INTRODUCTION

   Gaming mice may be a rather new addition to PC peripherals (always compared to others) but that hasn't really stopped manufacturers from developing and releasing a huge number of models up until today from basic ones aimed at casual users and up to blazing fast and extremely accurate ones designed primarily for serious gamers and professionals. As mentioned in previous reviews however there aren't that many feature-rich models currently in the market that also combine blazing fast speeds with wireless connectivity and although i have to admit that i was never into using wireless keyboards and mice (mainly due to signal issues in the past) most people i know do. Tt eSPORTS is also rather new in this industry but in the short period they've been around they have released more gaming mice models than any other manufacturer to date and so they naturally possess a great deal of knowledge involving the development of such peripherals (they also know what sells). Today on our test bench we have a gaming peripheral that we never really thought they'd develop and we are talking about no other than their latest achievement the Level 10 M Hybrid Gaming Mouse.

   “Challenge is the game” highlights the philosophy to bring out gamers’ addiction in gaming and the ambition of reaching to the extreme. Tt eSPORTS, a gaming obsessed division from Thermaltake, is uniting gamers from all over the world in a unique & fascinating eSPORTS culture, inherited the spirits of Thermaltake, is an energetic, powerful, bold and intelligent challenger who never says “no” to the extreme competition. We do not only provide gamers the ultimate gaming gears but also fulfills the passion to achieve the ultimate success. Thermaltake has been a well-known brand in the gaming & DIY market for PC Chassis, Coolers and Power Supplies PSU for many years. The brand personality of unique, aggressive, vivid and stylish makes Thermaltake an expert in creating exciting things and fascinating environment for gamers and enthusiasts. Tt eSPORTS inherited the brand personality with unique and creative design by observing users’ behaviors and requirements. The fan cooling design on Tt eSPORTS Challenger keyboard demonstrate the brand spirit. It is the worldwide first keyboard with fan cooling function that could dry your hand sweats and blow tension away during cut-throat competition.

    As you will all see later on the Level 10 M Hybrid Gaming Mouse may almost be identical to its wired brother but it also shares many of its features including the same 8200 DPI laser sensor by Avago (ADNS-9800), 5 available profiles, aluminum base, industrial grade rubber coating, ergonomic 3D-steering axis (height and angle adjustable) and their patented air-through ventilation system. Of course Tt eSPORTS seems to have made certain sacrifices in order to implement 5.8GHz wireless connectivity so this time over the Level 10M Wireless has a total of 5 programmable buttons (by Omron) compared to the 7 of the wired version which in turn translated to a total of 9 macro keys instead of 11. However that's really a small price to pay if the device works as advertised (especially since the right side buttons of the wired version where way too soft for my taste) so let's see what the brand new Level 10 M Hybrid Gaming Mouse brings to the table.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

TteSPORTS redesigned the package and so the box of the Level 10 M Hybrid has a clear plastic window at the front from where you can see the unit.

A few words regarding the Level 10 M Hybrid gaming mouse and the story behind the Level 10 line of products are placed on both sides.

The features of the Level 10 M Hybrid are showcased at the rear with the help of a drawing (looks a lot like a wireframe).

Although rather small the box actually contains quite a few things so aside the Level 10 M Hybrid Gaming Mouse you will also get a carrying pouch, USB cable, USB extension cable, Allen key, quick installation guide, warranty information paper, card with the Level 10M Wireless on it and two stickers with the TteSPORTS logo.

THE LEVEL 10 M HYBRID

Just like the wired version the wireless version is primarily made by aluminum and also has the same industrial grade rubber coating at the top (weighs 178g).

Where the braided cable left the wired version the wireless one has a plastic piece with the company logo on it. This piece is actually removable for when you want to recharge the mouse.

The same DPI/Profile selection 4-way pad (Z-Button) along with two buttons and the Tt eSPORTS logo are present on the left side just like with the wired version.

You can adjust the height of the rear end up to 5mm by using the Allen bolt placed at the top (quite useful especially for people with large hands).

Once again we find the same perforation at the top which should help reduce sweat on your hand after long periods of use (unfortunately unlike the wired version the logo beneath is not illuminated).

The primary button is also part of the units lighting system.

The 4 LEDS used to show the current DPI setting are placed on the right side of the secondary button (right next to the soft scroll wheel).

You can tilt the mouse up to 5 degrees on each side via the Allen bolt placed at the lower right side.

Where the wired version has the two extra programmable buttons the wireless version has the transmitter.

Four relatively large Teflon feet are placed on the base of the mouse.

Angle snapping is also used here with the Avago ADNS-9800 just like with the original version (right next to the sensor we see the pairing button and the wireless on/off switch.

At first i was surprised to find that the 5GHz receiver was nowhere on the device. Well it turns out that it's on the detachable braided cable and covered by the same cap as the USB connector.

Although mostly a marketing gimmick still we like seeing manufacturers using gold plated USB connectors with their gaming peripherals.

USING THE LEVEL 10M HYBRID

As always the very first thing you should do prior to using the mouse is to download the latest drivers and FW update from the official Tt eSPORTS support page.

The entire update procedure takes less than a minute to complete (although it says v1.0 it was released just 7 days ago so we really doubt it's the same as the one in the sample we received).

Although the design of the control panel is new (easier to navigate) it still allows you to adjust the same range of options as the one we saw with the wired version. So you can program all 5 buttons, adjust the power plan for when the mouse is in wireless mode, enable/disable battle mode (if you want random illumination effects), create macros, configure the 4 available DPI presets, set the polling rate, control the lift-off feature and finally you can play around with the 2 zone lighting system.

Unfortunately the wired version also allows you to control the illumination of the company logo placed beneath the perforated space at the top.

CONCLUSION

   When we reviewed the Level 10 M Gaming Mouse we knew that its eccentric design by BMW DesignworksUSA was something some people would either love at first sight or hate. Well right now it seems that most people have really liked it otherwise i just can't explain the why Tt eSPORTS would spend time and resources in developing basically the same mouse but with 5.8GHz wireless connectivity. So yes once again we see the same blazing fast speed thanks to the Avago ADNS-9800 laser sensor and the exact same grip largely thanks to the height/tilt adjustable chassis courtesy of the 3D-Steering axis and the rubber coating. We also didn’t come across any issues with liftoff and although we used it with many different surfaces (especially wood) and even quite a few pads during testing (from plastic to aluminum) there wasn't a single one it wouldn’t work with flawlessly (although we didn't try glass). Battery life is also very good since even after two recharge cycles we were able to use it for almost 14 full hours before plugging it in again not to mention that during the entire test period we never experienced signal problems (well nothing really new since we haven't had such issues for over 4 years now). My sole concern is with the weight of the Level 10 M Hybrid since although just 7g less it feels a lot lighter compared to its wired brother and so it took more time for us to get used to it.

   Tt eSPORTS just released the Level 10 M Hybrid Gaming Mouse so unfortunately it's not widely available as we speak. However with a recommended price tag of USD99/99Euros (meaning you may find it for less once it hits the stores) we think that it's the ideal companion for people who like using wireless peripherals. Of course its eccentric design means that it may also take for some time before you can get used to it (especially if you're using a typical size/design mouse) but there aren't many gaming mice in the market with the level of quality, performance and adjustability in the market currently. Sure it's not perfect and the Avago ADNS-9800 although very fast and accurate is starting to show its age but thanks to everything we've already mentioned along with wireless/wired feature the Level 10 M Hybrid Gaming Mouse grabs hold of our Platinum Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Aluminum Body)
- Blazing Fast (8200DPI Laser Sensor)
- 5GHz Wireless & Wired
- Battery Life (Up To 15 Hours)
- Height/Angle Adjustable
- Illumination Effects ( 2 Zones)
- 5 Fully Programmable Buttons
- Control Software
- Available in 4 Different Colors (Black/White/Red/Green)
- Braided Cable With Gold Plated USB Connector

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Current Availability