As the realm of gaming continues to expand, so, too, does the need for gamers to customize their experience, their play style, and, of course, their tools. With so many broad and engaging avenues of play to choose from, players commonly choose a particular branch to play that appeals to them. Unsurprisingly, their tools become more and more refined and aimed at improving their efficacy in those directions. CORSAIR has recognized the need for specific peripherals geared for specific uses and presents several high-quality options for that purpose. But stopping there would be to abandon an endeavor for true excellence, for both CORSAIR and the gamers. With an eye focused on recognizing said excellence, we at MMORPG.com will endeavor to review CORSAIR’s new Ironclaw RGB Wireless and Glaive RGB PRO gaming mice, both of which have been designed with FPS and MOBA gamers in mind.
To preface this dual review, it is important to note that both of these mice were designed to better accommodate larger hands while still retaining a comfortable and effective fit for all players. Being a 6’2” leprechaun, found them quite comfortable and didn’t even feel that I might inadvertently crush them. My wife, who is a bit smaller at 5’2” also found them quite comfortable and effective. In my estimation, that counts as a mission accomplished.
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As a second preface, I want to bring up the iCUE. This is Corsair’s all-in-one companion app for all of its PC products, although calling it a companion app certainly underplays its significance. The most Corsair’s products can be used independently of the iCUE. They are plug-n-play capable and your PC will install drivers and set up your hardware for a basic configuration. Still highly functional, but the propensity for excellence is blunted. The iCUE is the key that unlocks the potential of the hardware it manages, as well as giving you the platform for defining that management. The iCUE is essential in exploring the full capabilities of your Corsair products and even has a utility for calibrating the optical sensor of your Corsair mouse to your specific surface. When I initially started using the iCUE there were some aspects that seemed less than intuitive. While that impression may still stand from a new user’s perspective, I found the learning curve was easily tackled with a bit of fiddling around.
Corsair Glaive RGB Pro
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Specifications
- MSRP: $69.99
- Pixart PMW3391 custom, gaming grade optical sensor
- 100 - 18000 DPI with single DPI steps
- Up to 50 G max acceleration
- Up to 400 IPS max speed
- Surface calibration utility via iCUE
- Onboard profile storage
- 3 Zone RGB backlighting customizable via iCUE
- 7 fully programmable buttons via iCUE
- High-Performance Omron Switches Rated for 50 Million Clicks
- Fully supported via iCUE software utility
- Aluminum scroll wheel
- Designed for FPS/MOBA gaming
- Mouse feet: PTFE
- Dimensions: 124.9(L) x 68.5(W) x 45.5(H) mm / 4.88”(L) x 2.70”(W) x 1.79”(H)
- Weight w/o cable and accessories: 115g / 0.25 lbs.
- Warranty: Two Years
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The Corsair Glaive RGB Pro holds true to its winning combination of quality, efficiency, and the artistically sleek and comfortably contoured design of the previous iteration. While specifically intended for FPS and MOBA gameplay, the product reveals a versatility that opens its usage possibilities to much more. Also present are the three interchangeable thumb grips allowing for an even greater level of personal comfort. The thumb grips are no-hassle and lock into place magnetically, so experimenting with them is a sinch. The design is nearly identical to the original, but measures larger, allowing better accommodation for larger hands. The quality of materials is such that it maintains its overall sturdiness and feel while coming in lighter than the previous version.
The Glaive RGB Pro sports a custom Pixart optical sensor that allows for an impressive 18,000 DPI and player customizable settings that can be defined in single DPI steps. Through Corsair’s iCUE software, players can determine five different DPI settings that suit the needs of different activities. Each of the five settings is linked to the visible LED indicator on the mouse for on-the-fly reference and can be quickly cycled with the two buttons just below the mouse wheel. I found the mouse very responsive and extremely accurate, capable of handle speeds at a much greater velocity that I can manage, let alone use on a regular basis.
All seven buttons are fully configurable via the iCUE. Options range from a simple remapping of functions to player defined macros, giving the Glaive RGB Pro a definite advantage in versatility. The actual list of optional function types includes Macro, Text, Media, Launch Application, Timer, Profile Switching, and even an option to disable that button if you so choose. These settings can be saved on the mouse’s onboard profile storage, allowing you to use your specific customizations for buttons and lighting wherever you go. Don’t worry too much about being confined to a single profile, that’s just your travel profile. The iCUE allows for and keeps track of any profile you may create.
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The Glaive RGB Pro comes with three dynamic lighting zones, front, sides, and logo, that can be programmed independently or synchronized to any range and combination of color you can imagine via the iCUE. The LED signifiers for the DPI settings also have their own color settings that can be set to your preference, with two modes for regular and sniper.
Corsair’s Glaive RGB Pro is a solid addition to the Corsair product line. The scope of its performance levels goes well beyond what I can feasibly use, and the quality of both the materials and functions are obvious. The design is attractive and effective with plenty of customizable options. This is a formidable tool engineered for champions.
Corsair Ironclaw RGB Wireless
Corsair’s Ironclaw RGB mouse is already a magnificent beast, with a contoured shape designed to fit the palm of your hand, its Omron 50 million click durability, the onboard profile storage, the 18,000 DPI capability, and the seven buttons. All of that wrapped together into a Corsair bundle of high-quality promise and that monster of a mouse becomes something to be reckoned with. However, Corsair likes to push the boundary of excellence and has found a few ways to make the Ironclaw that much more menacing.
What Corsair has done to increase the versatility of this iteration is to offer wireless in both their 2.4 GHz Slipstream technology and low latency Bluetooth, easily switched between with a flick of a button. You may also use the high quality, detachable USB charging cord. With the cord, you can be sure you will always get high performance, but the wireless options are a focal point.
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Specifications
- MSRP:$79.99
- Sub-1ms 2.4 GHz SLIPSTREAM CORSAIR WIRELESS
- Bluetooth
- USB 2.0 Type-A wired connection 1000Hz report rate
- Built-in lithium-polymer rechargeable battery
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Battery life:
- 30hrs Bluetooth w/standard lighting, 50hrs w/out backlighting
- 16hrs 2.4GHz SLIPSTREAM w/standard lighting, 24hrs without
- Shaped for Palm grips and larger hands
- iCUE compatible
- Up to 50 G max acceleration
- Up to 400 IPS max speed
- 3 zone RGB backlighting customizable through iCUE
- Pixart PMW3391 custom, gaming grade optical sensor
- 100 - 18,000 DPI with single DPI steps
- Ten Programmable buttons via iCUE
- High performance 50 million click-rated Omron switches
- 3 onboard configurable profiles
- Multi-purpose LED indicator battery/charging/profile/connectivity/DPI stage
- Surface calibration utility via iCUE
- Fully supported via iCUE software utility
- Designed for FPS/MOBA gaming
- Mouse feet: PTFE
- Dimensions: 130.0(L) x 80.0(W) x 45.0(H) mm / 5.12”(L) x 3.15”(W) x 1.77”(H)
- Weight w/o cable and accessories: 13g / 0.29 lbs.
- Warranty: Two years
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The low latency Bluetooth works really well, with minor noticeable difference from the wired. With latency as low as 7.5ms it is very fast and accurate. The Bluetooth option is compliant with Bluetooth LE 4.2 specification and is compatible with Bluetooth 4.0 or higher enabled devices.
The 2.4GHz is where I really felt it delivered. I noticed no variance in performance from using the cord and you could feel the difference between the 2.4GHz and the Bluetooth. The Slipstream Corsair Wireless Technology allows for hyper-fast, sub-1ms point-to-point latency and is 50% faster than the previous generation of wireless technology. Slipstream Wireless uses an Intelligent Frequency Shift function that automatically detects and switches to the fastest available channel in the 2.4GHz spectrum while you play, delivering a high Quality of Service. With the freedom of no wires and the great performance, this quickly became my favorite option. While I tend not to wander 33 ft from my PC while I’m gaming, let’s instead look at the likely strength of signal the built-in antenna provides.
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The Ironclaw RGB Wireless boasts three customizable profiles that can be saved to the mouse’s onboard memory and can be easily cycled through with a press of a button. These are all customizable via the iCUE. Along with the profiles, the Ironclaw RGB Wireless increases the number of buttons you have to customize and use to ten, allowing an even greater range of functionality and versatility to your gameplay options. While the Ironclaw RGB provides a single RGB zone, the wireless version brings you three dynamic zones of RGB color freedom to deal with as you please. Don’t forget the trio of DPI stages that can be defined by the user and saved to each profile.
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The mouse sports a nice LED indicator on the inside of the thumb grip that consists of three bars and indicates anything that has anything to do with the mouse. Battery status (several stages), which pre-defined DPI setting you are currently using, the current profile you are on, and wireless pairing status (different colors for different modes) are all things that the indicator attempts to notify you of. All of these indications are explained through charts in the manual.
Final Thoughts
Corsair has crafted a reputation of quality and performance and with these two peripherals, they continue that legacy. By taking models that have already proven successful and improving upon them, the designers have redefined the boundaries of excellence. Both of the mice are of high-performance quality with dependability in construction and either piece of hardware would make a great addition to your gaming gear.
Pros
- High quality
- Comfortable design
- Versatility
Cons
- Glaive RGB Pro: Single onboard profile
- Ironclaw RGB Wireless: Confusing indicator
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for the purpose of review.
