Page 3 - Subjective Performance Tests
After installing and properly configuring the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro to my liking using the software, I put the mouse through our series of standard tracking performance tests. This includes normal office usage in the Windows environment as well as gaming within first person shooter games. Graphics work is done in addition to regular office usage with Adobe Photoshop. Mousing surfaces used includes the Func F-Series 10 L and XTracPads Ripper XXL. Please note these are subjective tests, but we attempt to make it as objective as possible with our cross-reference testing methods.
Personally, when I use my mouse, I prefer to establish a palm grip rather than a claw grip. What this means is that I prefer to cover the whole mouse with the palms of my hands, therefore a comfortable ergonomic fit is a priority preference. The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro, being designed mainly for users like me in mind, was perfect for the occasion. For those who like claw grips or a semi-claw-palm-hybrid grip, the Dark Core RGB Pro will also accommodate you if you have larger hands. Furthermore, its reasonably lightweight design -- for a wireless mouse, at least -- was good for first person shooter games; making swift, quick actions attainable. This, in conjunction with its wide sensitivity sensor -- 100 DPI to 18,000 DPI in 1 DPI increments -- caters perfectly to all the different scenarios and game play strategies FPS gamers will encounter in the real world. The sniper button to temporarily use a different sensitivity setting was useful as well. The fact is, dipping as low as 100 DPI is definitely not something you will see every day, nor is the epic 18,000 DPI maxima in 1 DPI increments. I am not entirely sure why anyone would need something that nauseatingly sensitive, but hey, it is there for those who want it.
During usage, I have never accidentally pressed any buttons I did not intend to click. Obviously, there are not a whole lot of buttons on the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro, but at the same time, this is only made possible considering the few that are there are very well placed in the first place. It is interesting because the Dark Core RGB Pro is marketed as a MOBA mouse as well, and while it is sized like one, the lack of buttons mean you probably will not be remapping many, if any, of the ones on board. After all, this is no Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite. That said, any feature I need was always well within reach of my thumb or my index finger, so props to Corsair coming up with great placements. I am also a fan of the textured plastic finish. The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro generally gripped well in my hand, even if my hands are average-sized. The size and shape of this mouse alone convinced me to make it my daily driver for the last little while.
The primary purpose of Corsair's Dark Core RGB Pro is intended for the performance enthusiast crowd. It is intended for gaming, but this does not exclude graphic professionals and office users demanding the edge in tracking precision. Unlike some gaming-oriented products, I found the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro to be excellent for both everyday office work in addition to performance demanding applications. The hardcore PixArt PAW3392 is considered to be one of the best, if not the best, sensors in the market today, and you can definitely see why with this mouse. The lift-off distance was very low on the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro. The sense of control and the smoothness of its glide over all tested tracking surfaces was excellent, and the pointer tracked accurately and precisely in accordance to my inputs. The PTFE feet helped smooth the glide too. I noticed no tracking problems with the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro on all surfaces I have tested it on. The surface calibration feature claims to further enhance its tracking performance, although I personally did not notice any significant changes before and after calibration.
At up to 2000Hz polling rate with the optical sensor, the PixArt PAW3392 is an incredibly precise and quick responding mouse, just as we would expect from a performance gaming product. I have never used anything with such an intense polling rate, so props to the company for pushing the limits. You probably will not notice it in day-to-day use, so keeping it at 1000Hz will save you some battery life. Its reasonably lightweight build and excellent grip only enhanced the capability of the electronics. No input lag was noticed; response time was consistently excellent from the lowest sensitivity setting all the way to 18,000 DPI. Not that we would expect anything less from a 2000Hz mouse, haha. Although sensitivity range is not a direct indicator of performance similar to how resolution is not a direct indicator of digital camera performance, its incredible precision was still basically sustained across the entire sensitivity range. I noticed what could be very minor jitter at high sensitivity settings, but I could not tell if it was just my hand or if it was really the mouse itself. No smoothing was noticed, which is good.
The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro is highly customizable for users desiring wide tracking resolution, maximum responsiveness, lag-free performance, RGB lighting to your heart's desire, and razor sharp handling characteristics. This is everything you can expect from a gaming product.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. Subjective Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
