Silver Award at Overclock3D

Overclock3D : 07-13-2012 There are a lot of things to like about the CM Storm Trigger, and a couple of issues that keep it from really shining. The most important aspect is, of course, how well it types. Given that it has the excellent Cherry Black MX switches at the centre of it then it's not a surprise at all that it's a joy to use. Every key has a reassuring tactile feel to it, and you know that it will put up with extraordinary amounts of abuse without flinching. The whole keyboard is very well put together with enough weight to keep it planted on your desk, but not so heavy you don't want to take it with you when you're off gaming. The customisation options are plentiful, with five dedicated macro keys and the ability to modify the whole layout to suit your preference it really can be all things to all people. You can either use the software to create them, or do them on the fly. Either way it's a very simple process. Even the lighting is nice, with variable levels of brightness. We thing a whole keyboard 'breathing' would be distracting, but the option is there if you desire it. Speaking of the software, that's the first area that could do with improvement. It's enormous for a start. A 400mb file for something that many other companies have trimmed to sub 30mb is just too big. It works well enough, but has a few quirks that go against how you'd expect it to work. When your FAQ has to include a manuals worth of hints and tips, you know that it's time to go back to the drawing board. The only other major complaint is the price. By any measure it's an expensive keyboard, coming in at around £100. If you just want an array of macro options you then, as we've just said, the Corsair Vengeance K90 provides better build-quality, better software, and far more macro options for the same money. If you just want a seriously rugged keyboard with Cherry Black switches, the SteelSeries 6Hv2 is all of those things and £40 cheaper.  If we were reviewing in a vacuum then the CM Storm trigger ticks all the right boxes. If you have your heart set on a red keyboard with the CM Storm branding and accept the software has a few foibles then we can highly recommend it. But, when compared to the competition, that very middle-of-the-road design ethos that covers all the bases ends up leaving it either a lot overpriced or a bit under-featured. Better software and a price cut and it would be Gold, but at this price we're afraid it's only Silver. » Details

Gaming Essential Award at Guru3D

Guru3D : 06-13-2012 In closing then we feel the Trigger is a really great keyboard, it's a nice looking extremely sturdy programmable gaming keyboard that could attract masses. There is room for improvements in the software suite and overall but in general we feel this simply is a splendid gaming keyboard which we can recommend very much. Mechanical keyboards are expensive, the 120 USD / 100 EUR is a lot of money for a set of keys, but as a true gamer we can certainly recommend making that investment as it makes quite a bit of a difference. Only once you start using a mechanical keyboard, you will understand what i am trying to evangelize here. Overall the Trigger carries an okay price for a very good gaming keyboard. » Details

Gold Award at Vortez Hardware

Vortez Hardware : 06-01-2012 The Trigger carries on from the solid, robust foundations and build quality the CM Storm range have shown in previous examples. From the outset, the overall feel of the rubberised, textured plastic emphasised the great craftsmanship of this peripheral which is sure to take pride of place on anyone's desk. It looks divine whether it is illuminated or not. Personally, I like the breath feature of the LED's which makes the keyboard look like it's alive and is really eye catching in a darkened room. As you may have noticed from some of our other Cooler Master reviews, we are, for the most part, big fans of the CM Storm aesthetics and I am pleased to report that the CM Storm Trigger is no different. In use, the CM Storm Trigger is perfectly usable if somewhat overkill for an everyday keyboard. The Cherry blacks can become a little tiresome for writing long prose and someone who is not used to the mechanical feedback of these types of switches will mean it will take a little getting used to. If however you persevere, you will certainly become accustomed to it and before long will wonder how you ever worked without one. There are however better switches for general use such as the MX Browns or red's which are less stiff and perhaps better key switches for typing with. Thankfully, CM offer the Trigger in all four popular key switches so the keyboard can be customised to your preference. The sample we reviewed today had the very popular Cherry MX Black switches which, for all intents and purposes have one use in mind: Gaming and gaming is what the keyboard excels at. From the MX Blacks to the near perfect back-lighting and macro capability, the Trigger has to be one of the best pro gaming mechanical keyboards we have tested to date.  There is little to fault with the keyboard. If I were picky then I would have preferred there not to be a cut-out on the wrist rest. I can see why it's there but this puts aesthetics over function which is a shame. There is also the dual functionality of the F keys which means should you not press the Storm key (which replaces the windows key) to operate one of the media controls or back-lighting then you could close a program or wipe text from a document. Granted the F keys can be disabled but this defeats the object, especially when a few extra keys or a scroll wheel would be infinitely more user friendly. This same criticism could be aimed at any number of mechanical keyboards though so CM Storm are not on their own with this issue. » Details

Gamers Choice Award at eTeknix

eTeknix : 05-13-2012 CM Storm have created a very striking and contemporary looking keyboard that has features to match. Mechanical keyboards are increasing in popularity, so for CM Storm to produce a top quality keyboard that is appealing to many, it has given them a firm place in the market. The fully illuminated keyboard makes it not only attractive visually, but also makes it easier to use during the night time sessions. The addition of the macro buttons on top of the media keys, has also provided further usability and made playing MMOs simpler if configured beforehand. The onboard memory makes life much easier by storing the profiles and various settings, so you don’t have to keep moving the keyboard profiles around from PC to PC. The modular nature of the USB connector results in less cable clutter, which is never a bad thing. As mentioned previously, the layout of the keyboard isn’t ideal with the macro keys so close to the bottom Ctrl, but this, like we said, could be done to the unfamiliarity of the new keyboard. The windows keys being switched off by default is also a slight pain (if you use them regularly like we do), although it is a simple problem to fix. The lack of a supplied software CD meant that we had to go online to find it, which wouldn’t be that ideal if you didn’t have an internet connection, but hey, who doesn’t have internet access nowadays? Retailing at just over the £100 mark, positions it right in the middle of the other mechanical keyboards on the market, yet offers many more features for the price bracket. We tried very hard to find faults with the Trigger, and other than it not being suitable for typing lots of text, it was ideal for those gaming sessions. For those long typing sessions a red, brown or even a blue switch would be much better suited (if you didn’t mind the noise of the blue!). Overall we are very impressed with CM Storm’s second entry into the mechanical keyboard market, they have listened to the feedback they received after the Quickfire and made the Trigger a feature rich, visually appealing and at a reasonable price, not much to improve on next time! » Details

Performance Award at Hardware Heaven

Hardware Heaven : 04-06-2012 Like many recent gaming keyboards with mechanical keys the Trigger has clearly been built to feel sturdy. The chassis is a thick plastic with no flex and the board has a significant weight to it which ensures it sits still on the desk during heavy gaming sessions. The keys on the Trigger also have good quality LED lighting with three illumination levels available as standard. That said we question the decision to have an optional power source to enable two extra levels of lighting. A 2nd USB cable should be provided for additional power, or CM Storm should sell PSUs direct to consumers to simplify the process. In terms of feel the keys on the Trigger offer a smooth action though the pressure required to activate is slightly more than the likes of Razers BlackWidow. The rubberised surface also enhances the typing experience and rounding things off is a decent software control panel which makes configuring the board simple. With an RRP of £109 the Trigger sits at the higher end of the mechanical keyboard marketplace, similarly priced to Steelseries top model and £20 less than Razers which makes the price competitive. Summary A solid gaming keyboard which is built to take a lot of punishment and feels great to use. » Details

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