INTRODUCTION

   Rockstar Games finally launched the highly anticipated MAX PAYNE 3 3rd person shooter game for PC (suggest giving it a look if you haven't already) and since i've been playing it for the past 4 days doing a review about a product designed almost entirely for games seemed like the right thing especially since MAX PAYNE 3 is amongst the 5 game titles we've been using lately for our huge mousepad comparison (has taken almost 2 months to complete but should be up next week finally). Today therefore we will be taking a look at one of the latest gaming mice to get released by our friends over at SteelSeries, the KANA Black.

   From day one, SteelSeries has been focused on making professional gaming gear that provide meaningful benefits to gamers of all skill-level, with the most demanding being those gamers whose lively hood depends on the performance of our products. We believe, as most gamers do, in winning, not trying! What originally began as a small two-person operation in Copenhagen back in 2001 has become a global leader in professional gaming products. SteelSeries recognized the need for superior, high-quality professional gaming gear that would give players a competitive edge. Fast-forward to today, and we've come a long way since our first glass mousepad. We have global offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, providing an integrated portfolio of products designed specifically for gaming. Fueling our growth is you, the gamer!

   Just like the Sensei gaming mouse the KANA Black is not what you'd call exciting in terms of design and so if you want something special/unique in terms of appearance then simply put the KANA Black is certainly not the one for you. Leaving out the design the KANA Black is also not the most impressive gaming mouse in terms of features since the 3600FPS/3200CPI laser sensor falls somewhat short especially now that the new 8200DPI laser sensors have finally made their appearance. Dots Per Inch (DPI) and Frames Per Second (FPS) however are not the only thing that defines a gaming mouse, if that were the case we wouldn't have to spend entire days testing a mouse to decide just how good it is so let’s see just what the KANA Black is all about.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A large picture of the KANA Black gaming mouse is present at the front of the box right above the SteelSeries logo.

The same large side picture of the unit in is present on both sides.

At the top of the box as always we see the logos of the professional gaming teams that helped SteelSeries with the product development.

All of the unit’s specifications and features are listed and explained at the rear in 4 different languages.

Much like most units in the market the front opens up to reveal the unit itself, a few words about it and its features.

Inside the box you will find the KANA Black gaming mouse, user's manual and 3 replacement UPE feet (surprisingly enough no product catalog and no SteelSeries case sticker).

THE KANA BLACK GAMING MOUSE

The body of the KANA Black features a nice thin layer of rubber which actually works great especially if your hands are sweaty after long periods of use.

Unlike the Sensei and most gaming mice released by SteelSeries the KANA Black only comes with a single left thumb button (its size makes it extremely easy to use).

The SteelSeries logo is placed at the rear of the mouse but unfortunately it's solid without any illumination.

Just like with the left side we only see a single large pinky button at the right side.

Moving at the top we see the CPI profile selection button.

The clickable scroll wheel has almost the same feeling as the one found on the Sensei, almost (as do the two primary buttons).

Turning the KANA Black over we see three large UPE feet which according to SteelSeries cover 16% of the total bottom surface. The bottom is made out of partially clear orange plastic which also illuminates when the unit is being used.

The 3600FPS/3200CPI, 3.7Mp optical sensor is placed at the center of the base.

The 2 meter long cable is braided but unfortunately the USB connector is plain (not gold plated)

USING THE KANA BLACK

Before doing anything i suggest heading over to the official SteelSeries support page to download the most recent product drivers for the KANA Black.

The firmware update program can be used to update a large number of products by SteelSeries and it's quite fast in doing so as well.

Once you plug the unit into your computer and install the latest drivers the Scroll Wheel and the bottom will light up.

The control panel as usual allows you to adjust just about everything from remapping all 5 buttons, setting the unit for left or right hand use, adjust the CPI and Polling Rate speeds, create profiles and bind them with specific executables and finally get statistics about which buttons you use more (honestly this is a feature i have never actually used).

CONCLUSION 

   Since for the past year or so I’ve been using the Sensei Pro Grade Gaming Mouse with my primary system and the Roccat Kone[+] with my secondary one (two quite more expensive units) i can't really avoid comparing them with the KANA Black. So the KANA Black is not as fast and not as accurate all together but it features a better grip than both and it does offer a nice balance between speed and accuracy (I was also glad to see that the primary buttons are quite hard to press just like with the Sensei). Of course some people may not enjoy the lack of illumination options since it just comes with orange LEDs at the scroll wheel and its base but to most such things are not very important or at least not as important as others. The control software offers just the basic adjustments we see with most mid-end gaming mice in the market so again it can't be compared with what we see with more expensive solutions like the Sensei and/or the Kone[+].

   With a current price tag set at around USD50 inside the USA and 45Euros inside the EU the KANA Black by SteelSeries is a very tempting offer for people who want a fast gaming mouse but care not if that's the fastest one around. Certainly if you are an enthusiast or a hardcore gamer then you may want to opt for a more accurate, fast and quite more expensive gaming mouse like the Sensei, Kone[+] or even the brand new Sensei MLG but all three will set you back a lot more than the KANA Black. However for casual users and normal gamers who don't need the best of the best the KANA Black although not perfect hits a very good price/performance ratio and which is why we are awarding it with our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Grip (Size/Rubber Coating)
- ExactTech Features
- Braided Cable
- Good Accuracy & Speed
- Extra Replacement Feet
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Mid-End 3600FPS/3200CPI Optical Sensor
- Single Color Illumination