Verdict
Pros
- Responsive sensor
- Useful sniper button
- Great build quality
- Looks great
Cons
- Not ideal for flick shots
- Non-removable cable
- Surface can build up sweat
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £62
- 12,000dpi sensor
- Sniper dpi modifier
- RGB lighting
- Weight: 115-136g
- Aluminium construction
- White and black models available
What is the Corsair M65 Pro RGB?
The Corsair M65 Pro RGB is a remarkable gaming mouse that’s carefully tailored for first-person shooters. It fuses a solid aluminium frame with a highly responsive sensor, and even comes with a unique ‘Sniper’ button that neatly lowers the DPI while pressed.
Its slightly larger design won’t suit everyone, but the M65 Pro RGB is one of the best gaming mice on the market. At £62, it’s a very reasonable price too.
Related: Best gaming mice
Corsair M65 Pro RGB – Design, build and features
The M65 Pro is constructed from a tough aluminium chassis. Each surface is covered with a layer of plastic, with the top section coated in a soft-touch material that feels great against your fingers. The sides adopt a more textured finish for increased grip, but it does have a slightly loose feel to it. I’m a fan of Corsair’s approach here, but all surfaces appear to be a magnet for finger oils, and long gaming sessions can build up a fair amount of moisture.
The upper section of the mouse loudly presents an RGB backlit Corsair logo, two DPI adjustment buttons, scroll wheel and click buttons. There’s also a DPI light that indicates the current DPI stage.
While the right-hand side of the mouse lacks bells and whistles, the left side is home to an intriguing large red button. This ‘Sniper’ button is the M65’s party trick, and can be used to instantly lower the DPI to a figure of your choice for greater precision. Above this you’ll find backwards and forwards button; all the buttons are re-assignable, if desired.
Elsewhere the supplied cable is braided, but sadly non-removable. On the underside of the device are three removable weights for fine-tuning the balance, and of course the optical sensor itself. Rated at a maximum 12,000dpi, the sensor is suitable for monitors of all resolutions, with complete customisability available in software.
Related: Best gaming keyboard
Corsair M65 Pro RGB – Tracking and gaming performance
While the original M65 used a laser sensor for tracking, the revised M65 Pro ditches coherent light in favour of an optical sensor. These are generally regarded as superior for gaming – although, unlike laser sensors, they won’t operate on glass surfaces.
The switch has clearly paid off, since the M65 is a brilliant mouse for games, browsing websites and video editing. The raised shape fit my hand nicely, and gliding across my cloth surface proved a breeze. I’m a huge fan of the Sniper button: while some may question the usefulness, I’ve found it incredibly practical in instances when precision is required. Despite the M65 Pro RGB being marketed as a ‘gaming’ mouse, I’ve also found the Sniper button immensely useful when editing video timelines.
Put through its paces in gaming scenarios, the mouse proves it’s worth, with fast-paced games proving no threat to the M65 Pro. Play the third-person MOBA Paragon, and camera movement is smooth, with the Sniper button allowing for an unprecedented level of precision. The same can be said for Battlefield 1: running with the Assault class allows for an unexpected level of control, and those who prefer long-range combat will be able to line up headshots with ease.
The only real negative here is that the mouse is a little on the large size, and isn’t the grippiest when lifted from the gaming surface. While this won’t be an issue for the average user, it won’t suit those who consistently rely on flick shots. In those instances, the SteelSeries Rival 700 is better.
Corsair M65 Pro RGB – Software and lighting
With three zones of RGB lighting, the M65 Pro can be quite the centerpiece of any desk. Hues are bright and vivid, with the Corsair logo and scroll wheel emblazoned with fiery streaks of colour. You can opt for static lighting, or pick one of Corsair’s animated effects, all of which can be synchronised to other Corsair RGB peripherals.
Lighting is customised via the Corsair CUE software – a free download from the Corsair website. It’s well established, and although not perfect, it’s arguably the best peripheral software suite on the market today.
Adjustments to the M65’s performance can be made here, with the ability to create profiles that can be saved onto the mouse, or shared as digital files. Key adjustments include changing the DPI settings, button remapping, and calibrating against the mousemat surface.
Should I buy the Corsair M65 Pro RGB?
The M65 Pro RGB is a fine example of a gaming mouse: it’s comfortable, precise and feature-rich. Priced at £62, it’s good value too, with competitors such as the Asus Gladius II costing significantly more.
Verdict
A sublime gaming mouse for a reasonable price
Trusted Score
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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.
