ROCCAT may not sound like a familiar name to you, but in time, that could change. The company has been in the European market for a number of years, and has just broken into the US scene earlier this year.

Roccat has let a new mouse loose on the gaming world, the Roccat Kone [+] ($79.99 list)-and this one knows how to talk. With Roccat's Talk technology, the mouse can be used in conjunction with the Roccat Isku illuminated gaming keyboard ($89.99 list, 3.5 stars), sharing functions for more intuitive...

Comfortable design with adjustable weight; 6000dpi sensor; EasyShift[+] and programmable macros add huge functionality; RoccatTalk lets it team up with a keyboard

No wireless option

Some things just go well together. Peas and carrots, Ferrari and beautiful women, and a keyboard and mouse. Of those examples, there's one that tops the rest, but suffice it to say that at least in the computer realm, the keyboard and mouse are likely the most critical combinations possible for just...

Sleek design styling; comfortable ergonomics; LED lighting effects; abundant features; extra features when used together

Expensive; no removable wrist rest; lettering faint in bright light; low illumination levels on ISKU

Gamers are a total different computer user than most of us. As they are pickier than most and they need to be, when it comes to their gear, it most be comfortable and precise. And if you consider yourself a gamer, you know there are many companies out there bidding for your business.

ROCCAT 's great reputation for style in their gaming peripherals was evidenced last month in our review of the Kone XTD. Solid functional design blended with aesthetic flares to create a mouse suitable for a wide variety of games and gamers, who also benefit from built-in customisation.

+ Streamlined design; + Great software; + 5 Profiles; + 8200 DPI sensor; + Omron Switch Technology; + Customisable Lighting

A good gaming mouse boasts a few key features: comfort, accuracy and a healthy dose of kick-ass. With a 6,000 DPI laser sensor, a nice soft-touch body and some customizable lighting, the $79 Roccat's Kone[+] mouse has all that and more.

Attractive design; Nice comfortable grip; Customizable LEDs

Some awkward button placement; Confusing software

As a descendant of the well-known Kone [+] gaming mouse, the Roccat Kone XTD has the same shape, size and basic design as its predecessor, but has been enhanced with sturdier buttons and a more precise sensor.

Nice to handle and use; Excellent glide; Comprehensive driver; Precise sensor; Sensor dpi can be adjusted on the fly; EasyShift [+] allows one button to have two functions; Sensor tracks movement of up to 5 metres per second

High CPU use when set to 1000 Hz polling rate; One button (in front of the scroll wheel) isn't very easy to access

German peripheral manufacturer ROCCAT recently upgraded its gaming mouse line-up with the release of the Kone XTD. Based entirely on Kone [+] from an ergonomic viewpoint, but now touting an upgraded sensor, beefed-up processor and better-built buttons, the £75 XTD is designed to appeal to the...

Excellent software; Cool lighting effects; Super-accurate sensing; Top-class gliding

Hard-to-reach button below scroll wheel; Minor improvements over Kone [+] for most users; Feels a little too big in small/medium-sized hands

Roccat refines its range-topping mouse, but the high price holds it back

I looked at reviews before I bought this mouse, some listed it as good, others had negative feedback. Still bought it thinking it would be worth a try. As soon as I got the package I thought that it was a little too cheap, but stuck with it for a few days anyways.

Cool lighting; comfortable grip

Sticky buttons; heavy clicks; unreliable sensor; lagging control panel