A big thanks to Mad Catz for sending us their latest gaming mouse to review. I know what some of you are probably thinking right now (after reading the headline), “if you’ve seen one mouse, you’ve seen them all”, right? Well, to sum things up for you very neatly in as few words as possible, that statement doesn’t really apply in this instance. You see, the R.A.T.M. Mobile Mouse, which is produced by Mad Catz, is in fact, a truly evolved mouse that’s absolutely great for gaming as well as any other task that requires enhanced precision, control and function.
Upon first laying eyes on this mouse most will immediately become transfixed by its jagged, unconventional look. However, rather than simply slap together a mouse with some extra features inside of some funny shape, the R.A.T.M. mobile mouse has been designed to be both functional as well as comfortable. Nearly every feature of this mouse has been carefully thought out. From the adjustable palm rest which allows the user to change the physical length of the mouse to the lightweight aluminum scroll wheel, every aspect of this mouse just screams “I was made for gaming!” Moreover, when you combine the many ergonomic design choices (which undoubtedly went into the development of this excellent peripheral) with the aforementioned benefits, you really have a mouse that was made for marathon gaming.
However, perhaps the biggest selling feature of this device is its mobility; specifically, it’s revolutionary use of Bluetooth technology. In case you don’t know, the R.A.T.M. Mobile Mouse is said to be the first of its kind; its use of Bluetooth 4.0 affords it the ability to not only function with lower latency, but to also expend less energy. In other words, this mouse is incredibly precise (with regards to tracking) for a wireless device, as well as extremely energy efficient to boot; what more could you possibly want?
Speaking of energy use, the R.A.T.M. only requires 2 AAA batteries and boasts up to one year of use without having to change them! For those of us who have been silently wondering how companies are able to produce such energy efficient TV remotes and not peripherals for gaming, this mouse is both an answer as well as a revelation. Let’s face it, most of us tend to avoid mobile devices because we don’t want to have to muck about with having to constantly change batteries or locate a unique charging station. Thanks to the very innovative and energy efficient design of the R.A.T.M., you don’t have to do either.
If that weren’t enough, there is actually a USB dongle located on the underside of the unit which can be plugged directly into a computer / device which doesn’t have conventional Bluetooth access enabled. Needless to say, this was a very thoughtful if not inspired inclusion and greatly enhanced the connectivity of this wonderful device without sacrificing anything at all. What’s more, the mouse is already set up to be compatible with Windows 8 right out of the box.
But the innovation doesn’t end there; this Mad Catz mouse also incorporates a 6400 DPI Laser Sensor into the mix as well as a twin eye design. In short, where other mice tend to employ a single laser eye to measure movement along both the x and y axis (axes) this mouse has a separate eye for each one. The end result of this uncommon design choice is greatly increased accuracy, of course, with precision tracking for up to 6 meters per second. Furthermore, the DPI settings can be changed via the DPI button on the fly, so it’s incredibly versatile.
Now it’s time to discuss what might be considered the most intriguing feature of this mouse apart from the technology used to build it, which is its 10 programmable buttons. Included in the package is some Mad Catz software which allows you to further refine, edit and store custom settings for your R.A.T.M. mobile mouse. There are even a number of predefined settings which you can choose from, and yes, many of the most popular games / programs are already included.
The truth is, most people would probably pick up the R.A.T.M. based on the fact that it has so many buttons which can then serve as macros (when playing a mmorpg, for example), but they would still only be looking at half of the story here. There’s also a 5D button which allows for an entirely new level of control, allowing the user to execute precision movements or a series of commands. Likewise, because the 5D button is also multidirectional and located under your thumb, it is as versatile as it is handy.
The bottom line here is that Mat Catz’ R.A.T.M. Mobile Mouse is a powerhouse device in terms of its features. Most gamers have never had the chance to lay their hands (or, hand) on a mouse of this caliber, but once they do it’s hard to go back to the way things were. Sure, the R.A.T.M. isn’t the most affordable peripheral control device out there, but one might accurately state that “quality comes at a price”. Simply put, you’re not going to find another mouse right now that can do everything this one can, or look as good as it does while doing it. …Highly recommended for veteran and “1337” gamers.