Mice & Keyboards by stefan @ 2018-05-09
As the original Kone, AIMO was designed for people with larger hands, while its comfortable shape does really help during longer gaming sessions. With the revised LED lighting setup, Kone AIMO looks more interesting than before, and thanks to the 4D silent titan scroll wheel, the lateral buttons and the EasyShift[+] function, we can assign plenty of macros to it.
At first we would like to thank ROCCAT for offering us a sample of the Kone AIMO Gaming Mouse for testing and reviewing.
“ROCCAT designs the best gaming products in the world. We combine detail-loving German innovation with a genuine passion for what we do. The result is a forward-looking product portfolio adaptable to the gaming trends of tomorrow. The industry-leading experiences we develop are born of a deep affinity with gaming community that we ourselves are very much a part of.
We achieve this by having an outstandingly talented team comprised of gamers, visionaries and industry experts. Working at ROCCAT is fun, challenging and fast-paced, with no two days ever the same. Our background in gaming reflects itself in how we work, with a strong emphasis on teamwork, communication and mutual trust. We’re all on the same mission. Are you in?”
ROCCAT® OWL-EYE OPTICAL SENSOR - unrelenting pointer precision with 12000 dpi
TRI-BUTTON THUMB ZONE - rapid control, features Easy-Shift[+]™ button
32-BIT ARM MCU + ONBOARD MEMORY - for rapid macro storage and execution
RGBA MULTIZONE ILLUMINATION - each zone independently configurable
SUPERIOR ERGONOMICS - classic, max-comfort Kone shape
DISTANCE CONTROL UNIT - custom pick-up flight for heightened accuracy
AIMO LIGHTING SYSTEM - intelligent lighting harmonized across devices
4D TITAN WHEEL - four directions with advanced tilting tech
ROCCAT® SWARM - comprehensive driver & software suite
ROCCAT® Owl-Eye optical sensor with 12000dpi
ROCCAT® exclusive 50 Mio. lifecycle switches
1000Hz polling rate
1ms response time
50G acceleration
250ips maximum speed
Mouse acceleration: no
Angle snapping: on/off
Adjustable lift-off distance
ARM Cortex-M0 50MHz
512kB onboard memory
1.8m braided USB cable
Dimensions / Weight
Weight 130 g
System requirements
Windows® 8, Windows® 7, Windows® 10
Internet connection for driver installation
USB 2.0 Port
From the established manufacturer ROCCAT we have seen a more recent series of gaming peripherals, under the AIMO line; the AIMO Intelligent Lighting System automatically adapts itself depending on the usage, without the need of previous configuration. This type of RGB lighting is an addition to the usual presets and can be considered a novelty element. Kone AIMO does ship in a ROCCAT signature cardboard enclosure:
On the side, we will get to see a large ROCCAT logo:
The manufacturer also gives us a short history lesson on the Kone mouse, which is an iconic product for ROCCAT; other product highlights are described as well:
Moving on, we are informed of the Package Contents, System Requirements, product SN but also the Tech Specs:
The full list of Features is also present on the packaging, in multiple languages:
The Kone AIMO mouse is held inside a custom black plastic mold, while the documentation is available in a separate re-sealable envelope:
ROCCAT supplies a Quick Installation Guide, a Disposal Information leaflet but also a set of nice case stickers:
Inside the guide, we will learn the benefits of Easy-Shift[+] feature, the default button mappings and more:
On the opposite side, we will find a nice poster:
Let’s take an in-depth look at the Kone AIMO:
While we did receive the black version as a test sample, Kone AIMO is also available in grey and white; as the original Kone, its chassis is quite large and weights about 130g. Most users should find that the palm grip is best to be used with this mouse and the plastic panels are textured in order to offer a nice grip:
Near the RGB, rubberized scroll wheel we will find the DPI selector buttons; the 4D Titan Wheel allows movement in four directions, with advanced tilting technology. The button switches are rated for 50 million actuations:
In the back side of the Kone AIMO, we will get to see a ROCCAT logo:
Between the top shell and the lateral panels, ROCCAT has introduced RGB LEDs, which are still visible during regular use; two extra programmable buttons are available on the left side:
The lower, T3 button is programmed by default with the Easy-Shift[+] function, in order to access the secondary programmed function to the mouse’s buttons:
On the right panel we do not have extra buttons, but it follows the same RGB LED design line:
On the bottom layer of the unit, we will get to see multiple PTFE feet, the central ROCCAT Owl-Eye 12000DPI Optical Sensor lens, but also a sticker with the product internal code name and its serial number. The sensor does feature a 1000Hz polling rate, 1ms response time, 50G acceleration but also a 250ips maximum speed:
The supplied 1.8 cable is braided for additional durability:
The custom USB connector does feature the ROCCAT logo, but is not gold plated:
After connecting the mouse to a spare USB port, the AIMO LED setup will show its capabilities:
Those familiar with ROCCAT peripherals will recognize right away the GUI; this unified configuration GUI will detect the compatible connected peripheral and provide several tabs; profiles can be saved in the bottom slots. First is the “Pinned” tab, which allows the user to include frequently accessed sections, for fast customization:
From the Settings menu, we are able to adjust options such as Vertical Scroll Speed, Horizontal Tilt Speed, Windows Pointer Speed, we can configure the DPI switcher steps, but also the Double-Click Speed:
A test playground is also provided for adjusting the double-click speed correctly:
The Button Assignment tab does allow us to work with some preset programming profiles, but also set the button functions as we do prefer:
We do have plenty of button functions to available choose from:
From the Advanced Settings tab, we can adjust the Polling Rate, Reset Settings, work with the DCU (Distance Control Unit), enable Angle Snapping but also work with Sound Feedback regarding DPI change, Profile switch or Volume up/down:
The Illumination tab does highlight the AIMO Intelligent Lighting system feature, which reacts automatically without the need of any extra configuration:
If you would like more control over the lighting system, you have the option to choose from other available modes:
The Profile Manager does allow us to easily work with the slots:
The Macro Manager doe also have a separate section of its own, from where we can record key presses, add mouse interactions and more:
Inside the dedicated AIMO interface, we can also spot a progress bar:
The General Swarm software settings can be also adjusted, as needed:
Here we also have the Update Center, for keeping both Swarm and the peripheral firmware up to date:
Lastly, we can access the Monitoring feature, which will be done by pairing a smartphone and using the Swarm App:
A Help section is also available:
As the original Kone, AIMO was designed for people with larger hands, while its comfortable shape does really help during longer gaming sessions. With the revised LED lighting setup, Kone AIMO looks more interesting than before, and thanks to the 4D silent titan scroll wheel, the lateral buttons and the EasyShift[+] function, we can assign plenty of macros to it.
The Swarm software from ROCCAT is easy to use and depending on the peripherals we are using, its interface will modify accordingly. We do have a section for pinning the functions we do use most, while in the Settings, Button Assignment, Advanced Settings and Illumination take care of all the necessary functions. The application does also allow profile management, while the Macros can be defined from a separate window, in detail.
Kone AIMO does use the Owl-Eye sensor from PixArt, which was designed in cooperation with ROCCAT (PMW3361); besides the DCU, we can adjust the DPI values from 100 to 12000, in steps of 100.
As a negative aspect, we would like to mention that at 130g the mouse is a bit on the heavy side and does not feature a configurable weight system.
Price-wise, the ROCCAT Kone AIMO mouse can be found online for about 60 Euros, which is quite fair considering the integrated features, along with the proven sensor.
We would like to thank again to ROCCAT for making this review possible!