Mechanical keyboards and purpose-designed mice are a staple of any quality gaming machine, but the price of such specialized components can put them out of reach for many customers. Cooler Master's original Devastator mouse and keyboard were popular because they split the difference, offering solid components at a lower price point. The keyboard's membrane switches were a compromise, but $30 for both a mouse and keyboard designed for gaming was a good deal. Now the company is refreshing the product line, bringing new keyboard switches and other improvements to the new Devastator II combo.

First up is the Devastator II mouse, which isn't all that different from its predecessor. The materials here aren't premium but are well chosen. The plastic is executed well, though it isn't quite as nice as a soft touch finish. The sharp angles are reasonably comfortable, and the soft rubber on the sides is nice. The primary buttons use Cooler Master's fairly good in-house switch, though the side browser buttons are a bit mushy. The LED illumination on the mouse looks good, but it lacks a way to toggle it on and off.