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The Kana fits very nicely in the hand thanks to the ergonomic shape that it shares with the rest of SteelSeries range, making it quite comfortable to use. It is slightly narrower than the Xai which makes it perfect for those with smaller hands. The Kana doesn't glide anywhere near as smoothly as the Xai, though, and it has a slightly scratchy feeling as you move it around the mousepad. Otherwise, performance is exactly as we would expect. The 3200 DPI sensor tracked flawlessly throughout our tests, registering every movement accurately with no lapses at all.
SteelSeries haven't exactly pushed the boundaries of aesthetic design with the Kana as it looks almost identical to all the other mice in their range. The bright orange mousewheel and DPI button induce some excitement into the design but we can't imagine that they will appeal to everyone's tastes. There is a black and white version available too, though, which will appeal to a wider spectrum of users.
Build quality is impressive, though, and the rubberised finish feels great in the hand. We do question SteelSeries' choice to use a single large button on either side rather than traditional browser forward and back buttons as it can be difficult to activate the one on the right hand side with your little finger.
Cost is also an important consideration for most gamers and, at a price of about £35 at Lambdatek, we feel that the Kana is a little expensive for an optical gaming mouse. This said, it offers a number of interesting features which aren't available on some models including the SteelSeries Engine configuration utility.
Pros
- Rubberised finish.
- Configuration utility.
- Impressive build quality.
- Good performance.
Cons
- Glide could be smoother.
- Colour scheme will divide opinion.
KitGuru says: Another impressive addition to the SteelSeries range.
