CM Storm Inferno Laser Gaming Mouse Review

The last few years have brought a few small evolutions to input peripherals. Most of these have been driven by demands for better ergonomics, greater functionality and improved performance. Cooler Master's CM Storm division is one of a select few who have risen to meet the demand. The newest addition to their line is a laser gaming mouse called the Inferno. Model SGM-4000-KLLN1-GP debuted at CeBit 2010 and is geared for gaming. Many consider the Inferno to be a reduced cost predecessor of the Sentinel, but with the suite of software features and additional buttons it may prove to be a superior replacement. Read on as Benchmark Reviews evaluates the Inferno against the competition.

Ever increasing competition in business and recreation constantly puts pressure on individuals to improve their productivity and performance. For many of us this translates into a higher demand on what we can get from our computers. The efficacy of some hardware improvements such as dual monitors are already well established and statistically supported in both the gaming and business realms. Other methods have been touted but don't yet have the backing of statistical studies. For example, some individuals have reported productivity increases by abandoning reliance on a mouse and getting both hands on the keyboard. This requires some investment in learning shortcuts and hotkeys to reduce time between functions. My brother recently got a gaming keyboard with macro keys which he has taken time to program for his frequently used work programs. He has totally abandoned his mouse while using a browser since he now considers it too slow (even with gestures).

Another method is to modify the shape and button arrangement to bring performance gains. A little research will dig up several new keyboard layouts claiming a reduction in the time required to learn touch-typing and an increase in the average words typed per minute. In the gaming realm there have been several keypad offerings with keys rearranged into quick access positions along with rockers buttons and other special keys. These methods may well improve performance but have not been widely adopted.

For the vast majority of us abandoning the mouse or using customized keyboards is not an option. In these instances it still seems logical to extend the lessons learned from other peripherals to the mouse. Past mouse improvements have often focused on style, shape and accuracy. Some changes have been tried with limited success (like tilting scroll wheels) while others provide more universal gains. One evolution is the addition of more buttons to the mouse. For some time five buttons has stood as the de facto standard. But many games now have complex input requirements, and when reaction times are critical the number of immediately accessible keys becomes more important. While the keyboard can have hundreds of keys, having only five fingers means only a few of those can be considered useful for primary responses. By adding more buttons to the mouse, and increasing the capability of those buttons, the number of primary response keys available to the right hand can be drastically increased. This applies not only to gaming but to office work as well. Before addressing how the Inferno addresses these issues we'll first take a look at the style.

Manufacturer: Cooler Master
Product Name: CM Storm Inferno
Model Number: SGM-4000-KLLN1-GP
Price As Tested: $59.99

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Cooler Master.

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