Roccat Kone XP review: "a 90s aesthetic with 2022 power"

The Roccat Kone XP is here to make sure you're never left in the dark again. A glaringly bright array of RGB strips and a 90s translucent shell design will take centre stage on any setup, whether you want it to or not, but underneath all that razzle-dazzle there's a solid pointer up for grabs. 

Combining the design ethos of the Roccat AIMO Remastered with a versatile set of additional buttons and an extended range of software enhancements, the Kone XP enters the middle of the market with a lot going for it. 

Roccat has opted for a statement here, that's for sure. At $89.99 / £79.99, though, that aesthetic may become a breaking point if you're not wowed by the performance under the hood. That's why we put the Roccat Kone XP through its paces to find out exactly where it sits among the best gaming mouse options on the market today. 

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Design

We're going to have to kick off by talking about this design, because what a design it is. Eight LED strips sit beneath a translucent shell to produce an eye-watering RGB display. It's not going to be for everyone, but if you're partial to that classic see-through aesthetic and also like to keep things colorful, this design is going to work wonders for your setup. 

I'm a big RGB fan, but do try to keep things limited to smaller accents. Even with this preference, though, the overall aesthetic, with all its color combinations and attention to detail, pleases in a unique way. The translucent Game Boy Advance kids have grown up, and now they want a gaming mouse to play with. The translucent plastic gives the whole effect a smoky aura that looks incredible in person, even if some joinery can be mistaken for scratches at first glance.  

Sure, it doesn't scream '$100 mouse', but if you're a fan of RGB and you need a little extra glow in your life it's an excellent additional feature on top of an already stellar pointer. Once I placed my hand on the Roccat Kone XP, it was immediately obvious where that cash has been spent. 

With an overall form factor that harkens back to last year's Roccat Kone Pro Air, the domed back and thumb rest are incredibly comfortable, providing plenty of support for the five side buttons neatly placed on the left. The 104g weight and sloped design make it feel remarkably like the (slightly cheaper) Razer Basilisk V3 underhand, though the grips running along the side are far less pronounced in Roccat's model.

Features

There's an incredible array of additional functions to get your hands on here, with 15 programmable buttons and a whole second tier of customization available via the EasyShift macro. This function allows you to add a second layer of commands to your buttons, for use when the EasyShift key (placed on the thumb button by default) is recorded. Strategy, simulation, and MMO fans listen up, then, because there's plenty to dive into here. 

You'll find four additional buttons along the left panel, with another clicker located underneath the thumb in a design reminiscent of the Roccat Kone AIMO, but with a far more blended aesthetic. I found the placement and usability of these buttons particularly impressive, though. Sure, the Kone XP can't compete with the Razer Naga Pro for sheer choice of customization (that particular offering swaps out three different panels for personalization depending on the type of game you're playing, and can offer up to 20 command points), but it's a decent showing nonetheless.

And, being honest, I've always found additional buttons to feel a little redundant when placed just out of my reach. By contrast, it was easy to not only hit all of these buttons, even during heavy-fire situations, but to hit the right one at exactly the right time. I hadn't tested a mouse that offers this level of controlled accuracy (for my particular hand, at least) and customization before the Kone XP. 

The Roccat Kone XP also comes outfitted with Roccat's Titan Optical switches which feel snappy and responsive under the hand. They are heavier (and therefore more satisfying) than that of softer models with a shorter travel distance, like the Razer DeathAdder V2 and Corsair M65 RGB Ultra, but still offer plenty of speed straight out of the box.  

That's where the Roccat Swarm software comes in, though. While showing its age a little, hidden underneath the Advanced Settings you'll find a treasure trove of tweaks and adjustments. That means you can set the amount of elapsed time that must pass between the first and second click if that debounce isn't fast enough for your twitch reflexes. The Swarm software also allows you to change scroll speed, set DPI and polling rate presets, and customize your additional buttons.

Crucially, though, there's no option to change the actual RGB colors within the Swarm software. If that bold design was already starting to turn you off, then, it's worth noting that there's no navigating around it here. You can, however, set different cycle settings.

Performance

The Roccat Kone XP is a joy to use, with enough weight to feel solid, enough spring to feel responsive, and enough buttons to please any macro-head. The body itself feels incredibly durable, despite that slightly cheaper-looking translucent plastic, and the comfort offered by the careful design makes longer sessions infinitely more enjoyable. 

The Kone XP also supports Nvidia's Reflex Analyzer tool for games like Valorant, Fortnite, Escape from Tarkov, God of War, Rainbow Six Siege, and Overwatch. This means optimizations for responsiveness and aiming support but requires some up-to-date kit to make good on this feature (a Reflex Analyzer-compatible G-Sync display is required). 

As it is, the Roccat Kone XP certainly feels fast enough to keep up with the demands of today's online competitive landscape. Aiming felt comfortable and snappy in both Apex Legends and Borderlands 2, and the acceleration settings allowed for super-fast spins in Doom Eternal, while also holding up under more precise movements aiming down sights. 

I gravitate towards a palm grip naturally but found the domed shape and responsive main buttons comfortable enough when testing against a claw or fingertip grip. However, I would recommend opting for a palm grip here initially - that wide body and the additional placement buttons feel like they call out for it a little more. 

My only gripe with the usability of the Roccat Kone XP is one that is shared across a significant number of Roccat's pointers. The scroll wheel is particularly heavy, with some considerable resistance behind each rotation. That's a concern we've previously levelled at the Roccat Burst Pro, and one that I initially shared with the Kone XP. However, after a couple of weeks of using this pointer in everyday work and play, I quickly became used to the additional force required and came to value the extra accuracy it provided. 

Should you buy the Roccat Kone XP

Anyone with a healthy love for RGB should take a look at the Roccat Kone XP. While that glaring design may be divisive, it's certainly got its charm and could form the centrepiece of a setup particularly easily. That being said, this is still an incredibly robust piece of kit, with a comfortable form factor, easily reachable button placement, and space for all kinds of customizations and macros. If you're a strategy player looking for a new aesthetic, I'd recommend the Roccat Kone XP in a heartbeat. 

However, that $80 price point is going to cut out some of the more peripheral use-cases here. You'll find a far speedier pointer in the Razer Viper 8K, for example, and if you're not a fan of that RGB lighting, the Razer Basilisk V3 also offers a similar comfort level for around $20 less (with buttons that are still well placed, just not as rapidly reachable). 

Of course, if you're going all-out on MOBA use, and don't mind a slightly clunkier form factor to do so, the Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite should also be on your checklist. The Scimitar does hold the same MSRP as the Roccat, but with its age, it's often available for far less. 

How we tested the Roccat Kone XP 

I used the Roccat Kone XP for daily work and play over the course of two weeks, running the pointer as a daily driver for all PC use and pushing it to the test in more demanding scenarios as well. I tested faster in-game performance, precision, and speed using Doom Eternal, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Borderlands 2, and filled out those programmable macro buttons with strategy and simulation games like Civilization VI, Planet Coaster, and Cities Skylines. I also directly compared performance and comfort against the Razer Basilisk V3, Razer DeathAdder V2, and Corsair M65 RGB Ultra. 

For more information on our reviews process, take a look at our full Hardware Policy, or check out exactly how we test gaming mice. 

We're also rounding up all the best wireless gaming mouse options on the market, or check out the best Razer mice available now. For discounts, we'd recommend heading over to our roundup of the latest cheap gaming mouse deals.