As gamers, the equipment we use to play our favourite PC games can seriously put a dent in our wallets. From the gaming rig itself, to the tailor-made for gaming monitor, headset, keyboard, mouse and even mouse pad, gaming can come at a hefty cost.
There’s no doubt that most gaming peripherals are rather expensive. Thankfully, Cooler Master has released a more affordable peripheral set, the MasterSet MS121, which includes a gaming keyboard and mouse that looks the part of a high-end peripheral.
The keyboard included in the set consists of mem-chanical switches, membrane switches that are designed to mimic the feel of traditional Cherry MX Blue switches. For those of you who aren’t familiar with what Cherry MX Blue switches are, these are the kind of membrane switches used in keyboards that provide a lighter feel but a louder clicking noise, making for a great keyboard for typing and typing-intensive tasks. The feedback that this type of switch provides, allows a person to essentially type faster, with less effort.
In addition, this keyboard also features 26-key Anti-Ghosting to ensure that all clicks are registered. Now for the most important part, in my book anyway, RGB lighting; the keyboard features per-key RGB lighting with nine different preset LED modes and effects, allowing for perfect colour coordination.
The MS121 keyboard doesn’t come with any software so the RGB lighting features need to be done via the Function (“FN”) key. This can be a bit of an arduous challenge especially if you’re not sure what you’re doing (like me). Not having a software included isn’t a deal breaker, however, as all it takes to figure out the effects offered by the keyboard is just some concentration, trial and error, as well as time.
I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed using the keyboard for my written work. The keys felt soft and smooth, allowing for some amazing feedback which had me typing much faster for sure. Of both items included in the set, the keyboard was definitely the stand out of the two. For the price that you pay, the keyboard offers a bang for your buck option.
The MS121 mouse, on the other hand, doesn’t quite provide the same value as the keyboard, in my opinion. Firstly, it’s small. Even for a female gamer, the mouse felt too small in my hand, making it difficult to really relax into a palm grip.
Not only was the mouse small, it was also fairly light, making it rather awkward to feel the weight and be able to control movement. I attempted playing a game of PUBG with it and it was a struggle. This was mostly due to its lack of responsiveness compared to the likes of other gaming mice I’ve used in the past.
Despite the fact that it comes with six buttons, I didn’t feel very comfortable using the mouse. It felt as if a lot of adjustment was required to really get used to the mouse as a whole, yet alone when playing first-person-shooter games.
At best, the MS121 mouse felt more suited as a standard computer mouse than a gaming mouse, which was a little bit disappointing considering the keyboard was impressive. That being said, I’m not the best at configuration. Perhaps someone with more technical knowledge can make the most out of the mouse.
Overall, the Cooler Master MasterSet MS121 keyboard and mouse combo is a pretty decent option if you’re looking for affordable gear. The keyboard certainly does the job of a more expensive equivalent and the mouse just takes a fair bit of getting used to, depending on the games you play.
Considering the price of gaming peripherals and gear in this day and age, having a budget set like the MS121 does wonders for the wallet while delivering a solid gaming experience.