SteelSeries Kinzu V2 Pro Edition Gaming Mouse Review (SE Silver)

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. Design and Ergonomics4. Software5. Performance and Conclusion6. View All Pages

We recently looked at the latest addition to SteelSeries range of gaming mice, the Kana, which is designed to bridge the gap between the Sensei and Kinzu.  We were very impressed with what it has to offer for the money even though the aesthetic design might not appeal to everyone.

Today we are going to look at the SteelSeries Kinzu V2 which is essentially an improved version of the original Kinzu mouse.

The latest mouse is positioned at the bottom of SteelSeries range of mice and is targeted at casual gamers who want a performance mouse that doesn't break the bank.

SteelSeries have sent us the Special Edition Silver version of the mouse to test but there is also a plain black version available (above).

Specification

• Counts per inch: 3200
• Frames per second: 3600
• Inches per second: 65
• Acceleration: 30G
• Lift Distance: ~2 mm
• Buttons: 6
• Cable: 2 m / 6.5 ft (braided)

The packaging that SteelSeries have used for the Kinzu V2 is up to their usual high standard.  The thick cardboard construction of the outer box should provide an good level of protection to the mouse within.  The mouse is suspended within a cardboard tray using a small vacuum formed insert.  This gives you a great idea of the size and shape of the mouse without having to open the box.

SteelSeries have used an adaptation of their usual black, white and orange livery which features an orange band around the mouse cutout.  This is a subtle way of drawing attention to the mouse and is very effective.  Turning the box over reveals a couple of diagrams of the mouse which illustrate various features.  They also list mouse specifications and features here.

As usual, the included bundle is very limited indeed.  In fact, the only item included in the box is a quick start guide.  SteelSeries don't include a software CD with the mouse and direct us to their website to download the software instead.  While this may be a little more time consuming than popping in a CD, it ensures that the software we're installing isn't outdated.

The ergonomics of the Kinzu V2 are almost identical to those of the Kana.  It occupies an ambidextrous form factor which makes it equally comfortable to use with either hand.  The most obvious difference between the two mice is the lack of browser forward and back buttons on either side of the Kinzu V2.

Despite the almost identical forms of the two mice, the aesthetics are completely different.  The top section of the Kinzu V2 has a glossy metallic silver finish whereas the Kana is finished in a rubberised matte black paint. SteelSeries have used a rubberised matte-black paint for the base of the mouse and for the mouse wheel.  In contrast, the Kana features some florescent orange details including the mouse wheel.

The Kinzu V2 has slight alcoves cut into either side which help you grip the mouse more securely.  The rubberised finish on the sides and base of the mouse helps to improve grip too.  The Kinzu V2 is slightly smaller than the Kana which makes it perfect for gamers who like a small mouse or have small hands.

SteelSeries have chosen to use a slightly different mouse wheel on the Kinzu V2 which is much narrower than the one on the Kana.  This doesn't feel quite as precise as the one on the Kana and it doesn't feel as comfortable under your finger.  The left and right mouse buttons on both models feel very similar, though, and have an equally well-refined action.  The only other button on the mouse is a CPI switching button which is located directly behind the mouse wheel.

Like many quality gaming mice these days, both the Kana and the Kinzu V2 feature a quality braided cable.  Even though the cable on the Kinzu V2 lacks the orange detailing of the Kana, it features the same good quality cloth braid. The cable is 2m long and terminates in a silver-plated USB connector.

As we mentioned earlier, SteelSeries direct us to their website to download the ‘SteelSeries Engine' software rather than include it on a software CD.  Including download, the installation process takes less than five minutes.  The software is available for both Windows and OS X.

When we open the software, we are initially presented with the button assignment page.  We are able to configure the functions of the left, right and middle mouse buttons.  There is also an inbuilt macro recorder which lets us configure custom macros for the different buttons.  There is also an option to switch the mouse to ‘left-handed mode' which automatically swaps the mouse buttons around.

Clicking on the ‘Settings' tab at the top of the page brings up another page which lets us adjust the sensitivity and polling rate of the mouse.  SteelSeries use the acronym ‘CPI' rather than the more generally used ‘DPI' for sensitivity which stands for counts per inch rather than dots per inch but they essentially mean the same thing.  We are able to configure two different CPI levels on this page which are switchable using the button behind the mouse wheel.  Each of these can be set to 400, 800, 1600 or 3200 CPI.

The third page of the software allows us to set different configuration profiles to automatically activate when certain applications are launched.  The profiles can easily be configured on any page of the software as the left hand sidebar stays the same.  On the fourth and final page of the software we are able to view some statistics about the usage of the mouse.

It was no surprise to us that the Kinzu V2 performed very well in our tests as it uses an almost identical sensor to the Kana.  Both mice have a 3200 CPI optical sensor which should handle the requirements of the vast majority of casual gamers.  During our tests it tracked flawlessly and registered every movement with accuracy.  The Kinzu V2 features three large teflon feet on the underside of the mouse which let it glide smoothly across your mouse pad.  We tested it with a SteelSeries QcK cloth gaming surface and the two worked very well together.

We expect that the colour scheme of the Kinzu V2 will appeal to a broader range of consumers to the Kana, after all silver and black is much less garish than the florescent orange of the Kana.  That said, we feel that the rubberised paint finish of the Kana feels much better in the hand than the gloss finish of the Kinzu V2 and it also helps us grip it more securely.  The Kana also has a more comfortable mouse wheel which is easier to control with precision.

It's not clear why SteelSeries felt the need to omit browser forward and back buttons on the Kinzu V2.  It wouldn't add significantly to the price and they could be used as macro buttons when combined with the SteelSeries Engine software.  We find ourselves using these buttons very frequently during general use for navigating web pages so it was quite a pain using the Kinzu V2 without them.

At a price of £29 at Kikatek, the SteelSeries Kinzu V2 is about £6 cheaper than the Kana.  We feel that the Kana is a better buy as it features a far preferable rubberised finish and browser forward and back buttons.  For the price, we feel that the Kinzu is lacking in features as there are a number of alternatives on the market which are better featured for less money.

Pros:

• Ambidextrous design
• High performance sensor
• Smooth glide
• Attractive finish

Cons:

• Gloss paint finish
• No foward and back buttons

KitGuru: A good mouse but the Kana offers better value for money.

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