[section_title title=”Introduction”]Introduction
Manufacturer: Mad Catz
Model: R.A.T TE
Price: £52 @ ebuyer
Mad Catz was formed in 1989, from the outset they were focused on the gaming industry. The gaming industry has been growing rapidly for the last two decades and Mad Catz has grown with it. Today they release products under various brands, with their TRITTON audio products, Saitek simulation accessories and of course the core Mad Catz brand itself.
Mad Catz state a focus on competitive gaming and it shows, they are one of the most popular fight stick brands and the TRITTON headset is something which has become widely seen in console E-sports especially. Also, a few years ago they released the polarizing RAT series of mice, which have since become immensely popular.
That brings us onto the subject of this review. Today we have in for testing the latest mouse in the RAT series, the R.A.T TE. This new addition to the range is pitched as a stripped out high performance option aimed directly at Esports players going to LANs/Competitions. So, does the R.A.T TE offer that competitive edge that we all crave or is it just a gimmick?
Let’s find out, starting with what Mad Catz have to say about the R.A.T TE…
In 2014, Mad Catz set out to create a gaming mouse specifically targeted towards the LAN event gamer – consumers who regularly travel to live tournaments where the very highest standards of competitive performance are tested.
Specifications, as you would expect, are bleeding edge, but more importantly, akin to removing superfluous weight and features from a sports car, R.A.T.TE is streamlined and nimble. The overall design directly focuses on the single purpose of improving performance within key PC eSports titles.
As with other R.A.T. products, ergonomics are a given, although refreshed cosmetics impart an up-to-date feel to the Tournament Edition.
The TE weighs in at just 90g, that’s 40 g lighter than the R.A.T.7. As a result, breakout force is reduced to make fast swiping and twitch movements almost effortless.
Finally before we begin lets take a look at some specifications…
- DPI Levels: 4
- DPI Range: 100 – 8200 (in 25 DPI increments)
- Acceleration: 50G
- Polling Rate: Dynamic up to 1000Hz
- Tracking Speed: Up to 6m/sec (240ips)
- Lift-off Height: 0.2mm – 1mm
- Programmable Controls: 9
- Profile Modes: 3
- Weight: 90g (without cable)
- Always On: Yes
- “Slick” PTFE Feet: Yes
- Gold-plated Connector: Yes
- L.E.D. Colors for each Mode: Red, Blue, Purple
Right, get the review started with a look at the packaging…
