Review: Cooler Master CK550 Gaming Mechanical Keyboard

• October 17, 2018
• James Skemp
• review

The following is a review of the Cooler Master CK500 Gaming Mechanical Keyboard, received as part of the Amazon Vine program.

Quite the Lightshow, Once You Get Used to It

A few months ago I was starting to look around at replacing my Bloody’s B720 Light Strike Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, since while it was a very nice keyboard, the limited lighting options were bothering me.

I took a look at a few different keyboards, but hadn’t settled on actually purchasing one, before the Cooler Master CK500 Gaming Mechanical Keyboard became available for review.

I was immediately attracted to the ability to change each key individually, as well as use predetermined effects, with the ability to create custom combinations, without having to move away from a mechanical keyboard.

Unfortunately, while the software isn’t required, trying to get effects that you can live with with just the keyboard itself isn’t all that feasible. You can mostly do it, but it won’t have the full range of effects. I also kept putting it back into demo mode, somehow.

Fortunately, the software isn’t that horrible on my work machine, and if you play around with it, can create some fairly nice effects. Nothing show-stopping without getting into it, but nice nonetheless.

The keys themselves did take a bit to get used to. I could definitely feel a difference, where they didn’t seem to have as much weight to them. However, after using it for a number of weeks, doing coding for most of the work week, I hardly notice a difference anymore.

The only disappointment I really had was that some of the more advanced functionality isn’t available in the CK550 line. However, while I initially had an interest in digging into that, in reality I really haven’t had the time to even think about digging into it if I could, as I haven’t even been able to create some of the custom lighting effects that I was hoping to do, for some of the programs I work with on a regular basis.

I’m extremely happy with a beanbag-like wrist rest that I’ve been using for years, so I’ve had no issues in my hands after using the keyboard, much like the other keyboards I’ve used over the years.

If you’re looking for a nice mechanical keyboard with the ability to do per-key lighting effects, I would definitely recommend the Cooler Master CK500 Gaming Mechanical Keyboard. If you’re looking for a first-time mechanical keyboard, there are other, cheaper alternatives, much like there are more expensive options if you’re looking for something you can customize more than the CK550.

I have no real issue with the keyboard, or software, so I would give the product a full five of five stars.

• review