Good Sensor, Amazing Grip
Don’t you hate it when you are stuck with a crappy gaming mouse? That’s why it’s not surprising that manufacturers use the opportunity to have a field day of marketing.
When I saw the ROCCAT Kone EMP, I was intrigued. After all, ROCCAT is an established German mouse manufacturer, so marketing stunts on its part are unlikely. The ROCCAT Owl-Eye sensor plus the Omron D2FC-F-7N were reasons enough for me to take this rodent for a spin.
- System Requirements: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows 10; USB 2.0 Port; Internet connection for driver installation
- ROCCAT Owl-Eye Optical Sensor, Unrelenting Pointer Precision with 12000dpi
- ARM Cortex-M0 50 MHz processor
- 512 kB on-board memory, stores a wealth of macros and settings
- Pro-Grip surface, max grip coating with high durability
Ergonomics and Design
The ROCCAT Kone EMP is not exactly minimalistic, but it’s not extravagant either. It sports a black body with curvy led lighting on the sides and a traditional ROCCAT logo on the hump. It is stylish and will appeal to most gamers.
The surface of this mouse looks premium, and it is easy to hold the grip even with high-speed motions. The shape agrees with palm grippers, but the surface supports claw grippers as well; it just needs some getting used to. Overall, the grip of the Kone EMP is well made and anti-slip.
This rodent is equipped with two large feet, one at the top and one at the bottom part of its belly. The glide is smooth and with very little resistance.
Balance and Weight
At 4oz, the weight of the Kone EMP may not agree with everyone. Some gamers do prefer a lightweight mouse, and this is especially true for those who are into shooting. After all, top FPS mice are known for being lightweight. So, in this category, it’s hard to compare the Kone EMP to mice, such as the FPS favorite Logitech G Pro Wireless. On the upside, the weight is evenly distributed, and after all, weight is a matter of personal preference, so we can’t fault the Kone EMP.
Features and Performance
Choosing a reliable sensor is one of the factors to consider when buying a gaming mouse. This rodent is covered in this category as it is powered by the ROCCAT Owl-Eye (PixArt PMW3366). The sensor is customizable via ROCCAT’s Distance Control Unit (DCU), and the DPI is adjustable from 100 to 12,000 with increments of 100. Though we can’t put the Kone EMP in the MMO mice category, its nine buttons are enough to classify it as a MOBA mouse.
Buttons
ROCCAT used Omron D2FC-F-7N switches for the main buttons, and the buttons, in general, don’t have pre-travel or any mushy feeling to them.
The rest of the buttons are of good quality as ROCCAT used either blue or red TTCs. The scroll wheel is high quality, too, as it sits in a TTC mechanical encoder. The wheel notches are crisp and very easy to scroll. Overall, the buttons are tactile and easy to actuate.
The Kone EMP supports the world-famous ROCCAT Easy-Shift [+] ™. This feature is a button duplicator technology that lets you designate a secondary function to your buttons.
Sensors and Gaming
Powered by the ROCCAT Owl-Eye (PixArt PMW3366), the Kone EMP is a great gaming buddy. The sensor is highly responsive, as you would expect from a premium one. During game testing, the tracking felt very smooth and linear. If you can get past the weight issue, the mouse functions well in FPS games.
The Kone EMP is a pretty decent PUBG mouse thanks to its 1ms response time. I enjoyed the accuracy during my play and experienced no angle snapping. You also don’t have to worry about any automatic acceleration. Testing the mouse in fast-paced MOBA, like DOTA 2, pleasantly surprised me as it adjusted to little movements smoothly, even during clashes.
The nine buttons are handy in MMOs like Albion Online, though not as reliable as the Razer Naga Trinity in terms of the sheer number of macros at your disposal.
Connectivity
Sadly, the ROCCAT Kone EMP is not a wireless mouse. It sports a 6-foot relatively thin braided cable that turned out to be a bit stiff even by braided cable standards. My guess is that ROCCAT is just delivering to the overall expectation that premium mice should have braided cables. But honestly, other than for aesthetical purposes, these cables have no added value whatsoever, especially in terms of flexibility.
Software and Lighting
The Kone EMP is supported by the ROCCAT Swarm software. The mouse has a 512kB onboard memory, perfect for storing personalized gaming profiles. Via this software, you can set your DPI level, the vertical scroll speed, the horizontal tilt speed, and the double-click speed.
The range of available options provided by this software is quite broad and will make any customization junky happy. The Easy-Shift [+] button can also be mapped here, so if you play MMO, you can set your preferences here. And if you love fancy lights, you can tweak the lighting options in the advanced tab.
Final Verdict
The ROCCAT Kone EMP is one of the best gaming mice out there. Its nicely shaped and supports a firm grip, ensuring a better gaming experience. You will appreciate its build quality, and the undeniably premium materials it’s made of.
In a nutshell, the only downsides of this mouse are its weight and stiff wires. However, if you can get past this, the ROCCAT Kone EMP is a versatile mouse that is worth investing in. From the sensors down to its customization options, this rodent has tons to offer.
- System Requirements: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows 10; USB 2.0 Port; Internet connection for driver installation
- ROCCAT Owl-Eye Optical Sensor, Unrelenting Pointer Precision with 12000dpi
- ARM Cortex-M0 50 MHz processor
- 512 kB on-board memory, stores a wealth of macros and settings
- Pro-Grip surface, max grip coating with high durability
