Cooler Master ControlPad

[VSG]

Cooler Master's ControlPad gives you analog control on a keyboard. Gone are the days of janky movement in racing games or FPS shooters. The ControlPad is a 24-key keypad with analog control on all keys, and is backed by software that promises extreme customization for a variety of use cases, including gaming, content creation, and even medical!

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[X71200]

This new attempt at old failure tries of gaming keypads is around as expensive as a decent Ducky mech KB or a Topre numpad, so no, thanks.

 

[Emu]

I backed the kickstarter way back and got a early bird bundle with the CherryMX switches. It arrived in February (if I remember right) but I haven't really used it much since I got it due to the pandemic, me forgetting that I actually have it and a software bug that I think has been fixed (cannot use a combination of controller mapping + keyboard mapping). I really need to plug it back in and see how things are going now.

 

[Vayra86]

Analog, real fun, but not really worthwhile unless you're in a niche.

Control pads aren't new and neither is analog input. This thing is overpriced and does not belong in a kickstarter.

Next - also CM is on my shitlist for trying this, it is just preying on the weak and uninformed IMO.

Big companies doing kickstarters are like companies doing 'game modding' or trying to monetize it. GTFO, this is not your commercial playground because you simply do not need it.

 

[Chrispy_]

I'd pay an extra $25 to have just WASD as analogue on an otherwise regualar mech keyboard.
This thing has almost no purpose without the rest of the keyboard attached to it.

 

[X71200]

Well reality is, analog is pretty much most useful for driving SIM games, because those are the games on PC that mostly have native support for stage-by-stage actuation of driving controllers like pedals. A lot of people use wheels anyway for the ultimate sim experience. Other games that support Xbox controller, there is some benefit, but most games are majorly still blank for this. For typing, you either register a keystroke or not, there is no in-between so the innovation is a bit lost there - save for setting actuation points, which can be changed on regular mechanical keyboards too. I can see the tech moving on to the future, but for now people will have to keep click clanking their regular mechs so on and forth.

 

[Hieu_Arbiter]

Are you guys using a pirated version of Project Cars 2 or the tester's username happens to be "CODEX" for some reason?

 

[Betty (Kung Pow)]

I got mine on kickstarter as well, and been clocking in some 150 hours with it
The analog is a bit hard to get used to, as i never really used controllers before
But what i like most with it is the size and portability to use with a laptop on the go

I usually sit in a fan-out position with my arms: \o/
so then i can keep laptop/keyboard in the middle, and mouse and controlpad on the sides:

, _ .
\o/

If that makes any sense

 

[VSG]

Are you guys using a pirated version of Project Cars 2 or the tester's username happens to be "CODEX" for some reason?

We do own it, but I've found that random steam/publisher updates can sometimes affect tests. So I made the decision to make sure we have the game legally owned, and then use a cracked version for consistency in my reviews.