The MSI Vigor GK60 is an excellent, quiet, compact gaming keyboard that pairs excellently with the MSI Clutch GM50 mouse. Thanks to MSI, we were given the opportunity to have a play with these two products. Our review is as follows.
MSI Vigor GK60 Keyboard
If anyone has watched Dhayana stream over the past year or so, you can always tell when I’m in the room with her. The click-clacking of my personal gaming keyboard always gives me away. I don’t mean to be loud with it, that’s generally how mechanical keyboards are.
Thankfully, MSI sent us the Vigor GK60 to show us that there was a quieter alternative. The first thing that immediately stood out to me was the sleek design. There was no excess plastic to bulk out the design and all of the keys are raised on top of the metal/plastic base (makes cleaning the keyboard a breeze). This did mean, however, that there was no wrist rest built into the design.
Another thing to point out is the WASD keys have their own keycaps which give them a metallic finish and raised edges to make sure your fingers don’t stray away from those important keys during a firefight. If your OCD does get the best of you, the standard WASD keys are also included in the box. Another nice design feature worth pointing out is the gap in the centre of the base of the keyboard. This small gap runs from the front to the back of the keyboard and allows you to have any wires (main headphones) kept neat and tidy.
The keyboard comes with Cherry MX Red linear switches. That basically means that the “clack” sound is removed and the switch reset position is a lot smaller. Meaning you can repeatedly press a key quickly all while staying relatively quiet. With these advantages it does mean you lose out on something, an audible key press confirmation and tactile response. This might take some getting used to for a seasoned veteran who has only ever used Cherry MX Blue switches but it is a nice, quiet change for a semi-pro with someone who shares a room with him.
As a final note, I could not mention the backlight. It wouldn’t be a gaming product if it didn’t have some form of lightning. The GK60 comes backlit with a nice MSI red colour. Unfortunately, for those RGB enthusiasts you are locked into the red colour. There are also a number of different light up effects(pulsing/breathing/wave-like backlights), which can all be managed from the keyboard itself, which both Dhayana and I really had a kick playing around with.
MSI GM50 Mouse
The Clutch GM50 is a brilliant mid range gaming mouse that has excellent bang for buck.
With so many mice on the market, it’s hard to stand out unless you reinvent the proverbial wheel. But at the end of the day, gamers just want something that matches what they pay for and goes the distance.
MSI delivers with this nice piece of hardware. The mouse looks as you would imagine; left/right mouse buttons, scroll wheel, DPI button and your side forward and back buttons. A nice logo and light bar sits on the rear of the mouse with some sweet RGB lightning. ‘Dragon Scale Anti-Slip Texture’ covers the left and right hand side of the mouse to ensure that, whether you are using a claw grip or palm grip, the mouse won’t escape you.
Aside from pressing the DPI and swapping through the preset sensitivity settings, if you want full control of the mouse, you’ll need to download the MSI Gaming Centre. Here you’ll be able to make the mouse your own. You can set up a number of different profiles, each with their own macros, DPI settings and lighting themes. As mentioned, unlike the Vigor GK60, you have access to the full RGB range of colours ensuring you can game with your colours of choice.
It’s worth pointing out that this is a right handed mouse, however unlike a pair of scissors, a lefty could still make use of this mouse. The right handed curve isn’t that dramatic and the side buttons aren’t hidden away underneath the thumb curve.
Overall, the GM50 is not a new wheel. It’s the same wheel we all know and love with some top notch parts hidden inside. The Omron button switches offer you close to 20 million clicks, which is more than enough to carry you through the next couple of years. And the customisable RGB lighting is a nice touch. The shape of the mouse fits perfectly into your hand allowing you to game longer without cramps. At the perfect price point, the GM50 is great for anyone looking to go semi-pro!