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Two Weeks With Cooler Master’s Ultralight Mouse And Keyboard

Cooler Master Mice

Cooler Master is probably best known for its computer cases and cooling options, but Cooler Master actually offers a wide range of gaming products, including monitors, gaming chairs, and of course, mice and keyboards. In anticipation of the recently announced limited edition colorways for the MM720, I spent two weeks using the SK622 keyboard and MM720 mouse for work, gaming, and streaming. While the wide design of the MM720 initially confused me, I’ve come to appreciate the control and comfort it offers. The SK622, on the other hand, is the ultimate portable solution and one of the slickest 60% keyboards I’ve ever tested.

The MM720 is an ultralight wired mouse with a honeycomb pattern you’re probably familiar with from other similar mice. At 49g, it’s actually lighter than both the Corsair Katar Pro XT and the HyperX Pulsefire Haste — my two favorite ultralight mice. Additionally, the MM720 stands out thanks to its wider frame and additional ring finger support. It’s not a typical design, especially in the ultralight space, and it definitely takes some getting used to if you’ve never used a mouse like this before.

Cooler Master advertises that the MM720 design is optimized for claw-style grips, but I found it just as comfortable in palm-style. It turns out that keeping your ring finger forward is a much more natural position for your hand and it doesn’t really change the way you control the device. I squeeze every mouse between my thumb and pinky to move it, and the design of MM720 supports that grip so much better. It’s hard to get used to because it's so much different, but I’m convinced it’s actually a superior design.

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The MM720 also features customizable RGB in the translucent scroll wheel and in an opaque core that sits under the honeycomb frame, resembling a beating heart at the mouse’s core. It’s an eye catching design and my only real complaint about it is the fact that the DPI toggle is located underneath the mouse. The problem with turning the mouse over to switch DPI is that you have to flip it back to test if you’re on the right setting. The mouse comes loaded with seven default DPI settings, which means I’m often picking the MM720 up and flipping it back and forth until I find the setting I want. I would have much preferred a button below the scroll wheel like most other mice. The MM720 clearly demonstrates Cooler Master’s ability to think outside the box with its wide design, but it’s not always a good idea to try to reinvent the wheel, either.

I have fewer mixed feelings about the SK622 keyboard. This is a 60 percent mechanical keyboard that doesn’t ask you to make any sacrifices. It’s keyboard weighs less than a pound, uses low-profile switches, and has the thinnest body of any 60 percent I’ve ever seen. And though it might be the tiniest gaming keyboard I’ve ever seen, it doesn’t skimp on features one bit.

Just about every single key on the SK622 is multifunction. You’ll find icons of all of the keycaps though, so thankfully it isn’t necessary to memorize any button combos. Worst case scenario, you’ll end up hunting around to find the shortcut you’re looking for, but it’s never taken me long to find what I’m looking for and I only had to reference the manual when I was first setting it up.

You’ll find all of the missing function keys remapped to other buttons on the SK622 in a fairly logical way, but you’ll also find controls for macros, musical control keys, and tons of controls for the lighting effects. The SK622 features per-key backlighting and a 360 degree light bar for a nice ambient effect. You can adjust the color using red, blue, and green sliders mapped to the Q, W, and E keys, or cycle through 15 preset patterns and adjust their speed and direction. It’s the same kind of customization you can expect from most gaming keyboards these days, but the fact that you have all this control directly through the keyboard itself is so refreshing.

The last thing I need is more lighting engines and software on my PC that launches on startup. While Cooler Master’s software is pretty easy to use, I really appreciate that everything I need is right there on the keyboard. It can be a bit confusing when making micro-adjustments to the pattern without a visual interface showing you what you're changing, but I was able to create and save several different patterns without too much trouble.

The SK622 works both wired or on Bluetooth 4.0, and it's quickly become my solitary keyboard solution for all my devices. It interfaces perfectly with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, so I’ve been using it on my PC, laptop, and Android tablet. It’s nice to be able to use the same keyboard on every device. It’s a shame that Game Pass and Stadia don’t offer keyboard support on Android because this would be the perfect device for mobile and cloud gaming. I managed to get it working on Steam Link though, and keyboard-only games like The Binding of Isaac feel phenomenal on a tablet with this keyboard.

I have very few complaints about the SK622. It comes with a felt bag for carrying, but I think a plastic shell that clicks onto the top like Cougar’s TKL would be a lot better. I also wish there was a way to check the battery. It has an indicator at 30, 15, and 5 percent, but if the keyboard is at 31 percent I don’t think there’s any way to check. Combined with the MM720, these two devices make a fantastic package for fans of simple, lightweight devices. Cooler Master wasn’t really on my radar for anything outside of PC build hardware, but these two have definitely caught my attention. I don’t see myself switching back to the Pulsefire Haste as long as the MM720 is available, and the SK622 is the best portable keyboard solution I’ve seen yet.

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