Tt eSPORTS VOLOS MOBA and MMORPG Gaming Mouse Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging & Bundle3. Software & Operation4. Conclusion5. View All Pages

Today we are spending some time with the TT eSports Volos Gaming Mouse. With 14 macro keys, customisable weights, 4 separate lighting zones and an Avago sensor capable of up to 8,200 DPI it looks set to make a big splash. Retailing for $69.99, or approximately £45 inc vat., can the Volos help gamers bring their A game?

Specifications:

• Avago Sensor offering up to 8200 DPI.
• 5 Customizable DPI levels.
• 14 Customizable macro keys.
• 4 Customizable lighting zones.
• 4MB on-board memory.
• Customizable weights.
• Macro function lock/unlock button.
• Protective USB cap.
• Protective bag.

Tt eSports ships the mouse in a brightly coloured box with an image of the mouse clearly visible on the front. The back lists several of the mouse's key features.

Opening the flap reveals the mouse inside, which is protected by molded plastic.

Inside the box are two Battle Dragon stickers, a quick start guide, a leaflet promoting the Volos mouse, a protective bag and the mouse itself. Instead of the Tt eSports brand name, the design team has chosen to prominently feature the Battle Dragon logo.

The Battle Dragon logo is clearly visible towards the back of the mouse and is one of the 4 customizable lighting zones. The other zones include the top thumb button, the ring on the left mouse button and the scroll wheel. The DPI settings buttons have clear white markings to visually indicate their purpose.

On the left-hand side we can see the forward thumb buttons in a layout familiar to anyone who has ever seen an Xbox controller. The middle thumb button, serving to switch profiles on the fly, is situated higher on the mouse and has a slightly raised profile to prevent users from accidentally clicking it mid-game. Towards the back are two thumb buttons marked A and B.

The flash emphasises the glossy bezel along the length of the mouse.

Moving to the right-hand side we can see the remaining three thumb buttons marked C, D and E.

The mouse buttons have curved edges which your finger can rest against without slipping off.

Taking a closer look at the forward thumb buttons on the left-hand side we can see that, although the color scheme and button style is similar to an Xbox controller's buttons, the buttons have been marked like a Playstation controller. These buttons are very smooth and their raised profile makes it easy to determine which button you are pressing.

The ring on the left mouse button is not completely level with the rest of the mouse button.

The scroll wheel has a soft rubber surface and a texture that is reminiscent of the profile found on tyres.

The sensor initially appears to be off-centre, though the asymmetrical shape of the mouse is deceptive in this regard.

The Teflon feet cover nearly the entire outline of the mouse, with only two breaks in the middle section. The feet provide enough clearance to prevent any unwanted friction with a variety of surfaces.

Just left of the sensor we can see the Macro Lock/Unlock button. This button does what it says on the tin and disabled all macro keys when locked, leaving only the scroll wheel, profile button and mouse buttons active.

Removing the weights cover reveals 5 weights, each 4.5 grams, held in place by rubber cut-outs.

Removing the rubber holder we find two more weights underneath, for a total of 7 weights at 4.5 grams each.

The USB cable has a protective cap at the end and has been completely customised to suit the design of the mouse and Tt eSports brand..

The entire USB cable is braided to protect the cable and a velcro band to hold everything together.

To round things out we selected a different colour for each lighting zone and took a low-light photo.

Tt eSports does not provide an installation disc with the Volos. Instead, the drivers can be downloaded directly from their website. A direct link is available here.

The installation process is simple and straight forward. We were up and running within a matter of minutes after we plugged the mouse in.

Along the top of the Volos drivers are 10 configurable profiles. These profiles are stored in the Volos' 4MB of on-board memory, ideal for those who often use different systems.

The main screen provides an overview of the button lay-out and assigned functions. Using the arrows at the bottom left shows the functions assigned to the left-hand side thumb buttons.

Along the top we can also see the Normal and Battle options. Selecting Battle will change the Volos' lighting effects as it transitions from deep blue to white, and every color in between, based on your mouse activity. Both options also allow for different button assignments, offering a total of 20 different layouts across 10 profiles.

Assigning different functions to the mouse buttons is a simple process. Clicking any of the currently assigned functions brings up a screen where you can define what you want the button to do, ranging from activating a macro to acting as a single click, the desired function and even the option to assign specific keys on the keyboard.

Those who use a lot of macros will be happy to see the process has been kept simple and straightforward. Options include recording delays, editing macros after recording and the option to combine mouse clicks and key presses.

Keeping in line with the rest of the drivers, setting up the different lighting zones is done with a few clicks for each independent zone.

Selecting the Performance option allows users to change the DPI settings for each of the 5 levels, the polling rate and lift-off control.

Finally, Tt eSports has chosen to use an On-Screen Display notification method when changing the mouse mode, DPI level and when changing profiles.

To test the Tt eSports Volos we left the settings at their default and extensively played several games, as well as using Adobe Photoshop over the course of several days.

At no point during our testing did we notice any angle correction or input lag. Tracking performance was excellent and the mouse always correctly registered our movements.

We played several MMO's such as World of Warcraft and Neverwinter Online , as well as League of Legends and several rounds of Dota 2. It took several days to get fully accustomed to the forward thumb buttons, but once they became a part of our routines we found them to work very well. The buttons require very little force to use but their raised profile helps to prevent accidental clicks.

In terms of different grips we found the mouse to work best with a palm grip, rather than a claw grip, in order to fully use the forward thumb buttons. As the mouse is considerably bigger than the average mouse, on par with the SteelSeries Sensei and similar mice, users with smaller hands might not be able to fully utilize everything the Volos has to offer.

The rubber coating works very well in combination with the curved edges on the mouse buttons, offering a solid grip on the mouse at all times. The textured rubber finish on the sides of the mouse are not as smooth, which helps to prevent your thumb or little finger from trailing down the sides.

The travel distance on the scroll wheel, when used as as a mouse button, is very low but offers enough resistance to prevent accidental clicks whilst giving quick access to any functions bound to it. The soft textured rubber surface also makes it easy to control scroll distance.

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.

Although Tt eSports has chosen to make the DPI settings buttons bigger than average, they are still in an awkward position. I personally found the mouse to be much more comfortable after I re-assigned the DPI settings buttons to the A and B buttons on the left-hand side, allowing me to switch DPI levels with my thumb.

The Tt eSports Volos is a fantastic mouse, targeted specifically at MOBA and MMO players.

The solid build quality, excellent grip and a plethora of customization options combine to set the Volos apart in one of the most competitive market segments. Aimed squarely at MOBA and MMO players we can happily recommend the Volos to those players. Even for general office use the option to configure up to 10 different profiles gives flexibility to users who always seek to get more out of their peripherals.

Including a protective bag, some stickers and a USB cap does certainly add to the premium feel of the package, especially in a time when the majority of peripherals ship with only manuals in the box.

Of course, there are other mice with an equal or greater number of macro buttons available. However the lay-out on the Volos is impeccable. Rather than placing all the buttons together, making it harder to differentiate each individual button, there are 4 clear clicking zones.

As there will be players who want to use their mouse in different types of games, it is important to note that the Volos' design does not lend itself extremely well towards fast-paced shooters. The weight and shape of the mouse make it most suitable for those games where the action takes place in concentrated areas, rather than games that require large movements across surfaces.

The Tt eSports Volos MOBA/MMORPG Gaming Mouse retails for $69.99, which should be around £45 inc vat when it lands on UK shelves.

Pros:

• Excellent build quality.
• Excellent tracking performance.
• Clever layout of buttons.
• Competitive pricing.
• Carrier bag included in the price.
• Two thumb buttons that serve as near-perfect DPI settings buttons when configured.

Cons:

• Users with smaller hands might not be able to reach the forward thumb buttons.
• Design is aimed at MOBA/MMO players, fans of other genres might not find it as comfortable.
• DPI buttons in an awkward position.

KitGuru says: An excellent mouse targeting a highly competitive market. Anyone passionate about the likes of League of Legends and Dota 2 should definitely consider the Tt eSports Volos as their next upgrade.

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