Roccat Kone XTD Gaming Mouse Review
Ben Sheene / Jul 14th, 2014 No Comments
For the sake of a prime gaming experience, companies typically try to throw in as much as possible on a gaming mouse meant to rest comfortably in the palm of players’ hands. The result is often a piece of tech with attachments and buttons Frankensteined everywhere.
Like the Roccat Isku FX keyboard, the Roccat Kone XTD gaming mouse aims to give players as much customization as possible without sacrificing good looks. Thankfully, the Roccat Kone XTD is anything but a horror story.
Palm Precision
Like the best kind of gaming mice, the Kone XTD is striking in its simplicity. The left and right clickable buttons blend right into the body of the top of the mouse. Sandwiched between is a scroll wheel with one button above and two below. On the left side of the mouse where the thumb rests are two additional buttons. This layout has been used for years and there’s no real reason to stray from it.
The illuminated accents of the Kone XTD add a stylistic touch.
Without heaping on buttons, Roccat is able to create a gaming mouse that doesn’t feel bulky or awkward when gripped by the hand. Every button is easy to swiftly click and doesn’t require too much force to fully press. Because the Kone XTD doesn’t focus on extras, it isn’t overly large. What this means for players with different hand types is a matter of personal comfort. Longer fingers or thumbs might clumsily work their way around the mouse before getting used to it.
[adsense250itp]Another smart move by Roccat was to make the weight of the mouse adjustable. Purchasing a mouse means you are going to be stuck with that design until a new device comes along. In the pursuit of sleekness, mice aren’t always the heaviest things on the desk. Fast tracking and frantic movements can cause the mouse to be constantly lifted off the pad and throw tracking and positioning off. To compensate for this, up to four 5-gram weights can be placed inside the bottom of the Kone XTD. It may not seem like much at first, but the difference is palpable.
The real star of the Kone XTD’s design are the two light rails on both sides. With a four LED lighting system, the colors are easily adjusted to player preference and provide that “wow” factor. While it may seem flashy to some, the lights appear more natural than a mouse bathed in colored plastics. The black look and subtle Roccat branding allow for an individual to create their own aesthetic with the lights.
Just a Click Away
We all know the story. Point and shoot; right click to zoom in, left click to shoot. It’s not a complex arrangement. As great as the scroll wheel is for cycling through weapon inventories, not many mice offer any sort of clickable joy aside from a strange downward push. The Kone XTD adds convenience along with it’s massive amount of customization.
The Easy Shift[+] feature adds a second function to each button.
Every button on the mouse performs the normal duties one might expect of it. But with the use of simple software and an Easy Shift[+] button, functionality is drastically increased. The Easy Shift[+] button is the back-most button where the thumb would rest. Pressing it acts as a kind of shift key like on the keyboard and activates the second option for a button. Simply put, a left click could fire a gun and left clicking while the Easy Shift[+] button is pressed could reload a weapon.
Allowing buttons to have multiple functions is an exciting feature and it only takes a little time before execution feels natural. Clicking a button is easy enough but it’s also helped by the intuitive software. Using the Kone XTD’s software allows the player to control sensitivity settings, button assignment, color control for the light rails and even assign profiles.
Extensive Customization
Whatever function players need the Kone XTD to perform, it can be done with quick tinkering. Out of the box, the mouse works just fine but the software opens up the possibilities. The combination of the Easy Shift[+] button and switching profiles meets any kind of customization desire. For example, the scroll wheel might seem simple but it can actually be clicked to the left or right. That one small section of the mouse is able to perform six functions, plus any scrolling possibilities.
The software is easy to use and even includes achievements that can be unlocked.
Outside of these “bonus” features, the Kone XTD performs extremely well as an accurate mouse. Adjusting DPI to suit your preferences is completely painless and it won’t miss a pixel. And just like the Isku FX, Roccat also included achievements that can be earned based off how often the mouse is used. It’s a humble but clever touch and one of many that makes this device feel so personal. When the lights begin to glow and you get into a game, appreciating the quality of the Roccat Kone XTD isn’t hard at all.
Ben Sheene
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tags: gaming mouse , hardware review , roccat , Roccat Kone XTD , Roccat Kone XTD review
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