Product Review: Steel Series Ikari Laser Mouse
Posted by Ramon Aranda on 06.20.2008
Can this laser mouse from Steel Series enhance your playing ability?
Though Steel Series is a company that’s know more notably for its fine mouse pads, the company in recent years has delved into headphones, mice, keyboards and other gaming accessories. The Denmark based company recently sent us over an Ikari mouse so we could take it for a spin. The mouse is designed with FPS, MMO and RTS games in mind and features an LCD display and phenomenal laser sensitivity.
We took the mouse through various testing methods with games like Battlefield 2142, World of Warcraft, Company of Heroes and Call of Duty 4 to name a few. What we noticed immediately was that the Ikari Laser Mouse was extremely comfortable in our hands and with its matte finish. The mouse was very easy to grip even during intense online matches and after several hours of gaming, the mouse was never discomforting.
My only real quarrel with the design is that there isn’t any curvature for your fingers near the main buttons. Also, the mouse feels pretty light and you can’t add any additional weights to it to make it heavier. Fortunately the mouse doesn’t need any new drivers and is ready to go as soon as you plug it in. On the other hand, the design is fairly simple so it won’t confuse your average gamer with an excess of buttons and settings. If you do want to program the CPI speeds or re-map any of the buttons, you can use the software that comes included in the package which luckily is compatible with Windows 98/2000/XP/ME/Vista. The mouse has built-in memory so it’s possible to have different profiles so that someone else in the house won’t get a rude awakening with re-mapped buttons during an online battle. As for the CPI rates themselves, the maximum value can be set to 3.200 and a sampling rate of 40,000 per second.
Overall, the mouse felt really good, particularly when playing FPS games. The reaction speed was exceptional regardless of the settings on the mouse. I was able to make sudden movements without any sort of lag while maintaining accuracy with my position. At $89.99 MSRP, the Steel Series Ikari Laser Mouse may be a bit pricey for some gamers but for those who demand complete control when things get hectic, the Ikari Mouse is an excellent choice.
Graphics
8.0
Design: The mouse has a very simple look but with a very comfortable feel.
Gameplay
9.5
Extremely quick and responsive. Makes FPS gaming a breeze.
Sound
6.0
Value: A little pricey at $89.99 but if you have the cash, you'll enjoy its performance.
Lasting Appeal
8.0
Not super sturdy as it feels pretty light, but matte finish is easy to maintain and easy on the hands.
Fun Factor
9.0
Really enjoyed using this mouse for every type of fast-action gaming.
Though Steel Series is a company that’s know more notably for its fine mouse pads, the company in recent years has delved into headphones, mice, keyboards and other gaming accessories. The Denmark based company recently sent us over an Ikari mouse so we could take it for a spin. The mouse is designed with FPS, MMO and RTS games in mind and features an LCD display and phenomenal laser sensitivity.
