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Since the Roccat Sense and Roccat Kone Pure are both considered Camo Charge variants of their base versions, I decided to review them together, which meant testing them together (and apart) in a number of different usage scenarios, including general gaming in different genres and in day to day tasks like photo editing and web browsing. I also considered comfort and other factors throughout the tests, noting my results below.
Unlike some of the mice I have reviewed in the past, the Roccat Kone Pure Camo Charge feels like a mouse grounded in reality. It does not have a ridiculous DPI range (maxing out at 5,00o), nor is it festooned with gimmicks. It might have Roccat's strong software drivers to back it up, but this is a simple tool, executed incredibly well.
While your first thought when you put your hand on the Kone Pure may be that it feels a little small, this is something you quickly get used to – likewise the lack of finger rests on the right hand side. This feels like a mouse that almost takes its military theme seriously. It is a workman's tool. It is no piece of art, but it does exactly what you want it to, quickly and dependably.
Whether I played a fast paced shooter, or a relaxed sandbox builder where I am content to proceed at my own pace, I found the Roccat Kone Pure very capable indeed, even before I installed the drivers. While the Kone Pure Camo Charge works well out of the box, once you have installed the drivers – which were a bit of a pain to find, but they work flawlessly despite beta status – there is a whole host of options to play with.
Roccat uses a feature called “Easy Shift,” to give you a lot more buttons, without the need for them clogging up the mouse's streamlined physique. Pressing a pre-determined button (defaulted to left rear) works like a keyboard's shift key, suddenly transforming every other button on the mouse into something else. At default, the scroll wheel controls volume, the left and right click control forward and back in your browser. These can be fully customised in the second tab of the software, or the entire function can be turned off altogether if you do not use it.
There's also options for changing DPI (with five steps) and a very deep LED colour tweaker, which lets you make that rear logo glow whatever colour in the spectrum you can come up with.
If you really want to get into some true nerd levels of investment in your mouse, there are even Roccat “achievements,” (we use the word loosely) for clicks and scrolls, letting you earn trophies for certain numbers of either. Note that they are both only registered in tens.
Other software features include lift off distance adjustments, sound feedback when you do anything and what boils down to an an auto aim, which I did not find to make any difference. That might be the point to some extent, that it is unnoticeable, but I like to think one of the big advantages of PC gaming is not having to contend with or rely upon auto aim.
Comfort wise, the mouse was a delight to use and I happily gamed and used it for 10 hours+ at a time without issue. Some might lament the lack of finger rests on the right hand side, but it was not something I ever found myself missing.
The only downside to the Roccat Kone Pure Camo Charge really is that it is an optical mouse, which means it is about as useful as a paper weight when used on standard desk surface. You need a mat, which is why it was quite handy that I was sent along the Sense Camo Charge 2mm as well.
As far as mats go, I am definitely more of a cloth fan than anything else, as they don't get cold and are more comfortable in general since they are more supportive. The Sense did a great job and in-fact, I struggled to remember I was reviewing it at times, which while sounding like an insult, is about the best compliment I can give a mat. It is fast and fluid enough that I never felt encumbered by it and it complimented the teflon feet on the base of the Kone Pure Camo Charge very well.
I tested a few different mice on the Sense Camo Charge, including opticals and lasers (sorry retro fans, no rollerballs) and all performed equally well at a number of different DPI settings, ensuring whatever type of gamer you are, you will find the Sense backs you up nicely. It is also of a decent size, so if you like playing or operating at lower sensitivities, you should not ever run out of room. It also does not move around, no matter how hard you game, thanks to that rubberised rear of its.
If I had one complaint, it would be that I tend to prefer my mouse mats to be a little thicker. That is more personal preference than anything, but I feel a slightly thicker mat is more comfortable.
