Corsair Katar Elite Wireless Review
A great value wireless gaming mouse
Verdict
The Corsair Katar Elite Wireless is an aggressively priced, full-featured wireless gaming mouse that’s perfect for competitive gaming on the go, as well as for those wanting a cable-free experience without breaking the bank. It easily makes the cut as one of the best wireless mice available today.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Excellent build quality
- High DPI settings
- Lengthy battery life
Cons
- Battery life is reduced with wireless
- Could be on the smaller side for some
Availability
- UKRRP: £79.99
- USARRP: $79.99
- CanadaRRP: CA$119.99
- AustraliaRRP: AU$119.99
Key Features
- LightThe Katar Elite Wireless weighs just 69g, making it ideal for competitive gaming
- Lengthy battery lifeThe rechargeable lithium-ion battery supports up to 110 hours of continuous use
- High DPI settingsThrough Corsair’s Marksman optical sensor, there’s up to 26,000 DPI here
Introduction
The Corsair Katar Elite Wireless is the third iteration of the tried-and-tested formula and faithfully makes the transition from wired to completely wireless with no compromises.
While previous versions had to cut corners to keep costs down, this new variant is easily the best of the trio.
With a suggested retail price of $79.99/£79.99, the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless is one of the more competitively priced rechargeable wireless mice available. This is especially true when factoring in that you’re essentially paying roughly $20 extra for a lighter mouse with a fully rechargeable battery instead of relying on AAs – as was the case with the Corsair Katar Pro Wireless.
Design
- Lightweight at only 69g
- iCue RGB lighting on the badge/logo
- Ambidextrous grip
The marketing for the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless boasts about its lightweight nature and agile movement. That’s true of its 69g design, which is significantly lighter than many wireless mice, such as the Logitech MX Master 3S and the Roccat Kain 200 AIMO, by a considerable margin. This is corroborated by the way this mouse glides around on surfaces such as wood and a more traditional mouse pad, like Corsair’s mammoth MM700.
Where the brand’s latest effort pivots most confidently away from its competitors is with the Corsair Marksman optical sensor, leading to a 26,000 DPI. This is easily one of the highest and most sensitive sensors I’ve seen on a wireless model, rivalling that of competitive options such as the wired Razer Viper 8K. We considered the latter to be the best wired gaming mouse with its 20,000 DPI. With the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless, you’re getting approximately 30% more sensitivity, but just a reduced polling rate by comparison.
As for the more conventional elements, things are as you might expect. There are six reprogrammable buttons, a scroll wheel and a dedicated DPI toggle button. On the rear of the mouse, you have the option of either Bluetooth or Slipstream 2.4 GHz wireless through the included dongle. Handily enough, this can be stored in a flap on the bottom of the unit when not in use, meaning you’re less likely to lose it – something I definitely appreciate as someone who gets a lot of gear passed through my desk.
Performance
- Up to 110-hour battery life
- Up to 26,000 DPI and 2,000Hz polling rate
- Works with Bluetooth, Slipstream Wireless and USB-C
I’ve been using the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless quite extensively for the past two weeks as the main pointer on my gaming laptop, which I primarily work from these days, and I have only had to charge it up once. That’s not something I’ve been able to say about many wireless mice, save for the Logitech G705, which boasted a significantly smaller battery life by comparison.
Bluetooth and USB-C are also options here and work as well as you would expect, with the former being negligibly slower and the latter essentially identical to going cable-free.
The top-mounted DPI button increases in increments of 200 and upwards that can be customised in software. Moreover, in terms of quick changes, the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless jumps between 200, 800, 1200, 1600 and 3000, which is sure to suit most in-game circumstances. Each option is colour-coded, with the corresponding hue briefly emitting from the DPI sensor itself with RGB. It’s a neat touch for when you want to take out the guesswork.
Gaming with the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless has been a genuine pleasure. The lighter nature of the mouse, compared to my previous daily driver options, was immediately noticeable. I didn’t feel at any point like I was dragging my cursor around: everything glided through seamlessly, making the 10 or so hours I put into a full run-through of Metal: Hellsinger feel as natural as possible. If you’re someone who wants precision and speed, you’ll find it here.
As a mouse for working with, this model has been incredibly accommodating of my somewhat nomad setup in recent months. Being able to plug in the dongle, switch it on, and know it’s surviving lengthy journeys has been a real essential addition to my working life. That’s partly due to the long battery life itself, but there is a caveat: if you’re planning purely on gaming, you’ll want to use the Slipstream, but Bluetooth does the job for general purposes at double the battery life.
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Should you buy it?
You want a highly responsive and competitively priced gaming mouse
The Corsair Katar Elite Wireless has what it takes to hold its own in fast-paced titles, with long battery life to boot.
You need a larger or ergonomically shaped gaming mouse
As with many wireless options, the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless is a little smaller than its more eSports-geared alternatives. This is reflected in its shape, too, which may not be ideal for those wanting more room for their palm and digits.
Final Thoughts
The Corsair Katar Elite Wireless is the full package as far as no-compromise cordless mice are concerned. This is evident from the far-higher-than-average DPI settings and the excellent lightweight build quality, meaning you can get the most out of the travel-sized pointer with minimal fuss.
With that said, if you’re after the bleeding edge of polling rate, you’re going to be better served by the aforementioned Razer Viper 8K or Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE. Weighing only 69g, the latest in the Katar line is certainly on the lighter side as far as pointers go, but if you’re after something even lighter, then it’s no replacement for the Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air, which is a good 31% breezier at 47g.
Ultimately, however, the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless achieves its goal of lightweight design and is precision-ready for twitch-based gaming without limits.
How we test
Every mouse we test is used for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check for ease of use and put it through its paces by playing a range of genres, including FPS, MOBAs and strategy.
I used the Corsair Katar Elite Wireless as my main mouse for gaming and working for a period of two weeks.
Games tested with the pointer included Metal: Hellsinger.
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FAQs
The Katar Elite Wireless is very lightweight, coming in at just 69 grams.
The Katar Elite Wireless has up to 26,000 DPI.
Full specs
Jargon buster
DPI
DPI stands for "Dots Per Inch" and measures the sensitivity of a mouse. A higher DPI figure will see the mouse cursor travel a greater distance from the same wrist movement, making it very useful for competitive gaming.Polling rate
The frequency of which a device sends signals to a computer. It's especially important for gaming keyboards and mice, as it reduces the time it takes for an input to be registered, such as firing a gun at a target.RGB
RGB stands for Red Green Blue, and essentially means a device is capable of producing colourful lighting, rather than just a white light. It's often found on gaming peripherals such as mice and keyboards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
