Keyboard Archives - Beantown Review

Earlier this year, Cooler Master introduced their SK652 and SK653 flagship mechanical keyboards. Available in two patterns (Gunmetal Gray and Silver White), the SK653 boasts premium features such as TTC low-profile switches and hybrid wired/wireless via Bluetooth capabilities. The keyboard also arrives in a very appealing brushed metal finish with RGB back illumination and compatibility with MasterPlus+ customization software. With these premium features comes a premium price point: the SK653 has an MSRP of $129.99, but currently we do not see it less than $149.99. How does the SK653 keyboard compare to other low-profile mechanical switch offerings such as the Logitech G915 and the Corsair K70 RGB MK.2? Is the SK653 worth purchasing over these two similar options? Without further delay, let’s take a closer look at this Cooler Master SK653 keyboard review.

Read: Cooler Master GS750 Desktop Hub Review

Cooler Master SK653 Keyboard Review

Key Features

Slim design, brushed aluminum plate
Ergonomic, floating keycaps
TTC low profile brown/blue/red switches
Wired/wireless-capable via Bluetooth 4
MS Windows, macOS, iOS, Android support
RGB illumination, 16.7M colors
Fully customizable using MasterPlus+ software

Specifications

Switch Type	TTC Low Profile Mechanical (Red/Blue/Brown)
Materials	Aluminum & Plastic
Keycap	Ergonomic Low Profile
Colors	Gunmetal Gray Silver White
LED Colors	RGB 16.7M
Polling Rates	Wired Mode: 1000 Hz Wireless Bluetooth Mode: 125 Hz
Response Time	1 ms
MCU	32bit ARM Cortez M0 64 Pin
Onboard Memory	512 KB
On-The-Fly System	Yes
Multimedia Keys	via Function (FN) Keys
Wireless Connectivity	Bluetooth 4.0
Battery	4000 mAh (2000 mAh x 2)
OS Compatibility	MS Windows 8-11 mac OS X 10.10+ Android & iOS
Software	MasterPlus+
Cable Length & Type	1.8 Meter USB Type-C Detachable & Braided
Dimensions	430 x 125 x 25mm 16.93 x 4.92 x 0.98 Inch
Weight (w/o cable)	737 grams 1.62 lbs
Warranty	2 Years

Read: Cooler Master MM831 Gaming Mouse Review

Construction and Design

As you can see from the photos above and below, the Cooler Master SK653 keyboard is one attractive, modern-looking piece of hardware. It is lighter and smaller in footprint (16.93″ x 4.92″ x 0.98″) than every keyboard I’ve owned or reviewed before it. And unlike all but one of those previous keyboards, it’s portable. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a protective carrying case. You’ll have to purchase one of those.

Whether your illuminated keycaps are white or black, the top surface comes with a brushed aluminum finish in either Silver White or Gunmetal Gray. Both versions look fantastic and should complement your desktop arrangement well. The underbelly comes in black regardless of version.

The cable connecting the keyboard to your desktop is 1.8 meters in length and is beautifully braided with a shiny finish. The keyboard end has a USB Type-C detachable connection and the desktop end, a USB 2.0 Type-A connector.

The SK653 comes with three different TTC low-profile mechanical switches to choose from: red, blue, and brown. For the purposes of this review, we received the brown and are most pleased with this choice. By using low-profile mechanical switches, the actuation is reduced by 20% from 4mm to 3.2mm. The sound the keystrokes make with the brown switches is neither loud nor soft. Yet, the feel of the keystroke is on the softer side. If you’re in an office environment and are concerned that your colleagues around you will be bothered by the sounds, you need not be.

The weight of the SK653 (minus the cable) is 1.62 lbs., and is barely noticeable.

For comparison’s sake, the Logitech G915 and the Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 weigh in at 2.26 and 2.38 lbs., respectively. Each of the three keyboards uses a mechanical switch from a different manufacturer. Logitech uses Kailh GL low-profile switches in red, blue, and brown, meanwhile, the Corsair uses Cherry MX low-profile switches in red and silver only. Both competitor’s keyboards are larger by length and width than the SK653, while the G915 is 1/10″ lower in height. Furthermore, both competitor’s keyboards are more expensive than the SK653, and the Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity.

The Cooler Master SK653 utilizes the 32bit ARM Cortex M0 64Pin MCU along with two 2000 mAh batteries.

Read: Cooler Master MM711 Gaming Mouse Review

Capabilities and Performance

According to the folks at Cooler Master, their target audience for the SK653 is creative professionals like myself, yet there’s plenty of reasons why it should also be aimed at and adopted by gamers.

There are three big features of the Cooler Master SK653 keyboard that you ought to know:

Multi operating system (OS) capability.
Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, and
On-the-fly controls and hybrid key rollover.

The SK653 is capable of working with devices utilizing the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows (8 and above), Mac OS X, iOS, and Android. This is a huge selling feature. Switching between a PC and Mac couldn’t be simpler. Holding the Cooler Master FN button tells you what OS the keyboard is working with, and combining this with the right shift key switches the OS back and forth.

Let’s say you have both a PC and a Mac at home or the office. In theory, you would only need one keyboard between the two systems. Sadly, I cannot test this theory as I do not own an Apple computer so I’ll take Cooler Master at their word here.

Because of the hybrid design, you can operate the SK653 in one of two ways: wired or wireless, utilizing the latter with Bluetooth 4.0. According to the folks at Cooler Master, while in Bluetooth mode, “the SK653 allows users to save 3 settings with 3 individual devices and can easily switch between them.” Another great feature of this keyboard.

Finally, the SK653 has a plethora of on-the-fly controls and software: You can customize macros, profiles, and lighting schemes easily. In order to save time from discussing or listing these controls, I’ve included two diagrams that cover the on-the-fly shortcuts in detail. Visual is the better approach here.

Putting aside the SK653’s internal features and capabilities for a moment, what Apple or PC user wouldn’t want this keyboard alongside their desktop?

For additional information, please refer to the quick start or Bluetooth setup guides.

Read: Cooler Master MH751 Gaming Headset Review

MasterPlus+ Software

Cooler Master uses their MasterPlus+ software to control the SK653’s wireless, lighting, keymapping, macros, and profiles as seen in the five screenshots below. For instance, LED modes and speeds are adjustable and customizable via the MasterPlus+ software. A lot of high-quality colors radiate from this keyboard.

There is one thing I don’t like about the software and that’s when there’s an update available. It appears you are unable to use the software unless you click to update.

Conclusion

Pros:

• Beautiful, minimalistic design
• Low-profile switches yield no fatigue or finger pain after many hours of daily use
• Portability and Multi-OS support
• Terrific RGB back illumination

Cons:

• Difficulty connecting to Samsung Galaxy S Android mobile device via Bluetooth

Not long ago, I wrote a review on the Cooler Master MM711 gaming mouse saying that it was “quite possibly the best mouse I’ve ever used.” Well, I’m about to top that endorsement. Whether it be a keyboard, a mouse, or some other desktop peripheral, this SK653 keyboard is my favorite desktop product of 2021. Even though I’ve got more expensive keyboards from other brands behind me to my left, I’ll be using this keyboard for years to come. I love it that much. My younger nephew, who couldn’t take his eyes off of it, will have to wait for the hand-me-down.

And I have no doubt that I’ll sort out the Bluetooth to Android connection issue shortly after this posts.

Cooler Master’s SK653 is available for purchase on Amazon for around $150, see the Affiliate link at the bottom. This well-engineered keyboard has earned a 4.75 out of 5-star rating.

What do you think of this Cooler Master SK653 keyboard review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

Read: Patriot Viper V765 Gaming Keyboard Review

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Don’t hesitate to head over to the Cooler Master website to see their latest products and peripherals like their cases, keyboards, and mice. To learn more about service and support, click here for their Support section at the bottom of their website. The Cooler Master SK653 keyboard comes with a 2-year warranty.

FTC Disclosure: Cooler Master provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Cooler Master SK653 mechanical keyboard sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

Gamdias, what’s that? My friends, Gamdias is a relatively new company into the gaming hardware and peripherals market. It’s only been four years since they arrived on the scene. On the Gamdias homepage, they showcase their lineup of gaming keyboards, mice, headphones, mouse pads and other accessories. How do we know if their gear is worth your hard-earned money? Well, that’s why you’re, here isn’t? Below, we answer these questions. So without any further delay. Welcome to our Gamdias HERMES RGB Keyboard review.

Review: Gamdias Hermes RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES 7 Color Keyboard Review

Design Features

The HERMES RGB is mechanical gaming keyboard with a 50 million push button life cycle. It comes with 16.8 million colors and 13 different lighting effects to choose from. Of these 13, two in particular: “Wave” and “Rainbow Drops,” are very cool. You can change the brightness (4 levels) and speed of the effects to your liking. The brains of the keyboard lie in the ARM® Cortex®-M3 32-bit microprocessor. Unlike its sister keyboard, the HERMES 7 Color, this keyboard has a small, non-removable “wrist plate.” Again, in contrast to the HERMES 7 Color, this keyboard is more compact. Its exact dimensions are 17.3 x 6.7 x 1.46 inches. Personally speaking, while I don’t find the size of the keyboard uncomfortable, I think it would fare better with a slightly bigger “wrist plate.”

Flipping the keyboard over, you’ll notice three channels to direct the braided cable. While this is good design, the keyboard legs are not. Trying to raise the keyboard legs is not so easy as there’s hardly any space to insert a finger or thumb. The HERMES 7 Color is better in this regards. And unlike say the Logitech G710 series keyboard; the HERMES RGB has only one USB connector to plug into your desktop.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HERMES E1 Keyboard Combo Review

The HERMES RGB keyboard comes with your standard Num-Lock, Caps-Lock, and Scroll-Lock, but it has another lock which is appropriately titled “Gaming.” Enabling “Gaming” disables the Windows key preventing any accidental press of the Windows key fatal. One thing that’s a bit odd is in the top right corner where it shows locks are enabled, it only has three: Num-Lock, Caps-Lock, and Gaming. Scroll Lock isn’t shown at all. The key is there and still toggles, but you have to remember if you left it on or off because it isn’t displayed. Fortunately, I don’t know a single person that uses it.

Wondering about N-key rollover? There’s no need to. Here are the 21 keys: Q, W, E, R, U, I, O, P, \, 7, 8, 9, +, Enter, Backspace, F9, F10, F11, F12, Scroll, and Pause. (Yes, this took a bit of research.)

You can also completely lock the keyboard out, for when you want to vacuum it or pull a key out. A key puller is supplied as part of the package contents. It has the now standard media player controls such as “Previous”, “Next”, “Pause/Play”, “Mute”, “Audio Down”, and “Audio Up”. You can switch “WASD” to the arrow keys and vice versa. Another strange quirk is on the lower left of the keyboard where the Windows Button would be. It’s missing. There’s no actual Windows key, having been replaced with the Fn key. Now, it turns out there is a Windows key, but it’s shared with a “Game” key with the Windows logo beneath it.

On the HERMES 7-Color keyboard, the Fn key and the Windows key are still there. I don’t know about you, but I’m used to the left Windows key. On the right of the keyboard is the only remaining Windows key next to a “right-click” button. It performs the action of right-clicking on the mouse. The icon is a little strange looking, kind of like a pair of headphones eating a string. Seriously.

Read: Gaming: Gamdias HEBE M1 RGB Headset Review

Performance

I had hoped to get through this Gamdias HERMES RGB keyboard review without mentioning anything bad, as the keyboard is quite good.

Speaking of that good, the keys press smoothly and evenly. And the sound they make when pressed it just right. They’re not loud, soft, or annoying. This keyboard utilizes ABS plastic key covers and Kailh blue switches. These switches require 45cN of pressure to actuate. These key covers are made of one plastic, while the lettering of another. You’re going to have to work very hard to get the lettering to come off.

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Sadly, and this is my personal take, HERA is a bit of a pain. This software has to be installed if you want to use all the keyboard features. These features include the following: macros, re-assigning keys, customizing the keyboard lights, setting up sounds and timer, editing the alarm sound for the timer, and setting macro timers. It’s a slow software, with some glitches. The problems with it are a bit larger than I would have liked.

I want to enforce the hardware is great, but the software is not up to par. The software saves every change into 1 of 6 profiles which are stored into the keyboard itself. The HERMES RGB keyboard comes with only two macro keys “G1” and “G2,” not as many as say the Logitech G710. You can trick the HERMES RGB keyboard and assign two macros into each of the six profiles for a total of 12 macros. You can assign the sounds to different keys to give yourself a makeshift soundboard. I found the timer function unnecessary for my needs.

Read: Gamdias ZEUS eSport Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Conclusion

The good thing is you don’t have to use the HERA software to enjoy the Gamdias HERMES RGB keyboard. You can still change the lighting effects using the shortcuts Gamdias placed on the keyboard. But, like I said earlier, you wouldn’t be able to customize them.

My biggest complaint on the HERMES RGB keyboard is the missing left Windows key; it bugs me. And hopefully, you can overlook the delays and bugs in the HERA software. The keyboard itself is beautiful and sturdy. The LED lights are bright and vibrant.

The list price of the HERMES RGB Keyboard is $129.99. Fortunately, you can get it for $85-90 on any given day at Amazon (see link at the bottom of this post.) Don’t hesitate to head over to the Gamdias homepage to see their current line-up of products. The Hermes P1 RGB Mechanical keyboard comes with a 1-year + 2-months warranty.

If you’re looking for a mid-priced mechanical gaming keyboard, we can definitively say the HERMES RGB is a good one. We recommend you check out this product before making your next purchase.[soliloquy id=”5868″]

What do you think of this Gamdias Hermes RGB keyboard review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

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FTC Disclosure: Gamdias provided Beantown LLC with one (1) HERMES RGB keyboard sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and is not a paid product ambassador.

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