You may have heard the phrase, “the pen is an extension of your body.” The same philosophy should apply to gaming mice. It is a device that allows you to interact with your computer in rather unbelievable ways if you stop to think about it. Thousands of tiny pictures and calculations – because accuracy is key for PC gaming. Today we’re looking at the new Roccat Kone Pure Ultra. Is it worth choosing in an already crowded market? Find out in this review.
Specifications
- Cost: $69.99
- Dimensions: 1.5 Inch in (H) x 2.75 in (W) x 4.5 in (L)
- Weight: 66 G (Mouse Only)
- Button: 7 Buttons
- RGB: Yes
- Color: Black
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Tracking:
- Sensor: Owl-Eye optical sensor
- Resolution: Selectable resolution up to 16,000 DPI
- Max Acceleration: 50 G
- Optical Lens: 1:1
- Other Features:
- Onboard Memory
- Lightweight, Flexible USB Cable
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Recently released by Roccat is their latest edition to the Kone series, the Kone Pure Ultra. This mouse is packed with all the same features as the rest of the Kone series but with a twist. The Kone Pure Ultra is an ultra-light, ergonomic mouse weighing in at a surprising 66 grams. That may not sound like much… and that is exactly the point of this mouse.
Ergonomics
Roccat have reduced the weight using an innovative internal structure to maximize your ease of aiming. To compare, most gaming mice weigh in around 90-110 grams or more. The running theory is that more weight will help prevent overshooting and keep movement smoother. While this can be true for an experienced gamer, it may be a bit cumbersome for more casual players. By reducing the weight, you should reduce fatigue to keep you precise and on target for longer while simultaneously making the mouse feel more like an extension of your arm.
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This isn’t a style made for everyone and, for me, the mouse was too light. I would often find myself lifting it up without even realizing it. Being light isn’t necessarily bad, quite the contrary, but it’s a good object lesson in what weight your muscle memory is tuned to. After a bit of time getting used to the Kone Pure Ultra, I was able to stop lifting the mouse unintentionally, so that’s proof that the learning curve is climbable.
The ergonomics of the mouse are very pleasant as my hand rested well with the contours of the mouse. Each button was well placed and easy to actuate. The surface treatment did leave me a bit torn. The anti-wear technology seemed high quality but was slightly slippery. Personally, I would have liked a bit of texturing near the thumb grip. During gameplay, I would often find my fingers slipping out of place and, of course, would lose control of what I was doing. Like the weight, however, with additional time, I found that a slightly lighter grip with a more downwards pressure made for a decent band-aid.
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Performance
Whether or not a mouse feels like an extension of your arm is directly related to the performance of the device. It might handle great but if it falls short in the accuracy department then it might as well be a pack-in from the box PC era. Roccat's Kone Pure Ultra delivers a great experience.
During my trials and testing, Roccat’s Owl-Eye Optical Sensor never skipped a beat. Using their SWARM software it was easy to configure the DPI on the fly makes adjusting to the situation a breeze. With an upper range of 16,000 DPI, it’s far more sensitive than I would ever need but I was impressed with its accuracy across different DPI levels. The 2D Titan Wheel also offers good tactility compared to other gaming mice I’ve tested, so that’s also a big win there.
Final Thoughts
It seems like new mice are being released every day. As technology continues to improve, being able to decide which fits the budget and style can be very difficult with so many options. Though I did fully enjoy the ergonomics and performance of this mouse, I was not sold on the ultra-lightweight chassis. Obviously, the point was to keep weight down, but I would like to see some texture on the grip and, it’s 2020, I’d like more RGB than just on the palm rest. Even still, when it comes to sheer performance, the Roccat Kone Pure Ultra is impressive.
Pros
- Comfortable ergonomics
- Affordable
- Very lightweight
Cons
- Lackluster RGB
- No Texture to assist with gripping
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for the purpose of review.
