Cyborg R.A.T 9 | Review

Gaming mice designs often make people’s jaws drop, but there’s no mouse, which does that job better than the Cyborg R.A.T. 9 gaming mouse. The R.A.T.9  looks like it came out of a Transformers movie and there’s no better way to get people’s attention at a LAN party. It’s not just the looks - it’s practical, highly customizable and it’s got some pretty impressive hardware as well.

Design and build quality

The R.A.T.9 looks very impressive - it’s got a solid metal base at the bottom. There are layers of plastic and metal dials and springs above that build up the shape of the mouse. The R.A.T. 9 has a matte finish across the device, including the thumb rest, buttons and the palm rest towards the back. The R.A.T. 9 appears to be designed to be customizable, so there are panels that can be removed, replaced and adjusted to your liking. Without this done, it feels little awkward with all the gaps in between the mouse at different points. 

Those who like to place their palms on the entire mouse might find this sort of shape and design a little odd. If you’re a claw-style gamer, then the ergonomics should work fine, even without the adjustments. The mouse is highly customizable as far as the shape and feel is concerned. 

To do this, there are a few replaceable bits. The back panel lets you slide back to different positions for larger and smaller hands. There are also two extra pads with different textures and heights. The thumb rest panel can also be released and adjusted just like the one on the right panel that supports your little finger.

Like any other high performance gaming mouse, the R.A.T. 9, too has supports for weights. There’s a large bolt at the back that can be unscrewed, along with a spring that keeps these weights in place. The bolt itself doubles up as a screw that can be used to unlock the other panels of the mouse.

As for the friction, it’s kept in check by the five mouse feet at the bottom. The largest are present towards the back, while the two tiny ones are placed towards the front. We recommend using a somewhat heavy mouse such as this on a cloth pad.

Features

In terms of hardware, it has what you expect from a modern day gaming mouse - a 5600 dpi laser sensor and the mouse is capable of operating at 1000Hz. The R.A.T.9 is a wireless mouse and it comes with two detachable batteries, which can be charged on the charging dock that comes bundled with the mouse. The charging dock also doubles as the wireless station. Removing the battery is extremely simple. The charging dock has two indicators, one for the wireless activity and the other, which turns green when a battery is charged. The base of the wireless dock is lined with rubber, so it stays stationary. There’s a socket to neatly place the additional weights. 

The R.A.T. 9 comes bundled with a small case that contains all the detachable bits, and carrying it is easy. It has the usual set of buttons - two mouse clicks and the third built into the scroll wheel like any other mouse. There’s a DPI switch button and the two back/forward buttons on one side. Next to it is a precision mode that lets you customize the sensitivity of the mouse when you press that button. The drivers for the mouse offer all the customization options you need - DPI sensitivity switches to profiles - similar to what other mice do. There's also a button, which lets you switch between multiple R.A.T. mouse profiles quickly.

Performance

The R.A.T.9 performs well. There are no tracking issues, whatsoever and the mouse' clicks are great. The adjustable surfaces ensure that you’re comfortable while using the device, especially during long gaming sessions. When you’re using it for the desktop, you can tweak it further for slightly more comfortable use.

The mouse clicks are sturdy and register well. You’re unlikely to face problems in the long run and it looks like these will take a battering and still work. Wireless performance is great, too. You’re not going to be using the mouse as an HTPC mouse, but primarily for gaming. For that it works well. There is no noticeable delay or stuttering during operation. We were, however, not too fond of the weight of the mouse, though. Even without any weights installed, this is a pretty heavy mouse. Moving it is a bit of a pain, if you’re used to small, lighter mice. 

Verdict

The Cyborg R.A.T.9 is one of the most unique and most sophisticated mice around. It’s also the costliest at a price of Rs. 9,999 - and with good reason. It’s got tons of features - replaceable batteries, plenty of buttons, a solid, almost indestructible build with the ability to form the mouse into a shape of your liking.

If you’re looking for a lightweight, agile mouse, then this isn’t it. If you’re looking for sheer performance, then there are cheaper options. However, if you’re used to large, heavy mice and if you’ve never found the right-sized mouse with the right comfort, this is it.