Gaming has finally made it’s way to the Mac, and between the App Store and Steam there is a rather large selection of games to choose from. What’s even nicer is to see developers starting to add the Mac support to their gaming peripherals.
Roccat has tossed their hat into the ring adding support for the Kone XTD. Having previously used the Kone+ on the PC, I was even more eager to see that type of support for my Mac. House does this mouse hold up? Is it the ultimate in gaming mice of the Mac OSX.
Design
Any device you plug into your computer needs a strong design. I look at two elements of design; sure there are the overall aesthetics, but I’m more concerned about the functionality of the device. Something that has always impressed me about the Roccat mouse is its ability to combine both.
The Roccat Kone XTD features a very sleek black look, combining both matte and glossy for a very clean yet sophisticated appeal. That being said, what truly makes this mouse shine (in quite the literal fashion) is its LED system. Stripes of LEDs run on both sides of the mouse, giving it a very nice Tron look. You can even go through the application and program them how you would like them to look.If that wasn’t enough, it also includes the ability to customize how they pulse.
I was also impressed to see that the wire that connects the mouse to the computer featured a Mesh covering, adding to the overall slick look to the mouse.
Functionality
The Roccat Kone XTD certainly brings functionality. Whenever I play games, especially, MMOs, I tend to hotkey everything. I’ve always wanted a mouse that had a grip of buttons. But I felt that having that many buttons on the mouse may become a tad overwhelming – that and you need to be able to access those hot keys quickly.
The XTD features Roccat’s Easy-Shift[+]™ system, essentially doubling the amount of buttons on the mouse. With the standard eight buttons on the mouse, you can get up to sixteen commands. In games this makes a lot of sense and it’s easy enough to access all your hot keys.
Other functions include a DPI button, allowing you to change the procession of the DPI by hitting a plus or minus button. To put this into perspective think of a sniper and having a tighter control when aiming. It certainly gives you that extra edge with online multiplayer.
Handle / Feel
Generally been pretty impressed with the XTD handling. When you first get your mouse, it comes with a series of weights you can add. I lobbed in all the weights and it just felt solid. I also really enjoyed the button layout; everything is easily accessed, without the buttons feeling cheap. The overall structure of the mouse feels like quality and the scroll wheel is a joy to behold.
As it’s a little larger then most, the XTD is very easy to find and responds perfectly. I also like the rubber plastic that they use on top of the mouse. It adds a little bit of grip to it without it being to overwhelming. It’s also nice to know that this mouse isn’t just for gaming. You could certainly use it for the general day to day.
Overall
The Roccat Kone XTD certainly brings it in terms of quality with functionality. This move may be a dream to behold on the battlefield, but it’s still nice to know I could use it for work as well. Plus there are so many areas to customize this mouse, so it truly becomes personal. It’s also great to see full Mac support which really takes the Mac further into the world of gaming.
I would recommend this mouse for anyone looking for a solid mouse, that pairs quality with functionality.