Gigabyte Aivia Krypton gaming mouse review
A mouse that caters to all your foot needs
A well-designed input peripheral can be a thing of beauty -- the refined ergonomics of classier mice and keyboards self-evidently require endless thought and iteration. But the ‘extreme gaming’ market cares not for subtlety: when every vendor sells products built around super-sensitive lasers and dozens of buttons, the challenge isn’t refinement, it’s rad differentiation. In the case of this Gigabyte gaming mouse, that stand apart feature is feet.
Spec-wise, the Aivia Krypton is pretty typical of higher-end wired mice. You’ve got your super-fine laser sensor (with a claimed maximum of 8,200dpi), programmable macros, adjustable weights and buttons all over the shop: 11 in total, including a handy macro swap thumb switch. But the Krypton also comes with a pair of swappable bases -- one Teflon coated, the other ceramic. The claim is that this offers users a choice between speed and precision, and having tried them out, we guess that’s true. The ceramic feet do make for a more skittish mouse, while Teflon offers a smoother experience for better control. That said, we just don’t see the appeal in a mouse that already offers finer-grained sensitivity adjustments at a sensor level.
Surprisingly, given our distaste for its gimmicky raison d’être, it’s the most basic of factors that saves the Krypton mouse from irrelevance. Simply put, this is an extraordinarily comfortable mouse. The mildly ridged top and soft textured sides are a pleasure to hold, and combine with the sensitive laser to make for a very precise pointing experience.
That doesn’t entirely make up for the inflated price and extra pair of (soon to be discarded) feet begets, but if you’re willing to look past that issue -- or love the idea -- there’s a great upmarket mouse here.
Pros : Excellent comfort, highly precise.
Cons : Pointless additional feet, high price.
Verdict : 8 out of 10. Highly recommended.
Available from Gigabyte, Price $115.
