Notably, the specifications include a 120 Hz refresh rate, 35 pixels per degree, aspheric lenses, eye tracking, and a remarkable 5760×2880 resolution. Although the Pimax Crystal has an outstanding list of features, its hefty price tag of $1599 reflects that. Historically speaking, the VR industry has made significant improvements since its resurgence in recent times. Still, picture quality and range of vision are not up to the mark. These are the exact issues that the Pimax Crystal set out to address with its unparalleled raw pixel count and expansive field of vision in VR headsets.

Key Takeaways

• The Pimax Crystal has a remarkable 5760×2880 resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, and aspheric lenses, delivering unrivaled visual clarity. It provides a gaming experience like never before with its expansive field of view, minimizing the goggle effect and maximizing immersion.
• The things I have liked about the Pimax Crystal are its exceptional visual clarity, expansive field of view, eye-tracking technology, DMAS earphones, and aspheric lenses.
• The things I did not like about the Pimax Crystal are its hefty weight, high price tag, demanding system requirements, and complex Pimax play settings.
• The Pimax Crystal is ideal for gamers who are seeking unparalleled visual quality and immersion, especially in cockpit-based and first-person shooter games.

The folks at Pimax were very kind in sending me their newest VR headset to try out. For the last two weeks, I have only used this VR headset to play video games. Indeed, VR games stand out from the crowd because the headset you wear can greatly influence your gaming experience. Here, I will go over everything I have experienced with the Pimax Crystal over the last few weeks. I’ll give you my own experience with it so that you may determine whether the Crystal’s apparent qualities can outweigh its more subtle drawbacks. I hope my review will give you enough insight to decide whether to spend that much money on this headset.

Here is the detailed specification sheet that I extracted from the Pimax official’s website.

Box Contents

Pimax Crystal VR Headset  comes with the following; 

• Crystal Headset
• 2x Controllers
• DP Cable
• 2x USB-C Cable
• Charging Dock With 2x Batteries
• Lens Cloth
• Screw Driver + Screws
• Quick Guide + After Sales Service Card
• Power & Connection HUB Kit 

First Impressions

Let’s start with the first impressions. A glossy Pimax logo adorns the front of the Pimax Crystal’s premium-looking matte black box. Your headset is the first thing you see when you open the package. Aside from the Pimax Crystal, it comes with a plethora of wires and accessories, such as a USB hub, a number of USB cables, and replaceable batteries. There are also a few additional items, such as the controllers and headset components. With styrofoam and matte black plastic wrapping up, everything is properly packaged to prevent damage. Overall, there is a high-end vibe to the unboxing experience. 

Design

The Crystal has a unique appearance and feels high-quality. It exhibits corners and edges, and it’s enormous. With its distinctive angular shape, the headset is both broad and weighty. Just by looking around the borders, you can see a plethora of connections, buttons, and switches that would be used for different accessories. Moreover, the aspheric lenses are of a suitable size, and the materials have a premium feel.

Aspheric Lenses

Two essential elements of any VR headset’s optical system are the internal displays’ resolution and the lenses themselves, which determine the clarity of the experience. The use of aspheric glass lenses is one of the main improvements of the Crystal and likely contributes to its price. They have a longer lifespan, are more durable, and have a brighter light.

To put it simply, these lenses improve the transmission of light from the screen to the eyes without significantly reducing the brightness. Glare is almost nonexistent, and the viewing experience is crystal clear from edge to edge. If you wear glasses, you’ll be happy to know that Crystal’s true glass lenses reduce the likelihood of scratches if the two surfaces touch, in contrast to plastic lenses.

Inside-out Tracking

You can see many cameras on the outside of the headset that allow it to use inside-out tracking. You won’t need any kind of base stations or wall-mounted components to monitor your headset when you use inside-out tracking. There are built-in cameras that monitor both your surroundings and the motion of your head. While using the Crystal for VR, the inside-out tracking performed well.

When I lost track of my head position relative to the surrounding environment, I had to reset the calibration just a number of times. In any case, the inside-out tracking was accurate, and the problem wasn’t significant. Also, it’s a technological solution that I personally like better than requiring you to put up base stations in your room or confine yourself in a specific play area for VR.

Field of View

With such a large FOV, you won’t even need to tilt your head to look far ahead or to the sides. The vertical FOV is significantly wider and nearly completely covers your vision. Thanks to the Pimax Crystal’s field of view, you’ll feel completely immersed in the action. Generally speaking, the goggle effect is one of the limitations of VR headsets, such as the black, spherical borders that can be seen in your vision.

Though it falls short of complete elimination, the Crystal is the closest headset I’ve tried to this. Vertical vision seems to be substantially unrestricted, and the boundaries to the left and right are much less substantial and distracting. This layout really enhances the immersion of the game, particularly in cockpit games where the player is primarily concerned with the immediate surroundings.

Comfort

The Pimax Crystal is among the heaviest VR headsets available, weighing in at 845 grams. Even though it’s an excellent fit for my face, especially with the included face mask. Sometimes, the weight makes it seem like a little heft. Moreover, a velcro belt secures the Crystal over your head, making it quite sturdy, while the power pack rests behind your head to offer some counter-weight.

It prevents the headset from wobbling too much, but if you turn your head quickly, you can feel it waver somewhat. The unit also experiences little sagging from time to time, particularly after extended sessions. It wasn’t a major problem for me, but you can always tell the unit is weighty.

Batteries

The incorporation of a battery is a noteworthy aspect of the Crystal. The first step is to put the battery into the headset’s back compartment. A dead battery means no image, and the Crystal still won’t operate even when plugged into PC mode. On top of that, the battery slot is a pain to work with. Pressing the plastic clips that secure it is a pain, and the entire thing has an unappealing vibe about it.

Control Scheme

From an ergonomic standpoint, Pimax has strategically placed the buttons on the headset for ease of use. Adjusting the headset on your head is a smooth process, and the well-placed buttons ensure that you won’t accidentally change the volume, IDP setting, or power off the headset. In essence, the buttons are intuitively located, making interactions effortless and enhancing the overall user experience.

Two controllers come with the Pimax Crystal, even though the material and the feel of them lean more towards the quality of a budget-friendly product compared to the headset. They pleasantly surprised me with their performance. These controllers not only proved to be adequate but also exhibited a lightweight design, adding a notable perk to the overall user experience.

Setting Up

Even though most of the users of this headset on different forums complain about the complexity of setting up this VR headset. Fortunately, for me setting up the Pimax Crystal was a straightforward process for me. Upon plugging it into my PC, everything functioned seamlessly without any issues. The procedure, which involves a few cables, was user-friendly, and I didn’t encounter the need to spend excessive time figuring out how to connect them. 

Moreover, to alleviate the load on your computer, a powered USB connection hub is provided, ensuring a smooth and efficient connection. The USB ports were secure, and the overall structure of the USB hub felt robust. I didn’t experience any concerns with loose ports or low-quality cables. As a result, this streamlined setup added to the positive initial impression of the Pimax Crystal, making it a hassle-free experience for me. 

Pimax Play

Once you’ve made sure the VR headset is connected properly, the next step is to install Pimax Play, the program that allows you to customize the Crystal.  After getting everything hooked up, it was time to start using the Pimax Crystal. You immediately have the option to use it either as an independent headset or connected to your PC.

1 of 5

Toggling between the two modes is as easy as flipping a little switch located just beneath the right corner of the headset. To begin the setup procedure, which includes positioning the Crystal about the room and allowing the software to calibrate everything, you need to switch to wired mode and start the client app on your PC.

Customization Options

Certain aspects of Pimax Play allow you to visit the Pimax VR shop and manage your account. Some people may find the UI to customize their Pimax Crystal to be a little complicated. There is a lack of clarity on the settings, and the UI is difficult to use. Adjusting the Inter-pupillary Distance, eye-tracking, frame-rate smoothing, dynamic foveated rendering, and many more parameters are at your fingertips.

It will take some time and effort to get a general idea of what each of these options accomplishes. Even if you do, you’ll still need to tailor them to your system and personal preferences. The setup tool never explains half of these choices. Needless to say, that rules out using the headset with no setup whatsoever right out of the box.

Gaming Performance

Finally, after all of this, I got to play some games on the Crystal, and that’s when I started to understand its value and enjoy using it. The Pimax Crystal begins to redeem itself as it loads into games. To begin, you really must try virtual reality gaming. It adds a new dimension of immersion to the equation. Setting up and configuring the Pimax Crystal properly takes a lot of effort, but once you’ve found the settings that are optimal for you, it shines.

Test Build Specifications: 

• Intel Core i7-13700k
• GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC
• ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 360
• Teamgroup T-Create Expert 48GB DDR5-7200 C34
• Kingston Fury Renegade 2TB NVMe SSD

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator, a cockpit-based game with VR mode, was my first choice because of its high-resolution panels. I must admit that the results impressed me right away. The large field of vision made it easier for me to immerse myself fully in the game environment, and every dial and indicator in the plane’s cockpit looked with amazing clarity. Performance, however, is just as crucial as the viewing experience and picture quality. I should now discuss my system specifications.

With i7-13700k coupled with GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC, this usually suffices to run MSFS at +100FPS on high to extreme settings. To get the best performance out of the Pimax Crystal, I had to change the settings on my simulator greatly to run the game at around 60FPS. While the resolution of this VR headset may allow you to see images that are very crisp and high-quality, it also means that you will need a highly strong GPU to enjoy the features of the Pimax Crystal fully.

The goal of the Crystal, in my opinion, is to provide an unparalleled degree of clarity and immersion compared to other headsets in the current generation. I also played several other cockpit games, such as F1 23, Assetto Corsa, Dirt Rally, and Star Wars: Squadrons, which are all excellent examples of the VR experience. As a result, buttons, gauges, and dials were all much crisper. Basically, at a regular distance, you could read anything across the cockpit.

Half-Life Alyx

Furthermore, I have also tried Primax Crystal with Half-Life: Alyx to see how it works with a first-person shooter game. As one could anticipate, the real environment also looks quite pleasing as well. Designed exclusively for virtual reality, the game’s intricate details and stunning landscapes find a perfect showcase in the high-resolution QLED displays. As I put my feet into the shoes of Alyx Vance, the clarity provided by the Crystal’s displays enhances every aspect of the game world.

The textures of the environment, from the smallest details on surfaces to the atmospheric lighting, are rendered beautifully. Dark and dynamically lit areas in Half-Life: Alyx, which play a crucial role in creating tension and atmosphere, benefit from the Pimax Crystal’s local dimming technology. This feature enhances contrast, making shadows genuinely deep and allowing vibrant colors to pop. Moreover, the headset’s high refresh rate of 120 Hz ensures that every movement and interaction in the game is smooth and responsive.

Image Quality

Another aspect to consider is the displays themselves. Pimax employs twin QLED screens, each producing 2880×2880 pixels at 35ppd at 72Hz, 90Hz, or 120Hz per eye. The presentation quality is exceptional when combined with the lenses. Your hardware and configurations have a major impact on the quality of the picture the headset produces. The visual quality tends to be fairly excellent when you configure the headset with settings that suit your hardware and flying style.

The QLED display with local dimming technology makes the blacks seem genuine and deep, and the colors are highly vivid and realistic. All things considered, it provides a very realistic viewing experience with consistently pleasant and true colors. With a resolution that can accommodate it, the display’s high pixel density produces very detailed and clear images. It’s necessary to balance the render resolution and simulator settings for the Pimax Crystal. DLSS is a lifesaver when it comes to virtual reality, and it can substantially increase your frame rate.

Eye-tracking

The experience improved much more when I began using the eye-tracking potential for dynamic foveated rendering. The Pimax Crystal truly follows your eyes and tracks where you’re looking, as opposed to just displaying the center of your vision in a higher resolution and the surrounding region in a lesser one. This guarantees that the image you see is clean and high-resolution wherever you look. It provides yet another noteworthy performance gain from it.

To support all of this, however, a fairly powerful PC is still required. I’ve spent several hours fiddling with my settings till I’ve finally found something that works well and keeps the Pimax Crystal functioning reasonably well. Even so, I’m not convinced this VR headset is appropriate for everyone, particularly if you’re not using a really strong GPU since the PC requirements are often so high.

Sound Quality

The experience isn’t complete without outstanding sound as well as visuals. These DMAS earphones produced very detailed and immersive sound, and the audio was quite good, even for me as an audiophile. Not only were they comfortable to use, but I hardly noticed a change from my regular gaming headset.

Moreover, the earphones are not attached to your ears but rather hang from the outer edges of the VR headset, which is a creative approach. To give an illustration, the earphones will not come into direct touch with your ears. It does imply that the sound may somewhat leak through, so others around you might be able to pick it up, which is something to think about.

Should You Buy It?

Now the final question is, should you get the Pimax Crystal?

Buy it if

Immersive Gaming Experience: The Crystal excels in providing an immersive gaming experience, especially in cockpit-based games like Microsoft Flight Simulator and first-person shooters like Half-Life: Alyx. The wide field of view and high resolution contribute to a gaming environment that’s vivid, detailed, and engaging.

High-Quality Features: The Pimax Crystal stands out with its remarkable 5760×2880 resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, and aspheric lenses, delivering an unparalleled visual experience in VR. If you prioritize top-notch picture quality and an expansive field of vision, the Crystal is worth the investment.

Don’t Buy it if

Budget Constraints: With a hefty price tag of $1599, the Pimax Crystal is a premium VR headset. If budget constraints are a significant consideration, and you’re looking for a more economical option, this headset might not align with your financial priorities.

High System Requirements: The exceptional features of the Crystal come with demanding system requirements. If your PC doesn’t meet the necessary specifications, or you’re not willing to invest in a powerful GPU, the Crystal might not deliver its full potential.

Final Verdict

To sum up, reviewing the Pimax Crystal was a fun experience for me despite the fact it takes a very long time to configure your simulator and Pimax Crystal settings. But once you’ve figured out a setup that suits you, the Pimax Crystal offers a fantastic experience. The colors are exquisitely precise, the displays have excellent resolution, and the visuals are fantastic. The music is very clear and immersive, and the tracking experience is really seamless.

But all of that comes with a very high price tag, and as of this writing, the Pimax Crystal already demands some of the best specifications out there. Everyone should try feeling MSFS in virtual reality since it offers an unmatched experience. If just for that, I’d suggest getting a normal VR headset. However, I can only suggest the Pimax Crystal if you don’t mind fiddling with the settings on your VR headset to get the best possible results and if you’re equipped with the hardware necessary for it in the first place.

Abdul Hannan

[Hardware Reviewer]

After many years of exploiting various pieces of hardware, Abdul Hannan now serves as an editor at Tech4Gamers. He’s been in the PC hardware reviewing industry for almost a decade, and his staff of passionate geeks and reviewers is second to none.

Abdul Hannan is constantly seeking new methods to improve the performance of his computer components since he is an ardent overclocker. He is well-known for providing the most extensive and unbiased analysis of the newest and greatest hardware for PC gaming, including everything from GPUs to PSUs.

Pimax Crystal VR Headset Review – Perfect Gateway Into VR Sim Gaming is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

Surprisingly, Corsair incorporated two layers of EVA foam to keep the noise down, and the case doesn’t ping that much as well, but on the downside, the K70 Core lacks the K70 Max RGB’s programmable magnetic switches, which I was anticipating to be in it too. Instead, it uses pre-lubricated Corsair Red linear switches. Notably, it’s available in either black, white or steel gray, all of which highlight the aluminum top plate and double-shot ABS keycaps.

Furthermore, it has a programmable rotary dial, built-in memory for a maximum of five profiles, and per-key RGB lighting. Compared to its K70 predecessor, this model is significantly cheaper at retail at just $99.99, yet it still delivers a powerful punch thanks to its premium specifications.

Key Takeaways

• Affordable and feature-rich, the Corsair K70 Core RGB’s durable build and effective sound-dampening cater to budget-conscious gamers seeking a reliable, full-sized mechanical keyboard.
• The things I liked about the Corsair K70 Core are its affordable premium features, smooth linear switches, versatile control dial, great build quality, effective Sound Dampening, per-key RGB lighting, and good gaming performance.
• The things I did not like about the Corsair K70 Core are its lack of hot swapping, fixed USB-C cable, complex software, limited programming, uncomfortable wrist rest, and lack of Axon technology. 
• The Corsair K70 Core is a perfect fit for budget gamers looking for a top-notch mechanical keyboard with all bells and whistles, like RGB lighting.  

The K70 Core can be a great option if you know what you’re looking for in a mechanical gaming keyboard. Similarly, it can compete with Corsair’s flagship keyboard thanks to its fantastic new selection of switches and other premium features, which I will dive deep into in the following sections. After spending some time with the new keyboard, I’m ready to let go of my K70 RGB MK.2 that I’ve used for about two years. Keep reading to discover the reason why.

Box Contents

1. K70 RGB CORE Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
2. Safety leaflet
3. Warranty card

Design

The K70 Core has the benefit of the doubt, as I have reviewed many other superb Corsair products over at Tech4Gamers, many of those being gaming keyboards. Notably, the K70 Core serves as a full-sized keyboard with a few modifications to the design from the rest of the K70 series, featuring RGB per-key illumination and double-shot ABS keycaps, and the backside features two flip-up feet.

Due to the reduction of extra room around the keys, its overall footprint is now significantly smaller. Still, it features a plastic base and a solid aluminum top plate. It’s not incredibly hefty, but it has a surprising amount of stability and sturdiness. The Corsair K70 Core is unquestionably a significant improvement in the company’s move going forward. While keeping the same fundamental form, it has a newer, more modern appearance and feel.

The review unit I received from Corsair is in black color, with bright yellow highlights exclusive to the rotary dial. It is also available in a white and gray color scheme, with a number of keycap color options. While the design improvements are not spectacular, it is an appreciated departure from prior K70 models. Now, it looks like a more refined and streamlined gaming keyboard that looks and feels right at home at the end of the year 2023.

Is the Wrist Rest Worth Buying? 

Additionally, the K70 Core is available to purchase with or without a wrist rest, depending on your preference. Unfortunately, my review unit does not come up with the wrist rest. While it’s great that users have an option, the wrist rest isn’t very comfortable and is otherwise identical to the one that came with my K70 RGB MK.2. Thus, I am familiar with the feeling of using it.

The magnetic attachment and pleasant surface texture of this keyboard are great touches, but the plastic construction and oddly low angle of the wrist rest would prevent me from finding it as comfortable for typing or gaming, contrary to the one I have experienced using it during my Corsair K100 RGB review.

Backside

If we flip the keyboard, we can see the four rubberized footpads, which are located at the bottom of every corner of the keyboard. Additionally, the upper pair of footpads can also function as angled feet. The keyboard’s whole chassis is black plastic, but an interior aluminum plate, which also likely accounts for most of the weight, makes it seem sturdy and prevents flexing.

Control Dial

In addition to the regular keyboard keys, it also features a rotary knob in the top right corner. Corsair calls this a control dial, a media button that you can program to your liking, along with the usual num lock, caps lock, and scroll lock indications.

It is fashioned out of metal with a pleasant texture, while its cylinder-like form is a considerably superior choice to Corsair’s prior designs. The dial’s metal structure and notching make it not only look and feel great but also alleviate the joyful experience of using it.

Notably, the dial can be used for more than just adjusting the volume. It also allows you to scroll up and down the page, zoom in and out, and change the RGB brightness. All of the above functions are great in their own right, but the ability to scroll horizontally is one of my favorites. By default, the control dial adjusts volume. Meanwhile, while holding Fn, pressing F12 cycles through extra settings as configured in the Corsair iCUE program. To give an illustration, a colored indication on the F12 key indicates what function is currently activated.

In addition, an iCUE button, which is placed on the foremost left, can be configured through iCUE to perform other functions besides pausing music or movies, which is the default setting. The function keys now also control many media-related features, such as the ability to adjust the brightness of the screen, toggle between user profiles, and lock Windows. It’s also the only alternative to the keyboard’s lack of actual media controls.

Despite my admiration for this feature, I do have two concerns. If you don’t have iCUE running in the background, you won’t be able to toggle between actions. Without it, you can’t do much beyond adjusting the volume without the software. In addition, I’d like to be able to assign it my own set of user actions. Even with that shortcoming, considering its mainstream pricing, the dial is a major improvement to the K70 Core.

Connectivity

Unfortunately, the K70 Core RGB does not come with a removable USB-C cable. Instead, there is a six-foot rubber USB-C cable that extends from the top left, which makes me concerned about the keyboard’s longevity, as it cannot be easily replaced if damaged.

This limitation is particularly relevant for users who prioritize the overall lifespan of their peripherals. Additionally, users who frequently transport their keyboard or have limited desk space may find a fixed cable less convenient, as it restricts the ease of storage and transportation.

Moreover, fixed cables limit customization options, preventing users from easily incorporating custom or aftermarket cables for aesthetic or functional reasons. It’s strange that Corsair would go for a fixed cable rather than one of their removable USB-C cables, which they utilize in many of their keyboards. Furthermore, I would be delighted to have a USB port for passing through functionality. Furthermore, the flexibility in cable length and type offered by removable cables caters to different user preferences desk setups and offers great portability.

Many competitive gamers may argue that this wired connection is superior to wireless ones like 2.4GHz or Bluetooth since it reduces input lag in their games. Having said that, the K70 Core weighs in at 2 pounds, heavy enough to enable it to stay in place whether you’re typing or smashing the keys while playing games. This is unusual for a wireless keyboard because the absence of a battery normally means a lighter keyboard.

Switches

Do you enjoy using linear key switches? The K70 Core only comes with the Corsair Red linear mechanical switches, so I’m crossing my fingers that you like them. These are similar in engineering to Cherry Reds. Fortunately, my previous experiences with various Corsair-branded key switches have been positive. Notably, these are the brand-new, factory-lubricated switches available from the Corsair. There is a promise of 70 million keystrokes from these switches, along with specifications including an actuation force of 45 grams, actuation distance of 1.9 mm, and total travel distance of 4 mm.

Notably, the Corsair Red switches are some of the most buttery in any prebuilt, stock-popular gaming keyboard I’ve reviewed, and I’ve reviewed a lot of them. I didn’t give it much thought when I found out the switches were pre-lubed.

Numerous manufacturers have stated this on numerous occasions, and nearly every time, I’ve been let down. But things have taken a turn for the better, and the Corsair Reds have captured my affection. To give an illustration, both the sound and sensation are superb.

The red linear switches with the rotary dial are undoubtedly among my favorite features, particularly when you consider the mainstream price range Corsair has chosen for this keyboard.

Unfortunately, the K70 Core does not support hot-swapping of the switches. This means you can’t replace the stock key switches unless you’re handy with a soldering iron and plenty of time. To be honest, that’s asking a lot of a $99 board from a major manufacturer, but still having the option of doing it would be a cherry on top. 

Keycaps

Although Corsair doesn’t provide a keycap puller, it seems unlikely that you’ll actually need one. With light-through legends and spot-on typography, the keycaps built of double-shot ABS look and feel excellent while making the most of the incredibly brilliant, per-key RGB backlighting. Unless you have a keycap set, you’re longing to put on or require deep-clean the surface of the keyboard.

You shouldn’t feel the urge to replace them. Moreover, there are printed symbols for the F-keys’ additional functions. Although PBT keycaps are known to last longer, I seriously doubt that these will wear out anytime soon. They jiggle just a little bit, but it’s something that needs heavy-duty stabilizers to make it perfect.

Acoustics

It’s important to note that top-side aluminum is only the tip of the iceberg. The K70 Core has an additional foam layer on the inside. Corsair’s designers are aware that keyboard enthusiasts have long used foam layers to reduce noise. The two layers of sound-dampening foam don’t completely eliminate key noise, but it’s much less noticeable than on keyboards I have tried that don’t have any foam on them or even less than the ones that have some sort of dampening foam in them.

RGB Lighting

Dual-shot ABS keycaps with backlit legends complement the keyboard’s beautiful per-key RGB backlighting. Corsair, in my opinion, has the greatest RGB implementation across its lineup of cases and peripherals. Of course, iCUE gives you complete control over the RGB lighting as well, and it is one of the best companion programs available from any company when it comes to playing with RGB lights.

You have full control over the RGB color palette, which ranges from dazzling to pulsating rainbows. There are also pre-built murals, which include audio-responsive, monitor-reflective lighting, and many more. This keyboard’s backlighting makes the legends on the keycaps clearly visible, even in dark environments.

Gaming Performance

I tried some gaming on it, and the keyboard seems to excel in that aspect as well. Just as Episode 7 Act 3 was about to drop, with Valorant’s new agent ISO, I received my K70 Core RGB. Even though I don’t spend a lot of time with the Valorant since I find it to be very competitive, this is a gaming keyboard, so I might as well give it a try. I launched and was really pleased with what I felt. The 45g actuation force of the Corsair Reds never felt excessive, and the keys themselves were silky smooth and fast.

Furthermore, after a few blazing games of Fortnite, I had no trouble hitting any key, despite the difference in size and form I am typically used to. The keyboard isn’t designed for professional esports players. Thus, its default polling rate of 1000Hz is sufficient for casual gamers. After a while, I switched gears and began playing DOTA 2.

My favorite hero is Meepo because I can vent my frustration on new players in low-ranked lobbies while playing with him. His whole usefulness is based on his ability to command and micromanage his clones, an endeavor that necessitates a lot of fast, lightning-packed key presses that can make your fingers feel like they’re going to fall off. Thankfully, the K70 Core RGB’s double-shot ABS keycaps weren’t too slippery. So I was able to play it effectively. 

Typing Experience

I also tried the keyboard for work productivity. A lot of typing is involved in my full-time job. As you know, I review different gaming products. Therefore, a good keyboard is essential for me to get through my day. I never once felt the urge to go back to my regular keyboard after using the K70 Core RGB, thanks to its quiet chassis and silky-smooth switches. The dial’s multiple functions, including volume adjustment and horizontal scrolling, were also welcome additions to my arsenal.

The keyboard’s responsiveness and accuracy make typing a pleasure, and the two layers of sound-absorbing EVA foam elevate the experience to a whole new level. I personally found these to be less noisy than average, as should be the case with all linear switches, and they produce a firm sound when actuated, thanks to the padding of foam on the interior.

Here is the typing experience of the K70 Core RGB

Keystroke Latency

The K70 Core RGB delivers unprecedentedly low latency. In this test, I used a polling rate of 1000 Hz and a Key Switch Debounce Time of 0 ms for the best possible results. 

iCUE

Corsair’s iCUE software, which is compatible with all of its peripherals, enables us to tweak the settings of the K70 Core RGB as well. Key remapping, customizing the keyboard’s RGB lighting, recording macros, and other customization options are all possible with iCue. Unfortunately, the K70 Core RGB does not feature Corsair’s AXON technology. In case you haven’t heard of it before. With its help, you can increase your keyboard’s polling rate up to 8,000 Hz and its storing capacity to 50 profiles with 20 lighting effects with the help of an AXON microcontroller.

While the keyboard lacks Corsair’s AXON technology and its 50 onboard profiles, it allows for a much more reasonable five onboard profiles. However, programming hardware-based profiles along with software-based profiles independently needs to be done due to iCue’s unusually complex nature, as is the case with most peripheral software. Furthermore, the lack of customizable settings on the dial of control was a major letdown. It’s not adjustable at all but comes with five pre-made settings that may be switched on or off for convenience.

Should You Buy the Corsair K70 Core or Not?

Buy it if

Budget-Friendly Premium Features: The Corsair K70 Core RGB offers premium specifications at a reasonable price, making it an excellent choice for those seeking high-end features without breaking the bank.

Great Switch Feel: If you enjoy the smooth and responsive feel of linear switches, the pre-lubricated Corsair Red switches on the K70 Core provide a buttery gaming experience with a satisfying sound.

Versatile Control Dial: The inclusion of a programmable rotary dial adds versatility to your gaming and productivity tasks, allowing for customized controls and quick adjustments.

Don’t Buy it if

No Hot-Swapping: If the ability to hot-swap switches is a crucial feature for you, the K70 Core lacks this functionality, limiting customization options for key switches.

Fixed USB-C Cable: Users who prefer keyboards with removable cables for longevity and customization might find the fixed USB-C cable on the K70 Core to be less convenient.

Advanced Software Preferences: If you prefer a straightforward software experience, the Corsair iCUE software’s complexity may be a drawback. Without it running in the background, some features become limited.

Bottom Line

Honestly speaking, this is probably one of the cheapest keyboards from Corsair I’ve ever reviewed while being the least premium. There are actually quite a few alternatives available, especially when one takes into account the $99.99 price tag. With its premium switches, form factor, as well as a multi-function dial previously only found on high-end keyboards, the Corsair K70 Core stands out in a crowded market. Consequently, this board is excellent. The absence of any case ping at all was astounding, and the silky smooth linear switches blew me away.

Somehow, whatever Corsair did to the chassis to reduce noise worked since this keyboard has one of the best sound quality of any I’ve tried for gaming. The addition of enthusiast features to cheaper gaming keyboards is not exclusive to Corsair. Notably, case pinging and lubricating of switches are two aspects that have caught the attention of multiple manufacturers. However, the K70 Core RGB is a full-sized option and offers both of these features at a cost of less than $100. It is quite unlikely for many competitive manufacturers to mirror it which makes it a very appealing deal.

Abdul Hannan

[Hardware Reviewer]

After many years of exploiting various pieces of hardware, Abdul Hannan now serves as an editor at Tech4Gamers. He’s been in the PC hardware reviewing industry for almost a decade, and his staff of passionate geeks and reviewers is second to none.

Abdul Hannan is constantly seeking new methods to improve the performance of his computer components since he is an ardent overclocker. He is well-known for providing the most extensive and unbiased analysis of the newest and greatest hardware for PC gaming, including everything from GPUs to PSUs.

Corsair K70 Core RGB Keyboard Review is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

It is a small version of the company’s popular mechanical gaming keyboard, the K65. This keyboard’s form factor is 65% smaller than standard keyboards, and it incorporates many navigation cluster keys in addition to dedicated arrow keys. It employs Corsair’s linear optical OPX switches and can poll at a maximum of 8000Hz, showing off Corsair’s commitment to making top-notch gaming gear.

Key Takeaways

• The Corsair K65 Pro Mini packs big performance into a compact 65% design. Featuring Corsair’s OPX linear optical switches, it ensures swift and precise gaming. RGB lighting, a sturdy build, and an 8000Hz polling rate add to its allure. 
• The things I liked about the K65 Pro Mini are its Compact Design, Premium Build Quality, Linear Optical Switches, Swift Gaming Performance, Sound Dampening Foams, Customization Options, Low Latency, and Good Typing Experience. 
• The things I did not like about the K65 Pro Mini are its Lack of Wireless Option, No Wrist Support, Limited Switch Options, Higher Price Point, Minimal Aesthetic Appeal, Switch Sensitivity for Everyday Use, and Minimal Aesthetic Appeal.
• The K65 Pro Mini is a perfect fit for Gamers Seeking Compact Design, Enthusiasts Valuing Functionality, Corsair Fans and Brand Loyalty, Users Prioritizing Low Latency, Customization Enthusiasts, and People Enjoying Quiet Typing.

Specifications

Box Contents

1. Corsair K65 Pro Mini RGB 65% Optical-Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
2. USB Type-C to Type-A cable
3. Radiant Spacebar
4. Safety leaflet
5. Warranty card

Design

The form factor of the Corsair K65 Pro Mini is 65%, which is quite compact. As a result, extravagant embellishments in the design are out of the question. Therefore, there is nothing particularly remarkable about the keyboard’s design. It’s an RGB-lit small keyboard that looks great and can add a slight touch of flair to any setup. There are dedicated arrow keys, as well as Page Down, Page Up, and Delete from the navigation cluster.

Unfortunately, while there are no special macro keys on this keyboard, you can still assign macros to any key by recording them on the keyboard or in the iCUE application. The K65 Pro Mini doesn’t impress you with fancy extras or skeptical functionality, but it gets the fundamentals right and has several features that enthusiasts will like. The optical switches and premium components used in this keyboard speak for themselves.  

When it comes to the remaining portion of the keyboard, Corsair has performed an excellent job of hosting a plethora of functionality and multimedia options on the K65 Pro Mini, with many of these features clearly labeled on the front of the keys themselves. To access media controls, volume controls, RGB lighting modes, mouse controls, profile selection, and other useful shortcuts like Home, End, Print Screen, and more, simply press the FN key along with the dedicated key.

The compact size is a smart design decision that doesn’t sacrifice much with regard to keyboard capacity, making it superior to around 65 percent of other keyboards. The user guide is available in digital form on Corsair’s website here, and it contains a full list of hotkey combinations. Besides the standard keys, this keyboard also offers 8 MB of onboard storage for saving custom profile settings and macros, as well as PlayStation compatibility mode and caps/scroll lock indications.

Connectivity

The K65 Pro Mini keyboard only comes in a wired model. Since it lacks wireless capabilities, you’ll need to use a USB-C cable to its USB-C port to connect it to your computer. Fortunately, the keyboard comes with a braided, detachable USB-A to USB-C cable. But it still has some kinks from being packed. Accidentally, If you somehow lose the included USB-C cable, don’t worry; any other USB-C cable will work just fine in its place.

In the future, I hope to see Corsair try an attempt at a wireless variant of the same keyboard without sacrificing any of its functionality or the sleek RGB lighting. Furthermore, I wish that the keyboard feet were double-staged for a somewhat taller profile and possibly that a wrist rest might have been included in the pricing.

Build Quality

The overall build quality of this keyboard is excellent. Consequently, this keyboard’s typical, high-profile design makes it ergonomically acceptable. There is no wristrest, but you may adjust the angle of the keyboard with the help of plastic feet that flip out from the back of the unit.

While the bottom casing is built of plastic, the faceplate is brushed aluminum, making it feel both sturdy and portable. The keyboard as a whole, however, flexes only a little. The keyboard is rather well-secured while in use thanks to its four rubber strips on the underside and extra rubber bits on the underside of the plastic adjustable incline feet.

Which Switches Are Used?

The K65 Pro Mini has Corsair’s lightning-fast and semi-proprietary OPX linear optical switches. Unfortunately, there are no other switch options available for this keyboard at this time. For those who are unfamiliar, optical switches function in place of conventional mechanical or electrical switches by interrupting an emission of light to initiate a key press.

Combined with a smooth linear motion, it makes the switches incredibly swift and light, without any roughness or disturbances through the push. Even without the debatably necessary analog actuation of some of the priciest boards, optical, linear switches are likely the finest switches for playing games, at least in terms of pure technological considerations. When I tested the optical CORSAIR OPX switches, I found that they were remarkably responsive despite their low weight and short pre-travel distances.

It’s worth noting that the switch’s overall travel distance is substantially shorter than that of most others, which may seem unexpected if you’re used to bottoming down your inputs. While these switches shine in fast-paced or competitive games, most people will find them too sensitive for everyday use. The HyperFast switches, as Corsair calls them, are another plus, making the keyboard a good pick for the rapid fire of first-person shooter battles.

Using it undoubtedly increased my typing speed, but I also became more prone to making mistakes and accidentally activating other keys because the switches have practically little pre-travel and might trigger even if a light wind finger touches on them. If you have really superhuman reflexes, you may want to use the keyboard’s maximum polling rate of 8,000Hz, but if you’re like me and don’t notice a difference, you may stick with the default polling rate of 1,000Hz to save system resources.

Keycaps

One method custom keyboards shine out in this aspect is by the use of distinctive and fashionable keycaps. To further customize the look of your keyboard, you can, as always, swap out the keycaps for those made by a third party. This is where the K65 Pro Mini separates itself from other compact gaming keyboards. Although PBT keycaps are becoming increasingly widespread, the ones included here are especially high quality.

They boast a beautiful rough texture that is quite grippy during gaming sessions. With the exception of the keycaps that feature the Corsair logo in the upper right corner as well as the alternative Radiant Spacebar, which is both made from thinner ABS plastic that feels less durable and more affordable, most of the keycaps are built out of double-shot PBT plastic. To add even more RGB to the keyboard, Corsair thoughtfully includes an additional SpaceBar with colorful perforations.

Having an additional, lighter Spacebar key makes the rattling stabilizers considerably more noticeable as it is lighter than the simple one and makes it more prominent. The choice of Spacebar key, thus, depends on the feel and appearance of the keyboard to the user. You can have either style or function, but not both. However, the PBT keycaps have a typical OEM shape and a nice, slightly rough finish, so they feel sturdy and would last a long time. There is just some bouncing in the keys, and the layout isn’t too tight, considering the keyboard’s small size.

The stabilizers do their job adequately, but they produce a little bit of noise, especially when used with the standard PBT plastic spacebar. Changing to the alternative ABS “Radiant Spacebar” lowers the overall pitch of the sound while leaving the rattling unchanged. Having said that, strange rattling from the stabilizer mechanism is common in gaming keyboards of this price range.

What Are The Customization Options? 

The Corsair K65 Pro Mini features amazing hardware customizability. The stabilizers are plate-mounted, and the switches use standard-sized Spacebar and right modifier keys with Cherry MX Style switch stems. Although the PCB is technically hot-swappable, its compatibility is limited to CORSAIR OPX switches. If you want to use them, you’ll need to find a set of appropriate third-party keycaps from an online retailer.

Although the stabilization mechanisms on the Backspace, Enter, Spacebar, and Shift keys are finely tuned, they still make a little amount of noise whenever you push them because they aren’t lubricated. However, unlike the Spacebar, the Enter, Backspace, and Shift keys don’t make nearly as much noise, and some could even say they feel too soft. One major difference is that they do not produce a “pop” sound like the other keys.

Since there are no standard pinouts on these switches, you can find greater compatibility with certain alternative Cherry MX-Style keycaps if you orient the switches with the South side facing up. With the switches in their default Northward orientation, the default shine-through keycaps are more easily visible. If you want to replace the keycaps, you’ll have to learn the shortcuts first because doing so will erase the writing of the FN sub-functions.

Although this keyboard does not work with regular 3-pin or 5-pin mechanical switches because of its optical board, you can still manually tune and lubricate the switches if you want to. To do so, you will need to pull out the switches and then gain access to the stabilizers. While a regular switch puller will suffice, Corsair does not include a tool in the box for this purpose. This suggests that they did not anticipate anyone tinkering with their keyboards for such purposes.

Performance

Performance-wise, I have no issues. The switches’ lightning-fast actuation proved useful in fast-paced first-person shooters like CS2 and Valorant. In MMO/MOBAs like League of Legends, in which activating powers or abilities rapidly might make a big impact, these switches are quite useful. The standard keycaps are sturdy and feature a gripping surface, so you won’t slide off them even during marathon gaming sessions. In addition, they are double-shot PBTs, so they won’t absorb oil or fingerprints even after several uses. 

Sound

In terms of acoustics, the keyboard’s two separate layers of sound-dampening foam within the case perform a lot of the heavy-duty work to ensure that the keyboard sounds pleasing to the ears, and their impact is noticeable when compared to the sound of numerous other keyboards with additional foam layers.

Typing Experience

After two weeks of using the Corsair K65 Pro Mini, I can say that its 8K Hz polling rate, compact size, and solid build are not what impressed me the most. It was the quality of the sound that did it. In most cases, the stabilizers on gaming keyboards are noisy and make the thing sound consisting of two steel plates grinding against each other, while the keyboard itself is a rattling mess that does little to avoid pinging. Corsair has made great efforts with the K65 Pro Mini to improve the keyboard’s acoustics.

In spite of its lack of fancy features like the all-aluminum design and gasket mounts seen on most enthusiast-grade keyboards nowadays, this one provides a pleasing typing experience thanks to its linear optical switches, multiple sound-dampening layers, and top aluminum plate. It is silent, smooth, and, believe it or not, even without any lubricant on it, the stabilizers don’t make an awful sound. Since I am a huge fan of keyboard acoustics and insist that my keyboard has a full, rich sound, the latest offering from Corsair has my full praise. 

Corsair OPX linear optical switches, which I have to say are great in both sound and feel, complement the sound dampening. However, the bubble-wrap sound they make pleases the dopamine-addicted region of my brain, making the small discomfort of using them worthwhile. There will be no need to worry about disturbing others with the Corsair K65 PRO Mini.

Keystroke Latency

The Corsair K65 Pro Mini delivers unprecedentedly low latency. In this test, I used a polling rate of 8000 Hz and a Key Switch Debounce Time of 0 ms for the best possible results. 

RGB Lighting

RGB Effects

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The K65 Pro Mini’s keycaps and backlighting work together to illustrate the keyboard’s creative layout. Each key is independently lighted, and it has complete RGB backlighting. There are both hotkey combinations and software options for configuring the keyboard’s lighting. In addition to the standard spacebar, the box also contains the ABS’ Radiant Spacebar, which features a dazzling design.

The pre-installed PBT plastic spacebar does not feature a shine-through design. The keycap legends on this keyboard are clearly visible even in low light, thanks to the bright lighting. However, there are a few blurry spots, and overall, white-only lighting has a bluish tint. Since this is a wired keyboard, you can keep the lights on and use your fancy 8kHz polling rate without worrying about anything shorting out.

iCUE

All the standard features of Corsair’s iCue software are available on the K65 Pro Mini. Although it can be a bit complex at first, once you’ve set up the way you want the interface to look and feel, there’s no turning back. Key assignments, RGB lighting visuals, macros, key switch debounce time, and polling rates are just a few of the many customizable initial options. If you’re unfamiliar with Corsair products, you should know that the iCUE software provides hardware-based settings in addition to software-based ones.

Once you’re satisfied with your keyboard’s layout and RGB effects, you can save your settings permanently to the keyboard’s hardware and ditch the software. The iCUE app must be actively running in the background for software settings to work. Why Corsair doesn’t combine these two options and save the user’s settings locally on the keyboard by default is beyond me, and I am in no position to ask right now. 

Still, it’s clear that Corsair put in a lot of effort here, as many of the essential features are available even without running in the background. Macros can be set up and removed with the press of a few keys. The keyboard’s local memory can store up to fifty different user profiles; to switch between them, press the Fn key in combination with Z. You can even choose from and tweak up to 20 different lighting effects onboard, all with the help of some specific hardware settings.

Having said that, the full potential of the keyboard cannot be unlocked until the Corsair iCUE software has been installed. However, similar to other big manufacturers’ software, this option also faces criticism for being cumbersome and requiring frequent updates. If you prefer minimal or no software at all, you may find this to be an annoyance.

Should You Buy K65 Pro Mini Or Not?

Buy it if: 

Compact Size: If you want a powerful gaming experience without sacrificing desk space, the K65 Pro Mini’s 65% design delivers compact excellence.

Swift Gaming Performance: Gamers seeking lightning-fast and precise keystrokes will appreciate Corsair’s OPX linear optical switches, enhancing competitive gameplay.

Build Quality: If you prioritize durability, the K65 Pro Mini’s sturdy brushed aluminum faceplate and sound-dampening features contribute to a satisfying typing experience.

Don’t Buy it if:

Limited Switch Options: If you have specific preferences for switches and Corsair’s proprietary OPX switches don’t align with them, you might want to explore keyboards with a broader switch selection.

Software Dependency: For users who prefer a minimalist setup and dislike frequent software updates, the Corsair iCUE software’s complexity and update frequency might be a drawback.

Higher Price Point: If budget constraints are a primary concern, the K65 Pro Mini’s $130 price tag might be on the higher side for a compact keyboard. Explore alternatives for more budget-friendly options.

Bottom Line

The time I spent with the Corsair K65 Pro Mini was wonderful. The two layers of sound-dampening foams and the high quality of the Corsair OPX optical linear switches make for a significantly more comfortable typing experience than is typical with gaming keyboards. In addition, the solid construction, small size, and numerous personalization choices add a great deal of enjoyment to the keyboard. However, I do not believe that the features listed above are sufficient to warrant the high asking price of $130 for such a tiny board.

At $130, it’s relatively high considering everything that the K65 does properly. Though I would prefer a lower price tag, I recognize that this is in line with comparable keyboards on the market. In short, the K65 Mini Pro is a good choice if you’re ready to spend a little more money and want a reliable, no-frills optical design. Since this is a brand-new style in stores right now, I recommend waiting for a discount. If not, then you are free to make the purchase.

Abdul Hannan

[Hardware Reviewer]

After many years of exploiting various pieces of hardware, Abdul Hannan now serves as an editor at Tech4Gamers. He’s been in the PC hardware reviewing industry for almost a decade, and his staff of passionate geeks and reviewers is second to none.

Abdul Hannan is constantly seeking new methods to improve the performance of his computer components since he is an ardent overclocker. He is well-known for providing the most extensive and unbiased analysis of the newest and greatest hardware for PC gaming, including everything from GPUs to PSUs.

Corsair K65 Pro Mini Review: Great Performance Keyboard? is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

Having said that, the Nightsabre Wireless comes at a price of $169.99 with a standard two-year warranty. Considering the cost, the pivotal question arises: Does the quality of its features and performance justify its price? To answer this, let’s delve into hands-on testing to uncover more about its practical experience by exploring various attributes of this mouse.

Key Takeaways

• The Nightsabre Wireless is a high-performance gaming mouse designed for enthusiasts who prioritize wireless convenience, customization, and comfort. Boasting a premium build with a stylish design, the mouse also features extensive customization options.
•  The things I have liked about the Nighstabre Wireless are its Premium Build Quality, Versatile Customization, Wireless Performance, Long Battery Life, Quick Charging, Comfortable Ergonomics.
• The things I have not liked about the Nightsabre Wireless are that it’s Potentially Expensive, Not Extremely Lightweight, Understated Design, and Learning Curve Software.
• The Nightsabre Wireless is a perfect fit for Professional Gamers, Customization Enthusiast, Long Gaming Sessions, Comfort-Seeking Users, and Corsair Ecosystem Users

Specifications

According to the specifications, the Nightsabre Wireless is quite similar to the Corsair Darkstar Wireless, a mouse that I previously reviewed a few months ago, which was specifically designed for MMO/MOBA gamers.

What’s Inside the Box?

• Nightsabre Wireless Mouse
• Slipstream Wireless Reciever
• Manual Guide & Warranty Information
• USB-A to USB-C Cable

How Does the Nightsabre Wireless Look Like?

The Nightsabre Wireless by Corsair seamlessly continues the company’s well-known established design. Its body is crafted from matte black plastic that gives a stylish look with subtle metal and carbon fiber accents. Moreover, the primary color choices of dark gray and black contribute to its sleek appearance. However, it’s a tad disappointing that the mouse is only available in a single color, which is black. Despite its non-flashy design, it carries a certain sophistication.

In keeping with Corsair’s style, the peripheral’s name is prominently labeled in light grey on the upper portion, just above the lower left RGB zone. Notably, the mouse follows a symmetrical design, though with a limitation for left-handed users due to the presence of two additional buttons on the left side, perfectly positioned for the thumbs of right-handed individuals.

There are, in fact, four additional buttons if we include the two on top of the left primary button. Furthermore, the design set forth a slightly wider feel to the left side, emphasized by the bump of the side buttons from the case. Having said that, the design is completed by a USB-C connector, which is situated on the front of the mouse, adding a modern touch to its overall aesthetic. 

What Shape Does It Have?

The Nightsabre Wireless is a medium-sized gaming mouse with a symmetrical, relatively long form factor that gradually narrows toward the center and widens toward the back, boasting exact dimensions of 129.41 x 63 x 40.41mm. In terms of size, it comfortably sits in the middle of the pack, striking a balance that complements its top-notch ergonomics. Its design facilitates a great grip, making it easy to use for extended periods, thanks to its symmetrical structure.

As a result, this versatility in design and shape makes it suitable for a broad spectrum of hand sizes and grips. During testing, even with hands larger than average, I found that the mouse fits snugly in my palm, and its wireless connectivity through Slipstream Wireless allowed for remarkable precision and flexibility, uninterrupted by a wire. Consequently, the mouse proves highly convenient to carry around, being slightly wide but not excessively so.

Notably, it features a storage compartment on the underside for storing the wireless USB receiver. Adding to the user-friendly experience, the mouse’s weight of 96.9g proved satisfying during my testing. It aligns with the weight of other gaming mice across various genres, sitting just a touch heavier than mice tailored specifically for fast-paced games like FPS. 

Is It a Solid Mouse?

The Corsair Nightsabre Wireless not only fascinates with its stunning appearance but also shows off exceptional build quality, consistent with Corsair’s reputation in the past. Even if it is built with matte plastic, the mouse’s construction is robust, instilling trust in its durability. The left and right click buttons, along with the side panels, feature textured surfaces that enhance grip, adding a practical touch to the aesthetic appeal.

Furthermore, a metal bracket elegantly wraps around the USB-C charging connector on the front, creating a visually similar design that also supports the mouse’s highest foot on the bottom. Ultimately, the overall build is outstanding, and during my testing, it gives off a high-end, pleasing vibe, contributing to a positive user experience.

Which Grip Styles Can Be Used?

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Since the mouse’s shape is optimal, it provides a comfortable grip for individuals with varying hand sizes. It is particularly well-suited for medium-sized hands, but even if you have large hands like mine, it will be a good fit for those if you use it with either a palm or claw grip. However, due to its relatively small breadth in the middle, individuals with extra-large hands may find it somewhat awkward to use.

Conversely, if you have small or extra-small hands, reaching the side buttons on the left side and the couple of buttons on the top of the left-click button may pose a challenge. In short, it’s worth noting that the design, while accommodating a range of hand sizes, may require a slight adjustment for those at the extreme ends of the spectrum.

What Kind of Features Does the Nighsabre Wireless Have?

With a plethora of gaming mice available in the market. One question that might arise is why you should leave them and consider purchasing a Nightsabre Wireless. Let’s explore the features that make it a worthwhile choice for MOBA, FPS, and Battle Royale genres.

Buttons

The Nightsabre Wireless has a total number of 11 buttons and the flexibility to program up to 10 of them. Hence, it offers a customizable gaming experience that can be tailored to your personal preferences. By giving you the option to remap buttons and the ability to record macros, which provides extensive options for personalization. It’s worth noting that while the left-click button cannot be customized, the multitude of programmable options compensates for this limitation, offering ample room for customization. 

Having said that, Corsair’s implementation of Quickstrike technology on the primary buttons is remarkable. This technology, featuring spring-loaded components, eliminates any space between the buttons and optical switches. As a result, during my testing, this arrangement ensured near-zero latency, enabling rapid and smooth execution of inputs. In practical terms, this translates to faster and more responsive in-game clicks and shots.

Buttons Placement

Furthermore, beneath the mouse wheel’s grooves and well-gridded surface, two triangular buttons allow users to quickly toggle between five different user profiles, all of which can be conveniently stored in its accompanying software. Moreover, the left side hosts two buttons that are not only conveniently placed but also satisfying to press. In addition to this, positioned somewhat towards the front, two more buttons are placed that default to changing the CPI setting but are customizable for different functions.

It’s worth mentioning that individuals with extra-small or small-sized hands may find reaching the front button challenging with their thumbs. In such cases, I would advise you to use the index finger instead. In the majority of my tests, the Nightsabre performed exceptionally well, meeting or exceeding expectations. The responsiveness of all its main buttons, particularly the primary ones, significantly enhanced my clicks and aiming, resulting in improved accuracy and speed.

Additionally, one notable aspect is the astonishingly minimal click latency on the Corsair Nightsabre. This feature makes it well-suited for both casual and competitive play, ensuring a responsive gaming experience that excels across various genres. Ultimately, the overall sound produced by the mouse’s inputs is not particularly loud, ensuring a quiet gaming experience without causing any disturbances to those around you.

Here is our video of the mouse Clicks Noise Test:

Scroll Wheel 

The mouse incorporates a rubberized scroll wheel with a textured surface to enhance grip. Additionally, clicking the wheel to the left or right can initiate various actions, providing an opportunity to experiment with button remaps and macros for a personalized experience based on your preferences.

Fortunately, the steps involved in using these features are well-defined, ensuring ease of customization without overwhelming the user. Moreover, the scrolling action is notably smooth and considerably precise. Lastly, when pressing the middle mouse button or the left and right tilt buttons, the tactile feedback is well-balanced and pleasant, adding to the overall acceptable experience. 

Underside

On the bottom of the Nightsabre, five large, light-grey PTFE gliding feet surround the central optical sensor. These feet are made of sturdy plastic, showcasing excellent overall quality. Beyond its gliding capabilities, the mouse features a power button and a dedicated switch for toggling between wireless and Bluetooth connectivity. Notably, there’s a convenient compartment for storing the wireless receiver. Coming back to the feet, they stand out for their exceptional performance, facilitating remarkably smooth movement on both mousepads and desk surfaces.

The Virgin grade PTFE material used in their construction ensures ultra-low friction, enabling quick and effortless motion. The gliding feet offered ample speed on various surfaces. It’s worth mentioning that the sharp edges of the feet might pose a threat to more delicate mousepads, but overall, they contribute to a relatively smooth and pleasant experience. If the mouse is gripped too tightly, a slight dragging sensation during scrolling may be felt, but adopting a more relaxed grip mitigates this feeling. 

Sensor

The Nightsabre Wireless houses the Corsair Marksman optical sensor, which I have previously tested in the M65 RGB Ultra Wireless. Therefore, it set a high bar, and my expectations were high, but it more than lived up to them with a sensitivity of 26,000 CPI, allowing fine-tuning in 1 CPI increments using the included software and 50 CPI increments through the hardware itself. The CPI features five sensitivity settings and a sniper mode, offering a wide range of customization options.

It’s recommended to explore these settings to unleash the full potential of the Nightsabre Wireless, especially considering the default setting is 3200 CPI. To accommodate, an LED indicator is placed between the profile-switching buttons, conveniently displaying the current CPI setting. The software further enables customization of polling rate, adjustment of lift-off distance, and calibration for different desk or mousepad surfaces. Corsair collaborated with PixArt to design and refine this high-precision optical sensor.

It has a minimal energy consumption without sacrificing tracking accuracy. Furthermore, the maximum acceleration of this sensor is 50G, with an IPS value of 650. Since this is the case, the Nightsabre Wireless is able to track even the swiftest mouse movements in every direction possible. In terms of CPI performance, the Corsair Nightsabre Wireless stands unparalleled. Its response time is instantaneous, and the resolution range is as advertised. The sensor provides fast and accurate tracking across its entire range, displaying mouse movements on-screen almost instantly. On the other hand, even the slightest mouse movements are picked up with pinpoint accuracy.

Performance In Games

The sensor’s excellent responsiveness met my needs of gaming without any visible smoothing or angle snapping. Coming from a background as a former professional CS: GO player, capping the CPI at 1000 met the requirements for my optimal gameplay. The sensor tracked motions accurately, and there were no issues with crashes or freezes during testing or gameplay, ensuring a seamless gaming experience.

Polling Rate

The Corsair Nightsabre Wireless provides a range of polling rates from 125Hz up to 2000Hz. In my view, even the most demanding users will find satisfaction. While higher polling rates are often considered marketing hype and may not be necessary, for the purpose of this evaluation, I tested the mouse at its rated maximum polling rate of 2000Hz.

At this maximum polling rate, the Corsair Nightsabre transmits two reports to the computer at around 1-millisecond intervals, slightly less frequent than some mice from other competing manufacturers, which send one report every 0.5 ms. Although not as consistent as some competitors, the performance is still quite good. In my daily usage, I found the Nightsabre Wireless’s 1000Hz polling rate to be perfect, meeting my needs without any issues.

On-board Memory Profiles

The Nightsabre Wireless comes with the capability to store up to five user profiles in its onboard memory. Each profile can have its own unique button configurations, CPI settings, and more. The dedicated profile buttons on the Nightsabre Wireless simplify the process of toggling between your saved presets, allowing for quick and seamless transitions based on your preferences.

RGB Lighting

The Corsair Nightsabre Wireless boasts incredible versatility in the RGB lighting department. It features a total number of twelve distinct RGB lighting zones, featuring two on the front, one on the logo situated on the palm rest, three on the left-click, three on the right-click both in the glossy area, and an additional three encircling the underside of the mouse. Using the iCUE software, you can precisely adjust the RGB backlight to align with your preferred play style. In my tests, the RGB lighting proved both eye-catching and dazzling, contributing to an immersive gaming experience.

How Will Nightsabre Wireless Connect to My PC?

The Nightsabre from Corsair offers compatibility with all three connection methods, providing flexibility to users. Starting with the wired connection, the mouse features a braided wire, adding a premium touch. Although the cable isn’t as flexible and retains some kinks from the packaging, it moves smoothly over desks without snagging. In addition to this, the USB port allows for simultaneous charging and play, ensuring uninterrupted use. For wireless convenience, the Nightsabre utilizes Corsair’s Slipstream Wireless technology, using a sub-1ms 2.4GHz wireless receiver for unhindered freedom of movement.

In combination with its exceptional polling rate performance, it sets it apart from regular wireless mice. In my tests, I encountered zero issues with the wireless connection in terms of latency or responsiveness. Additionally, the mouse supports Bluetooth 4.2 + LE for wireless connections. Switching to Bluetooth mode was seamless, with my computer recognizing it instantly. While the latency remains excellent, professional gamers might notice a slight difference compared to the dedicated wireless mode.

How Long Is the Battery Life?

The Corsair Nightsabre Wireless comes with an advertised battery life of up to 65 hours when using the included USB receiver and up to 100 hours when using the Bluetooth connection. These figures hold true with the backlight turned off and the polling rate set to 1000Hz. In practical usage, the mouse lived up to its claimed values during continuous use.

• During my game testing, notably in Valorant, I enjoyed an impressive 70-hour gameplay on a single charge using the 2.4GHz Slipstream without needing a recharge.
• Similarly, when using Bluetooth connectivity, the Nightsabre offered an impressive 95 hours of non-stop use.

Furthermore, charging is a quick and convenient process, with just 15 minutes of charging providing up to 20 hours of playtime. The iCUE software offers additional customization features, allowing users to adjust the brightness of the RGB lighting, configure the mouse’s sleep timer, and enable an energy-saving mode. You can also monitor the battery life of the gaming mouse with a multi-function LED indicator located on top of the device.

Customization Options 

The Corsair Nightsabre Wireless offers flexibility with both software and hardware customization, aligning with Corsair’s standard approach. In both modes, users can independently customize every setting. For software customization, the mouse utilizes Corsair’s iCUE software, which, while well-organized, can be somewhat challenging to navigate for new users. Upon connecting the Nightsabre Wireless for the first time, the software restarts, allowing users to select and configure the mouse. Within the software, customization options include CPI, RGB lighting effects, polling rate, and surface calibration (requiring a cabled connection).

Furthermore, the software provides a range of typical options, allowing users to assign buttons for various actions, such as macros, media control, text pasting, shortcuts, profile switching, and more. In addition to this, the DPI tab enables users to customize the mouse’s LED color and the buttons for adjusting DPI in steps. However, it’s worth noting that the software’s macro programming and button assignment features may not be as user-friendly as those found in other brands’ customization software.

Should You Buy Nightsabre Wireless or Not?

Buy It if

Versatile Customization: The Corsair Nightsabre Wireless offers extensive customization through its iCUE software, allowing you to tailor settings like CPI, RGB lighting effects, and button assignments to your liking. If you appreciate a high degree of personalization, this mouse is an excellent choice.

Wireless Performance: With Slipstream technology and a reliable wireless connection, the Nightsabre Wireless provides fast and responsive performance. If you value a wireless setup without sacrificing performance, this mouse delivers.

Don’t Buy It if

Budget Constraints: While offering premium features, the Corsair Nightsabre Wireless may be relatively expensive. If you have tight budget constraints and are looking for a more affordable gaming mouse, you might want to explore other options.

Preference for Lightweight Mice: If you prefer extremely lightweight mice, the Nightsabre Wireless may not be the ideal choice as it leans towards a more moderate weight. Consider your weight preference before making a decision.

Bottom Line

Corsair continues to showcase its expertise in the realm of high-performance gaming mice with the Nightsabre Wireless. It boasts a premium build and exceptional ergonomics, coupled with 12 separate RGB zones and 10 programmable buttons. The Nightsabre Wireless not only delivers outstanding performance but also offers an eye-catching appearance and a wealth of customization settings through the iCUE software. Despite not being ideal in terms of size and weight, the mouse is remarkably comfortable as per my usage.

It would take a magnifying glass for me to find any flaws. Thanks to the Nightsabre’s fast and reliable wireless connection, testing it proved to be a pleasurable experience. The sensor provided me flawless performance with a high degree of accuracy, excelling in every competitive game it was used for. In a nutshell, for right-handers seeking a high-performance, programmable, and well-crafted gaming mouse, the Corsair Nightsabre Wireless stands out as an ideal choice. 

Abdul Hannan

[Hardware Reviewer]

After many years of exploiting various pieces of hardware, Abdul Hannan now serves as an editor at Tech4Gamers. He’s been in the PC hardware reviewing industry for almost a decade, and his staff of passionate geeks and reviewers is second to none.

Abdul Hannan is constantly seeking new methods to improve the performance of his computer components since he is an ardent overclocker. He is well-known for providing the most extensive and unbiased analysis of the newest and greatest hardware for PC gaming, including everything from GPUs to PSUs.

Corsair Nightsabre Wireless Review is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

Additionally, it has a wide CPI range, three connectivity options, and an ergonomic shape that makes it straightforward to use. The Scimitar Elite Wireless is available for $129.99 and with a standard warranty of two years. When considering the cost, the most important thing to ask is whether or not the features and functionality are worth the investment. To find out, let’s jump into some actual testing to learn more about the experience of using this mouse by exploring its numerous attributes. 

Key Takeaways

• The Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless is a specialized gaming mouse designed with a focus on MMO and MOBA genres. Offering extensive customization with 16 programmable buttons, including a unique side keypad, it caters to users who value personalized control.
• The things I have liked about the Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless are its Extensive Customization Options, Specific Design for MMO and MOBA gaming, Comfortable Ergonomics, High-Performance Sensor, Adjustable Side Panel, Multiple Connectivity Choices, Long Battery Life, and Corsair iCUE Software Support.
• The things I have not liked about the Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless are its Hefty Weight, Not Ideal For FPS gaming, Larger Form Factor, Matte Finish Attracts Fingerprints, Stiff Braided Cable, and Relatively High Price.
• The Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless is a perfect fit for MMO and MOBA Enthusiasts, Customization Enthusiasts, Palm Grip Users with Larger Hands, Users Requiring Precise Tracking, Gamers Preferring Wireless Flexibility, and Fans of Corsair iCUE Software.

Specifications

What’s Inside the Box?

• Scimitar Elite Wireless
• Allen Key
• Manual Guides & Warranty Information
• Slipstream Wireless Reciever
• USB-A to USB-C Cable

How Does the Scimitar Elite Wireless Look Like?

The Scimitar Elite Wireless, a wireless gaming mouse with a numeric keypad on the left side, is a sculptured, right-handed, exceptionally hefty MMO and MOBA specific mouse. You can tell just by looking at it that it isn’t designed for speed but rather for steadiness and convenience. It is mostly suited to long, nonstop gaming marathons rather than casual gaming for a short while.

Rather than being able to glide across your mousepad or be grabbed up and banged down repeatedly, its hefty, shaped body is made for supporting your hand in a palm grip in a somewhat stationary position. It has a matte black plastic chassis that tends to attract fingerprints and oil from the palms of your hands.

For MMOs, you can take advantage of the keypad on the side of the mouse instead of the keyboard for the vast majority of the commands you’d normally use on it. Even MOBAs, which have a lot of different hotkeys, can be played flawlessly with it. It gives you the option to play with only one hand by relying solely on the mouse for all inputs. Unfortunately, the Scimitar Elite is only usable for righties because of the location of the keypad on the left side.

Design 

Although I find the Scimitar Elite Wireless’s form factor to be a bit too hefty to be completely comfortable with, it is still an adequate mouse. Generally speaking, it’s easy to figure out a gripping position, and the textured right side features a little divot where your ring finger is going to rest, making things somewhat usable for longer gaming sessions. As per my usage, I think most people with average hand sizes should be able to use the mouse.

It’s a little wider than, say, a BenQ Zowie EC2-B, but that only means you can get a better grip on the keypad. Even for taking pictures, this mouse proved to be a bit heavy to hold, so you can imagine how challenging it would be to move and lift it while actually playing games. It weighs 114g and has dimensions of 119.23 x 73.48 x 42.17mm. As I said, there is some heft to the mouse, but this is less of an issue for MMO or MOBA players than it would be for FPS players because of how rarely they need to move their cursor around the screen rapidly.

Even with its superior sensor and increased polling rate, this mouse is probably not what you’re looking for if you’re concerned about playing FPS, e-sports or competitive games at all. You can look for further options, such as the Logitech G Pro X Superlight. I think the Scimitar Elite Wireless has one drawback in that it is somewhat hefty at a time when ultra-lightweight tiny mice are all on the rage. Therefore, it is aimed at an audience that often prefers larger and heavier mice than small and lightweight ones, and it certainly lives up to that expectation.

Which Grip Styles Can Be Used?

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When it comes to grip style and ease of use, I’ve never been an admirer of the Scimitar family form factor. The curving shape of the side panel would be acceptable if it were simply a thumb groove in place of a panel of buttons. Moreover, pressing the buttons there puts some pressure on my thumb. It’s not a lot, but during marathons, after pressing plenty of side buttons, it becomes noticeable. After some usage, I can say that it’s an enormous mouse that’s best used with a palm grip rather than a claw grip or a fingertip.

Because of the fact that there’s a little place on the right side where your ring finger can rest while having a palm grip. The texturing in this groove continues down the mouse’s side, which is nice and all if you want a more comfortable grip but probably isn’t all that necessary because you probably won’t be lifting this mouse up with your ring or pinky finger anyway. Those who prioritize other grip styles may find more suitable options among mice designed with a lighter build and tailored button placement.

Features

With so many options for gaming mice currently on the market. You might be wondering why you should consider buying a Scimitar Elite Wireless instead of staying with them. So, let’s have a look at its features and whether they make it a good option for MMOs and MOBAs.

Buttons Layout

The Scimitar Elite Wireless includes 16 buttons in total, of which 15 buttons are programmable, excluding the left-click. Twelve of them are situated on an adjustable side keypad panel. In addition to them is a scroll wheel click, primary right-click, and you’ll find a CPI toggle button that lets you quickly change between five different CPI settings. Apparently, there is also a profile-changing button at the bottom of the mouse, but it can’t be programmed, which is probably for the best, considering how few people really do that with other mice.

Notably, the primary right and left click buttons use optical switches, which have the benefit of being both faster and more durable than mechanical switches. As per my testing, I found out that the Scimitar Elite Wireless has a very low click latency. Because of this, you can expect a fluid gaming experience, making it ideal to use for casual and competitive play.

The switches are not overly heavy or noisy, but they nevertheless have a satisfying click when pressed.

Side Profile Look

The side keypad panel includes a standard three-by-four grid with texturing on both the second and fourth columns to help with easy button recognition. For me, the positioning of the rows is not adequate. Specifically, the row in the middle protrudes a little bit more as compared to the top and bottom rows. Having said that, it wasn’t hard for me to tell which button on the Scimitar Elite Wireless’s side panel I was pressing while playing, but I still prefer it when the buttons on the sides are inclined.

In addition to this, each one has a number written on it. In the first column, 1 is located at the bottom, and the numbers rise up from there. There is no universally accepted rule for the optimal button arrangement for MMO and MOBA mice. What matters is that your preferences are reflected in its positioning. As per my testing, I think a normal-sized thumb will have no trouble reaching any of the buttons.

How Can I Adjust the Side Panel?

The side keypad panel with the customizable buttons can either slide backward or forward for your ease of convenience. Initially, the mouse’s side panel is secured in place and can be unlocked with the included Allen key by twisting a screw on the underside of the mouse. Even if you don’t lock it, you can still use it, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Although it may be a stretch, Corsair advertises this as suitable for individuals with varying hand sizes. However, don’t get me wrong, this is a great bonus if your hands are the right size for the mouse. Although not as thorough as the swappable buttons, Corsair’s consideration of different hand sizes is commendable.

I’ve had lots of 12-button side panels in the past that only let me use nine of them properly due to the awkward placement of the buttons. Furthermore, to compensate for the mouse’s width, the panel housing its buttons curls inward slightly, but not enough to serve as a thumb rest. 

Scroll Wheel

The Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless mouse features a rubberized scroll wheel positioned between the primary right and left buttons. Unlike some premium gaming mice from the same manufacturer, like the M65 Ultra Wireless, it lacks a tilt wheel. Therefore, it has the absence of additional left and right movement functionality. However, it stands out with its remarkable smoothness and precision, adding to the overall positive performance of the mouse.

The Underside of Scimitar Elite Wireless

The mouse has four PTFE feet on the bottom. Surprisingly, it moved smoothly across a wide range of surfaces. During my testing, not only did it glide better than I expected, but it was also exceedingly smooth and precise, which really stood out to me as a mouse that was specifically made for MMO and MOBA games.

Additionally, the underside also includes a power switch for toggling between Bluetooth and wireless, a button to switch profiles, a cutout for the mouse’s sensor, and an area to store the Scimitar’s 2.4GHz wireless USB-A receiver. In my testing, it stayed put and didn’t come loose by accident. However, the plastic clip holding it together can be tricky to open without your fingernails. You should be concerned about accidentally snapping off the clip if you use too much force.

Which Sensor Is Used?

The native resolution of the Corsair Marksman optical sensor in the Scimitar Elite Wireless is 26,000 CPI, bringing it just below the 30,000 CPI of the Razer Viper V2 Pro. Furthermore, the Scimitar Elite Wireless can achieve speeds of up to 650 IPS along with up to 50 G of acceleration. In my tests, the mouse did wonderfully. In addition, the sensor had no trouble tracking extremely precise motion, which is required by MOBA and MMO genres.

Polling Rate Offered By Scimitar Elite Wireless

The mouse comes at the industry standard polling rate of 1,000Hz. Although this can be adjusted to 2,000 Hz, but at the expense of high drainage of the battery life. During my tests, I used the mouse on both 1,000Hz and 2,000 Hz, and I must say that the mouse performed exceptionally well at 1,000Hz. It was able to transmit my pressing without any inconveniences or lag. Hence, there is no need to tune up to the 2,000 Hz polling rate and decrease the battery life of the mouse. 

RGB Lighting

The mouse’s palm rest, which features a Corsair logo, and its side panel are the two RGB zones that the Scimitar Wireless has. In iCUE, you can customize separate independent RGB zones with layered lighting effects from pre-made presets, and you can even create one from scratch. Having said that, the mouse’s lighting isn’t its main selling point. However, for dazzling RGB effects, try something like the Corsair Darkstar Wireless, which has multi-zone RGB lighting. 

Wireless Connectivity Options

There are three ways to connect the Scimitar Elite Wireless to your PC. First, we will talk about the wireless connectivity. Slipstream is Corsair’s 2.4 GHz wireless technology, and it has a latency of less than 1 millisecond and an average range of about 33 feet. Also, one wireless receiver can support up to three separate wireless Corsair products. Throughout my testing duration, the Scimitar Elite Wireless maintained a constant and reliable connection, never missing a click or failing to register a movement.

Furthermore, the Scimitar Elite Wireless also includes a 2-meter-long braided USB-C to USB-A wire. While braided for added durability, this cable is on the stiff side and won’t provide a drag-free mouse experience like Razer’s Speedflex cable. So, I won’t suggest you to use it while playing. Last but not least, it also supports Bluetooth connectivity. However, its latency is too high to be suitable for gaming.

Battery Life

Corsair didn’t disclose the wattage of the lithium polymer battery powering the Elite Wireless. Nevertheless, it claims the Scimitar Elite Wireless’s battery life at up to 120 hours when using a 2.4 GHz wireless connection while keeping the mouse’s RGB lighting turned off, which is on par with what we’d anticipate from a mouse of this size and weight designed for MMO and MOBAs. However, it can go up to 150 hours on a single charge when connected through Bluetooth. The claimed battery life aligns closely with my testing while engaging in several gaming sessions, and it does charge up quickly with a full recharge in 90 minutes. 

Gaming Performance

Over the past two weeks, I’ve spent 40 hours playing League of Legends, and the Scimitar Elite Wireless has been there with me the entire time. Notably, it’s been adequate for this game, providing appropriate comfort, weight, and glide without being challenging, as well as a lengthy lifespan for the battery and responsive but not overly rigid buttons.

It allows you to assign a wide variety of shortcuts to your favorite champion’s skills and abilities. Since I am a dedicated Azir player, the Scimitar Elite Wireless 12-button side panel gave me a great deal of flexibility to use its soldiers for controlling the battlefield. However, after some passage of time, my journey with the Scimitar Elite Wireless and all of its programmable buttons went south.

While I do like the removable side panel, I wouldn’t exactly call it game-changing, and I wouldn’t let the slightly awkward placement of the side buttons prevent me from saying this mouse isn’t worth purchasing. Having said that, over time, using my standard grip on the Scimitar Elite Wireless, I had slight fatigue on all buttons due to the side panel’s design. This is especially true for the palm side column of side buttons. Because of the convex shape, my thumb is always pressed inward, and I feel this is the problem.

What are the Customization Options iCUE Provides? 

The Scimitar Elite Wireless, like the rest of Corsair’s peripherals, can be set up and customized using the company’s universal companion software, iCUE. In addition to hardware settings, you can program the keybindings in software as well, which is iCUE-dependent. It features entirely different menus for both.  Since it is designed specifically for use with MMO and MOBA games, the keypad on the Scimitar Elite is likely its most necessary customizable feature.

Hence, iCUE’s key assignments menu allows you to map any button on the mouse to a variety of functions. Additionally, the polling rate, lighting effects, CPI range, and many more features are all customizable. Moreover, the CPI can be customized in discrete steps of one increment, which is a level of precision that is likely unnecessary. Lastly, you can change the mouse’s brightness to extend the battery life along with a sleep mode and other battery-related settings. 

Should You Buy It?

Buy It if

MMO and MOBA Enthusiast: The Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless is tailor-made for MMO and MOBA players, offering a unique side keypad with 12 programmable buttons. If you’re deeply invested in these genres, the mouse provides a distinct advantage.

Comfortable Palm Grip: If you prefer a palm grip and have larger hands, the ergonomic design of the Scimitar Elite Wireless ensures comfort during long gaming sessions. The textured right side with a ring finger divot enhances usability.

Don’t Buy It if

Not Suitable for FPS Gamers: If you’re into fast-paced FPS, esports, or competitive gaming that demands rapid cursor movements, the Scimitar Elite Wireless may not be the ideal choice due to its heft and design primarily suited for MMO/MOBA.

Concerned About Size and Weight: The Scimitar Elite Wireless is a sizable and relatively heavy mouse. If you prioritize lightweight and compact mice or have smaller hands, the form factor might not align with your preferences.

Bottom Line

The Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless has almost every feature I would expect in a mouse that is made to cater to the needs of MMO and MOBA players. If you’re sick of using the same small form factor, light mice everyone else uses in esports, this is the mouse made for you. The large form factor makes it simple to use in the palm of your hand, and the adjustable keypad ensures that you never miss any in-game commands.

Fortunately, I have large hands, so it worked quite well for me. Having said that, it’s not just a big, heavy gaming mouse, but it also has an unusual form factor that is quite different from the mice we usually see on the market. Not everyone will be able to use it properly, particularly those with tiny hands. Therefore, if you love to enjoy FPS games and are not into MMO or MOBA games, this mouse isn’t for you.

However, if you are on the other end of the spectrum and are looking for a mouse that would cater to your MOBA needs by having a large number of buttons on the side panel, you would find this mouse to be an excellent wireless option, and I would suggest you spend some bucks into this mouse. Ultimately, this mouse has my recommendation, but you have to take some considerations into account before buying this mouse. 

Abdul Hannan

[Hardware Reviewer]

After many years of exploiting various pieces of hardware, Abdul Hannan now serves as an editor at Tech4Gamers. He’s been in the PC hardware reviewing industry for almost a decade, and his staff of passionate geeks and reviewers is second to none.

Abdul Hannan is constantly seeking new methods to improve the performance of his computer components since he is an ardent overclocker. He is well-known for providing the most extensive and unbiased analysis of the newest and greatest hardware for PC gaming, including everything from GPUs to PSUs.

Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless Review is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

Here are my top picks for the Best Mouse For Fortnite:

Mouse

Razer Viper V2 Pro

Logitech G305

Logitech G604 LIGHTSPEED

Razer Orochi V2

Logitech G Pro Wireless

Glorious Model O Wireless

Preview

Award

Best Overall Gaming Mouse For Fortnite

Best Budget Gaming Mouse For Fortnite

Best MacOS Gaming Mouse For Fortnite

Best Claw Grip Mouse For Fortnite

Best Palm Grip Mouse For Fortnite

Best Fingertip Grip Mouse For Fortnite

What We Liked

Lightweight, Grip Design, Battery Life

Build Quality, Latency, Price, Color Options

Software, Compatibility, Side Buttons

Battery, weight, Build Quality

Tracking, Design, RGB, Battery

Sensor, RGB, Design

What We Disliked

Not suitable for left-handed people, No RGB

Weight, Not Rechargable

Weight, Not Recommended For Small Hands

Might be too small for larger hands

Expensive, No Bluetooth, DPI button at the bottom

Uncomfortable design holes, Not suitable for small hands

Sensor

Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor

HERO Sensor

HERO 25K Sensor

Optical Sensor

HERO 25K

Glorious BAMF Sensor

Weight

58g

99g

128g

60g

80g

69g

Switch Type

Optical Mouse Switches Gen-3

Mechanical Button Tensioning System

Omron Switches

2nd-gen Razer Mechanical Mouse Switches

Mechanical Button Tensioning System

Omron Mechanical Switches

RGB

Max Sensitivity (DPI)

30,000

12,000

25,600

18,000

25,600

19,000

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

Razer Viper V2 Pro

Preview

Award

Best Overall Gaming Mouse For Fortnite

What We Liked

Lightweight, Grip Design, Battery Life

What We Disliked

Not suitable for left-handed people, No RGB

Sensor

Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor

Weight

58g

Switch Type

Optical Mouse Switches Gen-3

RGB

Max Sensitivity (DPI)

30,000

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

Logitech G305

Preview

Award

Best Budget Gaming Mouse For Fortnite

What We Liked

Build Quality, Latency, Price, Color Options

What We Disliked

Weight, Not Rechargable

Sensor

HERO Sensor

Weight

99g

Switch Type

Mechanical Button Tensioning System

RGB

Max Sensitivity (DPI)

12,000

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

Logitech G604 LIGHTSPEED

Preview

Award

Best MacOS Gaming Mouse For Fortnite

What We Liked

Software, Compatibility, Side Buttons

What We Disliked

Weight, Not Recommended For Small Hands

Sensor

HERO 25K Sensor

Weight

128g

Switch Type

Omron Switches

RGB

Max Sensitivity (DPI)

25,600

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

Razer Orochi V2

Preview

Award

Best Claw Grip Mouse For Fortnite

What We Liked

Battery, weight, Build Quality

What We Disliked

Might be too small for larger hands

Sensor

Optical Sensor

Weight

60g

Switch Type

2nd-gen Razer Mechanical Mouse Switches

RGB

Max Sensitivity (DPI)

18,000

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

Logitech G Pro Wireless

Preview

Award

Best Palm Grip Mouse For Fortnite

What We Liked

Tracking, Design, RGB, Battery

What We Disliked

Expensive, No Bluetooth, DPI button at the bottom

Sensor

HERO 25K

Weight

80g

Switch Type

Mechanical Button Tensioning System

RGB

Max Sensitivity (DPI)

25,600

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

Glorious Model O Wireless

Preview

Award

Best Fingertip Grip Mouse For Fortnite

What We Liked

Sensor, RGB, Design

What We Disliked

Uncomfortable design holes, Not suitable for small hands

Sensor

Glorious BAMF Sensor

Weight

69g

Switch Type

Omron Mechanical Switches

RGB

Max Sensitivity (DPI)

19,000

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Last update on 2023-12-13

We have also tested the following:

• Best Mouse for CSGO
• Best Mouse For Valorant
• Best Mouse For League Of Legends
• Best Mouse For WoW

Best Mouse For Fortnite

Here’s a list of the Best Mouse For Fortnite I will be reviewing today:

1. Best Overall Gaming Mouse For Fortnite: Razer Viper V2 Pro
2. Best Budget Gaming Mouse For Fortnite: Logitech G305
3. Best MacOS Gaming Mouse For Fortnite: Logitech G604 LIGHTSPEED
4. Best Claw Grip Mouse For Fortnite: Razer Orochi V2
5. Best Palm Grip Mouse For Fortnite: Logitech G Pro Wireless
6. Best Fingertip Grip Mouse For Fortnite: Glorious Model O Wireless

Razer Viper V2 Pro

Best Overall Gaming Mouse For Fortnite

Specifications: Size: 126.5 x 66.2 x 37.8mm | Weight: 58g | Warranty: 90 million clicks | Programmable Buttons: 5 | Switch Type: Optical Mouse Switches Gen-3 | Max Speed (IPS): 750 | Max Sensitivity (DPI): 30,000 | Sensor: Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor | RGB: No

Starting with the best overall mouse for Fortnite, the Razer Viper V2 Pro can get you almost everything you’re looking for in a mouse. For example, it’s perfect for people with medium-sized hands who don’t mind a simple design for their peripherals. You also get an amazing click lifecycle, making the mouse even juicier.

Design & Build Quality: The Razer Viper V2 Pro doesn’t offer any RGB, but the minimalistic design makes the mouse a great option for any build. Furthermore, when I was using the mouse, I easily put my entire palm around the mouse and felt no discomfort.

Performance: While I was playing Fortnite to test the mouse’s performance, the slightest push helped me move the mouse around without exerting extra force. For competitive shooter games, accuracy is key, which is why the super lightweight makes the Razer Viper V2 Pro one of the best mouse pros use for Fortnite.

Connectivity & Battery Life: The Razer Viper V2 Pro offers wireless and wired connectivity. The 2.4GHz dongle employs Razer’s HyperSpeed wireless technology. During my dedicated review, the mouse showed a battery life of ~80 hours, with a charging time of ~4 hours. Also, you can use the mouse as a wired connection while it charges, so you practically lose no time.

Buy It If

Here are all the The Razer Viper V2 Pro images captured while testing:

Razer Viper V2 Pro

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Lightweight, multiple grips grab your attention: The Razer Viper V2 Pro only weighs 58g, and its design allows multiple hand grips, making it a jack of all trades. You can use the mouse for light-hearted and competitive gaming.

Don’t Buy It If

You’re left-handed: While the Razer Viper V2 Pro has a great design, it can only be utilized by right-handed gamers. If you’re left-handed, it will become difficult for you to use the side buttons.

What Makes It The Best Overall Gaming Mouse For Fortnite?

The weight, extra side grips, wireless connectivity, superb battery life, and simplistic yet robust design are a few reasons why the Razer Viper V2 Pro is the best overall gaming mouse for Fortnite. Furthermore, the mouse also offers a wired connection while charging, so you don’t lose time, increasing the mouse’s value.

• Read Our Razer Viper V2 Pro Review

Logitech G305

Best Budget Gaming Mouse For Fortnite

Specifications: Size: 116.6 x 62.15 x 38.2mm | Weight: 99g | Warranty: 2-Year Limited Hardware Warranty | Programmable Buttons: 3 | Switch Type: Mechanical Button Tensioning System | Max Speed (IPS): 400 | Max Sensitivity (DPI): 200 —12,000 | Sensor: HERO Sensor | RGB: No

Gamers with a low budget usually use a low-quality mouse, which affects their gameplay. However, the Logitech G305 LIGHTSPEED wireless mouse has defied budget laws and provides amazing performance, click latency, and grip options while firmly keeping an eye on the price of the mouse.

Design & Build Quality: The Logitech G305 offers a simple design in several colors like black, blue, lilac, mint, and white. The mouse also has an ambidextrous design, making it compatible for all users. The only issue I faced was its size, as the mouse is too small for bigger hands. I felt I needed more space to put my palm on the mouse while I was testing.

Performance: Weighing 99 grams, the Logitech G305 requires more force while moving around. Doing so affected my aim slightly, but other than that, there are no issues with the grip. The “LIGHTSPEED” mode offers a 1ms latency at a 1,000Hz polling rate, but the “endurance” mode goes to 8ms with a 125Hz polling rate, which is unsuitable for gaming. I tried gaming at endurance mode but quickly shifted back to LIGHTSPEED due to the delay.

Connectivity & Battery Life: The Logitech G305 offers wireless connectivity, but I dislike the mouse’s non-rechargeable battery that runs for 250 hours in LIGHTSPEED mode. Gaming for 4 hours daily will require a new battery purchase around 2 months later.

Buy It If

Here are all the Logitech G305 images captured while testing:

Logitech G305

1 of 3

You want a low-click latency mouse on a tight budget: The Logitech G305 defies “budget” and offers low click latency without breaking the bank. If you’re under a tight budget, I recommend going with this purchase.

Don’t Buy It If

You want a rechargeable battery: Unfortunately, the Logitech G305 offers a non-rechargeable battery with a 250-hour battery life in endurance mode. If you don’t want to bother with purchasing new batteries, I don’t recommend this mouse.

What Makes It The Best Budget Gaming Mouse For Fortnite?

The Logitech G305 offers remarkable click latency, build quality, an ambidextrous design, and a wireless connection at an extremely low price, making it the best budget gaming mouse for Fortnite.

• Read Our Logitech G305 Review

Logitech G604 LIGHTSPEED

Best MacOS Gaming Mouse For Fortnite

Specifications: Size: 130 x 80 x 45mm | Weight: 128g | Warranty: 2 Years Limited Warranty | Programmable Buttons: 15 | Switch Type: Omron Switches | Max Speed (IPS): 400 | Max Sensitivity (DPI): 100 — 25,600 | Sensor: HERO 25K Sensor | RGB: No

Regarding gaming mice for macOS users, you shouldn’t find any problems with most products. However, due to its productivity tasks and gaming variability, the Logitech G604 LIGHTSPEED tops them all. Also, the Logitech software customizations and the plethora of side buttons drastically increase the value of the Logitech G604.

Design & Build Quality: The Logitech G604 is a large mouse and doesn’t prefer stamina-intensive grips such as the claw grip thanks to its 128g weight. During my testing, I figured the mouse had a rear-heavy weight distribution, making it heavier at the back. This also converts to inaccurate mouse tracking. However, for better tracking, I recommend using the Gamdias Nyx P2 RGB mouse pad.

Performance: The Logitech G604’s weight doesn’t make it the best for fast-paced competitive gaming. However, if you’re playing Fortnite’s zero-build mode, you won’t have to worry about fast-tracking. Rather, the mouse’s low latency makes it an amazing choice for such games. I managed to sack a few wins myself while using this mouse.

Connectivity & Battery Life: You get a wireless and Bluetooth connection with the Logitech G604. The LIGHTSPEED mode has a 1ms response time, while it increases to 6ms in Bluetooth mode. The latter is workable for graphic designers using a macOS. I observed a ~240-hour battery life in LIGHTSPEED mode, while it can increase to ~5.5 months in Bluetooth mode.

Buy It If

Here are all the Logitech G604 LIGHTSPEED images captured while testing:

Logitech G604 LIGHTSPEED

1 of 3

You’re working on productive tasks alongside gaming: Many graphic designers and video editors prefer using macOS for their creative tasks. If you’re in the same boat and are looking for a mouse that offers remarkable gaming performance while being suited for creative tasks in macOS, I recommend the Logitech G604.

Don’t Buy It If

You have smaller hands: I don’t recommend purchasing the Logitech G604 if you have smaller hands, as you will have grip problems. This can also ruin your gaming experience.

What Makes It The Best MacOS Gaming Mouse For Fortnite?

The Logitech G604’s LIGHTSPEED mode, 15 programmable buttons, low click latency, sturdy build quality, and amazing Bluetooth mode performance are definite reasons that make it the best macOS gaming mouse for Fortnite.

• Read Our Logitech G604 Lightspeed Review

Razer Orochi V2

Best Claw Grip Mouse For Fortnite

Specifications: Size: 108 x 62.6 x 38.5mm | Weight: 60g | Warranty: 60 million clicks | Programmable Buttons: 6 | Switch Type: 2nd-gen Razer Mechanical Mouse Switches | Max Speed (IPS): 450 | Max Sensitivity (DPI): 400 — 18,000 | Sensor: Optical Sensor | RGB: No

Claw grips provide the best accuracy but take the most stamina from the three mouse grip styles. If you’re a claw grip user who plays Fortnite, the Razer Orochi V2 mouse should be on your list. The mouse is extremely light and has an almost instant response time and an amazing battery life.

Design & Build Quality: The Razer Orochi V2 comes in white and black colors, with other custom skins for various preferences. When I was testing the mouse while using the claw grip, I noticed better aim and tracking because of its weight and slim design. Additionally, my hands didn’t feel much strain even after using the claw grip for longer durations.

Performance: While I was playing Fortnite, amongst other competitive games, I noticed the low click latency of the Razer Orochi V2, which helped me get the winning edge while facing off against my enemies. The sensor is also extremely responsive, even with the slightest hand movement.

Connectivity & Battery Life: The Razer Orochi V2 provides up to 950 hours of continuous run-time on Bluetooth mode and 425 hours on the 2.4GHz dongle. While I was using the Razer Orochi V2, the Razer HyperSpeed Wireless feature made the cursor seamless to a fault.

Buy It If

You want to learn the claw grip: The Razer Orochi V2 is the best mouse to learn the claw grip because of its weight and design. If you’re new to the grip and are looking to switch, I recommend purchasing the mouse.

Don’t Buy It If

Non-rechargeable batteries aren’t your type: While the Razer Orochi V2 has almost no faults, its non-rechargeable batteries is its biggest downside. If you don’t want to purchase new batteries once in a while, don’t buy this mouse.

What Makes It The Best Claw Grip Mouse For Fortnite?

The small size, lightweight, and amazing build quality are a few reasons that make the Razer Orochi V2 the best claw grip mouse for Fortnite.

Logitech G Pro Wireless

Best Palm Grip Mouse For Fortnite

Specifications: Size: 125 x 62.5 x 40mm | Weight: 80g | Warranty: 2 year limited warranty | Programmable Buttons: 8 | Switch Type: Mechanical Button Tensioning System | Max Speed (IPS): 400 | Max Sensitivity (DPI): 100 — 25,600 | Sensor: HERO 25K | RGB: Yes

Logitech mice are one of the best choices for gaming. Renowned gamers such as Ninja use Logitech mice when playing Fortnite. If you’re a gamer who plays for longer durations daily, the Logitech G Pro Wireless might be worth looking into. Its precise tracking, ambidextrous design, and minimalistic RGB make it the best palm grip mouse for Fortnite.

Design & Build Quality: The Logitech G Pro Wireless has a simple design but has a big flaw. The DPI button is at the base of the mouse, so you have to turn it upside down to shift the DPI. Other than that, I found no issues in the design and build quality.

Performance: While reviewing the mouse, I had no issues playing longer than usual. Furthermore, the 80g weight isn’t heavy enough to cause excessive strain on your hand. Moreover, because the mouse doesn’t utilize any batteries, the weight distribution is even, helping with aiming.

Connectivity & Battery Life: The Logitech G Pro has a remarkable battery life of around 45 hours with RGB on and 60 hours with RGB off. Depending on your usage, you can get around a week’s life with one charge, similar to what I got. 

Buy It If

Here are all the Logitech G Pro Wireless images captured while testing:

Logitech G Pro Wireless

1 of 3

You want to relax your hand while gaming: If you want a relaxing mouse design while playing games, the Logitech G Pro Wireless is perfect for the palm grip to relax your hands and manage a good grip.

Don’t Buy It If

You change DPI frequently: For reasons unknown, the Logitech G Pro Wireless DPI button is at the base of the mouse. So, if you change DPI frequently, you’ll have to turn the mouse upside down every time. Therefore, I don’t recommend buying the mouse in such conditions.

What Makes It The Best Palm Grip Mouse For Fortnite?

The long battery life, size, and ambidextrous design make the Logitech G Pro Wireless the best palm grip mouse for Fortnite.

• Read Our Logitech G Pro Wireless Review

Glorious Model O Wireless

Best Fingertip Grip Mouse For Fortnite

Specifications: Size: 127 x 66.04 x 38.1mm | Weight: 69g | Warranty: 2 years limited warranty | Programmable Buttons: 6 | Switch Type: Omron Mechanical Switches | Max Speed (IPS): 400 | Max Sensitivity (DPI): 100 — 19,000 | Sensor: Glorious BAMF Sensor | RGB: Yes

The Glorious Model O Wireless should interest you if you play competitive games like Fortnite, have medium or large-sized hands, and utilize a fingertip grip. The mouse has the perfect weight for a fingertip grip, and the sensor only improves the performance.

Design & Build Quality: The Glorious Model O Wireless has a honeycomb design, which is why it weighs less. However, while I was playing Fortnite competitively, I noticed my reaction was slightly slower because I was focusing more on the mouse’s texture. Also, the mouse has an ambidextrous design, so anyone can use the mouse without problems.

Performance: Aside from the texture problem, the Glorious Model O Wireless delivers remarkable performance, and I saw no cursor lag or response issues during my testing. Even while the mouse was charging, I noticed no issues. Furthermore, the sensor is susceptible to even the tiniest movements, improving accuracy.

Connectivity & Battery Life: The Glorious Model O has a battery life of 71 hours with RGB off. When you want to recharge, connect your mouse to the USB-C cable and keep using it while it charges. During my testing, the mouse showed no cursor lag while charging.

Buy It If

You want precise movement with the fingertip grip: The Glorious Model O mouse has the perfect weight, size, and design to use the fingertip grip. If you want precise movement with the grip, I recommend purchasing this mouse.

Don’t Buy It If

You dislike the honeycomb texture: If you dislike the honeycomb design texture, I don’t recommend this mouse. Personally, I noticed my response time deteriorating because I was focusing more on the texture than the game.

What Makes It The Best Fingertip Grip Mouse For Fortnite?

The size, amazing sensor, long battery life, and grip capabilities make the Glorious Model O Wireless the best fingertip grip mouse for Fortnite.

Fortnite Mouse Tips

Let’s go over a few Fortnite tips you may not have known before. Such as what mouse targeting sensitivity you should have, how to turn the mouse acceleration off, and the best Fortnite keyboard and mouse settings.

Fortnite Mouse Targeting Sensitivity

Fortnite, unlike its rivals, has a more complex gameplay. If playing competitive or most other game modes, you must build to protect yourself and collect rare weapons while defeating enemies who block your path to win.

Although the aim is important, a bad mouse and settings won’t let you win, no matter how good you can aim. Therefore, here are a few settings I have tried and tested that work best. However, remember that everyone has the settings that work best for them.

Because I don’t have a lot of space to move my mouse, I keep most of my sensitivity at higher-than-normal levels. For the most part, here’s an order of the settings you should start your testing with:

• X-Axis Sensitivity: 8%
• Y-Axis Sensitivity: 7%
• Targeting Sensitivity: 27%
• Mouse Scope Sensitivity: 30%
• Mouse DPI: 800 — 1,200

Depending on your liking and how much space you have, you’ll have to move those sliders to the right. Keeping the sensitivity low will be optimal if you like to snipe.

Best Fortnite Keyboard And Mouse Settings

Fortnite, being the complex game it is, has more than a dozen keyboard binding options. When you first open the game, simply understanding and remembering the number of bindings will overwhelm you. Therefore, here’s a list of the best Fortnite keyboard (and mouse) settings you might like.

Here’s a list of the most important bindings you need to remember and how I have placed them in the game.

Important Mouse Key Terms

• DPI: Also stands for Dots-Per-Inches; DPI is used to calculate the sensitivity of a mouse. Gamers tend to keep their DPI within 800 — 1,200.
• PTFE: Short for PolyTetraFlouroEthylene, high-quality mice feet are made of 100% PTFE to ensure smooth gliding.
• IPS: Abbreviation for Inches-Per-Second; IPS showcases the maximum velocity the mouse sensor supports.
• Acceleration: The mouse acceleration feature accelerates the speed of the mouse, allowing users to cover more distance.
• Polling Rate: It is the frequency at which the mouse signals the computer about its whereabouts on the screen. Polling rates can vary from 125Hz to 1,000Hz depending on the quality.
• Click Latency: Lower click latencies show the time taken for a mouse click to be registered from the mouse to the computer.
• Programmable Buttons: Extra buttons on the mouse through which users can create macros or shortcuts to ease their productivity tasks.

How We Picked & Selected These Mice

• Comfort: What good is a mouse if it’s not comfortable in your hand? While selecting the mice, I ensured I could utilize at least one grip comfortably. Be it the claw, palm, or fingertip. Ambidextrous mice got a positive review from my side, too.
• Sensor: Although usually underrated, a mouse’s sensor ensures how fast or slow your mouse will work. A good wireless mouse always requires a strong sensor to cover the “low battery” period.
• Polling Rate: The polling rate measures how often a peripheral device reports its positioning on the monitor screen. The value is measured in Hertz (Hz), and a higher polling rate results in shorter delays. Therefore, most of the selected mice have a polling rate of 1,000Hz or more.
• Click Latency: Aside from the polling rate, the click latency showcases how long a mouse will take to send a signal to the computer. The lower, the better. While wireless mice have higher click latency, today’s technology has improved significantly.

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Abdul Hannan

[Hardware Reviewer]

After many years of exploiting various pieces of hardware, Abdul Hannan now serves as an editor at Tech4Gamers. He’s been in the PC hardware reviewing industry for almost a decade, and his staff of passionate geeks and reviewers is second to none.

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THE 6 BEST Mouse For Fortnite In 2023 is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

Here are my top picks for the best lightweight mouse, all compared with each other:

Mouse

Logitech G Pro X Superlight

Razer Viper V2 Pro

Cooler Master MM720

SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless

GLORIOUS Model D Minus

Looks

Award

Best Overall Lightweight Mouse

Best Wireless Lightweight Mouse

Best Budget Lightweight Mouse

Best MMO Lightweight Mouse

Best Mid-Range Lightweight Mouse

What We Liked

Very responsive sensor, Good battery life, Premium build quality

Low click latency, Versatile connectivity options, Excellent mouse sensor

Affordable price point, Weighs only 49g, RGB

Plenty of buttons, Versatile connectivity options, 180 hours battery

Suits small hands, Dedicated DPI indicator, Value for money

What We Disliked

No RGB

Lacks signature dock

Lacks wireless connectivity

A bit expensive

Lacks wireless connectivity

Weight

63g 

58g

49g 

89g 

61g

Connectivity

LightSpeed wireless

Razer HyperSpeed Wireless and Wired

Wired

2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.0

Wired – USB 2.0

Sensor

HERO 25K Sensor

Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor

PixArt PMW3389

SteelSeries TrueMove Air

Pixart PMW-3360

Resolution

25,600 DPI

30,000 DPI

16,000 DPI

18,000 DPI

12,000 DPI

Battery Life

70h

80h at 1000Hz, 24h at 4000Hz

N/A

180h (Bluetooth), 80h (2.4GHz)

N/A

RGB

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

Logitech G Pro X Superlight

Looks

Award

Best Overall Lightweight Mouse

What We Liked

Very responsive sensor, Good battery life, Premium build quality

What We Disliked

No RGB

Weight

63g 

Connectivity

LightSpeed wireless

Sensor

HERO 25K Sensor

Resolution

25,600 DPI

Battery Life

70h

RGB

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

Razer Viper V2 Pro

Looks

Award

Best Wireless Lightweight Mouse

What We Liked

Low click latency, Versatile connectivity options, Excellent mouse sensor

What We Disliked

Lacks signature dock

Weight

58g

Connectivity

Razer HyperSpeed Wireless and Wired

Sensor

Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor

Resolution

30,000 DPI

Battery Life

80h at 1000Hz, 24h at 4000Hz

RGB

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

Cooler Master MM720

Looks

Award

Best Budget Lightweight Mouse

What We Liked

Affordable price point, Weighs only 49g, RGB

What We Disliked

Lacks wireless connectivity

Weight

49g 

Connectivity

Wired

Sensor

PixArt PMW3389

Resolution

16,000 DPI

Battery Life

N/A

RGB

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless

Looks

Award

Best MMO Lightweight Mouse

What We Liked

Plenty of buttons, Versatile connectivity options, 180 hours battery

What We Disliked

A bit expensive

Weight

89g 

Connectivity

2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.0

Sensor

SteelSeries TrueMove Air

Resolution

18,000 DPI

Battery Life

180h (Bluetooth), 80h (2.4GHz)

RGB

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Mouse

GLORIOUS Model D Minus

Looks

Award

Best Mid-Range Lightweight Mouse

What We Liked

Suits small hands, Dedicated DPI indicator, Value for money

What We Disliked

Lacks wireless connectivity

Weight

61g

Connectivity

Wired – USB 2.0

Sensor

Pixart PMW-3360

Resolution

12,000 DPI

Battery Life

N/A

RGB

Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Last update on 2023-12-13

Read more of our tested round-ups:

• Best Mouse For Valorant
• Best Mouse For Minecraft
• Best Mouse For CS:GO
• Best Mouse For Fortnite

Best Lightweight Mouse In 2023

Here are my 5 picks for the best lightweight mouse:

1. Best Overall Lightweight Mouse: Logitech G Pro X Superlight
2. Best Wireless Lightweight Mouse: Razer Viper V2 Pro
3. Best Budget Lightweight Mouse: Cooler Master MM720
4. Best MMO Lightweight Mouse: SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless
5. Best Mid Range Lightweight Mouse: GLORIOUS Model D Minus

Logitech G Pro X Superlight

Best Overall Lightweight Mouse

Specifications: Weight: 63g | Connectivity: LightSpeed wireless | Onboard Memory: Yes | Feet: PTFE Feet | Buttons: 5 | Sensor: HERO Sensor | Resolution: 25,600 DPI | Max Acceleration: 40 G | Max Speed: 400 IPS | Report Rate: 1000 Hz | Battery Life: 70 Hours

If you are looking for an all-rounder lightweight mouse that fits most of the modern builds, Logitech has got you covered. The Logitech G Pro X Superlight is an amazing, low-weight mouse that boasts amazing performance in all aspects. In our review, this lightweight mouse stood out in several categories and won different tech4gamer awards. Consequently, the best overall lightweight mouse is one of those awards.

Design: The Logitech G Pro X Superlight Wireless boasts a sleek and minimalist design. It doesn’t have RGB lighting, which aligns with its focus on lightweight performance. The mouse is incredibly light, weighing just 63 grams, making it one of the lightest gaming mice that I ever used. Moving on, the non-honeycomb design mouse has five programmable buttons and wireless technology. It also has five onboard memory profiles that suit gamers with versatility. Another noticeable feature is the G-shift button which helped me significantly to cycle between all the profiles.

Performance: When it comes to performance, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight Wireless doesn’t disappoint. It is equipped with Logitech’s HERO sensor, offering a DPI range from 100 to an impressive 25,600. This sensor provides gamers with the precision and accuracy needed to excel in various games. With a maximum speed of 400 IPS and a maximum acceleration of 40g, this mouse is more than capable of handling fast-paced gaming scenarios. It helped me maintain a fluid connection with the game through its low weight and high-performance bar.

Connectivity: While it doesn’t support Bluetooth, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight Wireless utilizes Logitech’s LightSpeed wireless technology for a seamless and ultra-fast connection. It boasts a USB report rate of 1000 Hz, ensuring minimal input lag. When Abdul Hannan, our mouse expert, took a spin on the G Pro X Superlight, he was really surprised to see just how responsive this mouse is. He said:

“The mouse seemed precise and responsive when I tried it with FPS Games. Moreover, in games like COD:MW II, the sensor followed my every move with remarkable accuracy.”

Build Quality: The build quality of the G Pro X Superlight Wireless is exceptional. Despite its lightweight design, it doesn’t compromise on strength. The absence of a honeycomb shell is a testament to its durability. When I used it, the mouse felt solid in my hands and exhibited no noticeable flex. Additionally, it features high-quality PTFE feet that provide a smooth glide without any hitches.

Battery Life: The mouse offers an impressive 70 hours of battery life in constant motion. It’s a commendable figure, especially for gamers who like extended gaming sessions without frequent recharging. For those who prefer wireless charging, the option is available with the separately sold Powerplay Mousepad.

Value For Money: In terms of value for money, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight Wireless is an excellent investment for gamers who prioritize low weight without compromising build or performance. While it might come at a premium price, the performance, build quality, and customization options make it worth every penny. Its long-lasting battery life and seamless wireless connectivity enhance the overall gaming experience.

Buy It If

Logitech G Pro X Superlight

1 of 4

You Need Multiple Memory Profiles: Apart from its incredibly lightweight, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight features 5 memory profiles that allow you to carry your preferences with you.

You Want Premium Build Quality: It features a minimalist yet premium build quality design with a good choice of materials.

Don’t Buy It If

You Want RGB Lighting: Focusing on weight reduction, the Logitech G Pro X Superlight does not include RGBs.

What Makes It The Best Overall Lightweight Mouse?

The Logitech G Pro X Superlight Wireless stands out as the Best Overall Lightweight Mouse due to its exceptional blend of features. Its lightweight design, without the common honeycomb shell, makes it unique in its category. Moreover, the onboard memory support, HERO sensor, swift connectivity, and reasonable battery life make it one of the bestsellers among its competitors.

• Read Our Logitech G Pro X Superlight Review

Razer Viper V2 Pro

Best Wireless Lightweight Mouse

Specifications: Weight: 58g | Connectivity: Razer HyperSpeed Wireless and Wired – Speedflex Cable | Onboard Memory: Yes | Feet: 100% PTFE Feet | Buttons: 5 | Sensor: Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor | Resolution: Max. 30000 DPI | Max Acceleration: 70g | Max Speed: 750 IPS | Report Rate: 1000Hz, 4000Hz | Battery Life: Up to 80 hours at 1000Hz, Up to 24 hours at 4000Hz

Looking for a top-tier performance mouse that can elevate your gameplay significantly? Well, the Razer Viper V2 Pro is the complementary part of your arsenal, then. In our testing, the sheer performance mouse came on top in various categories. Ranging from responsiveness to connectivity, this mouse is certainly built with gamers’ requirements in mind.

Design: Just like other competitive mice in this category, the Razer Viper V2 Pro offers does not include RGB lighting, focusing on weight reduction. With six programmable buttons, it provides flexibility for customization. However, I noticed that it lacks side grips and right-side buttons due to its emphasis on lightweight design. One notable feature is the absence of a dock, which might disappoint some users. Moving to weight, I would say its shell is exceptionally lightweight at just 58g, making it one of the lightest wireless gaming mice in our collection. Despite this featherweight design, Razer manages to maintain structural integrity.

Performance: The Razer Viper V2 Pro excels in terms of performance. It boasts the Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor, offering a maximum sensitivity of 30,000 DPI. You can achieve a maximum speed of 750 IPS with an acceleration of 70g, delivering precise tracking and rapid responsiveness. It allows you to easily switch between five DPI stages without requiring additional software. The mouse’s maximum report rate of 4000 Hz via the HyperPolling Wireless dongle ensures minimal latency. This responsiveness proved a significant advantage for gamers like me who need pinpoint accuracy and flawless precision during intense gameplay.

Connectivity: This mouse offers flexible connectivity options. It features Razer’s HyperSpeed Wireless technology for lag-free wireless gaming. Additionally, a Speedflex Cable allows for a wired connection when needed. A unique feature that I greatly benefit from is its ability to switch between wired and wireless modes while charging, ensuring uninterrupted gameplay. Also, you can fine-tune the polling rate to your preference.

Build Quality: Despite its featherlight design, the Razer Viper V2 Pro maintains solid build quality. Our mouse expert, Abdul Hanan, says the weight distribution of this non-honeycomb mouse is well-balanced, enhancing control during gaming sessions. The mouse features 100% PTFE feet for a smooth glide across surfaces. Razer has taken care to ensure that the mouse remains structurally sound while shedding weight.

Battery Life: The mouse offers impressive battery life, making it ideal for extended gaming sessions. In constant motion at a 1000Hz polling rate, it can last up to 90 hours wirelessly. With the HyperPolling Wireless dongle at a 4000 Hz polling rate, it still offers a commendable 24 hours of usage. Recharging is straightforward through the Type-C port, and the option to use it while charging is a practical addition.

Value For Money: The Razer Viper V2 Pro offers excellent value for money, particularly for gamers who prioritize performance and responsiveness. While it lacks certain features like RGB lighting and side grips, these omissions are deliberate to maintain a lightweight design. Users get a top-tier sensor, versatile connectivity, and a durable build, making it a solid investment for competitive gaming.

Buy It If

Razer Viper V2 Pro

1 of 5

You Want A High Polling Rate: The Razer Viper V2 Pro can report at up to 4000Hz with the HyperPolling Wireless dongle, which is very impressive.

You Want Top-Notch Performance: Aimed at hardcore gamers, the Razer Viper V2 Pro is perfect for hardcore gamers who want a lightweight mouse with wireless connectivity and zero compromises on performance.

Don’t Buy It If

You Want Budget-Option: The Razer Viper V2 Pro is priced at the higher end of the spectrum in its category.

You Want Razer’s Dock Feature: Despite the high price point, the Razer Viper V2 Pro lacks the Razer’s signature dock feature, which left some users disappointed.

What Makes It The Best Wireless Lightweight Mouse?

The Razer Viper V2 Pro’s standout feature is its remarkable combination of lightweight design and exceptional performance. It manages to be one of the lightest gaming mice available while retaining structural integrity and delivering the precision and responsiveness that competitive gamers demand. Its versatile connectivity options, long battery life, customizable buttons, and unparalleled performance are what make it the Best Wireless Lightweight Mouse. 

• Read Our Razer Viper V2 Pro Review

Cooler Master MM720

Best Budget Lightweight Mouse

Specifications: Weight: 49g | Connectivity: Wired | Onboard Memory: Yes | Feet: PTFE | Buttons: 6 | Sensor: PixArt PMW3389 | Resolution: Max. 16,000 DPI | Max Acceleration: 50g | Max Speed: 400 IPS | Report Rate: 1000 Hz

Are you fascinated by the amazing specs of top-notch mice but disappointed by their price tag? Worry not; the Cooler Master MM720 is a lightweight mouse that will fit your budget and provide reasonable performance. Of course, you will miss the wireless connectivity, but the price tag will compensate for it. Let’s take a brief look at some of the highlight features of this mouse:

Design: Cooler Master’s budget-friendly lightweight mouse boasts a honeycomb shell design for optimal impressive weight reduction, i.e., it weighs only 49g. I love how I could customize its appearance to match my gaming setup with options for matte or glossy surfaces and a 2-zone RGB LED backlight. Featuring six programmable buttons, this mouse offers functionality without overwhelming complexity. Onboard memory profiles make it easy to switch between settings seamlessly, and the Cooler Master MasterPlus+ software provides a user-friendly interface for further customization.

Performance: Powered by the PixArt PMW3389 sensor, this mouse delivers exceptional performance. Its adjustable DPI settings offer seven levels ranging from 400 to a staggering 16,000, catering to gamers with diverse preferences. With a tracking speed of 400 IPS and a lift-off distance of less than 2mm, the mouse excels in precision and responsiveness. Additionally, the LK optical micro switch with a 70-million-click durability rating provides tactile feedback and longevity.

Connectivity: The Cooler Master MM720 wired mouse connects via a fixed Ultraweave cable measuring 1.8 meters, offering a stable and lag-free connection. It operates at a polling rate of 1000Hz, providing highly responsive feedback, which is crucial for competitive gaming. When I used this mouse in various FPS games, I felt no issue in swiftly moving this wired mouse. The cable is fairly flexible, which helped me maintain a fluid connection with the game all the time.

Build Quality: The honeycomb design of the Cooler Master MM720 contributes to its lightweight build, making it easy to maneuver during extended gaming sessions. Its ABS and PTFE materials ensure durability and smooth gliding across different surfaces. The weight distribution is well-balanced, preventing any awkward tilting during use. Additionally, the PTFE feet reduce friction, resulting in effortless movement. 

Value For Money: Considering its very budget-friendly price, this mouse offers outstanding value for money. It combines a range of features typically found in higher-priced models, including a high-performance sensor, customizable buttons, and a sleek design. Its competitive pricing makes it an attractive choice for gamers and professionals alike who want a reliable, feature-packed mouse without breaking the bank.

Buy It If

You Want To Save Money: The Cooler Master MM720 targets gamers who want a swift mouse without extending their budget.

You Prefer RGB: Surprisingly, despite weighing only 49g, the MM720 features RGBs.

Don’t Buy It Iff

You Are Not A Fan Of Honeycomb Design: You might want to consider other options if honeycomb design is not your type.

You Want Wireless Connectivity: Focusing on budget, the MM720 lacks wireless connectivity.

What Makes It The Best Budget Lightweight Mouse?

What sets this mouse apart as the best budget lightweight mouse is its combination of premium features at a reasonable price. The customizable RGB lighting, responsive sensor, and durable switches offer versatility for a variety of tasks, from gaming to productivity. All of this is wrapped up in an affordable package that’s hard to beat for budget-conscious users seeking a lightweight, high-performance mouse.

SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless

Best MMO Lightweight Mouse

Specifications: Weight: 89g | Connectivity: 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.0 | Onboard Memory: Yes | Buttons: 18 | Sensor: SteelSeries TrueMove Air | Resolution: 18,000 DPI | Max Acceleration: 40 G | Max Speed: 400 IPS | Report Rate: 1000 Hz | Battery Life: 180 Hours (Bluetooth), 80 Hours (2.4GHz)

While it might be easier to find a lightweight mouse for FPS games, it is quite the opposite for MMO games. When you are dealing with so many buttons simultaneously, you need a low-weight mouse to prevent hindrance in movement. This is where I will recommend the SteelSeries Aerox9 Wireless. Despite the plenty of programmable buttons, it is still light enough for quick movements.

Design: The SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless boasts a sleek honeycomb design with a matte black finish, exuding a premium and modern look. It features RGB illumination across three zones, allowing you to customize your setup. But it’s not just about aesthetics; this mouse offers functionality with its 18 programmable buttons, making it a versatile choice for MMO players. Primarily, the 18-button MMO mouse best suits gamers with palm grip styles. Although I am not an MMO gamer, I still learned to use this mouse in a short time due to its excellent button placement.

Performance: Under the hood, the Aerox 9 employs an optical sensor with a CPI range of 100–18,000 in 100 CPI increments. This means precise control and accuracy for your in-game actions. It boasts an impressive IPS of 400, ensuring smooth and responsive tracking. With an acceleration of 40G and a polling rate of 1000Hz, this mouse is built for fast-paced MMO gameplay. Moreover, it has zero hardware acceleration, making it perfect for gamers who demand pinpoint accuracy.

Connectivity: The SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless offers both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity options, providing flexibility in how you connect it to your gaming rig. The 2.4GHz connection ensures minimal lag and a reliable connection, while Bluetooth allows you to use it with multiple devices seamlessly. What’s even better is that the polling rate is adjustable, catering to your specific preferences.

Build Quality: Weighing in at a mere 89g despite the 18 programmable buttons, the Aerox 9 is a lightweight marvel, perfect for reducing fatigue during those extended MMO sessions. The honeycomb design of this mouse does not just contribute to minimizing weight, but it also keeps my hands free of any sweat in long gaming sessions. To further minimize weight, it boasts a thin PCB and a lightweight battery, but it does not compromise the structural strength. Moving on, the SteelSeries mechanical switches, rated for 80 million clicks, ensure durability. 

Battery Life: The SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless impresses with its battery life. It’s rechargeable, which means you don’t have to worry about constantly replacing batteries. With up to 80 hours of use on the 2.4GHz connection and a whopping 180 hours on Bluetooth, you can game without interruption. Additionally, the mouse can be used while connected to power, ensuring you’re never caught off guard by a drained battery.

Value For Money: When it comes to value for money, the SteelSeries Aerox 9 offers a compelling package. With its exceptional sensor, customizable buttons, wireless connectivity options, and long battery life, it provides excellent performance but at a high price point. However, the high price point is justifiable, keeping in view the performance bar and versatility of this MMO mouse. 

Buy It If

You Need Plenty Of Programmable Buttons: The SteelSeries Aerox 9 offers you 18 programmable buttons.

You Want Extended Battery Life: You get a maximum of 180 hours of battery life with this lightweight MMO mouse.

Don’t Buy It If

You Are Low On Budget: If you want an MMO mouse that is more economical, you might want to consider other options.

What Makes It The Best MMO Lightweight Mouse?

The SteelSeries Aerox 9 stands out as the best MMO lightweight mouse due to its combination of features. Its lightweight design, precise sensor, and plethora of programmable buttons make it an ideal choice for MMO gamers who demand speed, accuracy, and versatility. Add to that its impressive battery life and adjustable polling rate, and you have a mouse that can adapt to your gaming style effortlessly.

• Best MMO Gaming Mouse

GLORIOUS Model D Minus

Best Mid-Range Lightweight Mouse

Specifications: Weight: 61g | Connectivity: Wired – USB 2.0 | Onboard Memory: No | Feet: G-Skates Premium | Programmable Buttons: 6 | Sensor: Pixart PMW-3360 | Resolution: Max. 12000 DPI | Max Acceleration: 50g | Max Speed: 250+ IPS | Report Rate: 1000Hz

Still confused about how much to spend on a gaming mouse aimed at lightweight? In that case, I will recommend the Glorious Model D Minus, which demands a mid-level price for an above-average performance. Due to its versatility, our mouse expert has nominated it for several tech4gamer awards that back this mouse as one of the best in various categories.

Design: When it comes to design, the Glorious Model D Minus stands out with its captivating RGB lighting. Additionally, the mouse features a honeycomb design, which not only enhances its aesthetics but also reduces its weight. It comes with six programmable buttons, giving you flexibility in customizing your gaming experience. However, it’s important to note that remapping these buttons requires the use of software. For ease of use, it has a dedicated DPI button and an indicator located on the bottom. The indicator provides quick visual feedback on your current DPI setting, allowing for on-the-fly adjustments.

Performance: In terms of performance, the Glorious Model D Minus is equipped with a Pixart PMW3360 sensor, capable of delivering a maximum DPI of 12,000. This high-resolution sensor ensures precise tracking and responsiveness, catering to the needs of competitive gamers. The mouse can handle rapid movements with a maximum speed of 250+ IPS and an acceleration of 50G, making it suitable for fast-paced gaming genres. Moving on, the Omron mechanical switches used in the Model D Minus offer a satisfying click and are rated for an impressive 20 million clicks, ensuring long-lasting durability for your gaming sessions.

Connectivity: The Model D Minus connects via a USB 2.0 cable with a length of 2 meters. It features an ultra-flexible ascended cord that reduces cable drag, allowing for smooth and precise movements. The mouse operates at a polling rate of 1000Hz (1ms), ensuring minimal input lag for a competitive advantage. Unfortunately, the polling rate isn’t adjustable, which could be a drawback for some users.

Build Quality: Weighing in at just 61 grams, the Model D Minus is incredibly lightweight. The honeycomb shell design not only contributes to its lightweight construction but also enhances airflow, keeping your hand cool and comfortable. While the mouse generally boasts good build quality, our mouse expert noticed a minor button wobble in reviewing this mouse, although this is not a significant issue for most gamers. Lastly, the G-Skates Premium Mouse Feet used here provides smooth gliding on various surfaces.

Value For Money: In terms of value for money, the Glorious Model D Minus offers an impressive set of features and performance for its price point. It’s a mid-range gaming mouse that caters to the needs of competitive gamers who prioritize performance and customization. The lightweight design, high-quality sensor, and RGB lighting make it a compelling choice for gamers seeking an excellent price-performance ratio.

Buy It If

Glorious Model D

1 of 3

You Want An Affordable Option: The Glorious Model D Minus is a worth-it investment in a mid-range budget.

You Want RGBs: The lightweight mid-range mouse features limited RGB lighting.

Don’t Buy It If

You Want Wireless Connectivity: To minimize the overall price, the Glorious Model D Minus does not support wireless connectivity.

What Makes It The Best Mid-Range Lightweight Mouse?

The Glorious Model D Minus excels as a mid-range lightweight gaming mouse due to its exceptional performance, lightweight design, and customizable RGB lighting at an affordable price. Its Pixart PMW-3360 sensor ensures precise tracking, while the honeycomb shell reduces weight and improves airflow, making it comfortable for extended gaming sessions. With a competitive price and a strong focus on gaming performance, the Glorious Model D Minus earns its place as a top choice for gamers seeking the best mid-range lightweight mouse with impressive features.

• Read Our Glorious Model D Minus Review

Important Mouse Terms

Here are some commonly used terms in modern mouse technology that you need to know:

• DPI (Dots Per Inch): This refers to the number of on-screen dots or pixels the mouse cursor moves for each inch of physical mouse movement.
• CPI (Counts Per Inch): This represents the number of counts recorded by the mouse sensor for every inch of its physical movement.
• Polling Rate: It indicates how frequently the mouse reports its position to the computer in one second. It’s also referred to as the report rate.
• IPS (Inches Per Second): There is an upper limit of distance at which you can move your mouse per second. If you go beyond this limit, the mouse’s sensor will not be able to translate physical movement accurately. It is usually measured in Inches Per Second (IPS).
• Maximum Acceleration: This refers to the highest acceleration level at which the mouse’s sensor can still accurately track its movement.
• Mouse Acceleration: A setting that adjusts the cursor speed based on the speed of mouse movement.

What Is A Good Weight For A Gaming Mouse?

The ideal weight for a gaming mouse is a matter of personal preference and can vary from person to person. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, as it depends on your gaming style and comfort. Some gamers prefer lighter mice for faster and more precise movements, especially in games that require quick reflexes, like first-person shooters. On the other hand, some gamers prefer heavier mice for greater stability and control.

In general, gaming mice can range from around 60 grams to over 90 grams in weight. What’s considered a “good” weight depends on your individual preferences, so it’s a good idea to try out different mice or adjustable weight systems to find the weight that suits you best.

You might be interested in:

• Best Mouse For Graphic Designing
• Best Mouse For Drag Clicking
• Best Mouse For Butterfly Clicking

How We Tested & Picked The Best Lightweight Mouse

• Software: Modern mice come with software support that helps you adjust and customize your settings. So, I tried my best to keep software support and overall performance side by side in making my recommendations for the best lightweight mice.
• Performance: Choosing the perfect gaming mouse involves evaluating various performance factors, including polling rate, DPI, speed, latency, acceleration, and connectivity. I conducted a thorough assessment to ensure that only top-tier performance mice made it to this list.
• Ergonomics: Professional gamers pay close attention to ergonomics when choosing a mouse, as it greatly impacts comfort during extended gaming sessions. Factors such as shape, grip, button layout, weight, and texture define a mouse’s ergonomics.
• Aesthetics: While some users might want a minimalistic, flawless white mouse, others prefer flashy elements like RGBs. Aesthetics, including the mouse’s design, color options, and lighting effects, played a crucial role in shortlisting the best mice in the lightweight category.
• Durability: Once you have spent time getting used to your mouse, you do not want to lose it. This is where durability plays a key role. Therefore, I considered factors such as structural integrity, button quality, battery life, and overall strength. 

If you are looking forward to ace games with your preferred mouse grip, you can check out the following guides:

• Best Fingertip Grip Mouse
• Best Claw Grip Gaming Mouse
• Best Palm Grip Gaming Mouse
• Best Mouse For Big Hands

Why You Should Trust Tech4Gamers

Tech4Gamers, a well-established website, has been serving the technology and gaming communities for more than ten years. With a dedicated team of knowledgeable and certified experts, we meticulously assess products, delivering clear and comprehensible insights to our audience.

Our Tech4Gamers reviewers are committed to subjecting every product we examine to extensive research, in-house testing, and a thorough analysis of its performance aspects. Our primary goal is to uphold impartiality in our content, earning the confidence of our readers as discerning critics of peripherals. This approach has yielded positive results, allowing us to broaden our coverage to encompass a wider range of technology-related topics.

Dayan Shahid

[How To Guides Specialist]

Dayan Shahid is a skilled mechanical engineer passionate about technology. With certifications in various programming languages and subjects ranging from microcontrollers to aerial robotics, Dayan can effortlessly present complex technical topics in an engaging way. His ability to bridge the gap between theory and practical applications sets him apart as he continues to inspire others through their insightful content.

Best Lightweight Mouse In 2023 [Budget, Gaming, Wireless] is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

Key Takeaways

• The Logitech G502 Lightspeed is a wireless gaming mouse, a modern rendition of the revered G502 series. Preserving its iconic design, it houses a potent HERO 16K sensor with an extensive DPI range, catering to diverse gaming preferences. Featuring 11 customizable buttons, RGB lighting, and compatibility with Logitech’s G Hub software, it promises a personalized gaming experience.
• The things I have liked about the Logitech G502 Lightspeed are its Timeless Design, Customizable Weights, HERO 16K Sensor, Powerplay Compatibility, Abundance of Buttons, Hyper-Fast Scroll Wheel, and Seamless Wireless Performance.
• The things I have not liked about the Logitech G502 Lightspeed are its Limited RGB Lighting, Size and Weight, Steep Price, Potential Overkill for Some Users, Lack of Novel Features, and Comparison to Modern Mice.
• The Logitech G502 Lightspeed is a perfect fit for Enthusiastic Gamers, Previous G502 Users, Those Who Prioritize Customization, Users in Need of Versatility, MMO and MOBA Players, and Logitech Ecosystem Users.

Specifications

Box Contents

• Gaming Mouse
• Lightspeed wireless receiver
• Receiver extension adapter
• Charging/data cable
• Accessory box
• 4x 2g Weights
• 2x 4g Weights
• User documentation

Unveiling the Logitech G502 Lightspeed

When I first saw the original Logitech G502 series models, I remember thinking that, with a few little adjustments, it might be the ideal mouse. I realized I was in the presence of something extraordinary. When I finally got my hands on them, I was ecstatic; I didn’t think I’d see another mouse as wonderful for a very long time.

That was a while ago, and in that time, Logitech has made a few improvements to the G502’s successful design. Classics are always a safe bet. However, it is possible to rethink them. As a result, the Logitech G502 Lightspeed is a wireless, lightweight, and lighter version of one of the company’s most popular gaming mice.

• RGB Illumination: Packed with RGB illumination, the G502 Lightspeed, priced around $150, promises a comprehensive gaming experience.
• Wireless Convenience: In addition to being entirely wireless, it can also be charged wirelessly using Logitech’s innovative PowerPlay technology. However, Powerplay interferes with weight customization.
• Preserved Excellence: The high-quality sensor, ergonomic design, and novel scroll-wheel choices that made the wired G502 so successful are all present and taken into consideration here.

However, the G502 Lightspeed isn’t entirely up to the standard set by its forerunner. This is because of the steep asking price, some clumsy design choices, and the harsh, relentless passage of time. The original G502 had tough competition, but modern mice are far more capable. The G502 Lightspeed isn’t quite the greatest wireless gaming mouse out there, but if that’s what you’ve been looking for, you won’t be disappointed.

Enduring Popularity

The G502 Lightspeed and its wired sibling, the G502 Hero, continue to be two of the most widely used mice on the market. What, despite the fact that many of its specifications should knock it out of the running, has made its design so enduring and able to retain a user base? Let’s have a deeper look at one of the most widely used and much-debated gaming mice currently on the market.

Design

The G502 Lightspeed retains a design that will be immediately recognizable to anyone acquainted with prior G502 models. Logitech has achieved an impressive feat with the G502 Lightspeed by maintaining an exterior that closely resembles the popular G502 Proteus Spectrum while incorporating significant internal enhancements. Additionally, it bears a striking resemblance to the wired Logitech G502 Hero.

• Seamless Transition to Wireless: Essentially, the G502 Lightspeed can be seen as its predecessor with the wired removed. It’s truly impressive how Logitech has managed to preserve the design integrity of its best-selling ergonomic gaming mouse while implementing substantial internal improvements.
• Portability: The wireless nature of the G502 Lightspeed ensures it’s a highly portable gaming companion. You can easily take it with you wherever you go. What’s particularly convenient is the ability to store the mouse’s receiver within the device itself, eliminating the need for a cumbersome cord. This enhances the mouse’s portability factor, making it a hassle-free choice for gamers on the move.
• Build Quality: The Logitech G502 Lightspeed boasts exceptional build quality. Its body exudes a rock-solid construction with no discernible flex, assuring users of its durability. The buttons provide a satisfying clicky feel, enhancing the tactile experience of using the mouse. Designed for ergonomic comfort, the G502 Lightspeed features grips on both sides, and the soft, supportive thumb rest contributes to prolonged gaming comfort.
• Built for Intense Gaming: The G502 Lightspeed’s weightiness and design are tailored to meet the demands of gamers seeking an immersive and high-stakes gaming experience. Its robust construction exudes a premium, high-end feel from every angle.

One noteworthy aspect of the G502 Lightspeed is its design timelessness. Despite the passage of several years, the G502’s design remains impressively solid and appealing. It’s a testament to Logitech’s commitment to crafting enduring peripherals, however, while the G502’s design continues to stand strong.

It’s worth noting that other high-end wireless mice from Logitech may offer a more comfortable user experience at a similar price point. After thoroughly testing the G502 Lightspeed, I found myself reverting to my trusty old Logitech G Pro X Superlight wireless mouse, which better suited my preferences.

Shape

Measuring 11.42 inches in length, 2.95 inches in width, and 1.57 inches in height, the G502 Lightspeed’s form is tailor-made for right-handed gamers. Its angular, matte black construction features two striking RGB light zones. One encompasses the iconic Logitech G logo, while the other includes distinctive stripes and rubberized embellishments. These embellishments serve a dual purpose, enhancing both practical functionality and the mouse’s edgy aesthetic.

The mouse offers a rubberized U-shaped thumb rest, a pleasing rounded hump, and extended buttons that accommodate various grip styles, be it claw or palm. Even with the inclusion of the battery, the G502 Lightspeed maintains a remarkably lightweight profile at just 114 grams, making it lighter than its wired predecessor. Notably, the G502 Lightspeed entered the market at a time when many companies, including Logitech, were focused on offering wireless mice weighing between 55g and 70g. Given that this mouse provides additional weights, the timing of its release may raise questions about its weight relative to industry trends.

Grip Styles

Features

It’s essential to highlight that the G502’s weight won’t pose a problem for many users. In the gaming community, there’s been a plethora of memes poking fun at individuals who claim they can’t use a mouse because it’s slightly heavier, to the point where it’s become a recurring jest.

Therefore, if you fall into the camp that believes the lightest option is always the best, this mouse might not align with your preferences. However, for those situated on the other end of the weight spectrum or who are willing to make some compromises in this regard, the G502 becomes an attractive choice due to the multitude of added features that come with its weight.

Having said that, the G502 Lightspeed boasts a comprehensive array of functions that cater to various gaming needs. Whether you’re an enthusiast who appreciates the finer details in mouse design or a competitive gamer seeking every possible advantage, this mouse has something to offer. The weight, while slightly heftier than some alternatives, complements the mouse’s extensive feature set, enhancing its overall functionality.

Customizable Weights

The G502 Lightspeed offers a remarkable feature that allows you to tailor your mouse precisely to your preferences – customizable weights. This feature grants you the ability to fine-tune the mouse’s weight, ensuring it feels just right in your hand. Located at the base of the mouse, the weight system is conveniently accessible, allowing you to modify the mouse’s weight effortlessly.

With two extra 4g weights and four additional 2g weights provided, you have the flexibility to add or remove weight according to your preferences, whether you desire a heftier mouse or wish to shift its balance. Logitech has thoughtfully designed the system for easy use, with a sliding plate around the sensor that reveals a puck for the larger weights and exposes four smaller weight compartments, making the process seamless.

Logitech’s decision to retain this feature is likely driven by a desire to cater to a niche market that still values this level of versatility, even if it comes with added bulk. For those who prefer a feature-rich mouse over a lightweight one, the G502 Lightspeed remains a compelling choice.

Powerplay Wireless Charging

The G502 Lightspeed offers the convenience of wireless charging through Logitech’s Powerplay equipment. To utilize this feature, you’ll need to replace the standard puck that comes with the mouse with a wireless charging puck. Once in place, this specialized puck can harness power from Logitech’s Powerplay mousepad, ensuring that wireless mice never run out of juice. Having personally experienced the convenience of the Powerplay Wireless Charging System with various wireless mice.

I can attest to its practicality and the freedom it offers from the hassles of battery management. It’s important to note that while the Powerplay system enhances wireless convenience, there is a minor trade-off. The inclusion of wireless charging prevents you from adding additional weights to the rear of your device. For users who prioritize additional heft and customizability through weights, this is a consideration worth bearing in mind.

Buttons

Logitech seems to have adopted the “include everything that is possible” approach when designing the G502 Lightspeed. This mouse boasts an impressive array of eleven buttons on its top surface, catering to a wide range of user needs.

• Primary Clicks and Scrolling: At the core, you have the standard right- and left-click buttons alongside a scroll wheel. What sets this scroll wheel apart is its support for Logitech’s “Hyper-fast” scrolling, providing a seamless scrolling experience. Additionally, a dedicated button allows you to customize the wheel’s resistance to suit your preferences.
• Programmable Functionality: Just beneath the scroll wheel, a programmable button awaits, with its default action being battery status checking.
• Sensitivity Control: To the left of the left-click button, you’ll find two buttons designed for altering the mouse’s sensitivity, perfect for adapting to different tasks or gaming scenarios.
• Thumb Controls: On the side of the mouse, there are two generously sized thumb buttons, ensuring easy access and responsiveness.
• Sniper Mode: Notably, a “sniper” button resides conveniently within reach, temporarily reducing the DPI for precision aiming.

While it may seem like an abundance of buttons for a compact mouse, Logitech has masterfully spaced them out, ensuring that they are easy to operate without inducing confusion. The result is a robust mouse that excels in a multitude of situations. Furthermore, Logitech’s G Hub software opens the door to a world of customization.

You can assign these buttons to perform an array of tasks, spanning from standard mouse functions to keyboard shortcuts and even media playback controls. In short, the G502 Lightspeed becomes a versatile tool that can seamlessly transition from gaming to office work, adapting to your needs effortlessly.

Scroll Wheel

The G502 Lightspeed features a dual-function scroll wheel that adapts to your scrolling needs effortlessly. In its default setting, the wheel provides tactile feedback and scrolls a few lines with each rotation, ensuring precise control. However, this versatile scroll wheel doesn’t stop there.

Hyper-Fast Mode: By simply pressing the mode toggle button located just behind the wheel, you activate the “Hyper-fast” mode. In this mode, traditional clicking and friction are eliminated. What you get is a wheel that spins freely, allowing you to scroll as rapidly as your needs dictate. This functionality proves incredibly useful when you need both precise, controlled scrolling and lightning-fast navigation. Whether you’re meticulously examining documents or swiftly maneuvering through a game’s interface, the G502 has you covered.

It’s worth noting that the scroll wheel, which was solid metal in the first G502 iteration, has transitioned primarily to somewhat plastic in the G502 Lightspeed. This change may be noticeable to purists. However, the wheel’s surface is rubberized for comfort, providing a secure grip despite its lightweight construction. Furthermore, the G502 continues to offer a customizable scrolling experience.

Feet

Upon flipping the mouse over, a world of additional customization options unfolds. Here, you’ll encounter a toggle switch and a small circular container that emerges from its recess. By default, this space houses the Wireless dongle, but it can also accommodate additional weights if you desire to fine-tune the mice’s weight. However, if you’ve embraced the convenience of the PowerPlay battery, you’ll face a choice between these additional weights and uninterrupted wireless charging.

While this adds a layer of customization, it’s worth noting that it does introduce certain limitations regarding your choice of weights. Similar to its wired predecessor, the G502 Lightspeed incorporates a panel that can be removed to access metal weights. However, due to the need for additional space to accommodate wireless circuitry, the G502 Lightspeed’s design diverges slightly from its predecessor’s.

Notably, the G502 Lightspeed utilizes small trapezoidal weights, a marked improvement over the previous semi-hexagonal weights, simplifying the process of adding or removing weights. Additionally, the mouse retains a portable storage compartment for these weights, ensuring they’re always within reach. While it may be slightly inconvenient that the PowerPlay attachment isn’t compatible with the 4-gram weights, this is a minor consideration in the grand scheme of things.

RGB Lighting

In the G502, the RGB lighting is modest, with the ability to alter the color of the G logo on the palm rest being its primary showcase. Beyond this, the mouse’s LEDs maintain a low profile. The DPI side monitor does emit a faint glow, but it’s so subtle that you might not even notice it in practice.

As a result, the mouse predominantly presents itself in black, downplaying the role of RGB illumination. It’s crucial to emphasize that RGB capabilities have never been the sole determining factor for choosing or avoiding a mouse. If aesthetics hold considerable importance for you, this is a point to consider.

Similar to its wired sibling, the G502 Lightspeed is compatible with Logitech’s Lightsync technology. This feature empowers users to synchronize the colors of their various Logitech products, creating a harmonious and visually appealing ecosystem.

Lightspeed Wireless Connectivity

The wireless capability of the G502 Lightspeed is undoubtedly a key selling point. In my extensive usage, I encountered flawless performance, devoid of any noticeable lag or latency. Whether engrossed in an intense gaming session or simply browsing the web, the mouse exhibited exceptional responsiveness within the 10-meter range of its wireless dongle.

Despite the impeccable wireless performance of the Lightspeed, the option for a detachable cord is a reassuring presence. It stands ready for use should the need arise, ensuring that you are never left without a reliable connection, even in the most demanding gaming scenarios.

Battery Life

As per Logitech’s specifications, the G502 Lightspeed boasts an impressive battery life, capable of sustaining uninterrupted gaming sessions for up to 48 hours on a single charge. With a strategic dimming of the RGB lights and the practice of powering down between sessions, you can extend this endurance further, reaching up to 60 hours of gameplay. In my testing, I was able to reach the target mark without any hurdles.

Seamless Charging with Powerplay: For those who prioritize convenience, the G502 Lightspeed is fully compatible with Logitech’s Powerplay charging mouse pad. This innovative accessory connects to your computer via a USB Type-A cable, seamlessly integrating power management into your gaming experience. As a result, I rarely found myself preoccupied with the need to recharge the mouse, as Powerplay fulfilled this function admirably.

Sensor

The G502 Lightspeed incorporates the HERO 16K sensor, a hallmark of Logitech’s gaming excellence. With a CPI sensitivity range spanning from 100 to 16,000 CPI and a blazing-fast 1,000 Hz polling rate, this mouse is tailor-made for both FPS and strategic gaming genres. What sets it apart is its dynamic DPI adjustment feature, allowing you to assign DPI changes to specific buttons, delivering unparalleled versatility in-game.  

Logitech G Hub Compatibility

The G502 Lightspeed seamlessly integrates with the Logitech G Hub software, offering users an expansive array of customization options. Within the G Hub interface, you can finely calibrate the mouse’s DPI settings, ranging from a low of 100 to a remarkable 16,000, ensuring precise control tailored to your preferences. Additionally, you have the freedom to adjust the mouse’s brightness levels and remap its buttons, providing a high degree of personalization for your gaming experience.

• Profiles: G Hub extends the realm of customization by enabling the creation of multiple profiles, each pre-configured to cater to specific gaming genres or work-related tasks. 
• G-Shift: The user-friendly software also introduces the concept of G-Shift, an ingenious feature that permits you to program an additional layer of commands accessible at your discretion. These commands are at your fingertips, readily accessible via a designated button.
• Sniper Button: While I personally used this feature sparingly, the sniper button emerged as a particularly practical choice for its activation. In the realm of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), where intricate control schemes are the norm, players often allocate specific actions to buttons. Sniper Buton doesn’t fall short in this regard, offering a dedicated macro recording feature to streamline complex tasks.

Performance

For those accustomed to Logitech’s legacy of gaming mice, the G502 Lightspeed’s performance comes as no surprise. Boasting 11 fully customizable buttons, this mouse caters to a diverse range of gaming styles, making it a versatile companion in your gaming adventures. Compared to its wired counterpart, the Lightspeed’s wireless design and enhanced sensor create an experience that is, if not superior, at least on par. It’s a testament to the device’s prowess when a wireless configuration outperforms its wired equivalent.

• FPS Experience: In my Valorant and CS: GO sessions, the G502 Lightspeed effortlessly delivered the essential components of a first-person shooter: speed and responsiveness. The strategically positioned DPI button, easily accessible via my thumb, facilitated swift and accurate aiming. Whether you’re navigating a frenzied firefight or engaging in precision marksmanship, the G502 Lightspeed rises to the occasion.
• MOBA Experience: While using the G502 Lightspeed, I found myself seamlessly controlling Nidalee’s micro-mechanical abilities in League of Legends. By programming the additional buttons, I streamlined Nidalee’s transformations between her human and cougar forms and executed precision skill shots like her famed “Javelin Toss” with ease. The mouse’s configurable weight mechanism, meanwhile, ensured it nestled perfectly in my palm, enhancing my spear-throwing accuracy. 

The profusion of side buttons comes into its own when diving into the spellbinding realms of massively multiplayer online games and precision in first-person shooters. The mouse’s responsive sensor and flexible button configuration were invaluable in gaming scenarios. In sum, the Logitech G502 Lightspeed not only elevated my gameplay but also instilled the confidence needed to execute those demanding, high-skill maneuvers with unwavering consistency and accuracy.

Click Latency Test

Using the CPStesters click latency test, I calculated the click delay and provided the results as an average of over a hundred clicks. You can see a demonstration of this graph for the Logitech G502 Lightspeed with wireless connections below. Unfortunately, there is no Bluetooth support here. 

• Wired: 4.95ms
• Wireless: 7.45ms 

Paint Test

The results of this test are used to identify the presence of angle snapping and jitter problems. As can be seen, there are no obvious significant snapping angles and jittering issues.

Should You Buy The Logitech G502 Lightspeed?

Buy it if

• Customization Matters
  Logitech G502 Lightspeed comes with customizable weights, allowing you to fine-tune its feel in your hand to your preference. If you like personalizing your gaming gear, this is a plus.
• Abundance of Buttons is Essential
  With 11 customizable buttons, Logitech G502 Lightspeed is versatile and can adapt to different gaming scenarios. It’s particularly useful for MMO and MOBA players.

Don’t Buy it if

• Size and Weight Are Concerns
  Logitech G502 Lightspeed is designed for right-handed gamers and has a particular shape and weight. If these factors don’t align with your preferences, it might not be the best fit.
• Price is a Major Factor
  The Logitech G502 Lightspeed, especially when paired with the Powerplay charging system, can be relatively expensive. If budget is a significant consideration, you might want to explore more budget-friendly options.

Bottom Line

The Logitech G502 Lightspeed is a near-flawless gaming mouse with just one glaring obstacle in its path—its price. Boasting a timeless design that seamlessly merges form and function, this mouse offers the added benefits of customization and wireless freedom. Paired with the Powerplay charging mat, you’ll bid farewell to battery concerns forever. However, the shadow of Powerplay looms large, rendering some of the weights unavailability and hindering the level of personalization.

The fact that both features couldn’t be fully integrated is a missed opportunity. Moreover, at $150, it’s undeniably on the steep side for a mouse, with an additional $100 if you opt for the compatible wireless charging pad. While the G502 may no longer reign as the uncontested king of its category, the G502 Lightspeed is a triumphant continuation that will find its place in the hearts of gamers. It’s particularly enticing for loyal users of the original G502 who have longed for a wireless iteration.

However, be prepared to dig deep into your pockets, especially if you opt for the PowerPlay system. Had the G502 Lightspeed launched a few years earlier, it would have undoubtedly clinched the title of the ultimate gaming mouse for all genres. Today, the choice is more nuanced, hinging on your gaming preferences and individual needs as you embark on your quest for the perfect mouse. Given its striking resemblance to the G502 Proteus Core, a mouse that debuted back in 2014, this evolution is hardly surprising.

The first-generation G502 was an absolute standout, and even with subsequent updates and enhancements, its successor caters to a more niche audience. If the added cost for customization and convenience aligns with your priorities, it’s a worthy investment. Keep an eye out for discounts if the G502 Lightspeed’s price point gives you pause, especially if you’re enamored with its feature set. In the United States, retailers like Best Buy and Amazon often extend generous price reductions on Logitech’s peripherals.

Abdul Hannan

[Hardware Reviewer]

After many years of exploiting various pieces of hardware, Abdul Hannan now serves as an editor at Tech4Gamers. He’s been in the PC hardware reviewing industry for almost a decade, and his staff of passionate geeks and reviewers is second to none.

Abdul Hannan is constantly seeking new methods to improve the performance of his computer components since he is an ardent overclocker. He is well-known for providing the most extensive and unbiased analysis of the newest and greatest hardware for PC gaming, including everything from GPUs to PSUs.

Logitech G502 Lightspeed Review is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

In this review, I have evaluated many different aspects of what makes the SLYR an excellent choice, and surprisingly, it ticks all the boxes. Moreover, I will also explain why this headset is a good pick if you want to spend less but still want something good. Notably, it works with many gaming platforms. So, I will go into its details as well.

Fortunately, this is a perfect solution if you are tired of looking at pricier headset solutions and looking for a value headset that can come into your budget. Therefore, this review will give you all the necessary information to see if the Skullcandy SLYR is right for you. So, if you want to save money or learn more, scroll down as I will uncover what makes this headset a top pick in the gaming products industry regarding value proposition.

Key Takeaways

• The Skullcandy SLYR gaming headset is an affordable gaming audio solution that strikes a balance between price and performance. With a price tag of just $60, it offers an appealing option for gamers on a budget. This headset combines an eye-catching and gamer-centric design with compatibility across various gaming platforms, making it a versatile choice for console and PC gamers alike.
• The things that I have liked about the Skullcandy SLYR are its Affordability, Compatibility, Comfort, Distinctive Design, Decent Audio Quality, Ease of Use, and Versatility.
• The things that I have not liked about the Skullcandy SLYR are its Limited Features, Audio Equalization, Mic Adjustability, Midrange Sound, Marketing Gimmicks, and Lack of Customization.
• The Skullcandy SLYR is a perfect fit for Budget-Conscious Gamers, Casual Gamers, Youth and Teens, Console Gamers, Those in Need of a Backup Headset, and Fans of Versatile Headsets.

Specifications

The Skullcandy SLYR headset doesn’t introduce groundbreaking or unique features, but it offers a package of solid functionalities. Skullcandy’s marketing highlights several key aspects:

• Superior Sound Quality: The SLYR boasts superior sound quality, driven by 50mm dynamic drivers.
• High-Tech Microphone: It features a high-tech microphone known for its performance, offering clear voice communication.
• All-Day Comfort: The headset is designed for all-day comfort, ensuring extended gaming or usage without discomfort.
• Compatibility: It is compatible with various devices, making it versatile for different gaming platforms.
• Mute Switch and Volume Controls: The headset includes a mute switch and adjustable volume controls for convenient use.
• Detachable Microphone: One notable feature is the detachable microphone, offering flexibility in usage.

Box Contents

1. SLYR Headset
2. Removable Boom Microphone
3. 3.5mm Aux Cable 5-pole to 4-pole (5ft)
4. 3.5mm PC Splitter Cable
5. Quick Start Guide / Warranty Guide

Unveiling the Skullcandy SLYR

Since its establishment in 2003, Skullcandy, a prominent headphone manufacturer, has witnessed a gradual erosion of its once-dominant market share owing to the influx of new competitors. For a significant period, Skullcandy diverted its focus from gaming headphones to consumer electronics featuring Bluetooth technology. They had previously owned Astro but eventually sold it to Logitech. Still, Skullcandy remains a recognizable brand in the world of audio accessories.

Skullcandy’s Return to Gaming

It’s difficult to go a week without encountering a pair of Skullcandy headphones. Low-end earbuds are readily available in most supermarkets, and you’re likely to spot individuals sporting a set while commuting or strolling through town. Furthermore, nostalgic aficionados from the ’90s probably have an old pair tucked away somewhere. However, times have changed. Skullcandy has re-entered the gaming market with the PLYR wireless headset, as well as the wired SLYR and SLYR Pro models. All three options are competitively priced and showcase the distinctive tone and style characteristic of the company’s products.

The SLYR: An Affordable Wired Option

I had the opportunity to get my hands on their entry-level SLYR headset, which seems to be a compelling low-cost wired alternative, holding its own against industry giants like Razer, Corsair, and Logitech. What sets it apart is a feature previously unseen on traditional analog gaming headsets. Initially, I had reservations about the headset’s quality due to its modest price tag, roughly around $60. However, my expectations were pleasantly exceeded.

Unboxing Experience

The unboxing experience is clearly tailored to gamers, evident in the graphics and color scheme used. The SLYR’s build quality predominantly consists of plastic, a design choice that’s both simplistic and cost-effective. The headset exhibits flexibility with a swiveling headband and adjustable earcups. The headband’s aesthetics are striking, featuring a blend of matte and glossy black tones with brushed metal accents, and the branding is kept to a minimum. In terms of appearance, it’s an aesthetic success that is likely to garner numerous admirers.

Affordable Quality

As the most affordable of the three new headsets signifying Skullcandy’s resurgence in the gaming headset market, the SLYR is an excellent option for those seeking high-quality sound on a budget. Even if the design might not appeal to everyone, at a mere $60, I believe this stands as one of the best budget gaming headphones available. The Skullcandy SLYR is portable, straightforward, and incorporates the company’s “Supreme Sound” technology to deliver commendable audio quality. While it may not dazzle audiophiles, it is a worthwhile consideration if you’re in search of an economical headset for gaming.

In this review, I will delve into the Skullcandy SLYR’s performance and how it stacks up against other high-quality gaming headsets currently available on the market.

Design

The Skullcandy SLYR, much like its pricier counterparts, the SLYR Pro and PLYR, is undeniably a bold and attention-grabbing piece of audio equipment. While it does offer a selection of color schemes to choose from, the overall design may come across as too flashy for those with more understated tastes. The design variations are primarily concentrated on specific elements:

• Color Variations: Variations in color are primarily found on the insides of the headband, the earcups, and the “Digi-Hype” pattern adorning the inner surface of the headband.
• Imposing Black Exterior: Across all variants, the exterior of the headset maintains a commanding black color, creating a striking contrast with the vibrant colors on the inside.

Distinct and Appealing Aesthetics

Overall, the SLYR carries an appealing look, especially resonating with individuals who appreciate a distinct style. Despite its complete plastic construction, it exudes a solid build quality. For review, I had the “Digi-Hype” version of the headset, featuring pixelated, multicolored headbands, a fiery headband cushion, and vivid blue inner earcups, all set against a backdrop of matte black.

As a result, this design choice stood out significantly, thanks to the sharp contrast between the entirely black backdrop and the distinct blue, white, and pink pattern. The top of the headband sports a translucent finish, adorned with two small dark blue Skullcandy emblems, which I found to be visually appealing, complementing the overall digital aesthetic of the headset.

Variants and Classic Base Color

For those looking for alternatives, the green variant showcases green inner earcups and a pixelated green, pink, and yellow headband design, while the blue version offers blue inner earcups with patterns in blue, purple, black, and white. Both the green and blue variants dial back the flamboyant headband cushion but retain striking designs. As previously noted, the headphones maintain a black base color, a safe choice when it comes to peripheral design.

This not only offers a classic look but also ensures that scratches and scuffs are less conspicuous against a darker backdrop. The headband features a soft inner material and an exterior that mimics the appearance of brushed aluminum. Unfortunately, it’s important to mention that, unlike the Skullcandy PLYR, the SLYR lacks some of the advanced features, such as an adjustable mesh strap on the headband.

Comfort

When it comes to comfort, the Skullcandy SLYR headset earns nothing but praise. It proves to be a delight during long gaming sessions, and its lightweight and portable design makes it exceptionally well-suited for gaming on the go. The choice of materials, including a combination of robust metals and lightweight plastics, strikes a balance that gives the headset both sturdiness and a comfortable feel in your hands.

Built With Comfort in Mind

Clearly designed with long-term comfort in mind, it incorporates thoughtful features such as memory foam and breathable materials. The hinges, which can rotate a full 180 degrees, provide flexibility, although they do exhibit a bit more looseness than some may prefer. The headband offers slight adjustability, and the ear cups rotate smoothly on ball joints, ensuring a snug and comfortable fit, even for those with larger-than-average heads. This versatility ensures that consumers of varying head sizes can find comfort. One minor enhancement that could be considered is the addition of padding to the headband, similar to what’s found on the ear cups.

Lightweight and Streamlined

It’s worth noting that the Skullcandy SLYRs are exceptionally lightweight and streamlined, featuring minimal padding and no unnecessary bulk. They tip the scales at just over a pound (265 grams), which is truly remarkable considering their durability. The flexible design, low weight, and slim profile make these headphones comfortable for extended wear without feeling like an additional burden. However, this design may impart a slight sense of instability, which is effectively counteracted by the earmuffs of the Skullcandy SLYRs, enveloping and securing your ears.

Memory Foam Comfort

The memory foam-like mesh padding on the earmuffs provides a comfortable cushion for your ears, striking the right balance between firmness and the softness typical of memory foam. Additionally, the central section of the headband boasts memory foam, adding an extra layer of support. The primary source of rigidity lies in the harder plastic connecting the earmuffs to the headband at the joint, and its curved form enhances its durability, reducing the risk of snapping.

Noise Isolation

Furthermore, the memory foam used in the ear cushions ranks among the finest in headphones within this price range. It offers substantial thickness, aiding in noise isolation, and is exceptionally comfortable, with a slow-rebounding quality that enhances the overall experience. Even in noisier environments, you can expect a comfortable level of isolation while wearing these headphones.

Control Scheme

While the Skullcandy SLYR headset offers a solid appearance, it’s important to note that the number of buttons and features is somewhat limited, but this is expected given its price point. One notable absence is the lack of a method for fine-tuning different sound sources simultaneously, which is a feature typically found in higher-end headsets and not something you would necessarily anticipate in such an affordable option.

The detachable microphone is a convenient feature and slots neatly into place within the outer casing of the left ear cup. Here, you’ll also find a volume wheel, an AUX cable plug, and a tap-to-mute button. While some may prefer larger buttons, the functionality of these controls, such as muting the microphone by simply tapping your earcup, is undeniably practical and user-friendly.

• User-Friendly Controls: Using the controls is straightforward, and they provide a satisfying click when used. The microphone itself incorporates an indicator light that turns red when muted, providing a clear visual cue to let you know when it’s no longer picking up your voice.
• Versatile Connectivity: A noteworthy addition is the inclusion of a USB-C headphone wire, which might come as a surprise since these types of headphones typically feature only 3.5mm headphone connectors. However, this broader range of connectivity options is a significant advantage. Additionally, there’s a splitter included in case you need to separate the input and output connections.

Cable Length Considerations

It’s worth mentioning that the length of the cable may be a bit rudimentary, as it barely reaches your PC on the desk, potentially causing some inconvenience. Placing it on the floor could exacerbate this issue. Nevertheless, the bundled bright yellow AUX cable offers compatibility with a wide range of gaming platforms, including Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and various mobile devices. Furthermore, for Mac or PC connectivity, a black PC splitter cable is required, making this headset adaptable to a variety of devices. Fortunately, the cords needed to connect to any console are included with this model, as it can only be used with a wired connection. 

Microphone

When it comes to specifications and features, the Skullcandy SLYR headset doesn’t necessarily bring anything groundbreaking or unique to the table. One notable feature worth discussing is the detachable microphone.

Detachable Microphone Design

While this design element may raise concerns about the risk of losing the microphone or its impact on in-game communication quality, the mic on the Skullcandy SLYR is well-secured, exhibiting minimal flex due to its sturdy rubber construction. The microphone’s flexibility is limited to bending its stem; it cannot be rotated or adjusted in height.

This trade-off is likely a result of the headset’s affordability and the convenience of having a detachable microphone. The microphone provides great versatility due to its detachable nature. If you have no intention of using it for communication purposes, simply remove it. This flexibility allows you to use the headset as regular headphones.

Benefits of Omnidirectional Microphone

Surprisingly, the headset’s microphone is omnidirectional, meaning it effectively captures sound from all directions, including from above and below.

This design choice offers two significant advantages.

• Enhanced Voice Pickup: Omnidirectional microphones excel at capturing sound from all angles, mitigating factors like echo and reflection that can affect voice quality. As per my usage, the high-quality microphone proves useful for making calls and recording audio.
• Noise Suppression: An omnidirectional mic can discern the origin of a sound and relay that information to the system, greatly improving noise suppression in applications such as Discord, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and streaming software like OBS.

Performance and Clear Audio Quality

During my testing, I found that my friends were initially surprised by the microphone’s performance in Discord, noting that my voice seemed slightly quieter than usual. However, this was easily remedied by adjusting the user volume on their end to accommodate my headset’s microphone. It’s worth noting that, in practice, the microphone on the Skullcandy SLYR headset has consistently delivered clear audio quality during conversations.

I’ve had lengthy discussions with various individuals, and they have all commented on the clarity of my voice, allowing for extended and enjoyable conversations. With this in mind, in the SLYR model, I did notice that the microphone sits a bit farther from my mouth after being positioned, and while it has some flexibility, it doesn’t bend significantly.

Limitations in Customization

Unfortunately, unlike the premium offerings from the same manufacturer, the Skullcandy App doesn’t provide extensive customization options for this microphone’s audio settings. These top-tier models allow users to fine-tune the balance between chat and game audio and offer various sound engineering options to tailor the audio experience to their preferences.

Performance

While the Skullcandy SLYR headset boasts appealing colors and a gamer-centric design, let’s delve into its actual performance and its suitability as a beginner headset.

Audio Quality

Starting with audio quality, it’s important to note that the SLYR delivers decent sound, especially given its affordable price point. However, it does come with a drawback in the form of limited equalization and profile selection options, which may disappoint some users. Nevertheless, the default game profile offers more than satisfactory audio for gaming.

Supreme Sound Technology

The headset incorporates Skullcandy’s “Supreme Sound” technology, which the company claims to be a groundbreaking audio tuning method that enhances the richness and precision of every sound. While this might sound like a marketing gimmick, it does have a technological basis. For instance, the SLYR features dynamic drivers that deliver sound with an exceptionally wide frequency range and rich detail.

Typically, the term “super-wide frequency range” can signal lower quality in less expensive equipment, but this is not the case with the SLYR. Instead, it produces a powerful and expansive sound with well-balanced bass, midrange, and treble frequencies. Specifically, the 50mm drivers within the ear cups cover a frequency range spanning from 20Hz to 20KHz.

Balanced Sound Profile

The SLYR’s audio profile tends to be smooth and V-shaped, with respectable low and high frequencies. However, the midrange may not be as smooth and could come across as slightly harsh or strident. Nevertheless, this audio profile works well for gaming by emphasizing low-frequency sounds like footsteps while making high-frequency sounds like explosions feel more immersive. However, it’s worth noting that the highs and upper mids can occasionally be a tad piercing.

Versatile Performance

Despite its distinctive design, the Skullcandy SLYR is a high-quality, no-nonsense headset. Thanks to its aux cable connection, it seamlessly worked with my PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and PC, offering convenience and versatility for multi-console gamers. Considering its affordability, the SLYR provides impressive sound quality. Despite the occasional tinny sound associated with the Supreme Sound branding, you won’t be disappointed by the audio quality.

Effective in Gaming

In practical terms, the Skullcandy SLYR excels in delivering the auditory cues and clear sounds essential for games like Valorant. I’ve also spent considerable time playing Fortnite, a game that relies on identifying the direction of gunfire and explosions. The SLYR effectively conveys these auditory cues, ensuring that you’re well-informed about in-game events. The headset’s sound quality holds up well for its price range, and it performs admirably in in-game communications, as confirmed by my teammates, who praised the clarity of my voice over the microphone.

It’s evident that the Skullcandy SLYR is versatile, adapting effectively to a wide range of games and genres, including titles like Doom Eternal with its booming bass and deep demon roars. The headset excels at complementing the multidirectional sound systems commonly found in modern game engines, enhancing the immersive experience by accurately positioning sounds where they’re supposed to be.

This is a detail that often goes unnoticed, but it significantly contributes to the overall gaming experience, especially when playing on devices with subpar audio equipment. The audio mix is well-balanced, preserving the intended quality of the music and sound design. Everything comes across as crystal clear and fully immersive, with bass, vocals, and other elements clearly distinguished.

Well-Balanced Audio Mix

In summary, while the SLYR’s sound quality may not astound audiophiles, it certainly gets the job done as an affordable gaming headset. As someone not overly focused on audio nuances, the Skullcandy SLYR headphones struck me as robust, particularly for gaming purposes. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the SLYR provides acceptable noise cancellation, addressing a common issue with gaming headsets, where users become so engrossed in the game that they neglect external sounds.

Should You Buy The Skullcandy SLYR?

Buy it if

• You’re Seeking Affordable Quality
  The Skullcandy SLYR is priced at a mere $60, providing a balance between price and performance, which is hard to come by in the gaming headset market.
• Multi-Platform Compatibility is a Must
  The SLYR is versatile with its compatibility across various gaming platforms, including PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, making it a hassle-free choice for gamers who play on multiple systems.

Don’t Buy it if

• You’re an Audiophile
  If you have high expectations for audio quality and are accustomed to customizable sound profiles, the SLYR might fall short as it doesn’t offer extensive equalization options.
• Advanced Features are a Priority
  The lack of high-end features like active noise cancellation, wireless connectivity, or comprehensive software customizability might be a deal-breaker if you’re seeking a premium audio experience.

Bottom Line

• Solid Performance at a Budget-Friendly Price: The Skullcandy SLYR stands as a commendable choice for gaming headphones that get the job done, especially considering its wallet-friendly price tag of $60. It’s challenging to find fault with the SLYR when you factor in its affordability.
• Ideal for Multiple Gaming Systems: This headset is an ideal pick if you’re seeking an affordable option that’s compatible with all your preferred gaming systems. It doesn’t boast extravagant features or a flashy design, but it excels where it matters most: offering solid performance at a budget-friendly price point.
• Limited Features: It’s an excellent fit for those on a budget who need a straightforward headset for gaming, virtual meetings, or music, however, without the extensive features set found in pricier models, such as Active Noise Cancellation, specialized software, or wireless Bluetooth capabilities.
• Comfort Durability: Still, it’s not just functionally impressive but also aesthetically appealing, highly durable, lightweight, and remarkably comfortable for extended usage.
• Impressive Audio Quality: The audio quality it delivers is impressive from every angle. As someone who typically dislikes wearing headphones, I must admit that I thoroughly enjoy this one.
• Target Audience: If you’re a young gamer seeking an ideal birthday gift, the Skullcandy SLYR is a headset worth considering. However, for serious audiophiles who demand all the advanced features that come with high-end gaming headphones, this may not be the right accessory.

Compared to Other Models

Now, what about the other two headsets in the same lineup?

• SLYR Pro and PLYR: Although visually similar to the SLYR, Skullcandy markets the SLYR Pro as a performance upgrade, even though the sound specifications remain identical. The Pro version offers downloadable software for personalized gaming experiences. On the other hand, the PLYR, while boasting the same audio specs on paper, is a wireless headset with Bluetooth connectivity for gaming and an advertised 24-hour battery life. It sports a distinctive design and potentially more comfortable headband compared to its counterparts. Additionally, the PLYR can connect to a separate 2.4GHz wireless transmitter, though this component must be purchased separately.
• Price Consideration: With the SLYR priced at $60, the SLYR Pro at $100, and the PLYR at $130, there’s room for improvement in sound quality, which is decent at best. However, considering the price, the sound quality is more than acceptable, making it a recommendable choice for those on a budget.

Abdul Hannan

[Hardware Reviewer]

After many years of exploiting various pieces of hardware, Abdul Hannan now serves as an editor at Tech4Gamers. He’s been in the PC hardware reviewing industry for almost a decade, and his staff of passionate geeks and reviewers is second to none.

Abdul Hannan is constantly seeking new methods to improve the performance of his computer components since he is an ardent overclocker. He is well-known for providing the most extensive and unbiased analysis of the newest and greatest hardware for PC gaming, including everything from GPUs to PSUs.

Skullcandy SLYR Review: Affordable Gaming Excellence is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

The sensor in Obsbot’s second-generation 4K camera has been greatly improved from its predecessor, making it capable of producing some of the highest-quality pictures available in a webcam. Moreover, the remote control and tracking features are what make this webcam stand out from the rest and earn it my praise. Furthermore, the hardware is also much more refined than before. Significantly, it’s a huge improvement over the predecessor it replaces.

Key Takeaways

• The Obsbot Tiny 2 webcam impresses with its upgraded sensor, exceptional facial and motion tracking, and extensive software features. Its dual native ISO technology ensures clear and vivid video quality in various lighting conditions. Furthermore, the unique gimbal mechanism allows for precise positioning.
• The things I have liked about the Obsbot Tiny 2 are its High-Quality Picture, Facial and Motion Tracking, Voice and Gesture Controls, Versatile Mounting, Compact and Sleek Design, Extensive Software Features, Wide Field of View, and Dual Native ISO Technology.
• The things I have not liked about the Obsbot Tiny 2 are its High Price Point, Lack of Windows Hello Compatibility, Lack of Portrait Mode, and Inefficient Background Blur. 
• The Obsbot Tiny 2 perfectly fits Professionals Seeking High-Quality Video, Presenters and Educators, Content Creators, Remote Workers, Tech-Savvy Users, and Individuals Looking For the Best with a Higher Budget.

Specifications

Box Contents

I appreciate the attention paid to the packaging of cameras such as the Obsbot Tiny 2, namely the carrying case it comes with. The Obsbot Tiny 2 is packaged not just in a box but also in a robust carrying case. Among the many things it can carry are a webcam, a monitor mount, a USB-C to C cable, and a USB Type-C into Type-A converter. It’s helpful for portability, as it’s not easy to come across a case designed for a webcam, so this makes it more convenient to bring along on travels without sacrificing image quality.

Here is the list of all the box contents that are provided with the Obsbot Tiny 2:

• Obsbot Tiny 2
• Obsbot Tiny 2 Adjustable Mount
• USB-C 3.0 cable
• USB-C to USB-A 3.0 Adapter
• Obsbot Tiny 2 Storage Case
• Obsbot Tiny Smart Remote 2

How Does the Obsbot Tiny 2 Webcam Look Like?

The Obsbot Tiny 2 gives off a sleek elegance, reflecting meticulous attention to design detail that goes beyond its predecessor. Its compact and lightweight frame, measuring 47x44x62.02mm and weighing 143.3g with the mount (95.6g without), not only enhances portability but also fits without any intention of attracting attention or causing disturbance in any setting.

Furthermore, the smooth, streamlined body, coupled with its secure zippered pouch for safe storage and a 3-foot USB-C cable for hassle-free connectivity, embodies a blend of functionality and aesthetics. Its design, reducing height by over 30mm and width and depth by over 10mm, is a thoughtful enhancement, offering a modern, sophisticated look without compromising on performance.

What Makes Obsbot Tiny 2 Feel More Premium?

In addition to the improved visual quality, I also appreciate how the webcam now seems more high-end. The Tiny 2 has improved slightly in build quality over the original. Unlike most cameras, which are explicitly plastic, every component of the gimbal and camera mechanism looks like it was built of metal, and it looks great. The bottom still looks like it was made of plastic. Additionally, it is held in place by magnets and a metal frame at the base.

Comparatively, it has a more basic design than the Tiny 1 but provides the same level of stability. In addition, the upper portion has a really stylish appearance. Fortunately, there is still a red border around the camera and a front-facing light that changes color to indicate the webcam’s status, which includes blue when tracking is active, yellow once the tracked object has disappeared, and green once tracking is turned off.

Is a Gimbal-Equipped Webcam Right for You?

It’s a testament to the Tiny 2’s quality that I haven’t yet mentioned. Obsbot’s primary selling point: a separate gimbal that enables the camera to swivel and pan to maintain you as a centerpiece of attraction. The Tiny 2 improves upon this by including zoom, a function also utilized by cameras provided by Microsoft’s Windows Studio Effects. In a typical Zoom call, you won’t even notice this, and to be fair, several individuals actually prefer a stationary webcam that doesn’t track their movements.

However, a webcam that tracks you around could be useful if you prefer to move around while working or if you’re presenting a presentation in a traditional office setting. I also think it’s important to note that the gimbal is software-controlled but gives in to physical force within its range of motion. As a result, this allows you to manually rotate the camera if you don’t want to utilize the software controls or flip the camera downwards to switch it off for privacy.

Notably, the gimbal can be moved in both the horizontal and vertical planes. The hardware allows for horizontal panning of up to 150 degrees in both directions and a complete tilt of 90 degrees in either direction. On the other hand, the software control only allows for a total of 140 degrees of panning in either horizontal direction and a tilt of up to 70 degrees in the upward or downward directions.

As per my usage, that’s still a lot of freedom, and you probably won’t need much more than that in most situations. Unfortunately, the inability to switch to portrait mode is a major drawback. If the user wants to make vertical content, it would have been a useful maneuver to have, though I suppose the majority of individuals use smartphones for that.

What Can the Obsbot Tiny 2 Webcam Do? A Closer Look at Its Features

AI Enhancements

At first, I wondered exactly how much the Obsbot Tiny 2 webcam would improve. When I saw the specifications, it now has a better picture sensor, surprise AI enhancements, and aesthetic improvements that do somewhat justify the high price. However, I would suggest against using them because the AI enhancements are not quite accurate enough to trick anyone.

• Beauty Mode: Beauty Mode stands out as a prominent AI feature in this webcam. It offers presets like Classic, Native, and Men, along with options to adjust body slimness and shoulder width. Notably, the Men preset narrow round faces and give lips a subtle pink tint in Native mode. While I’d appreciate the ability to fine-tune skin tone and intensity, basic facial retouching is acceptable. However, most filters leave room for improvement.

• Background Blur: Furthermore, it has a background bluer effect that, in my opinion, is not particularly appealing; it struggles a little bit to determine what to mask out, although not as much as Zoom does. It appears a little messy when combined with the phony-looking blur.

• Group Mode: This mode is designed for group meetings. The frame view in Tiny 2 smartly resizes to include everyone once the group mode is activated, ensuring no one is left out of the view. As a result, this feature elevates its usability in collaborative settings, making it a convenient choice for team interactions.
• HDR: Other notable features include HDR and image settings, including brightness, exposure, and anything else you need to get the level of quality you want. I mostly used the webcam with HDR mode enabled, as it greatly enhanced the image quality.

• Whiteboard and Desk Mode: It also features Whiteboard and Desk modes. Unlike digitally tracked cameras, a swiveling base lets it cover more movement without degradation. Unfortunately, I lack a whiteboard to test this completely.
• Privacy Protection: It is an enhanced feature by Obsbot. By using the Obsbot WebCam App, you can schedule video or image streaming. On activating private mode, the camera plays the pre-recorded video or image, allowing you to step away while ensuring your message reaches the audience on your streams. Furthermore, it offers a secure way to protect your personal data effortlessly.

How Does Obsbot Tiny 2 Perform in Tracking and Autofocus?

When it comes to tracking, Obsbot is head and shoulders above the rest, making it my preferred webcam for a while. Every single one of the 50 megapixels on the sensor’s surface helps the camera focus accurately and 4 times faster than with PDAF, thanks to the groundbreaking All-Pixel Auto Focus Technology. All credit goes to the well-regarded Deep Neural Learning Network Algorithm, which helps its tracking technology, making it accurate and fluid. What’s more, it can now also automatically zoom in and out as needed during tracking. 

When you turn on tracking, the Obsbot Tiny 2’s gimbal will pan and tilt to keep you in the middle of the webcam’s field of view. It has the best autofocus and tracking I’ve seen, and it can follow not only your head but also predefined zones, such as your upper or lower body, or you can even create different customs zones in addition to tracking well across the board and transitioning between positions in a way that feels very natural.

Notably, the phase-detection autofocus technology doesn’t flash comparable to the contrast-AF-based technologies used by many webcams. It follows you very closely and accurately, so you may go wherever you like. If it stops tracking you, you can simply walk back into the camera’s view, and it will resume where it left off. The algorithm works nearly all the time, but it would be wonderful to be able to customize the interval it detects before it thinks you’ve actually moved. It’s not perfect, and the default seems a little too long before it assumes.

Furthermore, the Obsbot Tiny 2 has the added bonus of letting you manually tilt the gimbal to make it see you if it ever fails to track you again. In this respect, low-light functionality is equally important. To test this out, I turned off the lights and went to the far corner of my room with the tracking turned on. It was surprising that the Obsbot Tiny 2 could still follow me and keep me focused in the pitch black. In sum, the Obsbot Tiny 2 is clearly the greatest webcam in this domain, thanks to its clearer image quality and significantly superior tracking.

How Do Gesture and Voice Controls Compare in the Obsbot Tiny 2 Webcam?

In this subheading, I will provide a comparison between the gesture and voice controls offered by the Obsbot Tiny 2 Webcam.

Dynamic Gesture Controls

At first, the Obsbot Tiny 4K introduces us to the gesture controls, which let users toggle webcam settings like tracking and zooming with a hand motion in front of the device. One more interesting feature of the Tiny 1 was a hand gesture that brings the webcam’s attention to your face. Fortunately, all of these features remain in the Obsbot Tiny 2.

With the addition of a new gesture for dynamically adjusting the zoom level instead of simply toggling between fixed zoom factors, making an L with both hands. Because I tend to wave my hands around a lot while I’m talking, which often results in things like surprise zooming in the middle of a rant, I find voice control to be significantly more handy than gestures.

Voice Controls

There are still optional gestures you can use, but you can now say “Hi Tiny” to wake up the webcam and then say “Track me” or “Unlock me” to access the newly introduced functions. You read that right: instead of figuring out how to make motions work, you can now control the webcam by talking into it. The webcam’s voice command recognition is outstanding. Like smart speakers, “Hi Tiny” is a conventional wake-up word. Similarly, whenever you feel like it, you can simply say, “Unlock me,” and the webcam will no longer be tracking you.

Furthermore, you can also use the commands “zoom out further” and “zoom in closer.” Additionally, Using the Obsbot WebCam software, you can even swap between fixed gimbal positions using voice commands. If you have “macros” or predetermined scenarios set up, you can use the “position [one/two/three]” command to perform this. Surprisingly, though, you don’t need any program to accomplish the aforementioned.

However, while attempting to fine-tune the software’s parameters with the mouse, you may find that the gimbal moves too little or too much. Furthermore, you cannot lock an axis. Thus, every attempt to pan will result in a tilt. It’s debatable whether using one’s voice is less embarrassing than using your hands during a call, but if you’re muted, you can speak directly into the webcam without drawing attention to yourself. Ultimately, due to the webcam’s constant listening capabilities, some users may find it a little unsettling.

Here is the List of all the voice commands. 

Is a Separate Remote Control Worth It for the Obsbot Tiny 2?

If you’d prefer something other than gestures or voice commands to use the Obsbot Tiny 2, you can get a separate remote control for it. The improved Obsbot Tiny Smart Remote 2 integrates a presentation clicker and webcam control system into a single device, making it simple to adjust the angle, zoom, and focus of different cameras at once. I rarely used it because the in-built controls suit my needs just fine. However, it’s still quite neat.

It plugs into your computer through a USB dongle and gives you complete control over your webcam, allowing you to use features like tracking, changing gimbal positions, and other modes such as desk, beauty, HDR, hand tracking, and whiteboard mode. Notably, it simplifies recording whiteboard content. With a press of the Whiteboard button, the camera auto-adjusts its focus to center the whiteboard, ensuring clarity in capturing the displayed information.

Overall, it is a perfectly suitable presentation remote. Thanks to a pretty powerful built-in laser pointer for use on a physical whiteboard and buttons for moving through slides in a PowerPoint presentation. As a result, this opens up a lot of possibilities for using your webcam in conjunction with PowerPoint during presentations. Furthermore, even though it’s a bit cumbersome, you can also use the remote to interact with the UI and navigate between windows.

As per my usage, I don’t have a personal need for any of this. However, I can certainly understand how it may be useful for others while giving presentations. The remote costs $49 when purchased separately. However, you may save $10 when you purchase the two products together from Obsbot’s online store, just like I did. 

How Is the Obsbot Tiny 2’s Video Quality?

It provides a significant improvement in video performance, taking webcam video quality to an entirely new level. The standard for “Good enough” video quality has risen. The notable improvements came from the webcam’s insides, most notably to the sensor. A 1/1.5-inch 50Mpixel CMOS image sensor featuring f/1.9 aperture makes it one of the most powerful sensors in a webcam.

It allowed them to improve the image quality over the model that preceded it. All thanks to the combination of the 1/1.5″ CMOS and Obsbot Camera calibration technology to deliver greater detail, better dynamic range, and more accurate colors, just as they would appear in nature, proving that 4k is about more than simply pixel number.

Consequently, the Obsbot Tiny 2 outperforms any competing 4K webcam, allowing you to provide your viewers with footage that is both clear and vivid. It’s incredible that Obsbot manages to squeeze such a large sensor into such a compact chassis. Although the low-light footage isn’t noisy, the default settings make it look adequate due to the high contrast between dark and light areas of the screen.

How Does the Dual Native ISO Technology Perform? 

The Obsbot Tiny 2 is a camera that adeptly adjusts to varying lighting conditions, be it dark or bright, thanks to its dual native ISOs housed in a single CMOS. In scenarios of bright light, it utilizes a lower ISO setting to render realistic colors without over-brightening the image, and conversely, it ups the ISO in dimmer settings, ensuring your face is favorably illuminated regardless of the ambient light. Moreover, its Dual Native ISO Technology facilitates the capturing of two photos in rapid succession, which significantly contributes to producing HDR footage.

Additionally, the software allows users to manually tweak certain settings like shutter speed and ISO sensitivity, providing a degree of control over the image quality. Nonetheless, these manual customizations failed in effectiveness when faced with continuously fluctuating lighting conditions. In such scenarios, AI enhancements do help the webcam better manage the tone and white balance.

Despite this minor drawback, the camera excels in delivering sharper, cleaner images with reduced noise, largely owing to its bigger sensor. As a matter of fact, the 85.5-degree field of view is commendable, although the performance does taper off slightly under extremely dim lighting conditions, which is a point worth considering.

What Are the Supported Resolutions? 

Like the original Tiny webcam, this one offers multiple video settings, from 720p at 30FPS to 1080p at 30FPS or 60FPS, and even 4K at 30FPS. While the 4K option makes details pop, the 1080p60 mode faithfully replicates the smooth motion you’d see on a TV. You can capture stunning video with either, and your calls on Teams or Zoom will stand out in vivid detail because those platforms accept the Tiny webcam’s video formats.

Unfortunately, the Tiny 2 does not support 1440p, even though it is quickly becoming the standard for streaming-oriented webcams, due to the fact that this provides an alternative to 4K that is both visually superior and perhaps more efficient in terms of system resources. Lastly, it has a USB 3.0 connector, which allows it to transfer 1080p video without having to downscale the resolution or change the encoding format.

Is the Obsbot Tiny 2’s Microphone an Improvement?

Generally speaking, Tiny 2’s microphone is an improvement over the original, and it picked up my speech clearly from a variety of distances. However, the mic is still not up to the mark that I was expecting. Nevertheless, it is still better than the majority of microphones on webcams, which are not even fantastic for a webcam, which typically has mediocre mics.

Coming back to my point, the mic picks up a lot of background noise because it’s omnidirectional. As you can see in the video above, the microphone captured my fan’s noise. However, with an air conditioner, it does the job well. Plus, the noise reduction algorithm overprocesses the signal in order to get rid of that noise, and it does not work as expected. Having said that, Tiny 2 turns off after two minutes of inactivity, pointing at the floor, and its microphone gets off by default. If I have to be lenient, it does an adequate job of high-quality video with adequate audio. At the very least, it ensures your voice is clearly captured.

How Does Obsbot Tiny 2’s Software Enhance User Experience?

The Tiny 1’s software was nearly perfect: user-friendly, efficient, and flawless. Similarly, the Tiny 2 continues this tradition admirably. It allows for gimbal adjustments, zooming, and tracking through voice or gestures. It also maintains a smooth transition between wide, medium, and narrow fields of view, which is a standout feature. Now, the Obsbot WebCam software opens up a whole new world of possibilities for this webcam.

Here, the aforementioned features are extended. With a few simple adjustments, you can have the camera automatically zoom in on your face, the top or lower body, or both. In addition, there is now a group option and a hand-tracking mode, both of which could come in handy for showcasing manual tasks. If you move your hands too quickly, it has difficulties keeping up with them, but otherwise, it works quite well.

That is to say, the Tiny 2’s new features have made things a little more complicated than they needed to be. For instance, human tracking capabilities include not only regular tracking but also motion tracking with other options that I have mentioned above, which can be quite troublesome to deal with. It’s like a trial-and-test method where you’ll either need to do some experimenting or stick with the default settings. 

Should You Buy The Obsbot Tiny 2?

Buy it if

• You’re Looking for High-Quality Video Streaming
  The Obsbot Tiny 2 webcam offers 4K resolution with a 30fps frame rate, making it a top choice for content creators and professionals.
• You Want AI-Powered Enhancements
  The OBSBOT Tiny 2 comes with AI tracking capabilities that keep you in the frame as you move and other handy enhancements, making it ideal for dynamic presentations or video calls.
  

Don’t Buy it if

• You’re on a Tight Budget
  The OBSBOT Tiny 2 is not the most budget-friendly option available. If you’re looking for a basic webcam without the advanced features, there are cheaper alternatives that you might want to look at.
• You Want Excellent Built-In Microphone Quality
  The OBSBOT Tiny 2’s built-in microphone may not meet your needs if you require high-quality audio for your streams or meetings.

Bottom Line

The Obsbot Tiny 2 is a top-tier webcam, ideal for those looking for facial tracking and pan-tilt-zoom features. It competes well with higher-range webcams, excelling in most categories with its sharp imagery, reliable tracking, and gesture and voice controls in an attractive manner. Although it lacks Windows Hello compatibility, the emphasis is clearly on quality over additional features. Moreover, the Obsbot Tiny 4K stands out with its unique metal construction, robotic rotation and tilt, versatile mounting, and virtual camera with skin smoothing and color effects, making it suitable for stand-up presentations due to its excellent autofocus and tracking.

The main downside is the price, which may put off many, thinking a cheaper webcam could be enough. However, for those seeking high-quality imagery and functionality, the Obsbot Tiny 2 is unmatched. Moreover, its upgraded sensor, enhanced configuration, zoom options, and convenient voice controls, despite being slightly unsettling, make the Obsbot Tiny 2 a worthy investment, even if some additional features don’t meet the Obsbot claims.

Coming Next: ORICO 5-Port Multi-Function Power Station DUK-5P Review

Abdul Hannan

[Hardware Reviewer]

After many years of exploiting various pieces of hardware, Abdul Hannan now serves as an editor at Tech4Gamers. He’s been in the PC hardware reviewing industry for almost a decade, and his staff of passionate geeks and reviewers is second to none.

Abdul Hannan is constantly seeking new methods to improve the performance of his computer components since he is an ardent overclocker. He is well-known for providing the most extensive and unbiased analysis of the newest and greatest hardware for PC gaming, including everything from GPUs to PSUs.

OBSBOT Tiny 2 Review: New Era of Webcam is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News