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The design of the Xai is very different from most gaming mice; it is free of the glossy plastic and flashing lights that one might find on a Razer or Roccat mouse. Instead the Xai has an understated appearance, finished in matte-grey and black.
SteelSeries have used a slightly rubberised paint for the top and sides of the mouse which feels amazing in the hand and doesn't pick up fingerprints anywhere near as readily as glossy plastic. It also improves grip slightly as it is more textured than glossy plastic.
The left and right mouse buttons have a responsive action and require almost no effort to depress. But this doesn't mean they're easy to activate accidentally; they provide just enough resistance to prevent this. The browser forward and back buttons feel ever so slightly spongy, though, and make quite a loud clicking noise compared to the left and right buttons.
The mouse-wheel has a very precise action, enabling the user to scroll very accurately through weapons and items in game. Unfortunately this does mean that you can't scroll as fast as some other mice like the Logitech G9X which has much less resistance in each click of the mouse-wheel.
Unlike many mice, the Xai takes on an ambidextrous form so it's equally comfortable using it in either hand. SteelSeries have implemented this well, not compromising on comfort at all to achieve a symmetrical shape. In fact, the Xai is one of the most comfortable mice that I have ever laid hands on.
The slight curves of the sides allow a comfortable and secure grip on the mouse, especially when utilizing a palm-grip. As a result of its ambidextrous nature, the Xai has forward and back buttons on both sides which can be reconfigured accordingly.
The build-quality of the Xai cannot really be faulted. The rubberized paint adds significantly to the quality feel of the mouse and the plastics used in construction seem to be decent quality. SteelSeries have also braided the cable to improve durability and gold-plated the USB connector to ensure the best possible connection to your computer.
