Introduction

Ah, Aimpad technology! I have been wanting to try it out for a while now, having read references of the Aimpad analog control input mechanism with mechanical keyboards over three years ago. I referenced it in my review of the Roccat Isku+ Force FX as well, a membrane keyboard that used pressure sensitivity to drive a rudimentary form of analog control. Then came the very impressive Wooting One with optical switches for a satisfactory analog control experience on the entire TKL form factor keyboard. That required new switch designs, however, and Aimpad's compatibility with many existing switches offered a viable alternative as well. Cooler Master partnered with Aimpad, first via a working prototype using their erstwhile Rapidfire keyboard and then for more proofs of concept at CES 2018. Well, it is now 2019, and we are finally here with a retail keyboard. Say hello to the Cooler Master MK850, and thanks again to them for sending us a review sample.


The MK850, also referred to as the MasterKeys MK850 in some documentation, was originally not supposed to have Aimpad tech in it at all. There were still lots of bells and whistles in the keyboard, as we can see from a mere glance at the preview image above, and a separate SKU, the MK851, was to build upon this base and offer analog control via Aimpad technology. Somewhere along the way, Cooler Master must have decided to keep things simple and go with a single offering as a full keyboard to then do a smaller Aimpad-centric ControlPad instead. Time will tell if this was the right move, but what we do have now is an extremely feature-rich keyboard in the new MK850. In fact, there is so much going on that this might well be the most detailed keyboard review I have ever written! The review still begins, as always, with a look at the specifications below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

Cooler Master operates a web shop in the USA. However, this sample came from a marketing hub, so we begin with a look at the product packaging. We see a black and purple color scheme adopted for the box here, which is in line with what we saw for the Cooler Master MK750 before. On the front is the company logo and product name along with a large render of the keyboard and description of some of its salient features, including the employed switch type. We see more renders, specs, and features, even in multiple languages, on the back and sides. The box itself is larger than average, which hints at the relatively large keyboard inside. There are seals and double flaps on the sides to help keep the contents inside in place.


As it turns out, Cooler Master is employing a two-piece packaging with a black cardboard box inside. There are circular cutouts on the sides to remove it from the outer wrap, and more double flaps are revealed here. This inner box also has the new Cooler Master logo in the purple color they seem to favor a lot lately. Cooler Master seems to be in love with the Russian doll concept as opening this box reveals even more packaging for the keyboard and accessories in compartments of their own. There is also a note on the inside of the box wanting people to make their own gaming experiences. Okay, then.


The MK850 keyboard comes with a removable wrist rest, which is found packaged in a plastic wrap above the keyboard. It uses magnets to attach to the keyboard and has a thick PU leather top that is plush and yet supportive enough in use. There is a subtle Cooler Master logo, the same logo we are seeing throughout now, on the top in the middle, and six rubber pads on the back prevent slippage when up against a desk or similar surface.


The other accessories are found under the keyboard, as well as under the wrist rest that is in another compartment of its own. This is an involved unboxing experience with no doubt a positive first impression as a result of people discovering how much comes included in the package. Documentation comes in the form of a multi-language quick start guide that goes over the many pre-programmed functions on the keyboard and a handy multi-language manual on how to manually calibrate the Aimpad analog control technology.


But wait, there's more! Cooler Master includes a vacuum-sealed plastic pouch with replacement keycaps and a keycap puller we will get to soon, and a detachable keyboard cable. The latter seems to be something they are going with for a lot of their higher-end keyboards, be it for increased portability as with the equally new SK low profile mechanical keyboards or the feature-rich MK series. The cable is braided, black in color sans the purple accent on the male USB Type-A connector, and has a male USB Type-C connector on the other end. All this is nice to see, and Cooler Master has definitely made purple their own color now.


Speaking of purple, we get 18 different replacement keycaps made out of thick purple PBT plastic (average wall thickness 1.33 mm) with doubleshot-injected legends in white for backlighting support, but not great contrast without backlighting. Indeed, the legends are hard to make out in natural daylight unless you get close, which does affect usage to where I would have much rather Cooler Master go for function over the purple form they are building. These replacement keycaps are for the arrow keys, Q/W/E/R/A/S/D/F keys, M1-M5 macro keys, and Esc key. Included for these is a nice metal wire keycap puller to remove keycaps without scratching the keycap sides, as can happen with the more common, cheaper plastic ring puller.