An upgrade to a recent classic.
We loved the original CM Storm Sentinel Advance, so it’s excellent news for gamers that Cooler Master has released an updated version. The well-known styling remains as is, but the guts of the new version have had a total makeover.
The Sentinel is built around the brand-new Avago ADNS-9800 laser sensor used in many top gaming mice. It has a dpi adjustable between 200 and 8,200, with a 3.8ms (150ips) tracking speed and 30G acceleration. In the real world this means it tracked extremely well, no matter how frantic we got. It also has a 1.5mm lift-off distance and it was very easy to reposition the mouse without jitter or movement. The Sentinel also has a 1,000Hz USB polling rate, so you won’t get any lag at that end.
The Cooler Master is a long palm rest-style mouse and will suit those with larger hands. Like the old model, it can tend to collect gunk from your hand on the top grille, which can be a pain to clean. At 139g it feels solid without being slow to move around, though you can adjust the weight.
The braided cord is nice and flexible, and the large feet help the Sentinel slide smoothly over a variety of surfaces. It also has the usual array of eight programmable buttons, profiles that are stored in the mouse and a customisable multicolour LED on top and underneath. The mouse also has a built-in OLED that can show dpi or even your own custom logo.
Special features:
- Avago ADNS-9800 laser sensor
- Eight programmable buttons
- OLED display
Pros : Accurate, large, solid.
Cons : Reused body, top grill, complex.
Verdict : 8/10, Highly Recommended!
Available from CM Storm, retailing for $84.90
