It’s not often that I find myself changing my gaming peripherals. While I do review a considerable number of headphones and keyboards, I’ve gotten comfortable with my setup: a Logitech G305 mouse and SteelSeries Apex 5 Keyboard. But when Cooler Master sent over its latest mouse + keyboard combo (SK622 wireless keyboard and MM720 mouse), I decided to do something different, and swap them into my daily gaming and work routine for three whole months.
Now, most tech reviews that I’ve done have been over a couple of weeks at most, which is generally enough time to immerse myself in a product and figure out whether it’s worth recommending or not. The issue is that no matter how good of a reviewer you are, you can’t tell the future, and even the most exciting tech sometimes fails or doesn’t age well over time. And so it was that idea, coupled with an extremely busy schedule, that led me to expand this review to a full three months, (apologies to my editors) and I’m happy to say that the time was well spent.
Starting from a price perspective, swapping out my G305 ($69.99 CAD) and Apex 5 ($129.99 CAD) for the SK622 wireless keyboard ($119.99 CAD) and MM720 mouse ($99.99 CAD) was a mostly lateral move, with the Cooler Master duo being slightly more expensive. This price point puts them directly in the mid-range sweet spot for peripherals, which is also the most competitive and jam-packed price range. They’re going up against shiny mouses like the Razer Basilisk V3 and compact keyboards like the HyperX Alloy Origins, and frankly, the Cooler Master duo didn’t make a great first impression.
Top Tier Mouse, Or Long-Term Disappointment?
Going from the budget-friendly wireless G305 to the wired MM720 was a bit of an awkward transition. While the MM720 is lighter, the fact that it’s wired makes it feel more restricted and less sleek. A couple of days in I switched back to my G305 because I was fed up with the obtrusive cord and not used to how light the mouse is.
Thankfully, I went back after a couple of days and found that the MM720’s annoyances mostly faded away after a bit of time and were replaced with positives. The first thing that impressed me was how comfortable it is to use it daily. The Cooler Master MM720 has a claw grip design that is wider than most mouses I’ve used and fits better with how my hand naturally wants to be laid out. As someone who has wrist issues, being able to spread my hand out in a more comfortable position while not sacrificing performance in game is a significant plus. If you’re someone who has a big hand or feels constricted by their mouse’s narrow profile, then the MM720 is a great option to consider.
“I appreciate Cooler Master’s lack of a logo-type logo, which forgoes any gaudy symbol for a blank Hexagon shape that gives it a minimalistic look.”
Visually, I appreciate Cooler Master’s lack of a logo-type logo, which forgoes any gaudy symbol for a blank Hexagon shape that gives it a minimalistic look. Adding to the pleasing visuals is a honeycomb palm-side design, that shows off its lighting underneath and gives the Cooler Master MM720 a calming and elegant vibe, that not so much screams gaming as it does coolly whisper it. It’s a very comfortable mouse and its lightweight makes quick movements and clicks feel natural.
The RGB illumination is likewise subtle and pulses the colour of your current DPI setting or can be set to a shifting colour wheel mode. It’s subtle while still being vibrant and helps give the MM720 an elegant feel. The DPI shift is located at the bottom of the mouse and works well enough, although it is hard to do in the heat of a game. The DP ranges from 400-16,000 and is large enough to suit most gaming preferences.
Three months in and the MM720 has no visible blemishes or signs of wear and tear. Even the cord is knot-free, and I’ve experienced no issues with connectivity or inputs not responding. It’s a bit of a shame that the mouse isn’t wireless, but it’s hard to complain when the overall package and price value is this good. It’s simply one of the most comfortable mouses on the market and won’t break the bank to acquire.
The Key(board) to success
On the flip side, the Cooler Master SK622 keyboard has a wireless mode that can be switched on after you charge it, and it was also frustrating to start, although for a very different reason. Directly after charging, it worked like a charm, and it was neat to be able to manoeuvre the SK622 without fear of cables getting snagged. The issue is that as the battery gets closer to dying, the keyboard starts to cut out, which leads to it inputting the same key over and over again, resulting in a wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. And that’s annoying.
There’s no battery indicator on the keyboard, so I found out that it was low when the spamming letters started to occur. Wireless tech is supposed to feel premium and freeing and having to worry about frustrating key spams at seemingly random times is annoying. Also, as much as a wireless keyboard is a neat idea, in theory, there’s no real reason to have a wireless keyboard, except for cable management purposes or if you’re using it from across the room. And so, defeated, I resigned myself to using the SK622 only in wired mode, and you know what? It’s pretty darn fantastic when plugged in.
Starting with the size, the Cooler Master SK622 is a compact 60% mechanical keyboard that lacks a number pad, F keys, navigation key cluster, and arrow keys. Thankfully, those keys aren’t missed, and the keyboard is comfortable to use throughout long gaming sessions and busy workdays. The low space that it takes up means that it’s easy to rearrange and place wherever you want, and I found myself playing rounds of Apex Legends with the keyboard sideways because it felt comfortable.
Speaking of comfort, Cooler Master has done a great job of making the SK622’s keystrokes feel satisfying, precise and surprisingly quiet. They have a distinct cradling sensation and low travel distance that makes typing feel natural and helps to combat typing fatigue. I have some wrist issues and regularly spend 7+ hours at my PC daily, and I find that the SK622 has helped alleviate some of those issues. Now, it could simply be the smaller overall footprint causing my wrist to move around less, but it’s clear that making the switch has had a positive effect on my PC experience.
Sound-wise, the Cooler Master SK622 is a mechanical keyboard, and you can definitely hear it when it is in use. That being said, it’s far quieter than most mechanical keyboards as the key caps have a somewhat muted sound when they are clicked. Compared to something like Razer’s Blackwidow Chroma, the SK622 is much quieter and won’t be heard as much in your stream or Discord conversations.
The model I’m reviewing has a silver/white paint job and, after three months, it’s still as clean and stain-free as when I first used it. Cleaning it is as simple as applying a damp cloth and the keyboard has shown no signs of wear and tear or fading. Cleaning under the keys is also quick and simple, with the key caps coming off and clicking back into place smoothly.
So, Are They Worth It?
After spending three months with the Cooler Master duo, I can confidently say that the SK622 wireless keyboard and MM720 mouse are worth considering for your gaming arsenal. They are both durable and premium-feeling peripherals at a low-mid range price. While I wish that the SK622’s wireless capabilities were better, the fact is that they’re great value peripherals that are still impressive after a few months.
I don’t know whether I’ll be able to repeat this experiment, seeing as a three-month lead time for reviews simply isn’t feasible in most situations, but I do think that there is value in longer-term reviews. Tech is super cool and trying out the latest and greatest is exciting, but if it doesn’t age well then it isn’t worth much.
