Corsair M65 RGB Elite: an old recipe still improved

Ergonomics

Corsair's M65 RGB Elite takes over a design seen and reviewed by the manufacturer since the launch - at the start of 2012 - of its range of "Vengeance" gaming peripherals. As at the time, the mouse is built around a metal chassis under which, in addition to five PTFE pads and the optical sensor, there are always three small removable weights of 3.8 g each, held in place by screws same 2.2 g. They allow you to adjust the weight of this mouse between 95 g and 113 g (without taking into account the weight of the cable). A featherweight - as its positioning of FPS (for first-person shooter) mouse wants - practical which requires a very great maneuverability.

If this product claims to be cut for FPS, it is also because among its 8 programmable buttons, one is dedicated to the practice of this kind of games: the Sniper Button ("sniper button"). The offer is simple: pressing this button allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the sensor on the fly, and therefore to gain precision when handling - in game - a sniper rifle. A singular proposal which requires a little practice but which hits the bull's eye. Indeed, when you are a fan of this kind of games and gameplays, you have to admit that you quickly get a taste for it.

This mouse is absolutely not symmetrical (see photos), and even less suitable for left-handers with its edge buttons, the use of which is reserved for right-handers. Good news, we note that the quality of the finishes has not changed over the years and that the care given to this M65 RGB Elite is always appreciable. This goes from a RGB backlight that can be configured in three zones (dial, sensitivity selectors and Corsair logo) which proves to be perfectly homogeneous, up to the choice of plastics used, with a soft touch on the top and a rough zest on the edges, to provide a good grip. Its dimensions are approximately 7.3 cm wide by 11 cm long and 4 cm high, which makes it a product with quite standard size.

Good point for the wheel, notched and silent, whose rubberized coating is effective. This free click wheel seems lighter than the one used on our old M60, but is precise and pleasant to use. The main clicks are entrusted to the essential Omron switches, guaranteed for 50 million shares. Their feedback is sharp, with a good bounce, and an audible click just right.

The two side clicks benefit from the slightly beveled design of their buttons. Falling well under the thumb, they are easy to find and convenient to use. Quite the opposite of the sensitivity selection buttons which, if correctly placed on the top of the mouse, are very soft when pressed. They are nevertheless programmable, and everyone can do what they want.

The shape of the mouse lends itself well to different typologies of handling (even if Corsair classifies it as being a claw grip mouse, we use it without worry in palm grip…), while its lightness finishes making it a maneuverability model. Note the use of a braided USB cable of small diameter, a length quite conventional (1.80 m).

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Precision

Corsair has chosen to equip its M65 RGB Elite with a custom Pixart optical sensor, the reference of which is PMW3391. According to information we have obtained from Corsair, PMW3391 is apparently a derivative of PMW3389. It would thus support accelerations up to 50 g and capture speeds up to 10.16 m / s. Enough to meet the expectations of any player, whether using the mouse in low or high sensitivity.

This sensor is configured so that it can operate on a maximum sensitivity of 18,000 dpi. Recall that this notion has nothing to do with the precision of the mouse, but simply defines its sensitivity and therefore the possibility of covering large areas on the screen with its pointer by limiting its wrist movements.

Corsair does not use acceleration and smoothing by default, reproducing the movements of the sensor in 1: 1. This behavior can be modified in the pilots, but without it being possible to fine-tune these parameters, the only possible configuration being on / off type. The polling rate is configured at most on a refresh rate of 1000 Hz, which means that the mouse sends its information every millisecond to the computer. A standard for gaming peripherals targeting performance. On a daily basis, whether for various office tasks or for purely video game use, the M65 RGB Elite behaves exactly as expected. We have never been bothered by the slightest dropout or click error, the tracking accuracy appeared to us flawless, and we therefore recommend it without reservation.

Last precision, like all optical sensors, that of the M65 RGB Elite does not work optimally on glossy coatings or glass, even if it remains fairly tolerant. We recommend in any case the use of a suitable mat to enjoy excellent precision and ideal glide, knowing that this will extend - as a bonus - the longevity of the skates.

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Conclusion

The Corsair M65 RGB Elite is not without competitors, far from it, mice like the Razer Mamba TE or the Roccat Kone Aimo taking the comparison. She has exemplary finishes for her, good software and her Sniper button that will make snipers sneak peek.

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