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.

CM Inferno Features

• 4 Customizable Profiles
• 6 Programmable Scripts
• 32 extra combo functions via Storm Tactics Key
• 36 Programmable Macros
• Multimedia Emulation
• Ultra Wide Scroll System
• Individualized Scroll Speeds
• Adjustable USB Report Rate
• Adjustable Button Response Time
• Mechanical DPI Switching
• Settings Stored in Internal Memory
• Operates Without Drivers
• Portable Configuration Application

SGM-4000-KLLN1-GP Specifications

• 4000 DPI Storm Tactical Laser Sensor
• 128KB Sentinel-X Memory
• 11 Button Output
• 9 Programmable buttons
• Rapid Fire Tactical Key
• Storm Macro Pro Key
• Storm Tactics Key
• Max Speed of 115 inches per second
• 2 mm Lift-off Distance
• 1000 Hz USB Polling Rate (1 ms response time)
• Ergonomic Design
• Gold-Plated USB Connection
• Full-Speed USB

First Look: CM Storm Inferno

The Inferno's styling matches nicely with CM Storm's line of products. The black, white and red color scheme gives an air of impending destruction.

The product packaging contains large bulleted points that give very vague ideas of what features to expect from this mouse.

The inside cover gives more detailed information, but it still leaves some of the features undiscovered or poorly defined. By the time I plugged in my mouse I was still unsure of exactly what to expect.

Upon first glance the Inferno reminds me more of Logitech's MX series of mice than it does the Sentinel. It is tall with curved sides and the footprint appears smaller that either the MX518 or the Sentinel. It has some LEDs on the top that are somewhat reminiscent of the Sentinel, but what will they display? Might be the DPI setting like the Ghost, but the labels are only numbers 1 through 5.

The first things I noticed out of the box were the large scroll wheel, the cluster of buttons located just above, the narrow Mouse-1 and Mouse-2 buttons and the two extra buttons on the top front corners. I thought, "Oh great, this mouse is gonna cause me issues." I was sure that all the 'clutter' on the top of the mouse would get in my way. I've also grown accustomed to my Razer Diamondback which has a longer length and broad buttons. Despite these initial impressions I found no problem using the narrow buttons. However, when I try to grip the Inferno with my thumb and little finger, to use a three finger approach, my fingers all have to crowd together in order to fit over the narrower buttons. When I grip with my thumb and ring finger, to use a two finger approach, I don't have any space issues.

Closer Look: CM Storm Inferno

The outer two buttons don't cause the trouble I anticipated. They are fairly resistant to getting accidentally clicked, and my fingers don't drift onto them as much as I expected. These two smaller buttons are located close enough to my fingertips that they can be used as primary buttons. By default the left button is used as rapid fire and the right button is used for a macro. Also note that there are no buttons on the right side for the little or ring finger.

After getting over the initial reaction I wondered where CM Storm fit all 11 buttons. We already covered 8 of those on the top. Three are above the scroll wheel and the other five are located at the fingertips. The remaining three buttons are all located on the left side of the mouse above the thumb. The recent convention for most mice has been to put only two buttons on the left side and leave the right side blank.

In the past I've always had a difficult time reaching mouse buttons around the scroll wheel due to my extra long fingers. On the Inferno the top button is located only slightly below the top-middle of the mouse. It sits right beneath the knuckle on my middle finger and is easy enough to toggle, but still not good enough to be used as a primary button. The other two buttons require curling a finger back to toggle and don't lend themselves well to frequent or at least speedy use. The flat, wide scroll wheel is very nice. I have never liked the round or ridge shaped wheels. I have found them too difficult to click, especially when under duress. The wider wheel provides ample surface area for clicking, and the flat surface means even a poorly guided finger can get contact. The scroll wheel button requires the most force to engage, but this was not an issue for me. The scroll clicks are soft but the tactile feedback is adequate and the separation between clicks is distinct. This is the first mouse where I have ever successfully used the wheel as a primary function.

The back shot shows some of the curvature used on both sides of the mouse. It feels comfortable to grip with either the little or ring finger. In both grip styles the thumb and right finger naturally come to rest lightly touching the mouse pad. In this position the thumb rests just below the buttons on the left side.

On the left side, two of the buttons are clustered together and by default act as forward and back buttons in browsers and explorers. The buttons operate independently unlike my Diamondback which uses a rocker switch. I prefer the independent button arrangement because under heated situations I tend to mash hard on my buttons. With the rockers I found that pushing too hard frequently activates both buttons with undesired results. On the Inferno the front button is smooth and the back button has a bump to help in tactilely distinguishing the buttons. When I naturally grip the mouse my thumb rests below all three buttons with my thumb tip resting right by the middle button. This forces me to reach for the forward button. My reaction time is slightly slower in this arrangement and causes an occasional mis-click. It would be best to hold the mouse with the little finger, but I naturally use my ring finger to grip the right side.

The third mouse button is located just above the knuckle of my thumb. This is the "Storm Tactics" button. It essentially acts like a shift or control key which allows secondary functions to be assigned to the other buttons. When I move my thumb over the "back" mouse button it is a simple motion to activate the Storm Tactics button with my knuckle. Due to the location it is unlikely that the front button will ever get assigned a secondary function since it is too difficult to use the thumb to press both keys at once.

Overall the Inferno looks like an awesome mouse. It has a good blend of curves and angles. It also stayed fairly conventional in design without getting too tall, wide or long. Due to the styling, it looks like lefties are out of luck with this mouse. The top shiny part of the mouse is made of a harder plastic and will probably mar or scratch over time, but can stay nice if well cared-for. The gripping surfaces are made from a sturdy rubber which will likely outlast other components. From experience the first thing to break down will probably be the Mouse-1 and Mouse-2 buttons, but these will last as long as any other good mouse.

For style and feel the Inferno has made an extremely strong impression. But this only the beginning of the evaluation, Benchmark Reviews has yet to consider the detailed features and performance.

Inferno Detailed Features

The Inferno uses three large teflon pads as sliding surfaces. On first use the pads dragged hard against the foam-based mouse pad. When this happened I realized that I use a pretty heavy hand on my mouse, but this hasn't been an issue with any of my other mice. I quickly learned to lighten up on the pressure and things worked fine. Even with a heavy hand there were no problems on harder surfaces. After a week's time the corners of the teflon pads have worn enough that the mouse slides well even under the heavy pressure.

As far as gaming mice go the Inferno is very light. For some this may be a fault, but I prefer the light weight since I use a heavy hand. It matches well with weight of my Diamondback. Unlike the Sentinel, the Inferno has no weighting system. For those desiring more weight a mod will be required.

The last external aspect of the Inferno is the mouse cord. It is a long cord with a 24k gold-plated USB connector. I like my Razer cord since it is also long but is very thin and coated in plastic. The cord to my Logitech MX518 is a traditional USB cable that has never caused grief. The Inferno's cord is much stiffer than any of my other cords and is wrapped in a sturdy nylon braid. Though it's difficult to tell, I think the nylon cord is lighter and doesn't pull or drag as much as my other plastic cords.

Most of the Inferno's 'meaty' features are found on the inside. The Inferno contains 128KB of internal, non-volatile memory. All settings are contained within the memory including macros, scripts, button assignments, and all other profile settings. The main advantage of this is that the Inferno can be used on any computer and retain all the customizations without requiring a driver. The software also comes with a portable application that can be run from a USB drive or CD to configure the settings. I love the fact that you can plug the mouse into any computer and it not only works, but works the way it was customized.

The screenshot below shows the Main Control page of the configuration application. There are 4 profiles, 3 of which are fully customizable. The 4th profile keeps the default settings as a fall-back in case the others get configured in self-defeating ways (I know, it happens).

From this menu the basic behavior and button assignments can be made. Basic settings include mouse sensitivity, double-click speed, button response time DPI settings. For each profile there are five customizable levels of DPI which can be toggled using the two buttons above the mouse wheel. DPI levels can also be set independently for X and Y axes.

The next tab in the configuration application is the "Storm Tactics" page. By default the Storm Tactics key is the third or right key on the left side of the Inferno. It acts like a control or shift hotkey which allows secondary functions to be assigned to the other mouse buttons. These functions are set on the Storm tactics page. Assignable functions include any other mouse button, mouse motion on or off, multimedia functions, scripts, macros, rapid fire keyboard and mouse, DPI switching and profile switching. There are 8 assignable tactics and 4 different profiles making a total of 32 assignable secondary functions.

A secondary function can be assigned to a single button or to two buttons pressed simultaneously. It is possible to use a button more than once by itself or as part of a combination. As a result, all assigned functions fire when the button is pressed.

The Storm tactics page also has a small area where the scroll speeds can be set. The scroll up and scroll down speeds can be set independently allowing more control over application behavior.Next to this is an area where 4 different color schemes can be applied to a profile. Example images of these schemes are shown toward the bottom of this section.

The next two tabs in the configuration application are the Macro and Scripts pages. Since the Macro page is a simplified version of the Scripts page it is easier to start with the Scripts. In its most basic form the scripting page allows the recording of keystrokes and/or mouse clicks as a macro. The Inferno records the type and duration of both down and up strokes. For example, hold "A" down for 1 second then release. Once a macro is recorded it can be assigned to buttons 1 through 9 on any profile resulting in 36 possible macros. Macros can also be launched as a Storm Tactics combination.

CM Inferno Fine Tuning

Once a macro has been created it can be edited to change the key, duration or order. Scripting takes macros to the next level by allowing a limited number of low level instructions like loop, call,return, stop pause and a few others. Variables can be assigned to help in logic for more complex scripts. An especially useful feature of the scripting module is the ability to program mouse movements. Movements can be set from a range of -9999 to +32767. Presumably the negative range is larger, but the script entry field is limited to 6 characters, a possible oversight by CM Storm. While this is a great feature it seems the full power is left under utilized due to the constrained design of the software.

"Rapid Fire" Color Scheme - Yellow LED on top, red LED at front grating.

The ability to move the cursor opens many possibilities beyond a macro. It is especially useful for static menus either in-game or in a utility. Mouse movements are relative to the current position rather than absolute to the screen, so movement scripts must either be launched from a fixed starting location or the desired movements must be relative to the starting location

"Disable" Color Scheme - Red LED on top.

Scripts also have the ability to call a limited number of applications. The short list includes My Computer, browser, email, media player, and calculator. It would be better to have a longer list, but the best would be the ability to launch a command line. In truth this can be accomplished using the macro function to type a keyboard shortcut then type the command and hit enter. The major handicap of this type of macro and scripting system is the ability to interrupt the macro process. Even for a short script of 5 keys using the minimum timing of 12ms, it is easy to manually press a button that will be injected into the middle of an executing macro or script. In many cases, such as a command line or a menu click, the results are catastrophic. Macros and scripts are best used conservatively and under very predictable situations.

"Breathing" Color Scheme- Green LED on top, CM Storm logo slowly turns on and off.

One final feature of the scripting system worth addressing is the "IF" function. The scripting editor allows two types of IF statements. Those set on variables and those set on buttons. If functions based on variables are limited to checking variables created elsewhere in the script. The assigment of variables is limited to aalphanumeric quantities. The IF function based on buttons can check a small list of buttons to see if they are up or down. This list includes Caps Lock, Num Lock, Scroll Lock, L-Button, R-Button, M-Button, Button-4 and Button-5. By simply using the three lock buttons it is possible to write scripts that will check the state of each button thereby multiplying the number of possible functions via script by 8. While inviting, this method is still subject to the same drawbacks and 12ms time constraint as normal macros and scripts. The scripting page has some great potential, but it could be even greater with only a few minor changes. The last change I'd recommend is to allow the IF function to be used on any keyboard key. This would allow near limitless functions based on more important shift/modifier keys like Ctrl, Alt, and Shift!

"Full Color" Color Scheme - No LED on top button.

To help manage the many scripts macros and profile combinations the Inferno software includes a Library page with the ability to import and export scripts and macros. Finally, there is a support tab to help get solutions to any problems encountered.

While the Inferno's software is quite powerful, most of the features are not entirely new, and there are some drawbacks that keep the Inferno from rising above implementations of the past. It has made some improvements over the Sentinel by allowing a few more options but not many. As a result, the functionality of the inferno is excellent but not earth shattering.

Testing & Results

Testing Methodology

The bulk of testing consisted of day to day use across multiple platforms, operating systems, and applications. To test the Inferno's features several scripts and macros were written and tested across the same platforms, systems and applications. To verify the hardware operation, dx_mouse_timer_dialog and Mouse Rate Recorder wre used to verify the reporting rate and accuracy.To test the lift-off distance two stacks of paper were used to suspend the front and back ends of the Inferno above the mouse-pad. The thickness of the stacks were increased until the sensor stopped responding and the result measured with calipers.

Test System 1

• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P
• Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 965 BE CPU HDZ965FBGIBOX
• System Memory: OCZ Gold 4GB 800MHz DDR2
• Disk Drive: SAMSUNG HD251HJ (232 GB)
• PSU: Antec EA500 EarthWatts 500W PSU
• Operating System: Windows 7 Professional

Test System 2

• Motherboard: Foxconn G33M02
• System Memory: 2 x 1GB DDR2-667
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 @ 2.53 GHz
• Video: ATI Radeon X850XT
• Disk Drive: Western Digital WD400BD-75JMAQ
• Operating System: Windows XP Professional

Test Software

• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2
• Battlefield: Bad Company 2
• Just Cause 2
• Office 2007
• Photoshop/Gimp
• Macromedia Studio 8
• Firefox, Internet Explorer
• Windows Media Player, MPlayer

Results

When I first started using this mouse I had some wrist discomfort. I was not used to the height of the mouse and my wrist bent at more of an angle than I've been accustomed with my Diamondback or Intellimouse. Aside from that the Inferno is very comfortable to use and all buttons are reachable without strain. As mentioned earlier the frequency of mis-clicks has dropped compared to my Diamondback due to the button layout, but they are not as low as when I used an MX518. This is particularly applicable to the thumb buttons. The thumb buttons on the MX518 have a stronger spring and they are distinctly separated making it possible to rest a thumb-tip between the buttons. This may be more of a personal preference, but the springs on the Inferno's thumb buttons could stand to be stronger.

As for resolution, the 4000 DPI and 115 inches per second were well within the range of my playing style. Players who use extremely low sensitivty should be also fine. Even at the least sensitive windows setting, the mouse had to be moved impractically fast in order to cause errors in the Mouse Rate Recorder feedback. The output ratio of points versus pixels was quite consistent. One potential source of frustration for low sensitivity users could occur when using mouse movement in the scripts. The amount of movement is locked to the sensitivity setting. This means that at low sensitivities the -9999 movement limit might move the mouse only 1000 pixels. I use a middle-range sensitivity which equates to four points per pixel. At that sensitivity a scripted move of 6400 moves the cursor 1200 pixels.

The lift-off distance depended upon both the testing surface and method used to lift the mouse. For a bright/reflective surface, when the mouse was completely removed from the surface and set back in place the lift-off distance varied between 3 and 4 mm. When the spacer papers were arranged such that the Inferno could be moved up a gradual slope the lift-off distance was more repeatable at just over 5 mm. These distances were reduced on dark/non-reflective surfaces.

When using normal programs the mouse movement scripts behaved as expected. The cursor jumps instantaneously to the new position according to the offset listed in the script. I found this feature useful in paint programs (especially Gimp) where some of my frequently used functions do not have keyboard shortcuts. By scripting the mouse movements, the menu navigation could be assigned to a Storm Tactics function which gets initiated at the top of the menu of interest. The mouse movement feature was not as straight forward to use inside of games. Some games like Just Cause 2 have a speed limit on the turning rate of the character. In these cases the movement distance is limited by the game physics. To compensate, the script had to be modified to include multiple movements of smaller distances. In other games like CoD4.2 and Battlefield, where the turn rate is not limited, the movement function could easily be used to instantaneously spin 90°, 180° etc. This made for an easy single-button backwards-check to make sure no one is tailing. The applications of this feature are quite wide and require only a little creativity to implement. I made another quick script to grind in an online RPG which I could set in a loop with delays to automatically click on the menus.

Another feature that I make frequent use of is the rapid fire key. This is especially handy in games requiring multiple button clicks. This is especially true for many of the retro arcade games that I still play. It is so nice to reduce the number of clicks by a factor of ten or fifty! Another application for rapid fire is for semi-automatic weapons. I admit I tend to "spray and pray", or rather, I prefer fully auto weapons. But some of the best guns are semi-auto or burst. The rapid fire function can be modified to control the number of shots, duration of each shot and the delay between shots. This comes in handy when timings on weapons vary. Various rapid-fire settings can be assigned to different profiles. I can have a different macro or rapid fire setting for each class setup for specific games. Then I can just mash on my mouse button and point in the direction of death. Outside of gaming i find the rapid fire and macro options come in handy while writing code. I frequently work on code that gets handled by other people, so formatting is essential. I hate inheriting a program with improper indentation. Dreamweaver has some good functions to help, but it won't work for some specific tags (which we use frequently). I find that rapid fire or a quick macro reduces the time spent adding or removing the offending tabs and spaces.

While testing there were no problems getting macros, scripts, or other features to work across the testing environments. The few hiccups encountered have already been mentioned in the last section. Perhaps the largest drawbacks are how easy it is to interrupt a macro and how there is no absolute mouse reference for movements. The hardware performs at the expected settings with a USB poll rate of 1000 Hz and a minimum response time of 1 ms. Overall the mouse is extremely usable with little to no drawbacks compared to its competition. In the next section Benchmark Reviews will cover some final thoughts and give a rating to the Inferno.

Gaming Mouse Final Thoughts

As it turns out, trying to improve performance by modifying the utility of a mouse is not as straight forward as adding a second monitor. While it is widely suggested that using generic macros and scripts can improve productivity, which scripts to add and what applications should be used to create them are not always obvious and will required a concerted effort, study, trial and error and perhaps some inspiration or luck to accomplish. Years ago I discovered the power of Windows Scripting Host and Office macros, but they take time to learn and won't provide a solution for every need. Macros and scripts stored in a mouse can be used across multiple applications and are easy to create. They are also as portable as a mouse, at least for the Inferno.

The Inferno has offered a slightly larger range of potential benefits than other similar mice, but the difference is not drastic. At this point only the crafty and dedicated will be able to tap deep utility from the scripting module, and at best they will be limited by the options provided by CM Storm. The full potential of scripting has yet to be unlocked, and probably won't occur until the mouse gets megabytes of memory and a fully fledged scripting language. For that reason the CM Storm should really be considered a slightly improved version of the Sentinel.

CM Storm Inferno Conclusion

There is much going on visually with the Inferno. Three distinct tones on the mouse make multiple lines to break up potential monotony on the black and gray color scheme. There is a good blend of curves and hard lines giving a soft look from the top and an aggressive look from the front. There are some styling LEDs which are used for distinguishing the active software profile. The Inferno has just enough styling to transmit the necessary information in a stylish way without going overboard.

The Inferno is a light mouse; very light. For some it will be too light, a pain exacerbated by the lack of a weighting system. For others it makes for a light, quick-response mouse. Both left and right sides of the mouse are made from a sturdy rubber that yields a solid grip with a hearty resistance to sweat. The shiny black styling is made from a plastic that will scratch if abused and will last if protected. The buttons are arranged in an excellent fashion such that most are immediately accessible. The left and right mouse buttons are narrower than is typical to accommodate two additional buttons. Due to the extra buttons, larger hands will be cramped when trying to hover three fingers atop the mouse. Since I use two fingers this was not a problem and I had no difficulties adjusting to the narrow width. The mouse is very sturdy and well built, the feet and button springs will likely be the first parts to wear out.

By stripping out the unnecessary features from the Sentinel, CM Storm was able to add slightly more functionality to the Inferno. Macros can be recorded for keystrokes and mouse buttons, and scripts use a low level language to allow more enhanced features. By allowing mouse movements and conditional statements the Inferno exponentially expands the number of functions that can be performed. Despite these improvements, the scripting scope could still be greatly expanded. The on-board memory allows the Inferno to be customized with the settings stored internally so it can be used on any computer without drivers. Additionally, the configuration software was designed to be portable. There are 11 programmable buttons available across four different profiles. In addition, the Storm Tactics button acts as a shift key to allow secondary functions to be assigned.

When the Inferno (SGM-4000-KLLN1-GP) is released in mid-August 2010, it will list at an MSRP of $59.99. At that price it is competitive based solely on the design and performance. It is fairly comparable to several different mice, but it has the best combination of features and construction. Despite a few minor flaws it really will be a great mouse for a wide variety of people.

In my opinion this will be the mouse to own for some time to come. The price is great for what you get. Aside from the slightly sticky glide, it performs like a Razer but betters the functionality of the Ghost or Sentinel. It's given me a small leg up in gaming, and has proven useful in saving time at work.

Pros:

+ Tons of well-placed buttons
+ Totally portable
+ Simple macro module
+ Expanded Scripting features
+ Very Comfortable
+ Visual DPI and profile indicators
+ Highly customizable
+ Excellent performance
+ Storm Tactics button doubles functionality

Cons:

- Not left handed
- No weighting system
- No tilt-wheel (con for some, not me)
- Macros and scripts can be interrupted

Ratings:

• Performance:9.75
• Appearance: 9.50
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 9.50
• Value: 9.50

Final Score: 9.55 out of 10.

Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.

Questions? Comments? Benchmark Reviews really wants your feedback. We invite you to leave your remarks in our Discussion Forum.

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