SteelSeries Kinzu and SteelSeries 4HD Surface
By: Mak213
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 940 @ 3GHz
Motherboard: Biostar TA785GE 128M
RAM: 4GB OCZ DDR2 1066MHz
Graphics Card: EVGA 8800GTX 768MB
OS: Windows 7 64 Bit
Introduction
Usually when asked to do a review we have some information about the product or company for which we are doing the review. At this time I can honestly say that I had never heard of SteelSeries before I was asked to do this review.
Founded in 2001 as a small two-person operation, SteelSeries based in Copenhagen, Denmark, now has global offices in North America, Europe and Asia. Utilizing a small internal team and a vast network of technology partners, channel partners, game publishers, and gaming communities from around the globe, SteelSeries is focused on making professional gaming gear that provides meaningful benefits to gamers of all skill levels.
SteelSeries Kinzu Features
- AMBIDEXTROUS - Finely engineered shape suits all grips to ensure maximum control and comfort.
- STABILE - Gaming Grade correlation optical sensor for incomparable stability and reliability.
- VERSATILE - Perfectly compatible with all types of gaming surfaces.
- APPROVED SETUP - Pre-defined CPI setting, used and recommended by professional gamers.
- TOGGLE ON-THE-FLY - CPI toggle on-the-fly high/low sensitivity adjustments.
- COUNTS PER INCH - Scalable pointer speed up to 3200 in increments of 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 CPI.
- BRAIDED CORD - Improved durability and lifetime via braided cord.
- PLUG 'N' PLAY - On-board memory profile storage, especially convenient for LAN gamers.
SIZE AND WEIGHT
- Weight: 0.2 lbs (77 grams)
- Height: 1.4 in (36 mm)
- Width: 2.5 in (64 mm)
- Length: 4.6 in (117 mm)
STABILITY
- The SteelSeries Kinzu is made to be stable on every kind of surface with the help of its Gaming Grade correlation optical sensor. This sensor is also designed to eliminate jitter and provide optimized stability for the user.
COMPATIBILITY
- Windows 2000
- Windows XP
- Windows Vista
- Windows 7
- Mac OSX*
PLUG AND PLAY
- If you attend LAN events or prefer to bring your mouse along with your portable computer instead of using a track pad, then this mouse is the solution for you. With its ability for on-board memory storage, the Kinzu allows you to set standard windows settings and rely on the Kinzu for your personal settings.
BUTTONS
- Left click
- Scroll wheel & middle click
- Right click
EASY TO ADJUST CPI
- The pre-defined CPI settings in the Kinzu are used and recommended by professional gamers all over the world. These CPI settings are also easily adjustable if you want to personalize your Kinzu settings.
DEVELOPED WITH GAMERS
- All the features we've added and chosen to include on the Kinzu are there to provide a better gaming experience. With help from some of the best gaming teams in the world including SK Gaming, Fnatic and Evil Geniuses, the pros are helping SteelSeries create the best gaming peripherals around the globe.
SUPERIOR TRACKING
- The SteelSeries Kinzu is known for its reliability and stability. The Kinzu uses optical technology and operates at 9375 Frames per Second and supports stable movement speeds at 50 Inches per Second. These specs simply say that regardless of your frantic movements, the mouse will consistently deliver, especially for fast-paced FPS games.
SLIP-RESISTANT
- The SteelSeries Kinzu is coated with a slip-resistant material for better control of the mouse, while gamers are involved in fast-paced FPS games or even long session MMO games.
MOUSE GLIDES
- Material: Gaming grade UPE Teflon
- Covers 16 % of mouse bottom to ensure maximum glide
- We recommend changing glides regularly as they eventually get worn down. See our made to fit SteelSeries Glide Kinzu.
AMBIDEXTROUS
- The SteelSeries Kinzu Optical Mouse is a gaming mouse made for extended use. Its ergonomic and ambidextrous design makes it a natural fit for both right and left handed users.
BRAIDED CORD
- USB 2.0 connector
- Anti-tangle braided cord for enhanced durability
- Cord length: 6.5 feet (2 meters)
THE NUMBERS
- Frames per second: 9.375
- Inches per second: 50
- Mega pixels per second: 3.75
- Counts per inch: 400 – 3200
- Maximum acceleration: 20 G
- Sensor data path: True 16 bit
- Lift distance: ~2 mm
- Maximum polling: 1,000 Hz
SteelSeries 4HD Surface Features
CONSISTENCY
- Hard plastic composition provides extreme precision, accuracy and stability.
SUPERIOR TRACKING
- Finely textured surface optimized for next-generation gaming mice.
SUPPORTS ALL MOVEMENT
- Fully tracking everything from minimal movements to high-speed "slingshots".
STEADY GLIDE
- Surface offers a semi-rough mouse gliding experience.
MEDIUM FRICTION
- Plastic composition provides medium friction between surface and mouse
SIZE
- Height: .08 in (2mm)
- Width: 11.4 in (290 mm)
- Length: 9.4 in (240 mm)
NON-SLIP RUBBER BASE
- On the backside of the SteelSeries 4HD a rubber layer gives the mousepad a steady and firm grip of your desk at all times. This ensures that you never have to worry about missing that headshot due to a wobbly surface.
HIGH SPEED SURFACE
- Thanks to the sophisticated tracking capabilities of the surface, the user is capable of performing exceptionally precise mouse operations when it comes to both of minimal movements and high velocity “slingshotsâ€. This gaming surface was researched and developed in parallel with the SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse to ensure that advanced high definition mice can show off the level of performance that they're capable of achieving.
OPTIMIZED FOR NEXT GENERATION GAMING MICE
- The SteelSeries 4HD is a hard plastic composition specifically engineered for professional gamers who demand extremely consistent precision, accuracy, and stability. The finely textured surface consists of tens of thousands of light reflecting microscopic points, optimized to enhance the tracking capabilities of next-generation gaming mice.
ONLY THE BEST
- At SteelSeries, we are proud of being associated with some of the best players in the world of esports. Teams like SK Gaming, Fnatic, and Evil Geniuses are in a continuous dialogue with us, helping to make better products. We strive to improve ourselves, and the 4HD is a perfect example of technical evolution. After all, winning is everything!
THOUGHTS
What can be said of a mouse and mouse pad in a review? Well for starters I can honestly say that I was extremely surprised on many aspects of these products. First I would like to talk about the mouse surface. It was phenomenal. I was using just a regular, run of the mill Walmart special mouse pad. How wrong it was to be using such a surface, not only with my old Razer mouse but now with this SteelSeries mouse as well. Never again will I go back to a normal surface. If you're not using some sort of surface like the 4HD for your mouse, you need to be. It is a worthy investment even for the non-gamer.
Along with normal everyday use, I also tested out the items with various games. I installed Halo 2, F.E.A.R., UT2004 and Gears of War on my PC to run the mouse and pad through some paces. After only using a normal mouse pad and my Razer Diamondback previously with such games, the switch to the Kinzu and 4HD Surface was liberating. I could feel the tracking was by far better, the mouse was more responsive and it took little to no effort to move the weapon on screen. Just a quick little snap of the wrist and I had lined up the perfect headshot.
It should be noted however that the mouse is not made for MMORPGs, which have a laundry list of commands that need to be operated. The Kinzu is made for ease of use and simplicity. With that in mind, SteelSeries has succeeded in every way.
The only downside I can see to either of these products is that, as mentioned above, the SteelSeries Kinzu is a little more utilitarian than some other gaming mice. In today's world you need every item to be a multi-tasking item. This means that your mouse has to be your Internet browsing mouse as well as your email mouse and so on. With the Kinzu only having the 3 buttons, these tasks are a little more difficult for anyone used to the many buttons available on something like a Razer Lachesis. The missing forward and back buttons on the side of the mouse made life on the Internet rather difficult; Instead of tapping a button on the side of the mouse, I had to either scroll up to the top of the screen to get to the buttons on the site or memorize the keyboard combinations.
You might think these cons may not seem like a major flaw in the design and operation of the mouse, and you're right. The lack of extra buttons is a personal haggle which many can live without. In fact, after a week of use I barely noticed that those buttons were gone. Only after switching back to the Razer Lachesis did I notice the difference again.
Slay's Thoughts
Hello everyone. SteelSeries accidentally send us two of these review samples, so I've been trying them out too. While I usually don't have a lot of time to game, I have logged in a few hours of Crysis Warhead and FarCry 2 as of late. After years of using a wireless mouse I can honestly say the Kinzu made a tremendous difference in my game play. I've always known a wireless mouse would be a tad bit slower to respond than a wired mouse but the increased response was immediately noticeable.
I think the thing that impresses me the most is the increased precision I have over the crosshairs. On a more practical side, I found this increase in precision also helped me in my everyday job of drawing house plans. Working with a page size of 24"x36" objects are incredibly small when your zoomed out to view the whole page. It's at this level of detail that the Kinzu's precision made its mark on me. If I can select object's without zooming in and out, my production increases as does my bank account.
While Mak's only negative was a lack of extra buttons, I never use more than 3 buttons so I didn't miss them. The only negative I have with the Kinzu is its size. I have large hands, about 8.5" from the base of my palm to my index fingertip, so I like a larger mouse that contacts more skin. But even with the initial awkwardness I felt with its small size I still felt more in control.
And finally, as Mak pointed out, the selection of a mouse is a personal choice. It's not like buying most computer components that you plug in and never touch. A great mouse will almost act like it's a physical part of your anatomy, so what's good for me may not be good for you. But I honestly think this mouse will be an excellent choice for a large portion of gamers across the globe.
CONCLUSION
By all means give SteelSeries a try if you're in the market for a new gaming mouse. If you prefer the simplicity the Kinzu will be a very nice addition to your hardware collection. I find it hard after this period of time to find a reason to go back to my Razer Lachesis. The star of the day though is definitely the 4HD mousepad, it's above and beyond worth the cost. It has opened my eyes to the world of mouse surfaces, and never again will i think that just any old surface will do.
RATING
SteelSeries Kinzu
SteelSeries 4HD Surface
I would like to thank SteelSeries for allowing Tech-Forums the opportunity to review their product and learn more about their company.
