Cooler Master Storm Inferno Mouse
Submitted by jwhitakr on Fri, 08/20/2010 - 14:30
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Fueled by the growth in the popularity and prevalence of PC games, designed-for-gamers PC peripherals have become a lucrative opportunity in the past couple of years, appealing especially to companies that have already established brand recognition among gamers and system builders – companies such as Cooler Master. Founded in 1992, the Taiwan-based OEM of computer chassis, PSUs, and PC cooling equipment expanded quickly with the growth of interest in aftermarket computer components. In 2008, Cooler Master founded the CM Storm subsidiary brand with the intent of “Arming the gaming revolution”.
The CM Storm Inferno Gaming Mouse is one such armament, targeted at players of MMORPGs (that’s Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games). With a wholesome arsenal of software and hardware features and a price tag well below those of the other MMO-oriented mice on the market, the CM Storm Inferno certainly has what it takes to become the MMORPGer’s weapon of choice. Did Cooler Master capitalize on the technical capabilities to deliver the perfect gaming mouse? Let’s find out.
Design & Build Quality
The finish of the CM Storm Inferno is a fusion of glossy, matte, and rubberized surfaces that all come together to give the mouse a coherent look and upmarket feel. At least a half-dozen LEDs light up various parts of the mouse depending on the selected profile and a 5-LED sensitivity indicator is clearly visible on the Inferno’s left side.
The build quality of the mouse feels solid, with sturdy plastics used throughout and Teflon gliding surfaces on the underside. I wouldn’t drop the Inferno off of any rooftops but the mouse feels like it should last just fine on gaming duty. The cable is nylon-sheathed and terminated with a gold-plated USB plug. Neither element will amaze anyone familiar with the other high-end gaming mice on the market but they are nevertheless nice to see on a $60 product.
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| Overhead View | Side View |
Features and Specifications
- Advanced Storm MacroPro Key
- Rapid Fire Tactical Key
- Storm Tactics Multiplier Key
- Memory: 128 kb Onboard Sentinel-X Memory
- Sensitivity: 4000 DPI Storm Tactical Twin Laser Sensor
- Buttons: 11 (9 Programmable)
- Max Speed: 115 inches per second
- Lift-off Distance: 2 mm
- Polling: 1000 HZ
- Response Time: 1ms
- 4 Customizable Profiles
- 6 Programmable Scripts
- 36 Programmable Macros
- 32 extra combo functions via Storm Tactics Key
Ergomics
The mouse falls in the category of ‘palm-grip’ gaming mice and is approximately the same size as my aging Logitech G5. It’s not a small mouse but conforms comfortably to my medium-sized hand. Unlike some of the other high-end gaming mice, the weight of the Storm is not adjustable and as a result the device feels rather light next to the Logitech G5 and G9 that normally inhabit my desk. Those who like lighter mice will find the Storm well-weighted.
Though designed for right-hand use, I found the Inferno fairly comfortable to use with my left hand as well, the major difference being that the forward/back keys usually accessed by the thumb become unreachable and the Storm Tactics Multiplier Key located next to them becomes a liability. Another interesting element of the design is the double-wide scroll wheel, which is LED-backlit and rubberized for better grip but doesn’t support tilting/horizontal scrolling like the one my Logitech G9 and is harder to click than I would like. The right and left mouse buttons are also quite a bit narrower than what I’m used to with my Logitech mice and at first I found myself accidentally hitting the Rapid Fire Tactical Key and Advanced Storm MacroPro Key, located on the left and right sides of the regular mouse buttons respectively. All in all, however, the CM Storm Inferno is a pleasure to use after a short learning period and remains comfortable for hours of gaming.
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| Nylon-sheathed Cord | Powered On |
Setup & Functionality
The CM Storm Inferno ships with a disc containing the Inferno ‘Storm Tactic Ap’ (sic) software. Installation on a windows PC is straightforward and the interface, though highly stylized and initially daunting, is not difficult to get around with some practice. Once the software is installed, the user is faced with the main control panel of the app. From here the user can control the DPI levels of the five available sensitivity settings as well as assign functions for some of the buttons and modify the polling rate/response time of the mouse. The sensitivity settings can be cycled via the two buttons located above the scroll wheel and the software allows for the X- and Y-axis sensitivity for each setting to be adjusted separately between the 500 and 4000 DPI sensor limits.
The second tab of the Storm Tactic software allows for the manipulation of the Storm Tactics key, which acts a sort of Shift/Alt button in conjunction with the other mouse buttons to allow for up to 32 extra functions, including access to the six programmable scripts and 36 customizable macros. The same tab allows the user to modify the sensitivity of the scroll wheel as well as the visual character taken on by the various LEDs that illuminate the mouse.
The remaining tabs of the software are responsible for the mapping and storage of the various scripts and macros. Though the process can be tedious, creating a macro is a one-time investment and it’s doubtful anyone would need to create a dozen or more macros in a single session. The rightmost and final tab of the interface is used to update the Storm Tactic software and contains a link to CM Storm’s homepage. An additional pop-out menu is used to select for editing one of the four available mouse profiles, which can later be cycled using the ‘Profile Switch’ button on top of the mouse. Each of the profiles is capable of storing its own control scheme and storm tactics key configuration. In addition to all of the other software features, the usual motion sensitivity, double click speed, and button response time can be adjusted separately for each profile. The profiles, as well as the allotted number of scripts and macros, can be stored on the 128k onboard Sentinel-X Memory and stay with the mouse wherever it goes. Additional scripts can be stored on the computer and loaded into the onboard memory as necessary.
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| Software Main Control Panel | Software Tactics Menu |
Performance
My testing setup consists of my humble Intel P45-based gaming rig running both Windows XP (x86) and Windows 7 64-bit. Logitech G9 and G5 mice, optimally weighted according to my own preference and with the appropriate software installed, were used for comparison. In additional to my usual graphical workload and internet browsing, I used all three mice with several games, including Crysis, Fallout 3, Command & Conquer Red Alert 3, and Just Cause 2. All tests were performed on a Ratpadz XT mousing surface. To test the persistence of profiles in the onboard memory, I also hooked the Inferno up to my netbook and played a few dozen rounds of the classic Unreal Tournament, switching between my pre-set profiles.
Now, I’m the first to admit that I’m no mouse connoisseur. As a matter of fact, though I do own two Logitech gaming mice, a huge part of my everyday computing is performed with a simple Logitech V220 wireless notebook mouse. The only additional feature I require of my gaming mice is an on-the-fly sensitivity switch, and the Inferno definitely has that covered.
On the whole, I found the Inferno comfortable and competent. All of the software features work as advertised and I managed to get accustomed to several simple macros in the few weeks I spent with the mouse. I am not a big RPG player so the use of macros was tested with Command & Conquer Red Alert 3, an RTS game that supports a variety of micromanagement features accessible through tedious in-game menus. After the initial setup, I found the ability to navigate to an often-used menu selection with a combination of mouse clicks to be a very underrated experience.
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| With Logitech G9 | Overhead Closeup - Rear View |
I will say that because I am used to heavier mice, the Teflon underside of Inferno seemed to glide across my Ratpadz mousing surface a bit too easily at first, but it wasn’t difficult to get used to. The Inferno tracked true in all of my FPS games and I didn’t feel handicapped in any way in comparison to my usual Logitech G9. A few things did bother me, however. The position of the sensitivity switches is slightly illogical to me, with the right one being pre-set to decrease the sensitivity and the left one to increase it. On most of the other variable-DPI mice I’ve used, the opposite is true.
Another issue that bugged me during everyday use was the high level of resistance to middle-clicking exhibited by the mouse wheel, a gesture I use to open links in new browser tabs. I ended up setting an alternate button combination using the Storm Tactics key to open new tabs. Truth be told, the ability to set up custom key combinations and store them in the mouse would probably be quite handy for the majority of PC power users – they just don’t know it (yet). And that, to me, is the gist of this mouse – its brilliance is not in being able to technically outperform similarly-priced gaming mice from other manufacturers but in the combination of hardware and software that takes the level of customization up to new heights, but only for those willing to spend time setting it up.
Cooler Master Storm Inferno Mouse
The CM Storm Inferno is an impressive pointing device that foregoes some of the more whimsical features offered by high-end gaming mice in favor of a multitude of buttons, high levels of customizability, and a reasonable price tag. Though no mouse will suit every hand, the Inferno is well-designed ergonomically and puts aesthetic elements second to functionality. The included software carries a moderate learning curve but the PC-savvy will have no problem reaching proficiency in a few short hours. The various key-mapping features, including support for customized scripts and macros, have the potential to seriously cut down on the time gamers waste entering repetitive keystroke combinations. All in all, in the increasingly competitive world of online gaming there will always be those who are willing to pay top dollar for that split-second advantage, and the CM Storm Inferno affords just that, minus the top dollar.
Pros: Handsome and well-designed; lots and lots of customization options.
Cons: Software can be tedious to learn and use; mouse may be light for some.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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