ROCCAT Burst Pro Gaming Mouse Review – Modest, Mighty and Magnificent

ROCCAT Burst Pro Gaming Mouse Review

The latest gaming mouse to be produced by ROCCAT, the Burst Pro, is a great example of getting a whole lot in a little package. At first glance, you might be convinced it’s just your average, run of the mill computer mouse with its simple aesthetic. We’ve all seen the stereotype of gaming mice with a plethora of extra buttons, separate segments that can be adjusted for sizing, and all manner of edges to look cool. By these metrics, the Burst Pro is tame, but what it offers is power behind its modesty.

The first thing I noticed out of the box was it’s size. With elongated left and right buttons, the mouse easily takes up my entire hand – something I wasn’t use to with my old wireless mouse. To my surprise, it fit quite naturally, and in fact, the longer left and right buttons allow for easier interaction regardless of the position of my hand (some people prefer flush, others prefer a claw position) These buttons also make use of ROCCAT’s Titan Switch Optical keys as featured in the ROCCAT Vulcan Pro Gaming Keyboard. In application, this means all the buttons have a quick, responsive, and durable click while maintaining an incredibly slim click distance. This reduces the chance of accidental double clicks and indeed makes it only respond when you want it to, an important feature for gaming when every click counts. Much like the keyboard, ROCCAT cites each of these buttons having a 100 million click life-cycle, but I can’t help but wonder how well it would hold up under a professional gamer’s mitts.

Unexpected and Unprecedented Precision

It also features two additional programmable buttons within easy reach of the thumb. They sit comfortably above the thumb’s natural resting position and are easily accessible, however if you don’t have experience with this kind of layout I suggest figuring out what you want them to be and programming them as soon as possible so you can take the time to learn and remember their functions. As a writer, I set mine to copy and paste respectively, making it easier for me to add hyperlinks or rearrange sentences and paragraphs much faster. While these are great to have and can be helpful in gaming, I’m still getting used to them and find myself accidentally pasting whatever I last copied into irrelevant areas. As I said, if you aren’t used to having these buttons, just be patient.

You’ll also see a dedicated DPI button just before the mouse’s wheel. DPI, or Dots Per Linear Inch, refers to the speed at which the mouse moves on screen in relation to its movement on a surface. The ROCCAT Burst Pro comes with five DPI settings at 400, 800, 1200, 1600, and 3200. With a quick click, I easily noticed the change at which the mouse would move. At 400 I can move with more precision at a slower pace, but at 3200 the slightest shift could send the cursor careening across the screen. I found 1600 to be my preferred setting, but each of these options are completely adjustable to your preference. If you decide the DPI isn’t something you would ever mess with then good news! It also functions as a reprogrammable button. While I do enjoy experimenting with the DPI and I can appreciate how valuable it could be to gamers, it isn’t something I personally need and I’m more inclined to reprogram it to something more useful. I’m glad it has that option and it isn’t dedicated to adapting mouse speeds.

You’ll also undoubtedly notice that the Burst Pro is lightweight. As in, surprisingly, amazingly lightweight. It not only feels sturdy, but it takes very little force to manipulate the mouse itself, to the point I wonder if it needs some added weight. Even the attached Phantomflex cable bends and moves with the mouse incredibly well and does nothing to weigh it down or restrict movement in any way. I don’t have to worry about the cable tangling or pulling the mouse in a different direction if the line is taut. It’s also long enough I never have to worry about it getting taut in the first place. I was initially concerned about switching from a wireless mouse to a corded one but I couldn’t have found a better replacement to put that worry to bed.

Of course, visually, this wouldn’t be a gaming mouse without the inclusion of RGB. It features the same AIMO Illumination tech that goes into ROCCAT’s other gaming devices and it’s neat to watch the rainbow of colors shift from one device to the other. You can also individually set the colors both in the body of the mouse and illuminating from the wheel itself which brings me to the next point in the Burst Pro’s design. Gaming mice often feature holes in the body for air flow and to show off the wicked lighting, as well as reducing the weight of the mouse overall. ROCCAT instead features a slick honeycomb pattern of holes to showcase the RGB lighting, but covers the top in a thin layer of highly durable plastic. This prevents any sort of crumbs or other spills from mucking up the inner workings and keeps the device not only looking great but easy to clean as well.

As a final touch, the ROCCAT Burst Pro uses heat-treated PTFE feet for a much more friction-resistant glide compared to the traditional untreated PTFE of the modern gaming mouse. It even comes with some replacement feet in the box should you manage to wear them down somehow. What is PTFE and why should you care? Polytetrafluoroethylene reduces friction, wear-and-tear, and provides wonderfully fluid control; you probably know it as Teflon. Combined with ROCCATs Owl-Eye sensor, it really does feel like a device built for comfort and precision.

ROCCAT’s Burst Pro Gaming Mouse promises exceptional quality for enhanced gaming while maintaining a modest, sleek look, and it delivers. In my time using the device each click felt perfect. The options to customize each of the buttons, their ease of access, and the lightweight construction of the mouse all make gaming and even everyday computer use much easier. The design is simple and comfortable, but the unique hex-grid for the RGB functions is a brilliant touch without opening it up to potential damage. Once again, ROCCAT set out to make a high-quality gaming accessory and they did just that. From the Phantomflex cable, to the Owl-Eye sensor, and every other feature they included, I struggle to find anything at fault with this mouse. With fully responsive customization and easy programming through the Swarm app, the Burst Pro offers options for PC users of all types and is always ready to go to the next level.

*ROCCAT Burst Pro provided by the publisher*