The Cyborg R.A.T. series of gaming mouses has gained an almost cult-like following among South Africa gamers, and for good reason.
The series is known for producing good quality, feature-rich mouses at a premium price point, and the R.A.T. 7 is no different.
I really like the R.A.T. 7, here’s why:
Features
The R.A.T. 7 gaming mouse has features in abundance, so we’ll start off with the most obvious: the interchangeable mouse grips.
The R.A.T. 7 comes with three palm rest grips and three ride side pinky grips that are easily interchangeable.
The palm grips slide back and forth to extend the overall mouse length in your palm, and are able to slot into various set positions.
Unfortunately the perfect comfort level for me lay between two of the set positions, but for most others the palm grip customisation managed to suite their style of play.
The palm grips consist of a standard grip, a raised grip for those who prefer the base of the palm to be higher than the knuckles, and a non-slip grip very similar to the standard one.
The right side pinky panels followed a similar approach, and included a standard grip, extended grip which provides an oversized pinky rest, and a non-slip grip with the same texture as the palm non-slip grip, once again similar to the standard grip.
The R.A.T. 7 also features a panel on the left hand size where the thumb buttons are located. This panel has the ability to adjust its position forwards or backwards relative to the mouse body, and can also pivot on the rear of the panel outwards, giving the impression that the mouse is wider, perfect for those with wider hands.
An interesting feature is the Precision mode present in the Cyborg software.
This allows you to fine tune a sensitivity setting that you can activate by pressing the Precision Aim button on the mouse. This allows gamer extra precision when aiming without having to change down to a different DPI setting. The feature worked quite well and did in some cases result in an extra frag or two.
Cyborg modes allow you to program key combinations for different games or different classes within a game. Mode changes are at the touch of a button and change instantly, which is useful if you’re the type to get in on the action as you respawn.
Also present is an adjustable weights system located towards to rear of the mouse to prevent “fishtailing”.
The circular weights are located on a bar which also houses the bundled hex key, used to adjust the panels on the R.A.T. 7.
An on-the-fly DPI adjust button, Cyborg mod adjust button and 5,600DPI “twin eye” laser sensor are included to round the feature list off.
Wireless is the only notable omission from the feature list and is the only difference between the R.A.T. 7 and its more expensive brother the R.A.T. 9. That being said the positioning of the weights system does well to eliminate cord interference.
Usability
Using the mouse was a pleasure once the panels were set up, buttons were programmed and sensitivity levels were set.
The mouse glides smoothly over any surface you’d care to use it on.
The buttons take a slightly firmer than usual press to register, though this will probably loosen up as one wears the mouse in. Still, button presses certainly aren’t uncomfortable and provide a good amount of tactile feedback.
Conclusion
It’s very hard to fault the Cyborg R.A.T. 7; it truly is an excellent mouse.
It provides a rich list of features one would expect to see on a high end mouse, as well as the unique interchangeable panels and adjustable positioning of the thumb section.
However, at the current price point, all of the above is expected at the very least.
Costing over a third more than similar spec’d competing devices, the R.A.T. 7 really pushes the boundaries of what gamers are willing to pay for a feature rich gaming mouse.
The recommended retail price for the R.A.T. 7 is R918.99
That being said, there are very few gamers who would regret purchasing the R.A.T. 7.
Pros: Comfortable, Feature rich, Well built, Innovative
Cons: Price
Score: 85%
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