Corsair Katar Elite Wireless review

Our Verdict

79%

A versatile and capable gaming mouse for a great price, although its shape is a tad odd and its buttons feel a tad mushy.

Corsair has been slowly embracing the modern trend for lightweight gaming mice, and the Katar Elite Wireless is the latest model to get the slimming treatment. The previous Katar Pro Wireless, which used an AA battery rather than a built-in rechargeable unit, weighed 96g whereas the Elite Wireless version flips that number right round, coming in at just 69g.

While that’s considerably lighter than its predecessor and generally quite light for a wireless mouse, it’s certainly not the lightest. Moreover, considering the compact size of the Katar, it still feels fairly dense compared to some competitors.

The shape is a bit peculiar too. From its relatively wide top middle section, its symmetrical form narrows considerably towards the back and base. Corsair bills the shape as being for claw and fingertip grip, and sure enough, the lack of rear bulk isn’t suited to palm grip. However, we found the lack of rear grip not overly suited to claw grip either.

Moreover, the narrowing towards the base results in the mouse having steeply angled sides that cause your fingers to slip down the sides and under the mouse. As a result, we didn’t find it the most comfortable or versatile shape for fingertip grip either. As ever, mouse shape is very subjective, but this mouse isn’t designed for universal appeal.

Housed in the top area of the mouse are five main buttons, including a DPI button set behind the scroll wheel. The scroll wheel is lightweight and rubberized, but doesn’t have very defined detents so doesn’t feel as accurate as some alternatives.

Up front is a USB Type-C port that can be used to charge and connect the mouse to your PC, while a slider on the underside lets you switch to Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless modes. The included dongle for the latter uses a standard USB Type-A connection, as does the other end of the main USB cable.

There’s no Type-C to Type-A adapter included for plugging the dongle into the end of the main cable, as on the Cooler Master MM712. The cable itself is also a plain rubberized one, rather than the lightweight braided style favored by many of the best gaming mice. It’s sufficiently flexible to provide only modest cable pushback, though.

Also on the underside is a stowage hole for the dongle, which like the Cooler Master MM712 has a little clip-on plastic cover that we can see getting broken or lost quite easily. Alongside this is the sensor, which boasts some mind-boggling specs, with a maximum DPI of 26,000, maximum acceleration of 50g, and maximum movement speed of 650 IPS. Suffice to say, the sensor won’t be any encumbrance to your gaming performance.

We were less impressed by the primary left and right buttons. Corsair talks up its ‘zero gap’ technology, to ensure the buttons feel as responsive as possible, but while we didn’t feel any gaps the button click feels a little soft and undefined.

Corsair Katar Elite Wireless pros and cons

Pros

• Excellent sensor performance
• Great value
• Wired, wireless, and Bluetooth connections

Cons

• Slightly odd shape
• Only really suited to fingertip grip
• Mushy-feeling main buttons

Corsair Katar Elite Wireless specs

The Corsair Katar Elite Wireless specs list is:

Corsair Katar Elite Wireless price

The Corsair Katar Elite Wireless price is $80 or £70, which is mid-range pricing for a wireless gaming mouse. 

Price: Expect to pay $80 (£70)

Corsair Katar Elite Wireless review conclusion

The Corsair Katar Elite Wireless is a capable and versatile gaming mouse that will suit those with small-to-medium hands who prefer a fingertip or claw grip. However, while it’s solid enough, its buttons feel a tad mushy and its shape is far from universally appealing. Its pricing is middling too, making it a slightly humdrum addition to Corsair’s roster.

For more gaming mouse recommendations, check our guide to the best gaming mouse for a few more options.