Article by Kevin Lee

Cooler Master just announced a new CM Storm keyboard that utilizes membrane keys rather than the usual assortment Cherry MX mechanical keys found in gaming keyboards. Wait! Before you shut your browser tab on this post, you should know the CM Storm Suppressor Gaming Keyboard has specially designed membrane keys that are silent to the touch. Cooler Master also promises the same noise dampening material under each key is made to last through a long life of heavy keystrokes.

The keyboard is also equipped with a 72 MHz ARM Rapid Engine processor paired with 128-kilobytes of internal memory. With this onboard chipset the keyboard can store up to 75 programmable macros split across five different profiles. Players can set up 15 keystrokes on each individual profile for anything such calling in units in StarCraft II. As the macros are being store on the keyboard itself, you’ll be able to simply plug it into another computer without having to reprogram everything.

Lastly, the CM Storm Suppressor keyboard lights up with white LED light. It’s nowhere near as colorful or fun as the Corsair Gaming K70 RGB, but the extra bit of light is helpful for navigating to WASD in the dark. Without mechanical keys the CM Storm Suppressor isn’t likely to usurp our favorite gaming keyboard, but we’ll keep an eye on it as a challenger for our favorite membrane pick.

The CM Storm Suppressor will be available soon in Europe for €45 (about $57, £35). Meanwhile, the keyboard is due to arrive in Asia later this month, with availability in Russia and East Europe sometime this December leading into early January. No word on if/when the keyboard is coming to the US.

Be sure to check out our list of the best gaming keyboards.