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ROCCAT does not provide an installation disc. Instead, the drivers can be downloaded from their website.
We ran into an issue where previous installations of the SteelSeries Engine and Logitech Gaming Software resulted in a conflict. The mouse was not recognized and only appeared as an unknown device. Completely removing the other software suites resolved the issue and after a quick reboot we were up and running with the Kone Pure. We had to use keyboards from other companies without their proprietary software installed.
The Main Control screen serves as the quickest and easiest way to customize the Kone Pure, housing the sensitivity settings, scroll speed settings, double click settings and horizontal tilt speed.
The functions along the bottom can be accessed from any tab. Selecting the Create Profile option brings up a dialogue screen where up to 3 different applications can be assigned to a specific profile.
Switching profiles is done by simply clicking the appropriate profile in the bottom. Clicking WP will set a profile as the default Windows Profile.
The Button Assignment screen is self explanatory, offering an overview of the mouse with all currently assigned functions. The overview on the right displays the Easy-Shift[+] lay-out which can be activated by pressing the back thumb button.
Customizing the assigned functions is a fast and painless process. Simply select a function, pick a game/function/application from the drop-down list and hit Apply. ROCCAT has made sure to include many popular applications and games such as Counter-Strike, World of Warcraft and my personal favourite, Photoshop.
Creating a new macro is easily done by simply clicking the Macro Select option and picking the option Add Macro Set. From there on, simply start recording and hit OK once you are done.
The Advanced Control screen is where ROCCAT show how serious they are about their products. Advanced Sensitivity, calibration of the Tracking Control Unit, the Distance Control Unit and the Polling Rate can all be adjusted without having to dig through a plethora of menus.
The Sound Feedback option is an interesting addition. Lowering or raising the DPI settings is accompanied by a male voice announcing the selected DPI level. As the DPI goes up, so does the enthusiasm conveyed in the announcer's voice. Because we often change our DPI settings, especially in Photoshop, it was rather inconvenient after a while. Though, we can definitely see how this is a helpful function during prolonged gaming sessions.
Calibrating the Tracking Control Unit lets you adjust the mouse to your specific mouse pad or desk. After you start the calibration process the sensor and built-in ARM processor will start to image the surface and adjust itself accordingly.
The Color Control screen is a straightforward affair and does what it says on the tin. Simply select the Fully Lighted or Breathing option and pick a color.
We are going to let ROCCAT explain what the R.A.D. screen is: “The ROCCAT™ Achievements Display – or R.A.D. – is a fun and useful application that tracks and rewards a wide range of gaming feats. The app compiles your mouse use data, provides a range of statistics for analysis, and hands out trophies when you hit exceptional milestones. It’s an entertaining way for you to keep track of your mouse skills, and it even lets you share your accomplishments with others via social network sites, like Facebook.”
Sadly, my erratic scrolling behaviour does not unlock any trophies.
Finally, the Update/Support screen is where you can check your driver and firmware versions.
The available buttons bring you directly to ROCCAT's website. We don't expect anyone to spend a lot of time on this screen.
To test the Kone Pure we left the settings at their default and extensively played several games, as well as using Adobe Photoshop over the course of several days.
We are currently trying to find a reliable way to test other performance aspects of gaming mice. However, until we are able to test these aspects reliably and honestly, we are judging these mice based on their out-of-the-box experience, i.e. would the average user be able to comfortably use the mouse without any customization or optimization efforts.
As advertised by ROCCAT, we could not detect any angle snapping or prediction taking place while drawing in Photoshop.
The rubberized coating is excellent. It is smooth but offers enough grip to not let the mouse slip from your hands. The smoothness helps to reduce friction between the mouse and your hand and, as a result, helps to reduce sweaty palms. Over the course of several hours our hands did not get sticky, nor did we lose grip on the mouse.
The lighting on the Kone Pure is attractive when left sitting on your desk for others to gawk at. As the mouse does not have any other lit areas there is no distraction during gaming sessions with your palm covering the logo.
There is no LED indication for the currently selected DPI level. Instead, the only option available is the male announcer. We would have liked to see a visual representation of our selected settings for quick reference.
The Kone Pure makes use of ROCCAT's 2D Titan Wheel. The name Titan seems appropriate as the scroll wheel feels very solid and the deeper than average grooves prevent users from accidentally scrolling too far.
The location of the DPI button remains contentious. We feel that placing a button which offers such a useful feature should be placed in a more convenient location, rather than the middle of a mouse. As it is, the DPI button will require users to move their hands slightly back, meaning you cannot keep clicking in-game. As we said before, we hope manufacturers will follow in Logitech's footsteps with their placement of the DPI buttons on the G500.
Due to its size the Kone Pure is slightly better suited for claw grips as opposed to palm grips and those with longer fingers will find themselves scratching the mouse pad every now and then.
