SteelSeries Xai Gaming Mouse Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. Design and Ergonomics4. Software5. Performance6. Closing Thoughts7. View All Pages

Many gamers will agree that mice are the most important peripheral of all for gaming.  It is therefore imperative that gamers can choose a gaming mouse which is well-suited to their needs.

These days there is a huge choice of different gaming mice which offer a variety of different features.

SteelSeries may not be the first manufacturer that comes to mind when thinking of gaming peripherals but they certainly do have an impressive product range including the Siberia V2 headset that we recently reviewed.

Today we're going to look at their latest gaming mouse, the SteelSeries Xai.

The Xai has been designed in conjunction with professional gaming teams for optimum performance.  It boasts a class-leading specification which is sure to whet the appetites of gamers across the globe.

Specifications

Sensitivity	100 – 5001CPI (in 1CPI increments)
Maximum Tracking Speed	150+ IPS (inches per second)
Maximum Acceleration	30G
Polling Rate	125 – 1000Hz (1Hz increments)
Frames per second	12.0
Sensor data path	True 16-bit
Lift Distance	~1mm (auto-adjusting)`
Buttons	8
Cord	2m / 6.5ft (braided)
Dimensions	125.5 x 68.3 x 38.7 mm / 4.94 x 2.69 x 1.52 in
Operating System	Win 2000/XP/Vista/7 / Mac OSX (software windows only)

As we have found in the past with SteelSeries' products, the packaging is simple but effective in terms of design.  It is finished in a grey, white and orange livery which has a sleek, professional look.

The front has a large cut-out section which contains the Xai itself, held in by a sheet of vacuum-formed clear plastic.  Turning the box over reveals two images of the mouse alongside details of its specification and features.  All we find in the box is a concise user-guide and a SteelSeries product catalogue.

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.

Even though the Xai supports driverless operation and on-mouse configuration, SteelSeries also provide user with the option of a software package which simplifies the configuration process.  This is a welcome addition as configuring everything through the on-mouse interface could be very time consuming.

Rather than supply this in the box on a CD, SteelSeries make users download the software from their website to make sure they have the most up-to-date version.  On installation of the software, we are prompted to update the Xai's firmware to the latest version.

The configuration options are organized into four tabs; Button assignments, Hardware settings, Windows settings and Options.  On opening the software, you're are greeted by the ‘Button assignments' tab which lets you configure all ten mouse buttons to a function of your choice.

There is also an inbuilt macro editor which allows you to record custom macros and assign them to any button.  Below the button assignment section there is a feature which reverses all the controls for left-handed users at the touch of a button.  The settings can be configured separately for five different mouse profiles which are switchable in-game using the on-mouse configuration interface.

Pressing the ‘Hardware settings' tab gives us access to most of the performance-related mouse settings.  SteelSeries let the user configure two sensitivity options for each profile, switchable using the small button behind the mouse wheel.  These can be set to any discrete value between 100 and 5001 CPI.  You can also configure the polling rate to any value between 125 and 1000Hz. This tab also lets you enable and configure hardware cursor acceleration and the LCD brightness and contrast.

SteelSeries have included some other configuration options which they have named ‘ExactAim' and ‘FreeMove'.  ExactAim gives the user control over the amount of jitter correction and prediction calculations that are applied to the raw movement data.  FreeMove allows the user to adjust the degree of path correction and angle snapping.  These settings allow you to set the Xai up to suit specific gaming needs to achieve the best possible performance.

Moving on to the ‘Windows settings' tab, there are three sliders to configure scroll wheel speed, double click speed and pointer speed.  The ‘Options' tab displays the software and firmware versions with links to update them.

Most of the configuration options detailed above are also configurable on the mouse itself through the on-mouse interface.  This takes the form of a small LCD screen on the underside of the mouse which can be controlled using the mouse wheel.  It also lets you switch configuration profiles on the fly.

Even after using numerous other high-end gaming mice, the smooth and effortless movement of the Xai  still astounds me.  This is a result of a combination of the gigantic teflon feet on the underside and its lightweight construction.  SteelSeries haven't felt the need to include a fancy weight-adjustment system but I can't see that this would be a deal-breaker for many users.

The Xai's mammoth 5001 CPI laser sensor performed flawlessly throughout our tests and really does the rest of the mouse justice. I tested the Xai on both hard plastic and cloth surfaces and it tracked every movement perfectly on both.  The cloth surface I used for testing was a SteelSeries QcK which I have been using for a year or so now and it certainly makes a good partner for the Xai.

The extensive configuration options make the Xai appropriate for pretty much all types of game and the ambidextrous shape lends itself well to all gripping styles.  The precise movement tracking proved to be advantageous when playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, facilitating speedy aiming and gaining a slight advantage over the competition.

I found the soft-touch rubberized finish of the mouse lends itself well to lengthy gaming sessions as it doesn't become uncomfortable after a few hours use like some mice.

Once again SteelSeries have impressed us with a high-quality gaming product.  The Xai may not have the gimmicks of some gaming mice but the raw performance and extensive configuration options are class-leading.

The driverless functionality of the Xai means that Mac users can now have a fully-customizable gaming mouse to play all those gaming titles that are now available on OS X through Steam.  It also allows users to keep their settings when switching between computers.

The Xai can be purchased online for a shade under £60 from Ebuyer.  I feel that this represents reasonable value for money considering the outstanding performance and build quality of the Xai, but it does restrict the market slightly to more serious gamers who are willing to pay a premium for the best performance.

KitGuru Says: The SteelSeries Xai is one of the best performing gaming mice on the market and we recommend it to anyone who takes their gaming seriously.

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