Roccat is one of the big names in the industry when it comes to gaming peripherals, often with a guarantee of quality behind its products. Today, I had the opportunity to test the Kone range, with the XP Air mouse, which displays great ambitions.
The brand had already launched its Kone XP a few months ago. It is now in a wireless version that it returns. Many buttons, light, no wire, significant autonomy... it's what it has in the belly on paper. Let's see all this in detail.
Getting started
Roccat is not the brand I know the most when it comes to mice, but what stood out to me most of the time was the very pleasant grip. And this one does honor to the reputation of Roccat's know-how. The grip is immediate and very good... provided you have medium/large hands. The little ones may be a little more embarrassed. And it should also be noted that this is a mouse exclusively for right-handers. Sorry, lefties, it's not for you.
Another point: how light it is! 97 grams on my scale. A great performance for a mouse of this caliber, even if it remains heavier than many models. Personally, I like slightly heavier mice, but there, it's really everyone's taste.
I know it's something some don't care much about (I do, I admit), but we have to talk about the lighting. And there, we can not say that the Kone XP Air is in half measures! No less than 5 different lighting zones are present on the mouse, allowing pretty light effects thanks to its transparent shell. No, to be frank, I'm not a fan of neon atmospheres on mice, but here, we must admit that it's rather discreet.
The mouse is also delivered with its charging dock, to be connected via USB. With a USB port on its front, you can then slide the USB dongle into it to connect the mouse to the PC. It's very practical, it allows you to monopolize only one port on the PC. A good idea ! The mouse fits perfectly into its small slot on the dock, which means you almost never have to plug it in wired. (I only had to do it once for a firmware update)
The only real downside I could find is the overall quality. I really had a strong impression of plastic, the set does not seem ultra solid (because of its lightness certainly also). A bit of a shame given the fairly high price of the mouse (around €160).
Use Case
10 buttons in total with the possibility of duplicating them, to arrive at a total of 29 inputs, players who like to be able to control everything with their fingers will be in heaven.
The mouse can also connect via Bluetooth or via the USB dongle I have already mentioned. I didn't even notice any particularly higher latency in Bluetooth.
Of course, the mouse also comes with its control software: Roccat Swarm. With a somewhat austere interface, the software does not necessarily make you want to dwell on it. But on the other hand, it is still very complete. Whether it's for lighting, keys, speeds and precision, profiles, etc... we have a plethora of options to best customize your mouse according to your habits.
Conclusion
Despite a slightly expensive price, it must be said that this Kone XP Air does not lack serious arguments. Top performance, lightweight, customizable at will. It's a real Swiss army knife that nothing scares: MMO, MOBA, FPS... You can take it to attack any game, it won't let you go!
