Mice & Keyboards by stefan @ 2014-07-18
Cooler Master has re-built the Quick Fire series with the Rapid-I model, which features fully-customizable backlighting, but also some preset catchy modes, which sport the ActivLite marketing name. More modes will be introduced in the near future via firmware flash and the tenkeyless design saves a lot of space while making the product lighter for going to LAN parties.
At first we would like to thank Cooler Master for sending a sample of their Quick Fire Rapid-i Mechanical Keyboard for testing and reviewing.
"Cooler Master was founded with the mission of providing the industry's best thermal solutions. Since its establishment two decades ago, the company has remained faithful to this mission, emerging as a world leader in products and services for companies dealing with devices where heat issues must be resolved.
In pursuing this mission, Cooler Master is absolutely committed to delivering solutions that precisely meet customer requirements for features, performance, and quality. Moreover, we strive to be a reliable long-term partner for our customers that they can truly depend on. It aims to be the first and foremost name that comes to mind for companies around the world seeking thermal solutions, and seeks to build such a reputation through outstanding technology, sophisticated design, and superior service.
Cooler Master's current business encompasses a comprehensive lineup of thermal solutions for a full range of applications. Its products range from heat sinks and fans to component housing, chassis, and ducting for computers, industrial machinery, telecommunications equipment, and many other devices.
A critical component of Cooler Master's ability to successfully pursue its mission is an unstinting commitment to quality, as demonstrated by the ISO 9001 certification granted to its main manufacturing plant in Taiwan. It has also enforced ISO guidelines and is in the process of applying for ISO 9002 certification at its second and third plants, located in China. Cooler Master has also implemented a number of analytical and testing protocols to ensure top quality, including at subcontractors, to further ensure thorough quality control. Moreover, Cooler Master's dedication to quality extends beyond manufacturing to every aspect of its operation, including service."
CHERRY MX Mechanical Switches - Guarantees Up To 50 Million Keystrokes
Strong and durable, CHERRY MX Mechanical Switches guarantee at least 50 million keystrokes, making your keyboard a reliable partner for years of intense gaming action.
Full LED Backlighting - 5 Modes and 5 Illumination Levels
Profile Management - Save Specific Backlighting Layouts in Up to 4 Lighting Mode Presets With Rapid-i, assigning your favorite backlit keys is a simple task. This makes it easier than ever to personalize while at home or away at an event. These backlighting customizations are stored within 4 separate lighting profiles so you can store and use them as you like.
ActivLite - Set Keys To Light-up on Touch with Reactive Illumination
Switch to Activlite mode - keycaps react to your touch and turn off upon release. Customize this effect further by choosing between the backlight going off instantly or slowly fading away.
Repeat Rate Adjustments Over USB - Execute Commands Faster Than Ever Before
Execute commands up to 8 times faster than other keyboards and competitors by adjusting your keyboard repeat rate at a moment's notice
Luxurious Soft Touch & Minimalist Style
Soft touch paint creates both a comfortable feel and luxurious look perfect for gamers and business users alike. Its compact size and simplistic, yet functional, design makes Rapid-i occupy a perfect balance between a sophisticated design aesthetic and gaming powerhouse.
Not long ago, there weren’t a lot of companies which were manufacturing mechanical switch keyboards, but lately we can see a lot of these available everywhere and the prices vary depending on a lot of factors; Cherry MX switches are the most used, but we can also see compatible clones now and then; Cooler Master has prepared solid gaming keyboards in the past and now are trying to enter the more compact segment with a LED light equipped model named Quick Fire Rapid-i. Since we are not dealing with a large keyboard which usually features extra Macro buttons, the external packaging is also of quite small dimensions:
The product features can be seen in more detail if we look on the bottom side:
Quick Fire Rapid-i is wrapped separately inside a protective cover, while the bundle is located on the top, in order to avoid scratches during transit:
Besides the User Guide, we will also receive a small leaflet, which instructs us on how to access the LED programming modes:
The keyboard cable is detachable and fully braided as on all professional gaming peripherals; a key puller is also included, which is quite handy for key cap removal:
Here is the Quick Fire Rapid-I in all its splendor; the chassis features a matte rubberized coating for additional comfort and since we are dealing with a tenkeyless keyboard, the numeric pad is missing:
The keycaps feature a custom font and this time Cooler Master has went with a white backplate for the Cherry MX switches; since the switch individual LEDs are also light, a cool effect will show during operation:
The F1 to F4 keys are mostly for LED Backlight Control; with F1 we can turn On/Off the LED lighting, F2 is used for decreasing the light intensity while F3 increases the LED brightness and with F4 we will be able to change the LED modes. Of course, all this can be accessed while in Fn mode:
Going further to the F5-F8 arrangement, we will be able to adjust the key repeat rate from 1x to 8x, in case we need to issue commands faster in some games:
One of the interesting LED setups is the fact that we can assign as many backlit keys as we want, and save them in up to four profiles (F9 to F12). This can be done by pressing Fn+Pause/REC, select any of the F9 to F12 keys as the profile for the lighting key assignment, press the specific keys you want lit and then press again the respective profile key when finished (F9 to F12):
Under the Pause/REC, Scroll Lock and Print/Windows Key Lock arrangement we will be also able to find the multimedia keys:
Next to the Fn we also have the Windows key:
With the supplied key puller, the keycap removal can be done in a snap; the keyboard sample we have received was equipped with Cherry MX Brown switches, which is one of the most silent from the series; as other characteristics, we could mention that it is light, tactile, non-clicky:
By turning the keyboard on the opposite side, we will be able to see the large central sticker:
In the corners, Cooler Master has placed some linear rubber feet:
Besides these, we have two flip-out foot with rubber ending, in case we will like to raise the keyboard at an angle:
On the previously announced sticker, we will find the product serial number and code name:
Let’s also take a look at the back side of the keyboard:
On the left we have a nicely drawn CM Storm logo:
The right portion is only populated by the micro-USB and no longer uses mini-USB as we have seen on previous releases:
The cable is pretty easy to attach:
After connecting the keyboard to a spare USB port, it is time to check the LED lighting system. No extra software is necessary, cool!
Cooler Master really wanted to keep it simple with this particular model, by not including separate installable software or extra Macro keys which would have needed a larger footprint. Being backed by an ARM 32bit processor, the keyboard is able to drive different LED effects which we really like so much and at the manufacturer has promised that more modes will be included in the firmware updates to come.
From the provided modes, we really liked Mode 5 (ActivLite), when each key pressed lights up on touch and then slowly fades away after released.
Thanks to the tenkeyless design, the product won’t take a lot of free space on the table and the rubberized top coating contributes to added comfort.
Later edit: It seems that Cooler Master was not messing around when announcing new LED effects for the Quick Fire Rapid-I; the latest firmware release fixes the choppy pulsating mode so now it is fully smooth and adds a new LED cross mode which creates X-shaped layouts as soon as we press a specific key.
The Quick Fire Rapid-I keyboard can be picked online for about 99 Euros.
We would like to thank again to Cooler Master for making this review possible!