After a few shooter Kones, Roccat again has an all-round Kone follow in the footsteps of the Kone Aimo Remastered. The Kone XP, based on the Kone Pro, not only pleases with its opulent RGB lighting and plays on a level with Logitech's and Razer's counterparts. With a price close to the RRP, however, it is very expensive.
Table of contents
- 1 RGB all-rounder mouse with Kone Pro and Aimo genes
- The Kone Pro case is potentially cluttered
- Optomechanical primary and numerous secondary buttons
- 2 sensors, software and processing
- Precise sensors thanks to PixArts PAW3370
- Roccat Swarm offers a lot of scope
- 3 Conclusion
Along with Razer's DeathAdder family, Roccat's Kone mice are probably the most well-known right-handed ergonomic gaming mice ever. Most recently, the family grew with the small Kone Pure Ultra (test) and only at the end of last year with the light Kone Pro and Kone Pro Air (test) for shooter players. This is followed by an all-round mouse with numerous buttons for the index finger and thumb. So far, this role has been taken over by the Kone Aimo Remastered, which, according to Roccat, will be sold in parallel with the Kone XP, which is heavily loaded with RGB LEDs, for the foreseeable future.
Away from the in-house competition, there are two clear opponents among the usual suspects. With the G502 Hero (test), Logitech offers the most popular mouse of the genre, and Razer with the Basilisk V3 (test) is an even better copy in many respects. On the one hand, this test is intended to clarify whether the Kone XP as such has succeeded, and on the other hand to show differences and parallels to the alternatives mentioned. Finally, purchase recommendations follow.
Roccat Kone Pro Corsair Ironclaw RGBCorsair Ironclaw RGB WirelessCorsair Saber ProCorsair Saber RGB ProGlorious PC Gaming Race Model DGlorious PC Gaming Race Model D-Glorious PC Gaming Race Model D- WirelessGlorious PC Gaming Race Model D WirelessLogitech G502 (Hero) ✔Logitech G502 (Lightspeed)Logitech G604 LightspeedMountain Makalu 67Razer Basilisk UltimateRazer Basilisk V2Razer Basilisk V3 ✔Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeedRazer DeathAdder V2Razer DeathAdder V2 ProRazer DeathAdder V2 X HyperSpeedRazer Naga ProRazer Naga XRazer Pro ClickRazer Pro Click MiniRoccat Burst CoreRoccat Burst ProRoccat Kain 100 AimoRoccat Kain 120 AimoRoccat Kain 200 AimoRoccat Kone AimoRoccat Kone EMPRoccat Kone Pro ✔Roccat Kone Pro AirRoccat Kone Pure UltraRoccat Kone XP ✔Roccat Kone[+] Roccat Kone XP Corsair Ironclaw RGBCorsair Ironclaw RGB WirelessCorsair Saber ProCorsair Saber RGB ProGlorious PC Gaming Race Model DGlorious PC Gaming Race Model D-Glorious PC Gaming Race Model D- Wireless Glorious PC Gaming Race Model D WirelessLogitech G502 (Hero) ✔Logitech G502 (Lightspeed)Logitech G604 LightspeedMountain Makalu 67Razer Basilisk UltimateRazer Basilisk V2Razer Basilisk V3 ✔Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeedRazer DeathAdder V2Razer DeathAdder V2 ProRazer DeathAdder V2 X HyperSpeedRazer Naga ProRazer Naga XRazer Pro ClickRazer Burst Pro Click MiniRoccat Burstocca Core ProRoccat Kain 100 AimoRoccat Kain 120 AimoRoccat Kain 200 AimoRoccat Kone AimoRoccat Kone EMPRoccat Kone Pro ✔Roccat Kone Pro AirRoccat Kone Pure UltraRoccat Kone XP ✔Roccat Kone[+] Razer Basilisk V3 Corsair Ironclaw RGBCorsair Ironclaw RGB WirelessCorsair Saber ProCorsair Saber RGB ProGlorious PC Gaming Race Model DGlorious PC Gaming Race Model D-Glorious PC Gaming Race Model D- WirelessGlorious PC Gaming Race Model D WirelessLogitech G502 (Hero) ✔Logitech G502 (Lightspeed)Logitech G604 LightspeedMountain Makalu 67Razer Basilisk UltimateRazer Basilisk V2Razer Basilisk V3 ✔Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeedRazer DeathAdder V2Razer DeathAdde r V2 ProRazer DeathAdder V2 X HyperSpeedRazer Naga ProRazer Naga XRazer Pro ClickRazer Pro Click MiniRoccat Burst CoreRoccat Burst ProRoccat Kain 100 AimoRoccat Kain 120 AimoRoccat Kain 200 AimoRoccat Kone AimoRoccat Kone EMPRoccat Kone Pro ✔Roccat Kone Pro AirRoccat Kone Pure UltraRoccat Kone XP Kone[+ ] Logitech G502 (Hero) Corsair Ironclaw RGBCorsair Ironclaw RGB WirelessCorsair Saber ProCorsair Saber RGB ProGlorious PC Gaming Race Model DGlorious PC Gaming Race Model D-Glorious PC Gaming Race Model D- WirelessGlorious PC Gaming Race Model D WirelessLogitech G502 (Hero) ✔Logitech G502 ( Lightspeed)Logitech G604 LightspeedMountain Makalu 67Razer Basilisk UltimateRazer Basilisk V2Razer Basilisk V3 ✔Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeedRazer DeathAdder V2Razer DeathAdder V2 ProRazer DeathAdder V2 X HyperSpeedRazer Naga ProRazer Naga XRazer Pro ClickRazer Pro Click MiniRoccat Burst CoreRoccat Burst ProRoccat Kain 100 AimoRimo20 Kontoccae20 Kain 100 AimoRimo20 Kontoccae Kain 100 Kontoccae Kain Kain 1 AimoRoccat Kone EM PRoccat Kone Pro ✔Roccat Kone Pro AirRoccat Kone Pure UltraRoccat Kone XP ✔Roccat Kone[+] Ergonomics: Right-handed Sensor: PixArt PAW-3370
Optical
Lift-Off-Distance: 1.0-2.0mm PixArt PMW-3399
Optical
Lift-Off-Distance: 1.0-3.0 mm Logitech Hero
Optical Resolution: 100-19,000 CPI
5 levels 100-26,000 CPI
5 levels 100-25,400 CPI
5 levels Velocity: 10.2 m/s 16.5 m/s 10.2 m/s Acceleration: 490 m/s² 392 m/s² USB polling rate: 1,000 Hz Primary switch: Roccat Titan Optical , 100 million Clicks Razer Optical, 70 million Clicks Omron, 50 million Clicks Number of Keys: 6
Top: 3 Bottom: 1
Left Side: 2 13
Top: 8
Left Side: 5 11
Top: 7 Bottom: 1
Left Side: 3 11
Top: 8
Left Side: 3 Special Keys: Mouse Wheel
cpi switcher 4-way mouse wheel
cpi switcher 4-way lockable mouse wheel
cpi switcher, profile switcher 4-way lockable mouse wheel
cpi switcher software: 5 profiles
fully programmable, secondary occupancy
Macro recording
Internal memory: 5 profiles 3 profiles
fully programmable, secondary occupancy
Macro recording
Internal memory: 3 lighting profiles: Color: RGB, 2 addressable zones
Modes: Breathing, Waves, Color loop
Reactive color: RGB, 8 addressable zones
Modes: Breathing, Waves, Color loop< br>Reactive Color: RGB, 11 Addressable Zones
Modes: Breathing, Waves, Color Loop
Reactive, Game Integration Color: RGB, 1 Addressable Zone
Modes: Breathing, Color Loop
cpi indicator housing : 126 × 72 × 40 mm
Hard plastic, metal, coating
Glossy elements
Sliding feet: PTFE (pure) 126 × 76 × 40 mm
Hard plastic, coating
Glossy elements
Sliding feet: PTFE (pure) 129 × 62 × 43 mm
Hard plastic
Glossy elements, rubber elements
Sliding feet: PTFE (pure) 132 × 75 × 40 mm
Hard plastic, coating
Glossy elements
Sliding feet: PTFE base (painted) Weight: 63 grams (without cable) 104 grams (without cable) 101 grams (without cable) 121 grams (without cable)
5 weights, 3.6 grams each Connection: USB-A cable, 1.80 m, wrapped USB-A cable, 2.10 m, wrapped Price: from €72 from €81 from €45 from €40
A decisive criterion is obviously the price. So first of all: Roccat's Kone XP with its recommended retail price of around 90 euros is on a par with Logitech's and Razer's competition, but the Basilisk V3 and especially the G502 Hero are now much cheaper to buy on the open market. The price of the Kone XP will certainly also drop over time, but it still makes the Roccat mouse look unattractive in comparison.
The Kone Pro body is potentially cluttered
The basic shape of a Roccat Kone has been the same for years and is quite popular: Basically, it is a flat line for right-handers who want to enclose their mouse in the palm grip with their entire hand without being forced into a specific finger position. Finally, compared to the Kone Pro, it is striking that the dimensions of the chassis have been adopted almost exactly and any adjustments can be attributed solely to the additional keys that have been added. On the one hand, this applies to the more expansive thumb rest and, on the other hand, to the transition from the left mouse button to the left flank.
-
Roccat Kone XP & Aimo Remastered
Image 1 of 5
Roccat Kone XP & Aimo Remastered 
Roccat Kone XP & Aimo Remastered 
Logitech G502, Roccat Kone XP & Razer Basilisk 
Razer Basilisk, Roccat Kone XP & Logitech G502 
Razer Basilisk, Roccat Kone XP & Logitech G502 In both cases, depending on the thickness of the fingers, this can have a restricting effect. Wide thumbs in particular sometimes don't find enough contact surface on the left side without always bumping into additional keys at the top or bottom. Depending on how you grip it, your index finger can also unintentionally rub on the two additional keys to the left of the left mouse button. The latter cannot happen with the older Kone Aimo Remastered anyway, but there is also slightly more space for the thumb. The Aimo Remastered is shaped more appropriately for particularly large hands anyway.
Higher weight reduces gliding properties
A disadvantage of the old Kone Aimo Remastered in relation to the new Kone XP can be found in the mass. The former weighs a particularly heavy 130 g, while the latter weighs around 104 g. However, the Kone XP is by no means light, as the Kone Pro only weighs 63 g. And that is noticeable, because it significantly reduces the otherwise good gliding properties thanks to the flexibly wrapped cable and sliding elements made of pure PTFE. Whether the said 104 g is interpreted as an improvement or a deterioration depends on the starting situation: Measured against the usual all-round gaming mice, the Kone XP is indeed smoother, but obviously more sluggish in comparison to ergonomic rodent shooters.< /p>
Three-dimensional RGB lighting
The reason for the greater mass in relation to the Kone Pro is not only found in the additional keys that have been added, but also in the massively increased RGB LEDs. Roccat himself describes the interaction of numerous LEDs with the translucent housing as 3D RGB lighting. And indeed, an impression of depth is created that conventional RGB conversions cannot offer in this way. Divided into a total of eight zones, the LEDs can be configured as you wish. But the predefined color transitions also create an opulent play of light.
-
Roccat Kone XP
Image 1 of 6
Roccat Kone XP 
Roccat Kone XP < /figure>
Roccat Kone XP 
Roccat Kone XP 
Roccat Kone XP 
Roccat Kone XP About sense and nonsense of the spectacle can of course be excellent to discuss. But if you want to consciously let your own setup shine in bright colors, you will definitely be happy with the lighting of the Kone XP. It's just a pity that Roccat hasn't reserved any LEDs to indicate the current sensor resolution or the active software profile.
Optomechanical primary and numerous secondary keys
A significant difference to many other mice can be found in the primary buttons. In the price segment, many manufacturers still use classic mechanical microswitches with a lifetime of 20 to 50 million clicks. Most of the time, however, the switches don't last nearly as long, because corrosion and dirt on the metal contacts will eventually no longer allow a clean signal to be produced before the debouncing time, which is aggressively set to a few milliseconds in gaming mice, has been overcome. The result: The input device can sometimes register a single click as a double click. A problem that is still common, but some manufacturers have become aware of it in recent years and are countering it in different ways.
The primary buttons like, but not so well
A frequently encountered approach in this regard is the use of opto-mechanical sensors: If a light barrier is closed instead of the metal contacts, the problem area outlined no longer exists. Roccat initially offered such a solution as a Titan Optical Switch in the Vulcan 120 AIMO keyboard (test), for example, before it found its way into mice with Burst Core and Burst Pro in early 2021. They were also used in the Kone Pro and Kone Pro Air. This puts Roccat in line with manufacturers who produce gaming mice with opto-mechanical switches, primarily Razer – the Basilisk V3 also has such buttons.
In the Kone XP, Razer's opto-mechanical switches are still better than the first generation in the Burst mice. However, for whatever reason, the tactility is not quite as good as that of the two Kone Pro models. However, the primary buttons of the new model are not spongy per se, even though the post-travel is higher. This means that the two button covers can be pushed down a little further after the actual switches have already been pressed. However, the lower tactility is accompanied by the advantage of reduced volume.
Eight additional keys for the allround mouse status
Probably the biggest functional difference between the Kone Pro and the Kone XP can be found in the additional keys. The latter only offers two of them, since even the button on the back of the mouse that is otherwise common in the Kone family has been lost – because of the weight savings. Only two left-sided thumb buttons remained. The Kone XP has five of these, with a group of four placed on the flank and another additional button at the bottom. This can be operated by slightly moving your thumb downwards without lifting it.
-
Roccat Kone XP
Image 1 of 3
Roccat Kone XP 
Roccat Roccat Kone Aimo Remastered Since the button in question moves quite smoothly, it is quite conceivable that hectic mouse movement will result in unwanted triggering, especially with large thumbs. However, this never happened during the approximately two-week test period and due to the tester's quite large thumb. Nevertheless, the constellation described sometimes gives the impression of having your finger permanently on the trigger – and that can make you nervous. On the other hand, it is not possible to dodge upwards because, as already described, the four-button block quickly gets in the way.
The situation is a bit more relaxed with the two buttons to the left of the left mouse button, which are directly reminiscent of Logitech's G502 series in the genre of all-round mice. The two also like the pressure point, while the four switches on the left flank remain somewhat reserved in terms of their click feedback. However, the only really annoying thing is that the four key covers at the transition from the two front to the two rear side keys are quite sharp-edged. Incomprehensibly, because the other outer edges are rounded. However, if your thumb drags over the transition of the keys when looking for the right switch, it is not necessarily pleasant.
When looking from the Kone Pro to the Kone XP, it is pleasing that the newcomer again has a button on the top. But only one – why? The Kone Aimo Remastered offers two buttons at this point, like many other gaming mice with a focus on a large number of buttons. It would probably have been better for the Kone XP to slim down the left side a bit in favor of other areas. On the other hand, the Kone XP also offers more buttons than the Aimo Remastered – and also more buttons than the G502 Hero and certainly more than the Basilisk V3.
Four-way mouse wheel cannot be released and is more difficult
The latter are ahead of the Roccat mouse when it comes to the mouse wheel. Although all four input devices mentioned have a four-way mouse wheel, only Logitech and Razer offer an optional free-running – i.e. not gridded and therefore much faster – rotation mode. In return, the wheel of the Kone XP is a bit quieter, but incomprehensibly it is also a bit stiffer than the wheel of the Kone Pro. The latter knew how to please with its aluminum surface and high tactility, despite its ease of movement. The wheel of the Kone XP, on the other hand, is a bit stiffer and usually has a rubberized surface.
Page 1/3 Next page
Sensor technology, software and workmanship