Performance

CM Storm makes the XTi with either Blue, Brown, or Red Cherry MX switches. The sample we got featured MX Browns, which are considered among the best key mechanisms for typing with moderate-to-good gaming performance. The MX Browns have progressive feedback, which might throw off your double-tapping; use it for nothing but FPS games and I doubt it will have any impact at all.



The Brown switches are a blast to type on. Typing fatigue is minimal, and the feedback is excellent for keeping your typing efficiency up at all times. The standard layout of the Quick Fire XTi makes it quick to learn on should you be making the switch from a normal keyboard.

When it comes to looks, the XTi has a lot of options with its back-lighting system. You can configure it to do pretty much anything you want since you can even turn them off! For a gaming keyboard, some light is probably a good thing at a dim LAN party, but it is redundant for normal typing in daylight. It is super easy to set these lights up in a way you would like, and you get to pick between full-, partial-, or user-defined keys by using the deck's function keys.

The XTi's macro capabilities are also pretty easy to work with despite the absence of a driver suite. After getting the hang of it, it is quite easy to program and reprogram keys for the four profiles you can switch between by pressing the P1-P4 keys directly above the numpad.

This new version of CM Storm's Quick Fire keyboard feels just as sturdy as its predecessors as it is based on the same design. It is quite heavy, and the chassis seems strong enough to endure some serious rage spats. Mechanical keys usually last longer than you care to use them, and we have yet to kill a deck with Cherry MX keys.