Cooler Master Storm Recon & Skorpion Review

After the recent quick releases of gaming peripherals by Cooler Master, their name is traveling far and vast, and garnering much deserved attention as a community-driven company.

Cooler Master has not exactly been idle in creating gaming accessories, or indeed anything that does not have to do with computer chassis. On the contrary actually, they have released solid products before, but not with a lot of diversity. A gaming mouse here, a notebook cooler there – but no real concrete line to create a path on. It seems as if the designers were waiting on how their initial products into the gaming market would do before expanding on them, but it is safe (and obvious) to say that because of this they remained relatively silent when compared to companies that make a name off of the gaming market, such as Razer, Logitech, and SteelSeries.

Fast-forward to the present and Cooler Master is finally attacking with their flagship ‘CM Storm’ series of products. Their newest release is the Storm Recon, a fully optical mouse that takes on a new twist when compared to the other Cooler Master offerings, and the new Skorpion bungee, both of which will be tested in this review.

PACKAGING AND EXTERIOR

The colour scheme of the Recon is in line with what we expect to see with CM Storm products. They all feature a malevolent red and black theme. Suffice it to say that the box looks amazing, with the proper amount of information and hue.

There is a window on one side showing a teasing glimpse of the Recon, with the more important features of the gaming mouse on the other.

Opening it up, the Recon comes in an easy-to-open protective plastic shell covering; with it is a lone manual;

A nice addition is the USB cap for the header at the end of the wiring. Why? Well, the header is actually gold-plated, and the plastic cap just provides extra protection in rougher environments. Whether or not the gold-plating makes a difference in performance or security is subjective.

In order to increase longevity, I wish the cabling had been sleeved.  Not only does it provide an extra layer against ripping the wires, but also blocks liquid from seeping in during an accidental spill. On a personal level for both occasions, the protective sleeving on my Cooler Master Storm Sentinel Advance has saved the wiring from my accidents more times than I care to admit. It is not a big downside, but one to consider, and it is also not directed only towards Cooler Master as many other companies do the same.

Getting to the Recon itself, we see that it has a very sleek design. Before going any further on it though, let us take a look at three separate Cooler Master Storm Series mice:

On the very left, the smallest of the three is the Xornet. Primarily made for gaming laptops, the Xornet has a small form-factor and is catered to those that prefer a “claw-grip” of their mice. The Sentinel Advance graces the right side and is Cooler Master’s premium gaming mouse, which it gives away by having an LCD screen, sleeved cabling, and different colour options. The Sentinel is for those that prefer resting their palm on the mouse and having equal distribution of their hand when using it.

Of course the Recon is in the middle, but what differentiates it? Aside from the aforementioned, it does not have the bulge on the right side like the Xornet, which allows for a three-finger claw grasp. Consequently, the Recon does not have the indent on the left side as with the Sentinel, which rests the thumb for a tighter palm hold. This is because the Recon is ambidextrous.