ROCCAT Kova[+] Gaming Mouse

Finally, I have been able to get my hands on a ROCCAT mouse. I have heard about them and seen pictures of them and been told many wonderful things about them by friends in the gaming world. However, until now I have never managed to get my hands on one. It was worth the wait!The ROCCAT Kova[+] is an updated version of the very popular ROCCAT Kova, kind of Kova turned up to 11. The speed of the sensor (3200dpi Pro-Optic R2 Gaming Sensor) has been increased. The polling rate is set to 1000Hz by default. The maximum acceleration has been increased (30G).All in all though, I love this mouseWhat first strikes you about the Kova[+] is the design. It is very angular and in a way aggressive to look at. It has an ambidextrous layout, with a raised “spine” running down the middle of the mouse, giving it almost the look of cat with an arched back. Even the mouse wheel has a raised ridge. On each side of the mouse, there are two programmable buttons to go with the standard mouse buttons and mouse wheel. This gives you seven programmable buttons. Under the side buttons there is a patch of rubber, making it much easier to grip the mouse as you lift it. The whole thing is coated in the very popular black softgrip coating, making it very nice to hold.At first, it looks like it could not possibly be comfortable. All the angles, the slightly bulbous back and the ridge down the middle. Whilst looking stunning also looks a little disconcerting. We are used to nice smooth mice! But, as soon as you get your hand on it, all those fears just vanish. It is one of the most comfortable mice I have used. Slightly small in the hand and quite light, it just feels wonderful. Some may not like the weight, but to be honest it was just right for me. The soft rubber sides make the Kova[+] incredibly easy to grip, no slipping if you start to sweat a little. Another great usability and comfort feature is the size of the mouse wheel. It is about twice the width of most. This not only makes it very comfortable to rest your finger on, it also makes it easy to find and use. Also, as it is slightly angled it can be used with the side of your finger.Now, it is impossible to talk about the Kova[+] and not mention the lights. On both main buttons and under the heal of the mouse you have lights. Not as in your face as other mice, but actually they look great. Now, I know lights do not make the mouse better, but if I have to have this thing on my desk all day and all night, it is a nice to have! In addition, there is a more practice aspect to this as it can be set up to show which profile you are currently using.Side LeftIn fact, that leads me nicely into some of the software features. As is the case with most gaming grade mice, there is a plethora of options to be tweaked using the supplied software. As I mentioned, there are seven buttons to be used and abused here. On top of that, there is a clever little extra called EasyShift. EasyShift[+]allows you to assign a mouse button as a type of shift button, effectively doubling the number of programmable options. The only limit to the amount of customisation is your imagination. What’s more, you can save five profiles to the mouse, no need for drivers if you switch between PC’s. You can then assign a button to cycle through them. That should be enough for anyone! As mentioned, you can set the colour to change with each profile. On top of this, there is an option to have a sound assigned to profile changes, letting you know when you switch profiles. This is great as it means you don’t have to look away from the game as you switch. The software is very comprehensive and very simple to use. It may be overkill for most, but I like that it is there should I need it.From a usage aspect, I have little to fault. I have been using this mouse all day everyday for a month on a variety of surfaces. I have never noticed any lag or stuttering – unlike some laser mice I have used. The sensor has never got clogged up or dirty either. Again, something that has plagued other laser mice.However, it is not perfect. There are a couple of niggles – mostly small. There is no dedicated profile or DPI button. Now, I know I can assign a button to this (in my case the right hand side buttons are given this role). But, they are very easy to press by mistake – same as on other ambidextrous mice. Normally I would just disable the buttons on the opposite side to my thumb buttons for that very reason. I had a similar problem on the Xai. The thing is, there I had a dedicated button for profile switching and DPI switching.All in all though, I love this mouse. Once you have it set up it should cover every need you have for a mouse, be it gaming or work or both. At the time of writing it is selling for about £36, which really is a bargain! It is comfortable, customisable and reliable. What more could you want from a mouse.The ScoresBuild
10Gold Y AwardValue
9Features
10Overall
9Specifications:
130 inches per second maximum speed
Inches Per Second: 130
Dots Per Inch: Up to 3200
Max. Acceleration: 30G
1,000Hz USB report rate
Buttons: 7
Dimensions: Max. width 12cm x approx. 6.5cm max. length