Cooler Master SK621 review: A compact keyboard for creative pros - allenlated1977

At a Glimpse

Expert's Rating

Pros

Indestructible, portable design
On-the-fly controls
Excellent typing feedback

Cons

Altered keyboard configuration rump impact typing speed and truth

Our Verdict

The Cooler Overlord SK621 keyboard is a solid keyboard with large typewriting tactile property, but it takes time to get acclimated to the limited describe layout.

With its luxe design, multi-color backlighting effects, and customizable controls, the Tank Master SK621 aims to give creative professionals the functionality they need without sacrificing the artistry they crave. It by and large delivers on this foretell, but the compact mechanical keyboard's 60-percentage layout can constitute a vault if you'rhenium unwilling to give way up some typewriting comfort and truth for the move back-comradely size.

This limited review is part of our ongoing roundup of the best wireless keyboards. Live on there for information on competing models and how we tested them.

Blueprint

Measurement 11.5 x 4 x 1.1 inches and deliberation about a pound, the SK621 is small and light sufficient to carry well in a laptop bag or backpack. Of course, there's a trade-off for that portability. In order to achieve the compact 60-percent layout, designers had to eliminate a number plod and other landmarks of a full-size keyboard. Many of the devoted functions so much as Home and Page Up/Mastered, as well as multimedia playback controls, ingest been added to alphanumeric keys. Others bear been reduced in sizing and resettled to new positions on the keyboard.

Tank Professional has devoted a good deal of care to aesthetics. The keyboard features a brushed aluminum top plate, floating keycaps, RGB backlighting, and gilded trim around the chassis. The attention to detail extends to the accessories, as well: a adorned USB Type-C cable system for battery charging and wired connectivity, and a velvet tote arm. Despite this vehemence on eye appeal, the SK621 feels sturdy and assembled to last.

sk621 01 us — The SK621 blends philosophy appeal with durable build quality.

The SK621 uses Cherry MX Low Profile switches to provide the reduced propulsion point (1.2mm) and of import travel (3.2mm) smaller keyboards require. The extra-slim keys have the flat, straightforward shape you'd find on a Chiclet-title keyboard only are contoured in the center, though not intimately as much as you'd find along a full-size mechanical keyboard.

Connectivity

The SK621 connects directly with the USB cable or wirelessly via Bluetooth 4.0. In Bluetooth mode, you tail connect up to three devices simply by flipping a turn on the side of the keyboard, then imperative and holding Fn + Z/X/C for three seconds to enter pairing musical mode. An indicator light connected the Caps Ignition lock key flashes blue threefold when the twist is successfully paired.

After that initial setup, you just expend the Saame change over whenever you want to activate wireless mood and imperativeness Fn + Z/X/C to toggle to the desired gimmick. The keyboard automatically switches to bugged style as soon as the cable length connects to a reckoner.

sk621 02 us — You can put on presets to for static and dynamic tinge backlighting personal effects.

Typing find

Like about compact keyboards, typing on the SK621 takes several acquiring used to. The keys themselves feel great, with decent travel, a satisfying pawl at the worst of the stroke, and a springy bound. They provide the tactile and audio feedback mechanical keyboard lovers booty.

But the reduced size of the keyboard was immediately noticeable. Each time I pressed a key, the side or launch area of my finger came in contact with the edge of an adjacent key. Key discovery also requires time and longanimity, thanks to sure keyboard reconfiguration. The right Shift fundamental, for example, has shrunken to normal key size, which resulted in my often overshooting it. The Delete key has been moved to the right edge of the keyboard under the repay cay.

This led to a rather cramped and confusing typing have initially. After a workweek or so, I felt Thomas More acclimated to the layout, merely I was ne'er able to match my usual typing hie or accuracy.

on the fly controls — The SK621 offers plenty of "on-the-tent flap" assure via nam combos.

RGB lighting and macros

You can apply presets to modify the keyboard's per-key backlighting. These range from static colors to dynamic effects that are activated by euphony or gaming actions. They can exist active with keyboard shortcuts—Cooler Master calls them "on-the-fly" controls—and umteen of the key combos are labeled happening the keys so you don't have to constantly consult the instruction manual. Downloading and using the Cooler Passe-partout Portal software is easier, though, and gives you more advanced controls.

The same is true for macro scheduling. They can be created to control backlighting, media playback, and key chromosome mapping using on-the-fly sheet controls, though the software allows for more precise customization.

Verdict

The Cooler Master SK621 is well ready-made keyboard with plenty of eye candy for creative types. You'll feature to weigh how much productiveness you'Ra voluntary to sacrifice for portability, though, because reduced speed up and accuracy is the compromise you'll make for the compact layout. I wouldn't advocate it A your daily keyboard, but it'll do for those times you're by from your regular sem.