Bloody ZL5A

Across the last decade, the gaming mouse industry has proliferated, providing PC owners with a myriad of choices. 

From the Razer Naga- a peripheral targeted at MMO players with nineteen programmable buttons to Logitech’s ergonomically-driven G500, there seems to be a device for nearly every type of interest. Manufacturer A4Tech has adopted a dual-pronged attack, targeting first-person shooter fans with software which negates simulated weapon recoil while keeping a price that’s low enough to entice bargain shoppers. So far, the approach has been advantageous. After our reviews of the Multi-Core Gun3 V7 and Bloody Headshot V7, the company’s mice have become the peripherals of choice, and have been permanently tethered to our desktop and laptop.

In that duration, we’ve come to fully appreciate A4Tech’s build quality. The protected optical cavity of both mice mean the maintenance isn’t needed- with the  company’s ‘hole-less’ design, gamers no longer have to probe the interior of their mouse with a dampened Q-Tip. Likewise, The Gun3 V7’s “ultra metal” feet prove to be more than just marketing ploy. In execution, the pink colored metal pads provide a minimum of resistance and a durability that’s unmatched by the polystyrene bases of most mice. Consideration is even applied to the mouse cord, which offers durable braided construction that resists fraying after being trampled by office chairs. In fact, the only shortcoming with the Gun3 and Headshot is the need to spend extra money to unlock each peripheral’s anti-recoil features.

Pleasingly, A4Tech’s shrewd design decisions carry over to their most recent peripheral- the Bloody ZL5A Gaming Mouse. Flaunting the same sturdy cable and resilient metal pads, the unit exhibits an impressive build quality which slightly exceeds the $69 USD MRSP. More importantly, the mouse comes pre-activated, so that purchasers won’t have to shell out any additional money to utilize the software-fueled functionality.

Eschewing a driver disk, a small card inside the ZL5A housing instructs owners to visit the A4Tech website to download version five of the Bloody app. The memory-resident program can be a bit of a mess- filled with Engrish instructions and haphazard coding. One example: owners of a wired mouse are able to navigate through menus intended only for wireless devices. In these areas, they can adjust the brightness of the scroll wheel and pulsating Bloody logo, yet the application falsely warns, “Cannot apply! (Wireless Guard restricted only Bloody Wireless Gaming mouse series)”. But spend enough time with Bloody5, and the program proves to be both stable and filled with functionality.

MMO players can build, test, and map complex macros- complete with if/then logic statements, loops, and key presses. Like the V7 line of mice, the ZL5A allows players to use multiple ‘cores’ or functionality settings. Enabling the third core allows FPS aficionados to employ Headshot functionality- a technique which adjusts the cursor to compensate for in-game weapon kickback. While the system allows for customization and extends defaults for a variety of arms, the apps default selection of games continues to be disappointing, supporting only six titles in the current build. Gamers can download additional profiles, but at present A4Tech’s site only hosts data for one additional title.

Although many adjustments can be made within the Bloody App, a number of tunings can be made on the fly. CPI can be manipulated with a button tap, allowing for trouble-free tuning of cursor sensitivity. Selecting one of the buttons on the face of the peripheral allows owners to choose from multiple profiles- allowing for benefits such as rapid fire, or weapon selection in Headshot mode. Like a number of its contemporaries, Bloody ZL5A has a button which can momentarily reduce CPI, providing a bit additional precision to those scoped sniper shots. Pleasingly, owners can quickly toggle between the normal mousing duties and game-related function via an switch on the unit’s left side.

With its aluminum and plastic construction, the ZL5A strikes an adept balance between weightiness and maneuverability. Elegantly, the device’s curved shape matched the natural curvature of our hand-with no physical stress or fatigue during protracted play sessions. A textured gently outer surface ensures a steady grip, even during Diablo IIImarathons. Nicely, the mouse’s top buttons retained their responsiveness after several weeks of continued clicking. In fact, the only design flaw is that the mouse isn’t ambidextrous. Although left handed players might be able to use their third finger to trigger side buttons, this won’t be an ideal solution.

In many ways, the Bloody ZL5A is a culmination of A4Tech’s design decisions, offering an adept blend of functionality, elevated build quality, and economical price. If the company can mend some of the blemishes found in the accompanying Bloody5 app, then the peripheral could easily become a standout contender in the gaming mouse competition. But even a few software-based peculiarities hardly mar the brilliance of the ZL5A hardware.

Tech Specs (via A4Tech):

BASIC SPECIFICATIONS
Main core: Intelligent multiple cores
Buttons: 11 buttons + wheel
Encoder: High precision laser engine
Transmission: Wired
Connector: USB (2.0/3.0)
Supported operating systems : Windows XP/Vista/7/8
Cable length：1.8m

PERFORMANCE
Resolution: 100-8,200 CPI adjustable
Graphic Capacity: 1080 million pixels/sec
Frame speed: 12000 fps
Accelerating speed: 30g
Tracking speed: 150 inches/sec (ips)
Report Rate (USB): 125～1,000Hz/sec (4 selectable level)
Key response time: less than 1ms
Profile allocable: 3 sets
Memory: 160K bits
Key Switch life: 20 million times (for left & right buttons)
Mouse Feet Wear-Resistance: More than 300 Km

Mad Catz R.A.T Pro S

WHAT IS THE MAD CATZ R.A.T PRO S?

The new Mad Catz R.A.T Tournament Grade gaming mouse line is currently filled with three entries. The R.A.T Pro S is the middle-of-the-range option, priced at £59.99.

It lacked the vast customisability of its big brother the R.A.T Pro X, but it's a lightweight gaming mouse with a few perks of its own.

Is it one of the best wired gaming mice though? I've put it to the test to find out.

MAD CATZ R.A.T PRO S – DESIGN

Chances are you’ve read (or at least seen) my review of the R.A.T Pro X, the flagship gaming mouse from Mad Catz, and you wanted to see if one of the other models from the line is for you instead. If you’re put off by the high price of the PRO X, or you find the whole thing intimidating, then there’s good news.

The PRO S comes in almost £100 cheaper than the Pro X – £59.99 compared to the Pro X's £149.99 – but does, of course, lose most of unique functionality along the way (even if it is retaining the now signature look).

It features the same design and build quality as its pricier brother, including the PTFE feet that allow the mouse to glide across surfaces, improving your speed of movement.

The interchangeable parts of the Pro X are gone and the other unique bits of functionality are scaled down somewhat. It has eight customisable buttons to the Pro X’s 10, while you’ll only get three custom profiles to the nine on the flagship Pro X.

The Pro S is lighter and smaller than its counterpart which, oddly enough, could well be the sticking point for me. The 77g weight will come as a boon for Tournament-grade players though, as it's light enough to mean you can use lift manoeuvres if you so wish.

As for the size, you can adjust the palm rest, increasing the length of the mouse to make it a slightly more comfortable fit or tilting it to fit your grip style, but the size of the Pro X is a selling point for someone with giant man hands like myself.

For a working day in the office it’s not too bad; shifting around emails and exercising my “right click – delete” function is easy enough.

For gaming though? That’s where the difficulty arises. I can get tense while playing certain games; DOTA 2, CS: GO (anything competitive) and my hands tend to clench when I play. The smaller size of the Pro S suffers here as my angry clasp triggers a bad case of cramp over an hour long DOTA 2 match – although the adjustable palm rest goes some way to alleviating that.

This won’t be a universal problem though, I have unusually large hands.

One of the standout features of the both this mouse and the PRO X is the ability to change the DPI on the fly. The small button just below the scroll wheel, when pressed, ups the sensitivity of the mouse. This is incredibly useful in FPS games as it allows you to quickly react to things around you before changing back as you see fit. I’m not competitive when it comes to RTS games, so the higher DPI options can be a little distracting as you overshoot units, but I’ve read reports from the competitive scene that those use to higher DPI can make it work for them.

MAD CATZ R.A.T PRO S – SOFTWARE

One of the key features of the RAT Pro series is the software that you can use to customise the mouse even further. You can set specific DPI on a per game basis, and set the buttons on the mouse to do different things on different profiles. It’s a great system, on paper, but the software itself is a little cumbersome, which is a shame because it’s also extremely extensive.

SHOULD I BUY THE MAD CATZ R.A.T PRO S?

Whether or not you should buy the Pro S, however, boils down to two questions: Is the Pro X out of your budget? Are you happy to give up the customisation options of the Pro X? If the answer either of those questions is ‘Yes’ then I’d have no problem recommending the Pro S – it’s a lightweight mouse that feels great to the touch, is ultra responsive and still allows for limited customisation. If the Pro X is in your budget then it comes recommended almost without caveat though.

VERDICT

The smaller and, crucially, cheaper of the R.A.T Pro line – the Pro S is a worthy gaming mouse for everyone but the most hardcore. It lacks the volume of buttons MMO players might need, doesn’t accommodate left handed players especially well either, but is comfortable, lightweight and retains some of the features from the higher end model.

Razer Orochi 2015

WHAT IS THE RAZER OROCHI 2015?

Razer has shown interest in on-the-go gaming with the svelte Razer Blade and Razer Blade Stealth laptops, but mobile gamers also need a mouse to pair with their luggable rigs.

Enter the Razer Orochi (2015), a small, wireless mouse that’s designed to be carted between LAN parties with relative ease.

The Razer Orochi isn’t a new entry to the company’s peripheral line-up; this is a direct sequel to 2014’s Orochi mobile gaming mouse.

It’s got an 8,200 DPI sensor, sports seven programmable buttons, and costs £64.99 – a hefty tag, but no surprise for Razer gear.

But with its efforts to minimise the form factor, has Razer still been able to maximise performance?

RAZER OROCHI 2015 – DESIGN & ERGONOMICS

I’ve used plenty of gaming mice – Razer or otherwise – in my time, and the striking thing about the Orochi is its diminutive size.

The new Razer Orochi retains the pint-sized dimensions of its predecessor, and is about half as big as the Razer Mamba (2015). It probably won’t be too shocking to non-gamers however, who’ll find its form factor akin to Apple’s Magic Mouse. For the must-knows, the exact dimensions are 99mm x 67mm x 35mm.

As such, the Razer Orochi is also lighter than many of its contemporaries, although the battery – and high-spec innards – give the device a very welcome central heft. Small mice often seem like they’re about to be yanked off the mat with every gesture, but the Orochi is plenty substantial and stays glued to any given surface.

A key point to note about the Razer Orochi is its ambidextrous design. Razer has shown plenty of love to mixed-grip users in the past, most recently with the Razer Diamondback. The Razer Orochi, however, is targeted at the mobile gamer. As such, ambidextrous design makes sense, as it’s likely multiple users could be taking turns on this mouse at a LAN event.

RAZER OROCHI 2015 – DESIGN & ERGONOMICS

I’ve used plenty of gaming mice – Razer or otherwise – in my time, and the striking thing about the Orochi is its diminutive size.

The new Razer Orochi retains the pint-sized dimensions of its predecessor, and is about half as big as the Razer Mamba (2015). It probably won’t be too shocking to non-gamers however, who’ll find its form factor akin to Apple’s Magic Mouse. For the must-knows, the exact dimensions are 99mm x 67mm x 35mm.

As such, the Razer Orochi is also lighter than many of its contemporaries, although the battery – and high-spec innards – give the device a very welcome central heft. Small mice often seem like they’re about to be yanked off the mat with every gesture, but the Orochi is plenty substantial and stays glued to any given surface.

A key point to note about the Razer Orochi is its ambidextrous design. Razer has shown plenty of love to mixed-grip users in the past, most recently with the Razer Diamondback. The Razer Orochi, however, is targeted at the mobile gamer. As such, ambidextrous design makes sense, as it’s likely multiple users could be taking turns on this mouse at a LAN event.

RAZER OROCHI 2015 – FEATURES

Right, so what does the Orochi have on offer that sets it apart from standard office fare? No gaming mouse would be complete without reprogrammable buttons, of which the Razer Orochi has a total seven. Two of these are left- and right-clickers, one is the scroll wheel, two are DPI-switchers, and two are free to map. Of course, they’re all customisable and will do whatever you like.

The Razer Orochi also packs a 4G laser sensor – a grade below the company’s latest 5G fare. However, it’s still a high-quality sensor, and features a maximum DPI (dots-per-inch) of 8,200. DPI effectively equates to mouse sensitivity, and 8,200 is more than enough; most won’t venture far beyond 2,000-3,000. However, for those with high-resolution displays and nerves of steel, 8,200 could be a winner.

Then there’s the wireless connectivity, which is another big seller when it comes to the portability of this mouse. The Razer Orochi takes two AA batteries, and connects to your rig via Bluetooth. Wireless mice are oft-derided in the gaming community for their sub-par performance, but there’s no reason why you can’t just connect the Orochi to your rig using the USB cable supplied when duty calls.

The final standout feature is Chroma, a tickbox increasingly checked with Razer products. Chroma is Razer’s custom-built lighting software that makes the company’s peripherals rank amongst the best-looking devices on the market. Chroma gives users access to 16.8 colours, which can be lorded over using the Razer Synapse software suite. Unfortunately, Chroma does feel a little wasted on the Razer Orochi, as only the scroll wheel lights up. Nevertheless, a mouse that glows a little bit is always better than one that never glows at all.

RAZER OROCHI 2015 – SOFTWARE

One of the best perks of using a Razer mouse is the corollary software that goes with it. Razer Synapse is the company’s gaming suite, and gives users access to a wide selection of game-enhancing features. The software works across Razer’s entire range of peripherals, so you’ll only need to download it once no matter which mice or keyboards you buy from the company.

That synchronisation also means you can do cool things like match up lighting on Razer devices. That means you could have your keyboard and Orochi both “breathing” green or cycling through colours in perfect harmony.

Through Synapse, you’ll also get access to gaming-specific features like game-specific profile settings, the ability to change mouse sensitivity, button macro creation, and more. Game profiles are particularly interesting; you can have dedicated settings load as soon as a particular game is booted up. Of course, you’ll need to be signed into the Synapse cloud to use this feature; Razer still doesn’t offer on-mouse storage.

The Razer Synapse suite offers plenty of tinker-ability for those looking to maximise performance – heat-map movement tracking, for instance – so the Orochi gets a thumbs-up on the software front.

RAZER OROCHI 2015 – PERFORMANCE

So design and software are on (mostly) on point; is the performance up to scratch? In brief: The Razer Orochi is pretty damn good, but it’s not the best on the market.

As mentioned, the Orochi comes equipped with a 4G laser sensor. That sensor has already been usurped, so it seems odd that Razer opted to use the 4G one instead of the 5G kit featured on 2015’s Diamondback and Mamba. As a regular user of the new Mamba, the Orochi does feel less smooth in use – but then there is a significant pricing difference. Nevertheless, the Orochi performs very well, and has excellent tracking for a mouse in its price bracket. The maximum DPI – 8,200 – is also fairly middling by 2016’s standards, but anything higher is generally considered to be going beyond necessity.

Unfortunately – and unsurprisingly – there is a drop-off in performance when using the Razer Orochi in wireless mode. The response time drops from 1ms to 8ms, and the polling rate falls from 1,000Hz to a lowly 125Hz. Both are fine for casual PC use, but you’ll want to be using a wired connection to ensure maximum performance. The 8ms ping might not sound like a lot, but couple that with poor network latency and bad server response time and suddenly the milliseconds rack up.

Finally, there’s the battery life. The Razer Orochi is a wireless mouse and, while it can be used in wired-mode, the device’s charge is a key metric. Razer boasts that the Orochi will last for seven months by its usage estimations; that actually equates to around 60 hours of continuous gaming. I didn’t have a chance to test it to its limits, but it didn’t die on me with about 25-30 hours of use. Whatever the case, the Razer Orochi uses common AA batteries, so it’s easy enough to switch them out. And if you’re caught on zero charge without spare batteries at a clutch moment, it’s simple enough to switch back to wired.

RAZER OROCHI 2015 – WHAT GAMES WORK BEST WITH THIS MOUSE?

The Razer Orochi is a pretty versatile mouse; it’s lightweight, accurate, and will suit gamers who move their kit between locations often.

That said, the Orochi is better for some game genres than others. It’s advertised as having seven programmable buttons, but really you’ll only be re-mapping between two and four of these – depending on how much you value DPI switchers. As such, this isn’t a great mouse for playing hotkey-heavy games like World of Warcraft; players used to a multi-button beast like the Razer Naga will find it a little frustrating.

You’ll find the Orochi’s real worth in games with a low number of commands, and that benefit from quick mouse actions – think MOBAs or first-person shooters.

In any case, if you’re playing competitively, you’ll want to have this mouse wired. As mentioned earlier, it’s tough to recommend the Orochi for high-tier multiplayer gaming when it’s off-USB. But plug it in, and you should have no issues tearing up Counter Strike or your twitchy shooter of choice.

SHOULD I BUY THE RAZER OROCHI 2015?

The Razer Orochi is great little mouse that will suit its target demographic just fine. It’s a tad expensive at a penny shy of £65, but other manufacturers of small mice will struggle to match the attractive design of the Orochi. The software is great, the tracking is excellent, and you’ve got Synapse to back it up. Minor downsides like the outdated sensor and the diminutive size are easy to overlook.

That said, the Orochi is an awkward mouse to recommend, because it’s a very niche pick. Fortunately, Razer – and the peripheral industry at large – have plenty of alternatives on offer, so you’ll only want the Orochi if you fit its narrow use-case. If you’re someone who wants a mouse to use in multiple locations, hates cumbersome, desk-hogging peripherals, and values aesthetics, the Orochi is a great pick.

But what are the alternatives? With a more sizable chassis, the Logitech G602 is my preferred wireless mouse at this price point. If money is no object, the Razer Mamba 2015 is a clear winner. But if you’re smitten with Razer, and you don’t have serious cash to burn, you won’t be disappointed with the Orochi.

VERDICT

It’s a little small and a little expensive, but the Razer Orochi is one of the best wireless mobile gaming mice on the market.