Computer Shopper - UK (2019-10)

ISSUE 380|COMPUTER SHOPPER|OCTOBER 2019 83

THESK650ISsomething we’ve spent years
clamouring for: asharp and slimline office
keyboard, with the fast and satisfying
mechanical keyoperation of agood gaming
keyboard. It has square chiclet keys in the
broad style of the MicrosoftSurface Keyboard
or Apple Magic Keyboard, as well as their
compact take on the full-size form factor,but
underneath the caps are special low-profile
versions of linear Cherry MX Redswitches.

GET DOWN

This isn’t just acase of using thinner keycaps,
as the Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo does. Here,the
switches themselves are smaller,which allows
foracouple of big differences to most MX
Redboards. First, the chassis of the keyboard
itself can be much thinner,hence the SK650’s
svelteprofile and comparatively low weight.
Second, actuation distance and total travel
depth are both lower,down from 2mm and
4mm (respectively) on standard MX Reds to
1.2mm and 3.2mm. That’s an almost identical
pair of specs to those of the MX Speed Silver
switch and, as such, the SK650 feels nice and
lively even if you’re more likely to feel the
thud of the switch bottoming out.
Even that could be apositive,asit’s still a
linear switch, which otherwise lacks atactile
bump.Bottoming out therefore provides
valuable feedback, and the noise level is ideal
forquiet working: you can clearly hear when
you’ve hit akey hard enough, without the
drastic click-clack of the Asus TUF Gaming K7.
However,this combination of sleek design
and mechanical practicality is not aperfect
marriage.Most chiclet keyboards work
because their keycaps are thin and travel
distance is very low; as aresult, you rarely
clatter intoadjacent keys when aiming for
or receding your finger from the one you
actually want. Likewise,the fatterkeycaps of
mechanical keyboards avoid this by having
trapezoid-shape keys that narrow towards the
top, again making it easier to dance between
them without making accidental contact.

COOLERMASTER SK650

★★★

£140•From http://www.scan.co.uk

VERDICT

TheSK650’salluringdesignandvastcustomisationqualitiesareletdownbyalow-profilekeysetupthatdoesn’tquitework

The SK650 has an uneasy combination of

square keys, deep travel (even if not as deep

as standard MX Redkeys) and tight spacing.

The result is amuch greater risk of hitting, or

at least brushing, the wrong keys. We initially

didn’t feel as if we were more typo-prone

using this keyboard, until we realised that –

because the SK650’s core concept felt so new

and unfamiliar –wewere taking more care

and typing more slowly.Forcing ourselves to

return to normal speed, we found it was easier

to at least make accidental contact with the

wrong keys, even if it was usually toolight to

register afull depress and subsequent input.

The typing angle doesn’t help much, either.

It’s not completely flat, but the SK650 slants

upwards only very slightly,sothere’s more of

astretch to reach the topmost keys. There are

no folding legs forheight adjustment, so

you’ve no option but to try to get used to it.

These typing problems are unfortunate, as

otherwise,this is an exquisitely made keyboard.

Build quality exhibits the toughness typical of

most mechanical gaming keyboards, and it

looks almost beautiful, with genuine brushed

aluminium (no plastic approximations here)

and extensively configurable backlighting.

SHADING PLACES

There is software forthis, but you can apply

pretty much any customisation with the

Function keys. That includes swapping

between ahuge selection of sweeping,

pulsing, breathing and flashing effects that

rival even that of Asus’s keyboards, and you

don’t just have abasic brightness toggle.

Instead, you can fine-tune the brightness of

the individual red, blue and green LEDs,

helping you find the perfect colour and

brightness at the same time.There’s also

on-the-fly macro recording, another shared

feature with the ROG Strix Flare and TUF

Gaming K7,aswell as aWindows key-lock

option and full keyremapping support,

although this last one will require the Cooler

Master Portal companion software.

That’s about it forfeatures, however.

Possibly owing to the SK650’s tightened-up

dimensions, there are no USB ports, audio

jacks or dedicated media keys, although at

least playback and volume controls are

incorporated intoexisting keys instead of

being leftout entirely.The braided cable

detaches, which could be handy fortravel,

but some more everydayfunctionality

would have gone along way.

PRETTY PENNY

This is especially apparent giventhe price,

which is at least £40 beyond agood deal.

We’re not sure how exactly the SK650 justifies

its own expense,beyond ageneral desire to

position itself as ahigh-end product: the ROG

Strix Flare,TUF Gaming K7 and Vulcan 120

Aimo are all much cheaper,despitehaving

either agreater arsenal of onboard hardware

or comparably innovative key-switch tech.

If you’re looking foranoffice-friendly

mechanical keyboard, the Razer BlackWidow

Liteisabetter –and farmore affordable –

choice.Itdoesn’t have highly customisable

backlighting or low-profile keys, but it’s still

rather slim and won’t look out of place in a

non-gaming setup.The SK650, meanwhile,has

enough going forittomake foradecent

keyboard rather than abad one,but the often

awkward typing experience also shows why

you should be careful what you wish for.

KEYBOARDS

COOLER MASTERRSK650

★★★

£14 (^0) • Fromwww.scan.co.uk

VERDICT

TheSK650’salluringdesignandvast

KEYBOARDS

The typing problems areunfortunate,asotherwise,

this is an exquisitely made keyboard