Performance -
Testing the performance of a keyboard is… well different. The only real way to test it is to repeat the same tasks across a range of products and see how each feels when using it. For our testing we like to use the tasks of gaming and writing a document (we typically write part or all of the review on the test board). These two are the most basic tasks that we ask of our keyboards when you come to think about it.

We try to perform each task for about an hour and then swap out another keyboard and repeat (this is done three to four times). It is a very long process, but in the end gives us a very good feel for how it performs for us. Sadly this “feel” is subjective and could be different for each person. In our notes below we will indicate if an issue is due to what we are comfortable with or if it is an actual performance issue (like lag etc.).

Gaming –
For our gaming test we opted for two recent games, Watch Dogs and Wolfenstein, New Order. Watch Dogs is a third person game that requires a different style of control than the first person Wolfenstein.  Our time with the Devastator was not too bad for a membrane based product. Overall the keys felt like squishy black switches or ones that are getting worn out. The key press length was not as deep and the response not as quick, but in general not so bad that it would make gaming an awful experience. The large keys keep your fingers where they are supposed be. The mouse was surprisingly accurate and ease to control despite its light weight. I did find it a little jumpy when running at 2000 DPI, but at 1600 everything fell into place for us. The side finger pads helped enhance my feeling of control over the mouse and did not make it uncomfortable.

Typing –
Typing out documents using the Devastator keyboard was pretty much the same as any other keyboard. The size of the keys and the length of the throw help to give it a feel like a mechanical keyboard even if it does not have the full effect.

Again the mouse is a nice addition despite its weight. It is comfortable to use, although I still prefer to use a claw style mouse.

Now a word about lighting. The red back lighting is very nice aesthetically, but to get it to work you have to turn on the scroll lock. Although scroll lock is not really used anymore it would have been better for Cooler Master to remove the label on the key and simply re-label it instead of leaving it the way it is. On the off chance that some obscure application actually uses or understands the scroll lock there could be some unexpected results. I am not sure who thought that up, but it is more than a little annoying considering the fact that the lettering on the keyboard is very hard to see without the lighting on.