Products on Review: KATAR PRO XT & MM700 RGB
Manufacturer: Corsair
MSRP:
- KATAR PRO XT: US$29.99 (excl tax) / £34.99 (inc. V.A.T.) / AUS$69.00 (inc. Tax) / €39.99 (inc. Tax)
- MM700 RGB: US$59.99 (excl tax) / £59.99 (inc. V.A.T.) / AUS$99.00 (inc. Tax) / €69.99 (inc. Tax)
In recent months we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing a number of CORSAIR products - cases and peripherals - and that reflects a wider refresh of vast swathes of their product lineup in 2020 and 2021. The process continues today as they launch two new peripherals catering to emerging and established segments, with the designers aspiring to be the first name on everyone’s lips whenever a product is recommended. And in fairness, CORSAIR have certainly been more successful in that than not in recent history.
First up is the KATAR PRO XT, an ultralight wired gaming mouse that’s another member of the revamped KATAR PRO ultralight range. You may recall the KATAR PRO WIRELESS from last year; well this is a variant that adds a little bit more colour while going down a more conventional USB I/O route. It’s a compact 73g 6-button design equipped with OMRON switches, 18,000 DPI sensor and just a hint of RGB lighting, coming in a hair under $30 in the US. That’s immediately going to make it an attractive proposition for fans of either CORSAIR mice or the new trend in ultralight rodents.
Something of a deluxe counterpoint to the few-frills KATAR PRO XT is the second peripheral we’re looking at. CORSAIR’s MM700 RGB is an oversized mouse mat - a style commonly referred to as a ‘deskmat’ or 'deskpad' - edged with RGB illumination configurable to your own tastes. This is their first extra-large mat with this level of lighting integration, and is very much intended as a complement to their copious selection of iCUE RGB hardware designs in the peripheral, enclosure and component segments.
Where the KATAR PRO XT is by its nature a relatively spartan design, the MM700 RGB adds a little bit of spice with a small USB 2.0 hub, ideal for connecting low-power peripherals such as mice and headsets. In that respect it’s perhaps a more fitting match for the flagship K100 RGB - which incidentally we reviewed last year.
This premium nature is reflected in the price: $59.99/£59.99. So the question is whether the quality and customisation potential warrants the cost. Time to get started.
