Corsair Darkstar Wireless MOBA/MMO Gaming Mouse
Feature
Everything you want and more
Style and Design
The first thing that most gamers will probably notice is the side panel of six buttons. Each of these can be programmed in any way a gamer sees fit. Whether you want them to open your inventory directly from your mouse, or to fire off one of your spells or special attacks in your favourite MMO, the Darkstar gives those options plus more.
As well as the thumb button panel, the Darkstar features a further nine programmable buttons – the usual right and left mouse buttons, two buttons below the scroll wheel (by default these control the on-the-fly DPI settings), two buttons on the top near where a gamers index finger would be positioned. The final three buttons are somewhat hidden, all being attached to the scroll wheel. The scroll wheel itself is one button, but there are internal buttons on either side of the scroll wheel that can be pressed when the scroll wheel is gently pushed to the side. In all, this gives the Darkstar 15 fully programmable buttons.
This is also an RGB lovers delight, with lighting featuring on the Corsair logo on the palm region of the mouse as well as an LCD panel just below the middle buttons. There are also a couple of lights on the front of the mouse (on either side of the power cable input) which add a futuristic look but are also somewhat obsolete as most gamers will only see a slight glow onto their mousepad. The final RGB area is located towards the front of the thumb panel.
For me, the Darkstar is probably the most comfortable gaming mouse I have used to date. It is the perfect size for my hands, although I do have shorter stumpy fingers. My palm nestles nicely on the Corsair Logo and my thumb sits perfectly within the textured centre of the group of six side buttons. Although my hand does fit nicely, it does mean that I do need to stretch my thumb to reach the front two of the six buttons and the front of the two top buttons. Someone with longer fingers may not have this issue but may also mean that their hands may not fit as well and will need to use more of a claw grip.
The bottom of a mouse isn’t something that is normally a feature, and the Darkstar is no different. However, it does feature a nice little storage compartment for the USB receiver for when it is not in use. It also houses a switch to enable shifting between the various connectivity options and features two reasonably large PTFE pads that help the mouse to glide effortlessly across a mousepad.
Features and performance
One of the features of the Darkstar that I loved from an office environment perspective was left and right scroll wheel movement. I have used mice before that have had a scroll wheel that can be tilted to the right to scroll right, but not both ways. However, the Darkstar does just that, allowing users to scroll left and right with a simple directional tilt of the scroll wheel. If you’re a gamer who also uses a mouse in an office environment, then this feature will aid in productivity.
As mentioned earlier though, these buttons along with all the rest can be fully customised to suit, all done so via the Corsair iCue software. Players can map each of the buttons to specific key-bindings, can be used to open applications, or macros can be recorded to allocate to a specific button. As well as configuring each button, the Darkstar allows for programmable gesture-based movement. Players can configure the tilt of the mouse to act as specific assignments. Like the tilting scroll wheel, these gestures can be used in office environments as well as gaming. For example, players can configure a forward tilt of the mouse to represent running, or a side tilt can be used as a strafe function similar as can the scroll wheel tilt.
The iCue Software is simple to use for assigning tasks for each button and movement gesture, but it can be used for several other aspects. The Darkstar has five pre-set DPI settings, and these can all be customised to suit within the iCue software. The Darkstar has a maximum resolution of 26,000 DPI, and although this will be overkill for most gamers, those seeking an edge on a large screen (or across multiple screens). These presets can be activated by default using the two buttons just below the scroll wheel. And of course, the iCue software can be used to customise the RGB illumination of the mouse. Whether you want a blinking selection of a rainbow of colours or want a static colour to match the rest of your setup, the RGB can be configured accordingly.
Connectivity and battery
The Darkstar has several options when connecting to a PC. It comes with a braided 1.8m USB type-C to USB type-A charging cable that can be used as a wired option. But for gamers who want an untethered approach, the mouse comes with a USB type-A wireless dongle. However, if you're lacking USB ports for a mouse, then the Bluetooth option with ultra-fast 2,000Hz hyper-polling is the way to go.
Of course, these wireless options have the drawback of the mouse running out of batteries. Corsair have claimed that the Darkstar Wireless mouse has up to 80 hours of battery life, but to do so, gamers will need to be using Bluetooth functionality and have none of the RGB illuminated. For gamers using the low latency USB dongle and the RGB, this will reduce to about 20-25 hours. If you’re happy to switch off your favourite colour settings, you’ll get about 60 hours with the USB dongle.
Verdict
Although the Corsair Darkstar Wireless Gaming mouse is a little on the pricey side, it is well worth it – and is probably my new favourite mouse – for both gaming and office productivity. The Darkstar fits perfectly in my palm grip and with the untethered nature of the wireless mouse, moves about the surface in a smooth fashion, whilst looking stylish with the range of RGB settings. But of course, the main bonus for me are the tilt gestures on the scroll wheel and the mouse itself, effectively adding additional functions to the plethora of buttons that the Darkstar possesses. Most of the buttons are within comfortable reach, whilst the ability to quickly switch DPI settings on-the-fly is a bonus. The only issue that may concern gamers is the shortish battery life, but simply turning off the RGB, or plugging in the charging cable fixes that issue.
In the Box
Corsair Darkstar Wireless mouse
USB dongle
1.8m braided USB-Type A charging cable
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