*rant* Cooler Master MasterKeys Keyboards...

[Mr.Meerkat]

Hmmm...how should I begin with this rant? Oh yes, let's talk about what I'm going to be ranting about, the rebrand of the quickfire keyboards...

So the new Masterkey Keyboards are out (for a while now actually) and although I don't know whether any of you have noticed but the blatant rebrand (unless you call adding RGB switches a refresh which is only a new SKU as there are still the exact same old SKUs...) is real, look at the MasterKey M keyboard, it's exactly the same as the CM quickfire TK...like rebranding one of the more popular keyboards is bad and all but why not add like a new something? No new features (unless RGB on the new SKUs counts), no better materials use or build quality...may as well using the same box...

 

I don't mind rebrands but come on, rebranding a keyboard that's like 5 years old is just erm...

 

Edit:

Well It seems that it's just not a straight rebrand with a new SKU  

3 things have changed...

1. New RGB SKU

2. New font

3. The bottom row now has a standard layout

 

Little changes but I guess it's not as bad as I thought .

[ThinkWithPortals]

But, but, but different font!

 

[Mr.Meerkat]

1 minute ago, ThinkWithPortals said:

But, but, but different font!

 

God damn, I didn't notice that...thread is pointless then.../case closed  

[Senzelian]

30 minutes ago, Mr.Meerkat said:

Hmmm...how should I begin with this rant? Oh yes, let's talk about what I'm going to be ranting about, the rebrand of the quickfire keyboards...

So the new Masterkey Keyboards are out (for a while now actually) and although I don't know whether any of you have noticed but the blatant rebrand (unless you call adding RGB switches a refresh which is only a new SKU as there are still the exact same old SKUs...) is real, look at the MasterKey M keyboard, it's exactly the same as the CM quickfire TK...like rebranding one of the more popular keyboards is bad and all but why not add like a new something? No new features (unless RGB on the new SKUs counts), no better materials use or build quality...may as well using the same box...

 

I don't mind rebrands but come on, rebranding a keyboard that's like 5 years old is just erm...

I don't see the problem with rebranding.
You got a product and you should judge it dependent on its features, quality and price. It doesn't matter how old it is.

Personally I think there wasn't much to add other than RGBs to their keyboards. I use a CM Storm TK myself and I don't what else they could add to make it any better.

[nobelharvards]

High quality detachable palm rest (like G.Skill and Corsair).

 

Dedicated multimedia controls (like Logitech, G.Skill and Corsair).

 

Stock front printed backlight compatible double shot PBT keycaps.

 

Built in mouse bungee (G.Skill km780, Ducky Shine 6).

 

Built in headphone cable management channels in the bottom shell, underneath the board.

 

Corsair no longer have their 6 month exclusivity period for the MX Silent switches. More manufacturers should take up this switch.

 

More topre outside of the eastern market. Only Cooler Master has dared to have a go so far with their Novatouch.

 

There's plenty to improve on for all keyboard manufacturers.

 

Mainstream consumers either do not care, or do not know about these keyboard niches. If you say "PBT", anyone who responds will more likely be a chemistry career major than a keyboard/keycap enthusiast.

[Mr.Meerkat]

1 minute ago, nobelharvards said:

High quality wrist rest.

 

Dedicated multimedia controls.

 

Stock front printed backlight compatible double shot PBT keycaps.

 

Built in mouse bungee like the G.Skill km780 or the Ducky Shine 6.

 

Built in headphone cable management channels in the bottom shell, underneath the board.

 

There's plenty to improve on for all keyboard manufacturers.

If they added more than just a RGB SKU and changed the font then I wouldn't be mad but come on, yes the quickfire keyboards had plenty of features but still, they are the exact same keyboards. God damn  

[dtaflorida]

Guess you didn't like last years round of AMD GPUs either...

[Mr.Meerkat]

18 minutes ago, dtaflorida said:

Guess you didn't like last years round of AMD GPUs either...

Well they were refreshed...not straight blatant rebrands  

The 380/380X were new architecture technically as yes, they were rebrands of the 285 but the 285 is on a different die compared to the 280/280X/7950/7970 . 

Rebranding a GPU is different to rebranding a keyboard that's 5 years old as when a GPU get's rebranded/refreshed, in the end, it will be cheaper than what it originally costed for the original GPU but rebranding those keyboards allowed them to raise the price for the same thing. 

[dtaflorida]

Actually, CM look to be reunifying their products under a 'Master' branding...

Master Case

Master Watt

Master Keys

...

 

I'm bet they're not done yet, but changing Rapid to conform to their new branding is pretty ok by me. 

[Mr.Meerkat]

22 minutes ago, dtaflorida said:

Actually, CM look to be reunifying their products under a 'Master' branding...

Master Case

Master Watt

Master Keys

...

 

I'm bet they're not done yet, but changing Rapid to conform to their new branding is pretty ok by me. 

I guess...oh well

[Verne]

The Masterkeys M actually has standard size bottom row, compared to non-standard of the QFTK. Makes getting custom keycap sets easier. Not all changes are massive, and new products don't have to be "different" to be new, just improved.

[Mr.Meerkat]

1 minute ago, Verne said:

The Masterkeys M actually has standard size bottom row, compared to non-standard of the QFTK. Makes getting custom keycap sets easier. Not all changes are massive, and new products don't have to be "different" to be new, just improved.

So 3 things now, I guess it's not a blatant rebrand as I thought then

[dtaflorida]

2 hours ago, Verne said:

The Masterkeys M actually has standard size bottom row, compared to non-standard of the QFTK. Makes getting custom keycap sets easier. Not all changes are massive, and new products don't have to be "different" to be new, just improved.

Oooh! That's good to know. I liked the TK, but the bottom row... standard and RGB... nice!

[Verne]

1 hour ago, dtaflorida said:

Oooh! That's good to know. I liked the TK, but the bottom row... standard and RGB... nice!

The Masterkeys Pro M is actually not RGB, yet, only comes with white leds as of now. As far as I know the RGB model is coming at the end of year-ish... Only the Pro L and Pro S have RGB currently.