Capsule Review: ROCCAT's Kone XTD and Kone Pure Gaming Mice
by Dustin Sklavos on February 27, 2013 1:01 AM EST- Posted in
- Peripherals
- Gaming
- Mouse
- ROCCAT
Conclusion: Fantastic Mice, But Expensive
ROCCAT's Kone mice were incredibly pleasant surprises. Usually doing these peripheral reviews is just interesting for me because I get to see what other vendors are producing before going back to my Logitech G500, but having had time to play with the Kone XTD has left me questioning whether or not I want to make the jump. I mean hey, the Kone XTD's lighting could match the K90. That means something, right?
As far as the mice themselves go, they're mostly bulletproof. The texture used for the grips is soft without causing your hands to get too clammy over time, the lighting is attractive, the grips themselves are very comfortable, the software has a tremendous amount of functionality, and as a whole they're both exceptionally full-featured. While I feel like the Kone Pure is just a little bit too low, and I do wish they'd managed to find some other way to incorporate the "Easy-Shift" functionality, these are small gripes in the scheme of things.
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The Kone XTD is definitely the mouse of choice out of the lot, but boy will you pay dearly for it. The XTD is a punishing $89.99 on NewEgg, putting it in the price range of a lot of esoteric (and ergonomic) mouse designs. That makes it kind of a hard sell, when other mice (including some popular Razer kit) are available for less, but it might still be worth the investment. This mouse does a hell of a lot, and it feels good in the hand. A good mouse is, like a good keyboard or a good monitor, often worth investing in.
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At a less astronomical but still pricey $69.99, the Pure is at least a more affordable alternative. It's true that you lose the adjustable weight, extra button, and mouse wheel tilt, but all the functionality is still there in the software. Given the choice between the two I think I'd fork out the extra Jackson for the XTD, but your mileage may vary. The Pure's slightly lower profile may even be more suitable for some users.
Of all the mice I've reviewed so far, I have to say the ROCCAT Kone XTD and Pure are among my favorites. Reviews on NewEgg will tell you that settings sometimes take a long time to apply (approximately 20 seconds), and that's true...within the software. It's a minor nuisance and I hope they fix it, but no product is absolutely perfect. The XTD and Pure do just about everything else right, and while the software itself is tremendously busy and can seem difficult to use, it's definitely powerful and wonderfully complete.
As with any peripherals, your mileage may vary, but I definitely think the ROCCAT Kone XTD and Pure are worth considering. ROCCAT has produced two exceptional peripherals here, worthy of a Bronze Editor's Choice, and I look forward to getting more of their hardware in for testing.
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dishayu - Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - link
Completely agree with the opening statement. My friends ask me why i keep buying "gaming" hardware even though i don't play games. I always have a hard time explaining that it's just a marketing gimmick for top quality peripherals. It has some truth to it, because the gaming usage scenario does require better feedback and precision which come with these high quality parts. My dad liked my deathadder so much that he decided to nick it for use in his office.ilihijan - Sunday, March 3, 2013 - link
I just got paid $6784 working on my laptop using these simple steps leaked on this web page. Make up to $85 per hour doing simple tasks that are so easy to do that you won't forgive yourself if you don't check it out! Weekly payments! Here is what I've been doing Epic2.c(om)nikolas04 - Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - link
Hi very nice review , i would like to ask about linux compatibility , i have 2 computers , desktop & laptop with ubuntu and now that steam has one foot on linux i have started playing games from my library . I have a logitech g500 very nice with linux compatibility and i am very happy with it , what about roccat? can you change dpi with a button on the mouse? thanks in advancetim_roccat - Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - link
Check out the Roccat website. You will find a link to Linux drivers for almost every Roccat product http://www.roccat.org/Support/JeBarr - Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - link
"...and I look forward to getting more of their hardware in for testing."Can't wait!
I was looking at the Roccat surround headset recently but couldn't afford the gamble. Up to now I've been relying on the LTG Magnum with two pairs in the last six years. Was hoping to find something with a bit more punch and still haz muh Sauron eye on Roccat. The price is up there but if they're good quality I can overlook that.
Subyman - Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - link
It's a hard sell when a g500 is $45 on amazon. I just retired an old Razer Diamondback after years of service for a G500. Great mouse for extremely cheap.jigglywiggly - Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - link
please test the sensors in these micedraw circles in paint
get a turntable and measure the malfunction speed
also test if they work on all mousepads
try synthetics like aim400kg to see if you perform better on other mice vs different ones
my friend buys one mice per sensor and he is very picky since he plays at 108cm/360
we both get 73,600 on aim400kg
although i use 28cm/360 ingame
lyeoh - Thursday, February 28, 2013 - link
I suppose Capsule Review means not a full Anandtech review?Might consider including some of the following in a full review:
e.g. max polling rate
surface compatibility - wood, glass, laminates, black glossy surface, black matte, etc. Also state surface used for the benchmarks/tests.
Benchmarks/tests:
-latency - button and movement latency
-mouse malfunction speed.
-reproducibility in X, Y and both axis - e.g. set the OS mouse config to no acceleration then repeatedly move the mouse physically from point A to B and back to A again, how far is the mouse pointer on screen. repeat test at higher speeds and higher iterations.
-does 5 cm horizontally move the mouse pointer the same distance as 5 cm vertically? Do physical circles end up being circles on screen or ovals or worse?
-maximum lift height before motion stops being detected.
-max/average lift/place jitter (how much the mouse pointer moves when lifting the mouse straight up and then placing it straight down - can test by locking the mouse down and moving the surface instead).
-audibility - clicks etc (dB)
jigglywiggly - Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - link
there is no reason to use the g500the sensor isn't that good
g400 is better
optical mice are better in general, the deathadder 4g has the best sensor in any mice, even better than the old one which is surprising. works better on different surfaces too
i use the g9x though, sensor is bad, built in mouseaccel, and it doesn't track that smoothly.
noticibly worse than my abyssus, which i used before it
however, the grip on the g9x is too good. (I don't use the shell) and for my 28cm/360 it's not bad.
k1llsen also uses the g9x
cigar3tte - Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - link
G400 does not have the wheel tilt, nor the braided USB cable. Some of us to find those to be deal breakers vs the G500.I'm currently holding onto my G9 (not G9x). Found it to be the best among the many I've tried (G400, G500, G600, G700, Naga, Naga Epic).
One thing I still want on a mice but never find, is for the two thumb buttons to be vertically laid out instead of horizontal.