Cooler Master NovaTouch TKL Review – The Keyboard We’ve Been Waiting For

I used this keyboard thoroughly – I typed about 5,000 words with it – to make sure I gave it a proper run. The keyboard that I was using before this was the Logitech G710+, a gamer keyboard with CHERRY MX brown switches. Immediately, I noticed that the NovaTouch TKL was very different from my other keyboard.

The first big difference was the noise – the CHERRY MX brown switches that I am used to are not by any means the noisiest ones on the market, but they are noticeably louder than the NovaTouch TKL’s Topre keys. When the keys travel, there is a uniform sound amongst all the keys – almost a light hollow thud – as opposed to the tighter raspier click of a mechanical switch.

The amount of effort needed to depress each key is about the same as my brown switches – however the Topre Keys seem to have a more linear feel when depressing them – what I mean by that is, the keys feel the same when you start your touch, to when they bottom out – the travel feels the same from start to finish. There is no extra effort needed to overcome the mechanical switch to start the key travel.

The deflection, or bounce-back feels better too – almost as if the keys are following your fingers back to the top of the key travel. The mechanical browns seem slow to respond; my fingers were back above the keys before they had returned to their at rest height.

What I am describing exactly here is a little challenging to articulate properly, but take my word for it, these keys feel different from any other key I have used, and I mean that in a very good way.

This is certainly an exciting new product that Cooler Master has put its heart and soul into. The keyboard market is, to be quite honest, flooded with options, and choosing what you want is something beyond bewildering. There are many choices out there for mechanical keyboards, and the varying switches from varying makers, every one of them with their own differences, makes it hard to tell the difference between them all.

I do believe that mechanical keyboards are here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. Consumers at the enthusiast and gamer level are very picky about their keyboards. Finding the right keyboard that just feels right is kind of like finding a comfortable pair of shoes – once you find something that just works, you certainly don’t want to rock that boat, especially if you have gone through many other choices trying to find the right “fit”.

Bottom line: I really am impressed with these ‘Hybrid Capacitive’ switches. I think that this keyboard makes a fine addition to a flooded market, as there are so few keyboards out there that make use of Topre Keys. I really look forward to the day when Cooler Master makes a keyboard with these switches in a full-sized model, complete with 10 keys, macros, volume controls, backlighting… everything.

The SRP of this keyboard is $199, putting it at the very top end of the pricing spectrum. Some will instantly be turned off by the price of a keyboard without a numpad and all the bells and whistles that keyboards in that price range usually have to offer. However, I implore you to try one of these keyboards out in person if you have any doubts. It truly is different from any other keyboard I have ever used, and I think once people feel these switches in person, their choice will become much easier.

Pros

• Very high-quality build.
• Ability to use CHERRY MX keycaps.
• Removable cable.
• Includes O-ring dampeners and keycap remover.
• It’s a simple keyboard, but still includes multimedia shortcuts.

Cons

• You have to be serious about keyboards to plop $199 down for one.

Cooler Master NovaTouch TKL