremost features. I become additionally capable of get fingers on with the MasterKeys Pro S RGB (The TKL or Tenkeyless model), so I’ll be relating to this board and its differences too.

Background:

The Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro line of keyboards feature both RGB and white LED backlit models. Here are a number of the primary selling factors of the Cooler Master forums:

•     Minimalist layout with no obnoxious styling or “on your face” branding
•     Controllable lights configured through the board itself or thru the downloadable software
•     White returned plate to make the LED lights pop
•     N-key rollover in which any wide variety of keys can be pressed on the same time and nevertheless check in
•     Authentic German engineered Cherry MX switches assured to work for 50 million keystrokes
•     three special layouts to choose from (Full Size, TKL, and a version of the TKL in which the arrow keys are built into the range pad which has changed the navigation cluster)
•     Ability to file and program macros

With this being said, permit’s get into the review!

Keycaps:

The inventory keycaps that include the board are standard shine-via ABS keycaps which efficiently permit the RGB lighting to illuminate your keys. The hues are particularly colourful so there may be no question which you’ll be capable of appreciate the effects day or night time.

One detail really worth citing is that the keycaps are thin and really easy with little to no texture. So if you who prefer a greater top class or grittier sense, I could advocate swapping out the stock keycaps for a extraordinary set later down the line.

The great factor approximately the Pro L’s (and Pro S’s) popular format is which you received’t have a hassle finding like minded keycap units.

Packaging and Contents:

The layout on the the front of the package deal is easy but effective. The Cooler Master brand and slogan are displayed at the pinnacle left nook immediately above the main photo.  A photograph of the keyboard version spans throughout the middle of the box with data concerning the switch, LEDs, and layout kind on the lowest.  

I decided on Cherry MX brown switches (tactile) for the Pro L and Cherry MX pink switches (linear) for the Pro S.

Flipping the box over famous various function descriptions of the keyboard. An photograph of the board’s construction is likewise proven.

As I’ve referred to earlier than, the MasterKeys Pro L RGB is the whole-sized board and the MasterKeys Pro S RGB is the TKL model and not using a number pad. They are almost same other than a few minor differences that I’ll bring up in the overview. These differences are marked by the following word:

Because of this, I will recognition specially at the Pro L and describe the disparities between the 2 forums when I reach a feature this is unique to at least one or the alternative.

Build:

The MasterKeys Pro L’s case feels very solid. It’s made from a robust plastic that provides minimal flex and has a very good weight to it. The bezel could be very skinny which contributes to that minimalistic look Cooler Master is going for.

The facets of the case are flat until you reach the bottom part of the case, at which point the lowest is angled inwards, efficaciously giving the board a more fashionable aesthetic.

Take a take a look at the photos underneath to understand what I’m speaking about:

Turning the board on its lower back well-knownshows four square rubber grips at the corners which forestall the board from transferring round.

2 rubber-covered turn up toes are placed on the 2 top edges to allow for an expanded typing enjoy in case you wish.

Safe to say, this keyboard received’t be going everywhere, even at some point of your maximum excessive gaming or work classes!
 

Switches:

Currently, the MasterKeys Pro line comes with the choice to select from three one of a kind forms of Cherry switches:

•     Cherry MX Red (Linear)
•     Cherry MX Brown (Tactile)
•     Cherry MX Blue (Clicky)

I ordered Cherry MX brown switches for the MasterKeys Pro L and Cherry MX Red switches for the Pro S.

These Cherry MX switches are verified to ultimate an entire life at 50 million key presses every, so you’ll by no means should fear about sturdiness.  Typing on each switches felt awesome (even though I choose tactile over linear switches) and are lots quieter in comparison to their MX blue counterpart.  Even after several months of typing, they nonetheless sense like new without any noticeable pings or different sounds.

You can constantly upload some O-rings or use some different sound dampening materials in case you assume the keyboard is a touch louder than you’d like.

Take a have a look at what the switch looks like while the LEDs are on:

As you may see, the north dealing with LEDs (positioned at the upper half of the switch instead of the lowest) are seated within the clean housing of the transfer. This is a plus for the reason that obvious housings permit the light to polish brighter.

Both the Pro L and S models come with commonplace Cherry style stabilizers which can be high-quality for the maximum part, but I’ve observed that they can rattle a chunk after some time. A little lube is an clean manner to assist repair this commonplace trouble!

Lighting and Software:

There are 10 lighting fixtures modes (11 if you encompass the “Off” setting) that you may configure via the board itself. They are:

•     Static coloration
•     Color Wave
•     Cross Mode
•     Single Key
•     Star Effect
•     Rain Drop
•     Color Cycle
•     Breath
•     Ripple
•     Snake (the sport)

Watch the video below to peer all of them in motion and extra:

You get even more alternatives within the lights software provided by Cooler Master which can be downloaded on their website. You can click the link beneath and pick out the Pro L or S RGB keyboard from the list.

After you do that, navigate to the crimson ribbon at the top of the web page and click on Download. Download Cooler Master Portal and SDK Download.

Once you down load the software, you can configure additional settings together with your device plugged in. Here is a screenshot of the GUI (Graphical User Interface) once it opens:

From here you may further customize the lighting fixtures settings in methods that you couldn’t just the use of the keyboard.

For instance, you could choose Customize in the LED Modes at the bottom left of the screen to allow multiple lighting mode, click and drag one of a kind regions on the board to use special colorings, or maybe allow the lighting fixtures to act as an equalizer synced up in your audio.

What’s clearly cool about the use of this software is that your keyboard will mirror the changes you are making on display in real time. So in case you select a lighting fixtures mode or spotlight a row and make it shiny red, the keyboard will display these adjustments right away.

In addition, you can also save your coloration profiles to more than one documents that you could get right of entry to and exchange with a few clicks of your mouse.

Another brilliant feature that proprietors of the Pro series keyboards (in particular the Pro L RGB, Pro S RGB, Pro L White, and Pro S White) can get right of entry to is the SDK portal located on the Cooler Master internet site.

Once right here, you can click on at the board you very own inside the Keyboard dropdown list and consider a decent sized gallery of lighting fixtures modes that other users have designed themselves.

After you’ve discovered one which you like, you simply must click it, extract the zip files, and double click on the utility report to open a dialog container to begin or stop the impact.

The handiest drawback of that is which you should keep the record walking in the background to take advantage of this custom lights mode.

Aurora has a greater reactive and customizable equalizer impact, can sync your keyboard with sure video games, and even reflect your display screen with the keyboard lights in actual time amongst other cool lighting results. You should surely check it out!

What’s Inside: 

Opening the field famous the keyboard wrapped snugly in a dirt and scratch resistant cover with  cubicles in the back of it. A preferred plastic keycap puller with metallic wires and a properly braided detachable 1.5m (four.Nine ft.) micro USB cable rest below those compartments.  A manual for the keyboard model is also covered.

The manual that includes the board contains the subsequent statistics:

•     Function controls enabled with the aid of conserving down FN and pressing some other key
•     Package contents
•     A full list of keyboard features in various languages (16.7 million RGB colour combos, capability to make macros, true Cherry  MX   switches, and so forth.)
•     Warranty description

Conclusion:

The Pro S comes with a proper-angled USB plug which might not be the appropriate setup for absolutely everyone.

The MasterKeys Pro L & S RGB are brilliant boards with some cool features packed into it. The builds are strong, the lighting fixtures pops, and they come with genuine Cherry MX switches that people can believe.  The minimalist style is likewise plus because it isn’t distracting in assessment to other gamer-orientated models that agencies like Corsair or Razer provide.