Software and Testing
An interesting note about the Trigger is that it only features Cherry Brown key-switches. The Quick Fire Pro, a cheaper keyboard, can be purchased with any of the 4 key-switches currently manufactured. So, my question is why would Cooler Master feature the option of an “any-type-key-switch” purchase on a lesser keyboard? I think it has to do with the fact that Cherry Browns just make sense with the application of this particular keyboard. The Quick Fire Pro was an outstanding keyboard to type on and thus adding the option to purchase a specific key-switch was a nice added bonus. The Trigger, on the other hand, has the same typing functionality with an even more ergonomically pleasing experience due to the large flowing wrist rest. The browns just make sense (Not the football team, they never make sense). Cherry Browns by all definitions are the middle of the road when it comes to audible and force feedback by the individual switch. I have a feeling Goldie Locks would <3 this keyboard.
Seeing that I’m not a huge “macro” gamer I could do without dedicated macro keys completely. The Quick Fire Pro had none, and trust me, I never shed a tear to that fact. The Trigger features 5 macro keys set to the left of the standard key layout. Those 5 keys are great but I would like it more if they didn’t exist at all but I know a lot of people out there actually enjoy macro keys so I won’t hold it against Cooler Master for letting me down personally.
These macro keys are pretty useless until you Download and Install the Configuration Software. I recorded another amazing video to go over all the odds and ends on the software so open up your eyes and ears and watch the video below.
I know I conveniently skipped over the “Profiles” screen during the explanation of the software but I can summarize what it does pretty quickly. The Trigger has built in memory so if you use this keyboard on another machine you can save a dedicated profile to the keyboard itself. This screen is utilized to show what profiles you physically saved.
The USB hub on the back of the Trigger seems to be a major point of contention when it comes to purchasing it or not. Cooler Master provides a jack for the addition of a +5VDC power supply to turn your low voltage USB hub into a powered USB hub. The issue appears in the fact that Cooler Master doesn’t provide the DC Power Supply to plug into this jack. I’ve read on various websites that people have had problems plugging things into the USB Hub and still having enough power to illuminate the keyboard. I, on the other hand had no such difficultly in powering/operating anything I plugged into the hub. I constantly left my mouse plugged into the back along with a flash drive and never had issues with device recognition or illumination. I also haven’t tried to plug anything in to it that required any serious current.
The Corsair K60 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard circumvents this issue by requiring a double USB connection on the back of your tower to power the keyboard. This way no matter what you plug into the one USB port they have on the back of the keyboard you’ll have enough wattage to power said device. I DON’T LIKE THIS. A keyboard should only take up one USB port on the back of a PC. I guess Corsair feels that if you plug your mouse into the back of the keyboard you are still using 2 ports on the back of the tower but that eliminates the function of using the port for other applications.
I purchased a +5VDC power supply from Amazon for $5.99 (http://amzn.to/Trl7YM) I haven’t had any issues with the USB Hub and seeing that I spent a WHOOPING extra $6 I don’t think I’ll be having them anytime soon. I can understand why Cooler Master wouldn’t include the DC power supply because how often are you going to attempt to use any USB device that’s not low voltage? I’m not going to plug my USB Drink Chiller (http://bit.ly/5EczBm pretty cool item, check it out) into the back of my keyboard. That’s not what the hub is designed for.
