Roccat Kone Pure Gaming Mouse Review (w/ Hiro Gaming Surface)

As the second mouse from Roccat's updated Kone series to hit our labs, the Kone Pure looks to offer the same excellent gaming performance as its sibling - the Kone XTD - while reducing the physical dimensions and retail price. Does the Kone Pure have what it takes to impress as much as the 'Must Have' Kone XTD did? Packing an 8200 DPI Pro-Aim laser R3 sensor and a 32-bit Turbo Core V2 72MHz processor into a form factor that is 91% the size of the Kone[+], Roccat's Kone Pure targets gamers that lust for a mouse that has the ability to offer outstanding performance while maintaining a sleek, user-friendly style. Accompanying the Kone Pure during testing will be Roccat's Hiro gaming mouse pad. The surface's large 350 x 250 x 2.5mm size and vulcanised silicone surface give gamers a good degree of free movement that is required when contesting at the highest levels. Is the Kone Pure a worthy addition to Roccat's flagship series? And is the Hiro gaming surface its perfect partner? Specifications: Pro-Aim Laser Sensor R3 with up to 8200dpi 1000Hz polling rate 1ms response time 30G acceleration 1-5mm Lift off distance Tracking & Distance Control Unit (TDCU) 72MHz Turbo Core V2 32-bit Arm based MCU 576kB onboard memory Zero angle snapping/prediction 1.8m braided USB cable The Kone Pure packaging's front side features an image of the mouse accompanied by some of its key features such as the 8200 DPI sensor, Easy-Shift[+] functionality and customisable lighting. A more in-depth breakdown of the features is outlined on the box's rear side. Roccat annotates an image of the Kone Pure mouse pointing out where the key features lie in relation to the product's body. Consumers can give the Kone Pure a small examination through a transparent plastic window before committing to the purchase. Additional features such as the Easy-Shift[+] function and the mouse's design are discussed on the magnetic flap's inside edge. A solitary quick installation guide comprises the Kone Pure's simplistic bundle. Roccat has designed the Kone Pure around the almost 10% size reduction in comparison to its predecessor - the Kone[+]. To make the reduced dimensions a possibility, Roccat removed the button forward of the scroll wheel and got rid of the lighting strips that spanned each side of the Kone[+]. The Kone Pure's shape that widens towards the 'fingertip area' of the left and right click buttons promotes the palm grip. There shouldn't be a need to worry about the mouse slipping out of your hand when using the palm clench, either - the Kone Pure sports a friction-enhancing, soft-touch surface. In order to cut costs and maintain the Kone Pure's size reduction, Roccat has opted for a two-dimensional scroll wheel as opposed to the 4D version found on the Kone[+] and XTD. This slight adjustment shouldn't cause too many problems to most gamers, although the mouse's general usage aspect may miss the enhanced productivity. Plus and minus arrows set to control the DPI levels, by default, reside behind the scroll wheel in an easy-to-reach location. Roccat places its feline company logo on a rear section of the mouse's main body. A 16.8 million colour lighting system is hidden below the logo, allowing a user-definable glow to be emitted from within. Forwards and backwards (Easy-Shift[+] button) arrow buttons are located directly above the location where one's thumb will reside during general operation. The convenient location makes them easy to hit when browsing web pages or conducting other productivity tasks. Kone Pure and Roccat emblems are printed on the edge of a thumb-directing channel on the mouse's left side. A similar channel on the Kone Pure's right side allows users' unused fingers to sit comfortably around the mouse's body. A 1.8m braided cable connects the Kone Pure to one of your computer's free USB ports. Roccat supplies the Hiro gaming surface in a large rectangular sleeve that features some of the mouse mat's key information. Over 80 mice have been tested with the Hiro and Roccat claims a resolution compatibility of up to 16,800 DPI. The 350 x 250mm, 2.5mm-thick, vulcanised silicone surface offers a friction-reducing medium on which gamers can efficiently move their mouse from edge to edge without any interference or excessive effort. Roccat positions its company logo and the Hiro product name in the surface's bottom-right corner. A rubberised rear surface prevents the mouse pad from slipping and is also able to absorb the force of an impact, lowering the risk of mouse damage. Roccat utilises 'power-bonded construction' to prevent fraying of the edges over the Hiro's lifetime. Roccat doesn't supply a driver disc with the Kone Pure, forcing users to download the latest version of the mouse's software from the company's support website. The Kone Pure's latest driver can be obtained here. The Kone Pure's critical settings such as DPI, double click speed and sensitivity can be accessed via the software's first-to-load, main control page. 15 of the Kone Pure's 17 input functions can be customised via the button assignment tab. Roccat provides users with a plentiful array of options for differing button functions. If Roccat's provided button functions aren't enough, the macro manager can be used to create a user-definable set of inputs. Polling rate and increasingly complex settings can be adjusted via the Kone Pure software's advanced control subsection. Roccat's feline logo can be set to glow with a user-customisable colour - 16.8 million of them, to be precise. The Kone Pure's lighting effects can be set to fully lit, breathing or, if you aren't a fan of a glowing mouse, switched off. Interesting usage statistics are displayed in the Roccat Achievements Display (R.A.D.) section. Users are provided with unique trophies for reaching certain milestones such as 30,000 scroll steps performed or 10,000 inches of mouse movement. Online support and mouse drivers can be accessed from links provided in the Kone Pure's software. Notice: We have worked with Roccat to discover a resolution to the Kone XTD's slow software issue. The same workaround is a viable option that can be used to prevent the Kone Pure's software from operating slowly. Adding an exception to the mouse’s software in your system’s security program should resolve the issue. The exception path should look as follows: ‘C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\ROCCAT’ where ‘username’ is your individual username (e.g. KitGuru or John). The Kone Pure's user-friendly shape with its 'humpback' design allows one's palm to curve around the mouse's body. Even those of us with large hands will be able to quickly adapt our palm-style grip to suit the Kone Pure's medium form factor. Claw grip users shouldn't have a problem adapting to the Kone Pure, either; the widened click areas of both the left and right main mouse buttons make pressing firmly with the grip's vertical finger orientation a comfortable process. Both of the side buttons are positioned in what we consider to be almost ideal location. A slight movement or bend of one's thumb provides a simple route to both buttons without losing orientation of the section of mouse to where the digit should return. The scroll wheel also promotes efficient general usage by being placed in a quick-to-access area between the click buttons - not too far towards the mouse's rear. A wide variety of time-saving inputs can be configured using the Kone Pure's Easy-Shift[+] functionality. We were especially fond of the default-set page backwards and volume adjustment abilities, but if these don't appeal to you, simply change the function via the mouse's software. Roccat's Kone Pure performed excellently in the variety of games that we tested it with. First person shooters made effective use of the precise and accurate tracking offered by the Tracking & Distance Control Unit (TDCU) and 8200 DPI Pro-Aim R3 sensor. The Kone Pure's design also helped to make fast-paced shooters more enjoyable by the easy-to-access location of the DPI adjustment buttons. We did notice some instances where the mouse's soft-touch surface wasn't able to offer the appropriate level of friction required to maintain our grip, although these occurrences were uncommon. Perhaps Roccat aimed for superior comfort while compromising on some of the grip. With sizeable dimensions of 350 x 250mm, the Roccat Hiro gaming surface has the ability to seat even the largest of mice on the market, such as Roccat's own Kone XTD. As advertised by Roccat, a silent mouse glide is achievable thanks to the surface's friction-reducing silicone material. Smooth edges and a non-slip rubber base help to promote comfort while also preventing unintentional movement. The Kone Pure's Tracking Control Unit (TCU) was able to effectively calibrate itself by quickly identifying the Hiro's material properties. Another positive for the Hiro is the surface's 'Force Field Protective Coating' that makes it easy to clean and water-resistant. The dust, dirt and grime that build up during everyday usage can be simply wiped or brushed off without leaving any meaningful surface marks. Roccat Kone Pure Gaming Mouse Roccat has added yet another excellent gaming mouse to its highly-respected Kone series. The Roccat Kone Pure gaming mouse features a comfortable design, precise tracking and good general usage options. When equipped with Roccat's Kone Pure, competing in games is an enjoyable experience made more so by the mouse's ability to offer excellent precision and a wide range of quickly-adjustable settings. FPS-lovers will be licking their lips over the mouse's highly-customisable DPI, sensitivity and polling rate settings, while fans of RPGs will be pleased to see a macro manager, 15 adjustable button functions and 5 settings profiles. 15 user-definable button inputs make the Roccat Kone Pure a mouse that is able to enhance general usage experiences and increase productivity. We liked the Easy-Shift[+] function due to the extra 8 customisable inputs it offers. Comfortable operation is a strength for the Kone Pure gaming mouse. The user-friendly style that features finger-directing channels and a palm-resting 'humpback' shape allows the mouse to stay comfortable even when using it for extended periods of time. For general usage, the soft-touch coating does a good job at enhancing the comfort for palm-grip users. During intense gaming sessions, the level of friction and hence grip offered by the surface material did become unacceptable at times. While the soft-touch surface is undeniably comfortable, we would prefer a material that offers that extra level of grip required in those frantic battle situations. The software provided with Roccat's Kone Pure mouse offers a well-designed, sleek user interface with plenty of options. Roccat's Achievement Display (R.A.D.) is a likeable feature, irrelevant of its questionable use. Unfortunately, as outlined earlier in the review, the software requires the same work-around as the Kone XTD's to prevent slow operation. Available for £63.81 from Amazon, the Kone Pure is priced too closely to the Kone XTD to make it a truly competitive option. While both mice have their strengths and weaknesses, we feel that the Kone XTD is well-worth the extra spend of around £10. A price drop that puts the Kone Pure away from the Kone XTD's price range would make it a far more worthy option. Pros: Comfortable mouse. Good button positioning. Plenty of input functions via Easy-Shift[+]. 16.8 million colour lighting system. Capable of up to 8200 DPI. Omron switches. Cons: Priced too closely to the superior Kone XTD. Grip surface could be better. Limited potential for left hand users. Software requires a work-around to operate at full speed (as shown on the Software and Operation page). KitGuru says: A comfortable mouse that offers great gaming and general usage performance. Unfortunately its price tag forces it to compete against the superior Kone XTD, amongst others. Roccat Hiro Gaming Surface Roccat's Hiro gaming surface is an excellent mouse mat that allows gamers to rapidly move their mouse from point-to-point without resistance. With its friction-reducing surface, non-slip and shock-absorbing rubber grip and easy-to-clean properties, the Roccat Hiro has the ability to collaborate with even the greatest gaming mice available. A retail price of around £40 makes the Hiro a difficult recommendation. While its performance, design and features are very good, the Hiro's biggest problem is the fact that the majority of people won't be able to afford or justify a £40 mouse mat. Spending £40 on a mouse mat opens up the 'diminishing returns' can of worms. We think that it would a better idea to opt for a cheaper model and put the remaining money towards a different component or peripheral. Pros: Easy-to-clean and water-resistant surface. Allows rapid mouse movements due to low friction. Good build quality. Cons: Very expensive and unaffordable for most gamers. KitGuru Says: A good mouse surface that offers some worthwhile features, but packs a very high price tag that is unwarrantable to most consumers.

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Roccat Kone Pure Gaming Mouse Review (w/ Hiro Gaming Surface)

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