Mice & Keyboards by stefan @ 2014-10-13
COUGAR 700M is an interesting futuristic mouse which features the popular ADNS-9800 sensor which allows DPI values up to 8200. Adjustments are available for the palm rest in order to fit with multiple hand shapes and also for allowing both claw and palm grips; value is added via the configuration software which allows full button remapping, adjusting the DPI steps, macros, LED lighting and so on.
At first we would like to thank COUGAR for offering a sample of their 700M Gaming Mouse for testing and reviewing.
“COUGAR was started in Germany in 2007 by a group of computer peripherals engineers who wanted to design with passion. We established a professional team, adhered to the design philosophy of technology centered on human use and esthetic perfection. These combinations lead to products that met the global demand for high-end professional gamers. COUGAR’s field testing of the chassis and power supplies constantly went beyond normal development to bring about a diversified line of gaming computer peripherals products and continues to this day. This enthusiasm and innovative spirit is a continuing source of vitality for COUGAR.
We firmly believe that to give gamers the highest quality and ultimately, beautiful products, a company needs to be in the forefront of technology. To that end, COUGAR has a group of world-class engineers and an innovative R&D team that works with enthusiasm, and who have a deep understanding of market and technological development trends. COUGAR also works with cutting-edge technology partners to develop and design extraordinary products with strict quality control in order to meet the global demand for high-end professional gamers.
COUGAR keeps up with the changing speed of innovation by remaining at the forefront of technological development with partners throughout the world including North America, South America, Australia, Southeast Asia, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other places. And COUGAR aims to be the top eSports gaming brand in the world.
Brand philosophy
Passion X Innovation
With utmost passion COUGAR is keen to provide most innovative solutions that 100% meet customer needs. Thinking differently and adopting new trends while constantly focusing on functionality and user-oriented product improvements, that is our foremost corporate culture. COUGAR is always striving to satisfy demanding gamers with innovative and technological leadership.”
ALUMINUM FRAMING STRUCTURE
Components are built on a folded aluminum chassis to provide lighter (only 110g min.), more rigid and robust manipulative feelings
MUZZLE BRAKE SR
Extended metal tube inspired from the weapon can extend the durability of the cable during violent play and provide the better flexibility of the cable for smoother motion.
MULTI-COLOR PROFILE BACKLIGHT
Choose 1 out of 16.8 million colors and set a unique color to profile
FIRE BUTTON
Ergonomic design and quickly simplify actions to press the fire button at key moments
45 SNIPER BUTTON
Provide a quick access, better stability and more precise aiming during game play
ANTI-SLIP DESIGN
Unique hexagonal pattern on the left and right panel for highly slip resistant and sweat proof, provide optimal control to lift-off style gamers during game play
32-BIT ARM PROCESSOR
700M has a little computer on-board and can do sophisticated computing fast and directly by itself- without relying on the gamer’s computer and without the need for software drivers
512KB ON-BOARD MEMORY
Storing up to 8 programmable keys functions within 3 separate profiles on-board and you can bring your setting to any PC without re-setup
WEIGHT ADJUSTMENT
Weight cartridge contains four 4.5 gram metal weights, letting you to customize the mouse weight.
PALM REST HIGH/ LOW ADJUSTMENT (TOOL-LESS)
In order for better palm supporting, the arched frame can be raised with the knob rotation
INTERCHANGEABLE PALM REST (TOOL-LESS)
You can change to “Sport Mode” by replacing the palm rest
8200 DPI PRECISION GAMING SENSOR TECHNOLOGY
ADNS-9800 high performance laser sensor for accuracy cursor control
8 PROGRAMMABLE BUTTONS
Reassign command or macro to any one of 8 programmable buttons
AERO-DYNAMICAL SYSTEM
Keep your hand cool and Increase the flexibility of moving
COUGAR UIX SYSTEM
Integrated software combine COUGAR peripherals into one application
COUGAR FUSION
It is a feature that allows COUGAR peripherals to interact together
1000HZ POLLING RATE / 1MS RESPONSE TIME
125Hz – 1000Hz USB rate fine-tuning
ON-THE-FLY DPI ADJUSTMENT
Quickly switch between different DPI settings on the go
4-STAGE DPI LED DISPLAY
Quick confirm DPI stage without moving the hand
OMRON MICRO SWITCHES
Guaranteed 5 million clicks for the longest gaming life
GAMING-GRADE SCROLL WHEEL
ALPS encoder and rubberized scroll wheel provide accurate tactile feedback
GAMING-GRADE MOUSE FEET
Best gliding performance and improve accuracy
BRAIDED CABLE & GOLDEN-PLATED USB PLUG
Sturdy and durable solutions for gaming
We will begin describing the latest gaming mouse from COUGAR, the 700M, by describing its packaging; the product is shipped inside a futuristic-shaped cardboard box with a transparent plastic top, which shows the mouse in its entire splendor:
If we check on the sides of the packaging, we will see a V-shaped style, with extra information about the product:
Also on the packaging, COUGAR has included the main features:
In order to remove the top packaging layer, we will have to remove the transparent plastic seal from the bottom side of the box:
Afterwards, we will end up with the secondary transparent plastic protective layer, which is placed on top:
For enhanced durability, the 700M mouse was built around an aluminum frame which is aimed to support the hand with an ergonomic shape:
The mouse was built for right-handers, with no less than 8 programmable buttons, weight adjustment and replaceable palm rests:
The pre-installed palm rest is slightly curved and in order to remove it we will have to press upon the top central plastic piece. On the stock rest, we have the Cougar logo drawn in the middle:
The left side of the mouse is equipped with a rubberized, anti-slip design, which has a hexagonal pattern. The manufacturer advertises it as slip resistant and sweat-proof, which is great during intensive gaming tournaments. Besides the top programmable buttons, we also have the Sniper button, which offers optimal precision when aiming during game-play:
Nearby there is the Fire button, which is easy accessible near the left click button:
On the right side of the mouse, we can see the preserved ergonomic shape, but no extra power buttons:
In the front we will be able to spot the rubberized scroll wheel along with a portion of the aluminum frame:
One other interesting feature is the SR Muzzle Brake, which was inspired by actual weapons and is meant to reinforce the cable strength during violent game play:
By adjusting the palm support, we will be able to enable both palm and claw grip styles; the spaces between the removable palm rest allow proper hand ventilation in order to alleviate sweaty palms during intense gameplay:
On the bottom we will be able to spot the PTFE feet in each corner, along with the ADNS-9800 lens in the middle:
COUGAR has also included here a small sticker with the product serial number and power rating:
The cable is fully braided for additional durability:
COUGAR is using a custom-shaped USB connector, gold plated for optimal contact:
Moving on to the accessories, we will also get an extra palm rest (“Sport mode”), four small circular weights and an additional envelope:
By following the instructions, the stock palm rest can be removed with ease:
The Sport version has smaller dimensions, but retains the same mounting mechanism:
If needed, we can make use of the supplied weights; the mouse is equipped with a very subtle weight dock, which can be removed at will for removing or installing additional weights:
The system can be removed completely for fitting all supplied circular weights:
Let’s now check what we have inside the supplied envelope:
Besides the manual, we will also get some free case stickers:
Inside the sample parcel, we have also found one COUGAR SPEED pad, which is available in three dimensions: SPEED-S, SPEED-M, SPEED-L:
The L-sized pad has a dimension of 450x400mm:
Some product characteristics are carefully described on the packaging:
What are the main characteristics of the SPEED line? Well, we are dealing with a HD texture surface, which is optimized for fast and smooth mouse sliding experiences:
In the lower left side of the pad contains the product logo:
The 4mm thickness of the pad is meant to bring better pressure relief on user’s wrist:
The rubber material can enhance the grip so the mouse pad can fit properly on all kinds of desktop surfaces; the manufacturer has also used localized edge heated process for increasing durability:
Here is a closer look at the texture:
After installing the mouse, we can see more clearly the DPI step indicator located on the left side:
A subtle multi-colored LED is also placed in the front, which indicates the currently running profile:
After plugging in the mouse, we have navigated to the COUGAR support page in order to find the driver along with the extra software; the manufacturer informs us that we should first initiate a firmware update with a separate utility, prior to driver installation:
The utility is easy to use; it first detects the current firmware and if is older than the latest version, it will permit initialization of the flash procedure:
The software GUI is easy to work with; on the left side of the screen we will be able to work with the profiles and assign different settings for each; here we will be also able to work with the Performance, Key Assignment and Lighting Control tabs. Speaking of the Performance tab, we will be able to adjust DPI values for four separate steps, the SNIPER DPI value, Pooling Rate, Double Click Speed, Scroll Speed or Windows Pointer Speed:
The Profile Management section allows creating new ones, editing the current, deleting them, work with import/export operations but also copy or reset:
The Key Assignment screen is quite similar to what we have seen from Mad Catz which means that the preset functions are shown as little boxes which can be dragged and dropped to the respective button we want programmed:
The preset buttons are split into different categories like DPI Switch, Sniper, Mode Switch, Ins. Mode Switch and more:
DPI Switch
Sniper
Mode Switch
Ins. Mode Switch
Ins. KB Mode Switch
Ins. KB+Mouse Mode Switch
Launch Program
Media Function
Macros have a separate section; first we have to dedicate a group name:
The Macro creator utility opens up in a separate window; here we can also record mouse movement coordinates, delays and more:
The key presses and mouse actions will be shown up inside the main interface:
Next, we have the Lighting Control section, where we can set one of our favorite colors for the current profile:
The gaming keyboards and mice market is one of the most competitive and manufacturers are forced to release better and better products in order to generate a lot of sales. COUGAR has recently entered the peripherals market and products like the 700M are making a good impression; the mouse has quite a futuristic look and we have available two different adjustable palm rests in order to fit all hand sizes.
We have tested the mouse in Quake III Arena, CS: GO and ArcheAge; in shooters, the angled Sniper button is indeed more ergonomic as advertised, but the “Fire” button is a little bit far so we would need a bigger learning curve in order to use it properly. As we have seen with Mad Catz mice, we have a similar configurable software interface and all buttons can be remapped; Macros can be set to the last detail and the frontal LED is fully adjustable. Also, MMORPGs like ArcheAge can deliver quite a bit long gaming sessions and here the design which allows proper hand ventilation helped a bit so extra sweat should be almost non existent.
The weight system is well thought and can be removed in a couple of seconds; the DPI selector is easy accessible for fast switching (4 DPI steps are available, from 50 DPI up to 8200).
The only real negative point about this mouse is its pricing: we found it available online for about 90 Euros, which makes it pretty expensive for a lot of people.
We would like to thank again to COUGAR for making this review possible!