INTRODUCTION

   There's nothing better for enthusiasts and gamers than to finally play a game you've been waiting for years to get released in front of a large screen coupled with a high-end system and a good gaming mouse (providing the game is not filled with bugs). Now as some of you know the highly anticipated Max Payne 3 by Rockstar games got released a couple of weeks ago and since 3rd person shooters require accuracy and speed (especially Max Payne 3 with its slow motion moments) just like 1st person ones I’ve been spending quite a few hours with it in order to test all the latest gaming mice and pads in the market (unfortunately it has quite a few bugs). So today we will be checking out the brand new Kinzu V2 Pro Silver Special Edition mouse by SteelSeries.

   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 last week we checked the latest KANA Black gaming mouse again by SteelSeries which actually performed quite well for a mid-end unit especially due to its convenient design and size so since SteelSeries launched both models almost at the same time and since they also look quite the same i really wanted to check and see just how different they could be when used and what better way to do that than spend a few more hours over Diablo III and Max Payne 3 (by far my 2 favorite games of 2012 up until now). Specs-wise the Kinzu V2 Pro uses almost the same optical sensor as the one found in the KANA black featuring 3600 FPS (frames per second), 3200 CPI (counts per inch), 3.7 Mega pixels per second, a maximum acceleration of 30 G and a maximum polling of 1000Hz. Now the reason i said almost the same optical sensor is because the one found in the KANA Black is capable of 130 IPS (inches per second) compared to the 65 IPS of the one in the Kinzu V2 Pro. Can that affect the performance of the Kinzu V2 Pro? Lets find out.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The Kinzu V2 Pro Silver Edition brought back memories since i haven't seen this type of open box used by SteelSeries for at least 2 years.

On both sides of the box you will see a large picture of that side of the unit.

The logos of the 4 gaming teams that helped develop and test the Kinzu V2 Pro are placed at the top.

Both the specifications and features of the Kinzu V2 Pro Silver Edition are placed at the rear in 4 different languages.

Just like with the KANA Black the Kinzu V2 Pro is packed inside the box with just the user’s manual (i guess SteelSeries decided to drop the product catalog and case sticker from the bundle).

THE KINZU V2 PRO SILVER SPECIAL EDITION

Thanks to the silver color of the special edition the Kinzu V2 Pro looks a lot like the Sensei gaming mouse just quite smaller measuring 117mm in length, 64mm in width and 36mm in height while weighing 77g (compared to the 125.5mm/68.3mm/38.7mm/102g of the Sensei).

This is the first time in a very long time that i see a mouse by SteelSeries without a thumb button. Still that equals to improved grip since you don't have to worry about accidentally pressing a button.

Perhaps the largest visual difference (besides the size) between the Sensei and the Kinzu V2 Pro Silver Edition is the rear SteelSeries logo which in this case is not illuminated.

Since the Kinzu V2 Pro features no thumb button i didn't expect to see a pinky one either.

One more slight difference when compared to the Sensei is the lack of the LED right next to the profile selection button found on the top of the unit.

The clickable scroll wheel doesn't make noise when used while the two primary buttons feature OMRON switches.

Just like with most gaming mice by SteelSeries the Kinzu V2 Pro has 3 large UPE feet that cover 16% of the total surface.

The optical sensor is placed at the center as usual.

The Kinzu V2 Pro comes with a 2 meter double braided cord and a plain USB connector.

USING THE KINZU V2 PRO SILVER SPECIAL EDITION

I'm pretty sure that most of you know the drill by now so prior to using the unit i really suggest heading over to the official SteelSeries support page to download the most recent product drivers and firmware updates.

The unified firmware update program can be used to update a large number of SteelSeries products and it takes less than a minute to complete.

The control panel as usual allows you to remap the 3 available buttons, set the unit for left or right hand use (ambidextrous), adjust the CPI and Polling Rate speeds for both profiles, bind the available profiles with specific executables and finally get statistics about which buttons you use more.

CONCLUSION

   Although after 7 days of testing the Kinzu V2 Pro Silver Edition i feel it's a good mouse still it's far from perfect mainly because of its small size (i have big hands so larger units like the Sensei or even the KANA are more suited to me) and the very soft front buttons which if you've been following my reviews you know it's something i don't like (i like to know when i press a button). There's also the lack of extra buttons which will just not do for most people but i rarely ever use thumb/pinky buttons so to me perhaps the extra grip is a better feature overall. And then there's the optical sensor which may not be very slow (far from it) and it's also quite accurate but still it's not what most gamers would choose as their weapon of choice. Finally the weight of the unit is actually very good for its size but having used the Sensei for a long time it took me a few hours to get used to it.

   Since the Kinzu V2 Pro mouse line by SteelSeries is mostly aimed at casual gamers and users it should come with a very attractive price tag and it actually does so you can currently find it at around USD40 inside the USA and 35Euros inside the EU (Overclockers UK). Of course as mentioned already the Kinzu V2 Pro mouse may not be something special in terms of features but it does offer excellent grip, very good accuracy, is quite fast and it even comes in a variety of colors (black, red, silver) so if you are not interested in getting one of the best gaming mice in the market then we really suggest giving it a chance, it may surprise you.

PROS

- Build Quality (OMRON Switches)
- Excellent Grip (Small Hands)
- Very Accurate
- Double Braided Cord
- Available Colors (Black, Red, Silver)
- Ambidextrous
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- No Side Buttons
- Primary Buttons Too Soft
- No Illumination
- Mid-End 3600FPS/3200CPI Optical Sensor