Roccat Kone Pure Ultra mouse review: "lightweight taken to a whole new level"

Sometimes, it’s best to keep things simple. That appears to have been Roccat’s mantra for the Kone Pure Ultra, the latest in their line of lightweight gaming mice. There’s no adjustable weighting concealed inside this mouse, nor is there a plethora of programmable buttons to tweak. No, what Roccat set out to do here is create a simple product, done to perfection.

Design

There’s no denying that the Pure Ultra is simple. It rests comfortably under the palm, with a dirt-resistant matte finish. The model I’m reviewing is black, with some subtle RGB lighting that remains hidden by the hand while in use. It weighs just 66g, gliding across the table effortlessly.

The button layout is instantly familiar, a scroll wheel nestled between two large buttons, with two of their small cousins resting under the thumb. The cable actually feels a bit cheap, particularly where it meets the USB housing. It’s unassuming; you might be able to pick up a mouse that looks like this (minus the Roccat logo) for under twenty quid in the local computer hardware shop. 

Features

That exterior belies the powerful hardware underneath, fortunately. Roccat’s signature OwlEye optical sensor is present as expected, with a nice 16,000 DPI rating for high-sensitivity gameplay. Two small up and down buttons behind the scroll wheel allow for on-the-fly sensitivity adjustments.

The real boon is the Titan Click technology that is baked into Roccat’s newer mice. Every mouse click feels weighty and responsive thanks to hinged buttons with high-tension springs underneath. If most of what you use a mouse for is pointing and clicking, the Pure Ultra delivers that flawlessly. Unless you're looking for masses of functions, this is a contender for a spot on our best gaming mouse list - it's earned a shot due to its extreme light weight, anyway.

Performance

The Kone Pure Ultra is the lightweight gaming mouse. It’s not got the bells and whistles of its heavier kin, but it doesn’t really need them. Using it feels pleasant, even for extended periods - a proper thumb rest would be appreciated, perhaps, but it didn’t cause any discomfort. A five-hour weekend sesh in Warframe was mercifully cramp-free.

The sensitivity is exceptional; the buttons are solid. It’s $70/£60, certainly not a super-affordable price, but there’s a definite impression of value here. I’m actually impressed that something so feather-light is actually sturdy as hell, with great build quality. It'd look very nice indeed on a desk next to the best gaming keyboard, too.

Overall

Lightweight mice aren’t for everyone, but if they are your thing, the Pure Ultra is a sure success. The matt finish is grippy and supposedly anti-wear, although I wasn’t able to properly test that (my request for a two-year paid holiday to use this mouse was denied).

What this mouse does potentially lack is the flexibility in mappable buttons that many gamers have come to rely on. If you like having eight different hotkeys within reach of your mouse hand, this ain’t the mouse for you. But if you just want to be able to rebind your abilities in Overwatch to your mouse, the Roccat Kone Pure Ultra has got you covered.