Technology X Tomorrow's Technology Today!
Right, let us get to the keyboard itself. Aesthetically, the QuickFire TK is quite pleasing to look at. The keyboard is surrounded by a nice, professional matte-black finish which includes grip coating on the sides and keys. In the off or unplugged position, the laser-etched keys remain white/clear.
Speaking of the keys, let us take a look at their layout. Initially it seems like a normal keyboard until we come to where the arrows and numerical pad should be. Here is where Cooler Master melded the designs of both the Pro and Rapid to make everything compact without leaving anything out. Everything east of the backspace and enter keys is combined into one modified numerical pad that can be set to different modes depending on the user. I was a bit skeptical of this method, but it actually works splendidly. Just keep in mind you will most likely have to learn this layout and modes of operation coming from a full-sized keyboard.
Moving to the back we have soft rubber grips on all corners of the QuickFire, as well as on the feet stands; a thoughtful addition by Cooler Master.
There are also routing grooves for the USB cable so it does not intrude on balance or get in the way while you are typing away. The USB 2.0 input area is smack-dab in the middle, and I love the fact that the USB cable is removable. Not only does this allow for customization, but also increases the longevity of the TK knowing that its fate is not tied to cable malfunction.
Now let us delve deeper into the keys and key switches. The keys themselves are cylindrical, meaning they are slightly raised on the left and right, and slightly depressed in the middle. This is the usual design we expect to see.
