Corsair Katar Elite Wireless Review - PCMag

Do you similar to support your thenar successful the aerial portion utilizing a mouse? The newest subordinate of Corsair's enactment of Katar gaming mice is uniquely shaped for players who similar to power their mice with their fingertips: The airy and compact Katar Elite Wireless ($79) has a comparatively flat, wide thenar remainder that tapers dramatically arsenic you determination from the apical down, oregon from the beforehand of the thenar remainder to its base, making the six-button rodent perfect for claw- and- fingertip-grip gamers. The upgrade to 2020's Katar Pro bolsters the plan with premium features including a caller proprietary sensor, a rechargeable artillery with USB-C cable, and 2,000Hz polling. It's decidedly the champion Katar yet, and worthy a look from claw and 'tip fans.

Grip With Your 'Tips

The carnal signifier of the Katar Elite isn't precise antithetic from its predecessors; astatine 2.56 by 4.7 by 1.5 inches (WDH), it's somewhat larger than the wired Katar Pro XT (2.5 by 4.5 by 1.5 inches). Unlike astir mice, whose widest constituent is astatine the bottom, the 2.56-inch span is measured crossed the apical panel—at the basal it's lone 2.09 inches wide.

(Credit: Mike Epstein)

This reflects the Elite's unsocial chassis shape. It's not precisely level connected top, but it foregoes the curves that galore mice usage to spot your manus successful a comfy presumption successful favour of a plateaued apical surface.

The tapered edges springiness overmuch much power erstwhile you clasp the rodent fingertip-style: With your thumb, ringing finger, and pinky clutching the sides, you person a large, textured aboveground to grasp which gives you casual control. Likewise, the signifier provides earthy benefits for claw players, who arch their palms upward truthful their pointer and mediate fingers tin propulsion consecutive down to click.

(Credit: Mike Epstein)

To beryllium sure, this does nary favors for players who clasp their rodent successful a accepted thenar grip. There's nary enactment for your thumb and pinky, and players with smaller hands whitethorn find the wide apical borderline jamming into the basal of their thumbs. Since it's somewhat larger, I find the Elite Wireless somewhat much accommodating for thenar players similar maine than the Katar Pro XT, but I wouldn't urge it considering that thenar players tin take from the immense bulk of gaming mice.

Despite gaining size, the caller rodent is lighter than the Pro XT (2.4 versus 2.7 ounces). That whitethorn dependable similar a tiny drop, but each fraction of an ounce counts erstwhile you're moving your rodent with 2 fingers alternatively than your full hand.

(Credit: Mike Epstein)

Shape aside, the Katar Elite Wireless is simply a elemental six-button gaming mouse. It has 2 click panels, a clickable scroll instrumentality with a halfway fastener beneath it, and 2 broadside buttons. It features 2 lighting elements—a customizable RGB constituent successful the thenar remainder and an indicator airy successful the halfway file that glows erstwhile you alteration dpi settings. That's a alteration from the Katar Pro Wireless, which had an indicator airy but nary RGB, and the Pro XT, which has a azygous RGB constituent successful the scroll wheel.

The astir notable changes from the Katar Pro to the Elite impact the interior components. Under the hood, the Elite features Corsair's proprietary Marksman sensor, which tracks astatine up to 26,000dpi and remains close astatine up to a remarkably accelerated 650 inches per second. The sensor besides enables 2,000Hz polling, sending updated question accusation to your PC doubly arsenic often. In theory, that should pb to smoother mousing and much precise control, though successful signifier you'll beryllium hard-pressed to announcement the difference.

The rodent gets large artillery life, an estimated 110 hours connected a complaint erstwhile connected via Bluetooth with the RGB lighting off. In my testing, the artillery lasts astir 10 days with a 2.4GHz wireless transportation and RGB lighting astatine 50% brightness.

That's little clip than you'll get from the Katar Pro, but inactive a reasonably agelong interval betwixt charges. The driblet disconnected makes consciousness erstwhile you enactment that the Katar Elite features a rechargeable interior battery, portion the Katar Pro created much e-waste with a disposable AA cell. You tin besides plug the Elite successful via its USB-C charging larboard and usage it successful wired mode.

(Credit: Mike Epstein)

As usual, Bluetooth draws little powerfulness and doesn't necessitate the USB dongle of the 2.4GHz connection, but the second is snappier and volition enactment unchangeable successful environments with tons of wireless signals successful the air. In a bully touch, there's a removable sheet connected the underside of the rodent for stashing the dongle erstwhile you're not utilizing it, arsenic good arsenic a power to prime 2.4GHz oregon Bluetooth oregon crook the rodent disconnected erstwhile idle.

Right connected iCue

The Katar Elite Wireless supports Corsair's iCue configuration software, which lets you remap each of its buttons, set dpi presets, make macros, alteration RGB lighting options, and more. If you haven't utilized it already, iCue is 1 of the astir robust config apps connected the market, with intuitive controls and ample customization options.

Besides adjusting rodent settings, it besides offers menus that let you to cheque the interior somesthesia and show of the components successful your PC and make systemwide RGB lighting setups with different Corsair cogwheel and a fig of compatible third-party devices including Nanoleaf RGB panels and Lenovo Legion gaming laptops.

(Credit: Mike Epstein)

iCue allows you to make arsenic galore rodent profiles arsenic you similar and person them swap successful erstwhile you tally circumstantial games oregon programs. The Katar Elite Wireless besides has onboard memory, but lone capable to store the existent progressive illustration and transportation it from instrumentality to device. Most high-end gaming mice contiguous tin prevention respective profiles internally, truthful this falls abbreviated of a top-end option.

Verdict: Nearly Perfect successful the Right Claws

(Credit: Mike Epstein)

The Corsair Katar Elite Wireless isn't for each gamer. If you clasp your rodent claw- oregon fingertip-style, however, the Katar enactment tin empower you with other power acknowledgment to their airy value and unsocial tapered design. The Elite builds connected the past 2 Katar Pro models and is the champion enactment of the 3 contempt a terms hike to $79.

If you play palm-style, oregon haven't decided what works champion for you yet, I'd steer wide of the Katar Elite—it's not arsenic uncomfortable arsenic erstwhile models, but determination are tons of large esports mice retired determination that are precise airy and connection much thenar support, specified arsenic the Razer Viper V2 Pro and the Roccat Kone XP. The Katar Elite Wireless volition marque immoderate players shine, and that's enough.