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after years of laptop use. It also means that if I want to take my keyboard on-the-go for gaming sessions or weekends away, it's fairly feasible. If you do have space, or play a lot of games on your computer, you may want to consider the MK750, which features the same style and construction of the MK730, but with that extra number pad. Conversely, if you are looking for something even more compact and travel-friendly than the MK730, check out the SK 621, Cooler Master's ultra-compact, space-conscious layout with low profile switches. The benefits of a mechanical keyboard are a little hard to describe, and it's really one of those "you have to try it" things in life. The mechanical nature of the keys provides a tactile (and sometimes audible) experience that just doesn't exist on most of today's membrane-based keyboards. You may not realize just how accustomed you have become to the less-than- awesome typing experience on your laptop until you try the MK730. The illuminated keys of the MK730 float above a solid brushed aluminum backplate, with great curvature to catch your fingers as they fly across the board. The base is a solid black plastic, which has a fair bit of heft to it and keeps it stable on your desk— this bad boy isn't going anywhere. The keyboard is connected via a detachable USB-C cable and comes with a nice, braided USB-A to USB-C cable that feels very durable. It also has a hidden groove for cable management in the back, which seems like it will minimize any excessive wear on the cable connection. To further luxuriate your typing or gaming experience, the MK730 comes with a detachable wrist rest made of PU Leather. It connects to the keyboard with a single, strong magnet in the center of the rest, and has never come off unintentionally during my use. I personally love this feature not only for its added comfort during use but also for the ability to fidget with the wrist rest while waiting in game lobbies or on conference calls. When it's time to focus, the rest snaps back to the keyboard with zero effort. As the MK730 is a Cooler Master product, you better believe that a full-range of lighting features can be called upon in times of stylistic need. The RGB backlit keys feature a full range of colors and lighting effects to choose from or cycle through, from playful snow and fireball patterns to simpler steady illumination or no lights at all. I personally keep mine a single, steady color to avoid getting distracted, but you can also fully customize the lighting until your heart is content. As a nice detail, Cooler Master has included a subtle light bar wrapping around the base of the keyboard that matches your lighting selections. To round out the hardware, Cooler Master offers three varietals of authentic Cherry MX switches (the leading brand in mechanical keyboard keys). If you've never heard of or cared about Cherry MX switches, it's an important and impactful choice to make. It's like picking hiking boots or sneakers or flip slops when you go out for a walk. Gamers will probably want to equip Cherry MX Red switches, which are lightweight and feature lightning-fast actuation. Blue switches offer the most feedback of any of the switches, both with a tactile bump and a loud, audible *click* with every keypress, making for a decidedly chunkier typing experience, but one that writers often prefer. Brown switches, on the other hand, offer a similar mechanical feel as the Blue switches, with almost no audible keypress, making them good for crowded areas or users who are often in game chat or conference calls. And while this keyboard is all about the mechanics, Cooler Master has included a notable software differentiator. It's called the "On-the-fly System" and it allows you to customize and change your keyboard without installing any software to your already bloated computer. This makes it super easy to change the color or lighting scheme but goes way beyond those aesthetic choices. It also allows for macro programming, without ever having to leave the game. The bottom line is that the Cooler Master MK730 is lightning fast, a joy to type on, and not only easy to use, but easy to customize, ensuring you get the most out of this everyday, hands-on peripheral. Too often we invest in complicated gadgets and fail to take advantage of all their features, but the On-the-fly System makes it easy. For your twitchy shooters, multi-page term papers, and endless emails, upgrade your typing experience with the MK730 mechanical keyboard from Cooler Master. For more information, visit: www.coolermaster.com/catalog/peripheral/keyboards/mk730/