INTRODUCTION
Most people who really enjoy playing PC games (i included) always choose wired gaming peripherals over wireless ones mainly to avoid encountering the usual issues with them but also because wireless gaming peripherals are usually not on par with wired ones in terms of performance. For example many wireless keyboards have a limitation on just how many keys you can press at the same time while others show a slight delay from the moment you press a key and when that action actually happens. Wireless keyboards and mice also have the typical battery life issue which means that you need to either change batteries quite frequently or recharge the existing ones. Range also used to be an serious issue since the wireless receiver had to be really close, however to my knowledge right now most (if not all) gaming oriented keyboards and mice don't have that problem (most feature at least a 10m range). Well Cyborg (Mad Catz) seems to have solved all of the issues we encounter with gaming mice with their latest (upgraded) R.A.T.9 wireless gaming mouse.
Mad Catz is a leading global provider of innovative products for the interactive entertainment industry. Mad Catz develops and markets accessories for videogame systems and PCs under its Mad Catz (casual gaming), Saitek (simulation), Cyborg (pro gaming), Eclipse (home and office) and TRITTON (gaming audio) brands. Mad Catz also operates e-commerce and content websites for videogame and PC products under its GameShark brand, develops, manufactures and markets proprietary earphones under its AirDrives brand and publishes and distributes video/PC games. Mad Catz distributes its products through most of the leading retailers offering interactive entertainment products and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia.
The original Cyborg R.A.T.9 2.4GHz wireless gaming mouse was released almost 2 years ago to this day and aside it's adjustable size and weight system (identical to the R.A.T.7) under the hood it featured an 5600DPI laser sensor able to track up to 6m/s with an maximum acceleration of 50G. Well the upgraded version of the R.A.T.9 wireless gaming mouse has been around for a few months and has but a single difference compared to its predecessor which is the brand new laser sensor that features a resolution of up to 6400DPI. Overall that translates to an increase of 15% compared to the original version so we are not talking about a huge performance gap but rather a small one which should be more than just enough for it to compete with most of today’s top of the line wired gaming mice.
SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES
PACKAGING AND CONTENTS
Much like with every other R.A.T gaming mouse at the front of the box we see a large picture of the unit along with its main features, a sticker pointing to the upgraded laser sensor and of course the Cyborg logo.
The large mechanical rat (reminds me of Transformers) is once again placed at the left side of the box.
Moving at the right side we see the units list of features and specifications.
Again the main features of the unit are listed on the back this time however all are highlighted with 6 rather small product pictures.
The front package opens to reveal the unit behind a clear plastic window on one side while at the other we see its main features written in 5 languages along with the contents of the bundle.
Inside the box Cyborg has placed the R.A.T.9 wireless gaming mouse, wireless receiver, warranty information paper, user's manual, product catalog and a black hard plastic case with the weight storage container (includes 1 extra spare weight), 2 right pinkie grips, 2 palm rests and two battery packs for the R.A.T.9.
THE R.A.T.9
Exactly like the R.A.T.7 line of gaming mice the R.A.T.9 is made by aluminum and plastic, features the same size adjustable design, the same rubber coating at the top and looks like a spaceship.
At its default size the R.A.T.9 is a mid-size gaming mouse, however once you extend the rear it becomes quite larger (although not a really large gaming mouse).
So just like the R.A.T.7 there are two thumb buttons at the left side along with the precision aim button which basically slows down the mouse for increased accuracy and the DPI LED.
The rear palm rest can be replaced with the other two bundled ones (if you don't like it's size or if you require an more stable grip).
You can adjust the length of the rear palm rest by using the lever found beneath.
The length of the R.A.T.9 can be extended up to 20mm more via 4 increments of 5mm each.
An Allen key is attached at the rear of the mouse.
With that Allen key you can adjust the position of the thumb area and also replace the pinky grip with one of the bundled ones.
The thumb area can also be extended outwards as seen above.
At the right side we see no extra buttons, just the pinky grip which can be swapped with the bundled ones.
The product name is imprinted at the top.
There's also a thumb wheel which can be used to scroll between the available DPI profiles.
The left main mouse button has a rapid fire feature (ideal mainly for FPS games).
At the far front left we find the profile selection button and the profile LED.
As always the DPI selection button is placed between the two primary buttons and right above the scroll wheel.
Just like the R.A.T.7 the R.A.T.9 has the same high quality rubber coated scroll wheel.
Turning the mouse over we see the aluminum base, on/off power switch and 4 PTFE slick feet.
The 6400DPI laser sensor and the on/off power switch right next to it are the only two differences between the old and the new R.A.T.9.
As you can see the R.A.T.9 comes with 5 out of the 6 available 6g weights pre-mounted.
Here you can see the extra weight (was in the weight cartridge), the 2 extra pinky grips, the 2 extra palm rests and the 2 battery cells.
THE WIRELESS RECEIVER/CHARGE DOCK
Just like the R.A.T.9 the 2.4GHz receiver is quite unique since not only it has room for the weight cartridge but it can also be used to charge the battery cells (also has a braided cable and a gold plated USB connector).
A piece of metal with the product name and the Cyborg logo is placed on both sides of the dock.
There are two activity LEDs on the dock, one for when it's receiving signal and one for battery charging.
Now the good thing with having 2 power cells is that you can always use one while charging the other. So you will basically never run out of juice.
The battery slot is located at the right lower side of the R.A.T.9 right behind the pinkie grip.
Inserting the cell is very easy, however removing it is not and so i suggest removing the palm rest first and then the battery cell.
USING THE R.A.T.9
Surprisingly enough the unit will work immediately once you connect it to your PC.
The DPI selection LEDs max out according to the current DPI level.
You can store up to 3 different modes on the R.A.T.9 which you can select via the profile button and in turn distinguish from their color.
Well you all know the drill so since the R.A.T.9 comes without a software CD you need to head over to the official Cyborg support page to download both the latest drivers and the latest control software version.
Aside the main smart technology control panel Cyborg also has available separate software which allows you to always be aware of the units battery level by placing a small battery icon on your desktop.
Through the smart technology control panel you can adjust the DPI setting on both the X/Y axis for all 4 of the available profiles, configure the precision aim button (red target button), remap all 6 available buttons for each of the 3 modes, you can check for available driver/software updates, contact Cyborg and finally you can also download game profiles made by the Cyborg team.
CONCLUSION
After spending nearly a full week with the latest version of the R.A.T.9 wireless gaming mouse mostly playing World Of Tanks, Planetside 2 Beta, Doom 3 BFG (brought back memories but it wasn't what i was expecting from Carmack and his team over at id software), Blacklight Retribution and Dishonored I’m pretty much convinced that this is currently the best all-around wireless gaming mouse in the market. First of all it glides even better than the R.A.T.7 (perhaps due to the lack of the braided cable) while at the same time retaining the same speed and accuracy (although heavier due to the battery cell). Now compared to the previous 5600DPI laser sensor the new 6400DPI feels more precise but isn't really much faster, however this was certainly a required improvement especially since most of the latest wired gaming mice to hit the market offer tracking speeds in excess of 8000DPI. The wireless receiver/charging dock looks great, allows you to charge one of the battery cells (while using the other) and also has a spot for the weight storage container so it's quite unique and certainly not something I’ve ever seen with another wireless mouse. The two battery cells are also a nice touch since that practically means you will never ever run out of power. Of course Cyborg claims that you can use the R.A.T.9 for up to 4 days without having to use the other battery cell but in our case the R.A.T.9 worked for up to 5 days with one of the two battery cells which I didn’t really expect since usually the battery life in wireless devices is worse than advertised.
Combining top build quality with excellent accuracy, very good speed, adjustable size, nonstop usage and wireless connectivity the updated Cyborg R.A.T.9 couldn't come cheap and it doesn't since it currently retails for USD127.99 inside the USA (Amazon) and 102.90Euros inside the EU (Caseking). Certainly if you don't need a wireless gaming mouse you can choose to go for the M.M.O.7 (or R.A.T.7 MMO as i like to call it) since it costs roughly the same and offers a more complete package for serious gamers. On the other hand if you really want to buy a wireless gaming mouse or generally a high quality wireless mouse which will never let you down then the Cyborg R.A.T.9 should really be on top of your to buy list and that's also why it gets our Platinum award.
PROS
- Build Quality (Aluminum)
- Very Fast (6400DPI)
- Size Adjustable Frame
- Weight System
- 6 Programmable Buttons
- Different Parts
- 2 Battery Cells
- Receiver / Charger / Weight Cartridge Storage
- Precision Aim Button
- Gold Plated USB Connector / Braided Cable
CONS
- Price (For Some)