We had the opportunity to test the Roccat Kone XP for some time, a mouse model that relies both on its performance and on its rather atypical design. This is what we can say about it.
There are manufacturers like Roccat who are betting on both performance and design. This is the case with the Roccat Kone XP which tries to stand out from most of its competitors by adopting a pro-RGB look, with a semi-transparent chassis.
A mouse that stands out
From the outset we know that Roccat does not play on the same playing field. While the fashion is for light and compact mice, the German manufacturer assumes a fairly bulky mouse with no less than 15 programmable buttons. We are indeed on a beautiful baby of 104 grams, far from the 67 grams of the small NZXT Lift that we recently tested on Gameblog. This comfortable design offers the user very good ergonomics and grip, regardless of your grip (Palm Grip, Claw Grip or Fingertip grip). Its weight may make it a little less welcome in the hand of an eSport player on FPS, although… Nothing disabling for all that.
An atypical design
The Roccat Kone XP does not skimp on RGB lighting, on the contrary. This is even its main selling point on the aesthetic side since the manufacturer offers lighting with a lot of LEDs, for a total of 22. The whole thing is enhanced by a translucent chassis with the most beautiful effect. Roccat touts this as 3D lighting. In the dark it’s quite stunning and it’s a real visual delight. The rest of the design is not outdone with streaks on the sides of the device for excellent grip and a very successful aesthetic. The only drawback is that it can only be used by right-handers since there are still a total of 4 buttons on the left side for the thumb.
As very often in recent years, it is quite difficult to offer a bad sensor and even the entry level can afford quality. Here we are on the top of the range with necessarily the performance that goes with it. Namely the Roccat Owl-Eye sensor with a maximum sensitivity of 19,000 DPI and a tracking speed of 400 fps as well as an acceleration of 50g. In short, high quality which allows a real technical flawlessness. We tested this on a lot of titles including our faithful Hunt Showdown, nothing to complain about.
Double ration of buttons
On the switch side, here we have the right to titanium optical versions which offer greater robustness and therefore a better lifespan. Roccat estimates the whole thing at 100 million clicks, which is downright double what a high-end conventional mouse can offer. Obviously, it is difficult to verify the information. The result is a very pleasant click on the finger that stands out compared to the click of a mechanical switch. It’s not necessarily better, but it’s different and very sweet.
Obviously with its large number of programmable buttons it is better to use the Roccat Swarm in-house software to have what you want in the palm of your hand. One of the buttons being in fact the +, a command that will activate the Easy-Shift function. For newcomers who are unfamiliar with the brand, this is a mechanism allowing you to switch from one configuration to another and thus virtually double the number of programmable buttons. That is 28 buttons in total (14 + 14). We concede it to you, it is better to have a good memory to remember what each of them corresponds to but it remains a real pleasure for lovers of MMORPGs or MOBAs.
The software is also mandatory to have a great time on the colors and thus sublimate your hot summer nights.
Technical sheet
- Price : around 88 euros
- Weight : 104 grams
- Dimensions : 13.4 x 5.4 x 18.4cm
- Sensor : Roccat Owl-Eye Optical Sensor
- Sensitivity : 100 – 19,000 DPI
- Response time : 1000Hz
- Guarantee : 2 years
- Or buy : Amazon