Cooler Master CK351 Optical Keyboard Review

Cooler Master CK351 Optical Keyboard Review

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It’s been ages since we’ve seen a keyboard box with a cutout that allows you to get a feel for the keys before you buy. It shows how confident Cooler Master are that the CK351 feels different enough to regular mechanical switches to maybe hit your personal sweet spot.

Cooler Master CK351 Optical Keyboard Review  
Cooler Master CK351 Optical Keyboard Review  

As has been the case with all the Cooler Master keyboards we’ve reviewed in the last few days the CK351 comes with a handy cover if you don’t want to fill it full of crumbs at lunchtime. Thankfully the CK351 has IP58 certification – light spills – ensuring that even if you do knock your drink of choice over it it should be fine as long as you act swiftly. We know we’re not the only people to have lost a keyboard to an indiscrete drink effort. That won’t be a problem here.

Neither will your wrists suffer unduly as Cooler Master kindly provide a branded, and very plush, wrist rest to keep the RSI blues away.

Cooler Master CK351 Optical Keyboard Review  

Out of it’s plastic cover the brushed aluminium top of the CK351 accents the black key caps beautifully. It’s very aesthetically pleasing if you’ve grown weary of all black keyboards.

Cooler Master CK351 Optical Keyboard Review  

On the underside you can see the multiple routing options for the cable. Given how most of us have our keyboards directly in front of our monitors and their giant stands we’ll always enjoy seeing the chance to have the cable off to the right. Case windows pretty much force all of our cables rightwards anyway (which is why we don’t understand headphone cables coming off the left, but that’s a problem for a different review).

Cooler Master CK351 Optical Keyboard Review  

Beneath the thick plastic key caps you can see the optical switches themselves. They have the classic cross stalk if you want to use an alternate key cap set for extra flash and flair. The surround is transparent which should help the lighting shine brightly on to that aluminium surface. What the difference with the optical is that when the stalk is depressed instead of clicking a microswitch it breaks a beam of light. This not only allows you a lighter touch to actuate it, but the recovery time of the key is shortened too.

Cooler Master CK351 Optical Keyboard Review  

Although you can use the excellent Cooler Master software to control things, they provide you with all the options for lighting and macros etc on the keyboard itself. With the guide by your side – or an excellent memory – you can customise it in moments to your own requirements.

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