With the laser tracking sensor technology becomes a popular trend in the gaming mouse industry, optical mice are getting rivaled due to relatively low DPI range. But that doesn’t mean optical sensor mouse production is about going to an end any time soon.
Advanced optical tracking sensor technology saves the days of optical mice. One of the examples is no other than the AVAGO optical sensors. CM Storm, a gaming peripheral division of Cooler Master, has decided to give the optical sensor one more chance with their Recon gaming mouse. The CM Storm is equipped with the most advanced AVAGO ADNS-3090 optical sensor, which is capable of tracking mouse movements with the highest optical sensitivity.
Retailing at RM 149, it is definitely sitting inside one of the most affordable gaming mice bracket. But what about the features of the mouse that can add its selling points on the market? Let’s find out more in our review of the CM Storm Recon gaming mouse.
Product Link: http://gaming.coolermaster.com/en/products/mice/recon/
Suggested Retail Price: RM 149
Specifications
Special Features
- Max Customization
Recon features 3 individual multi-color LED zones, the Mousewheel, DPI Buttons and CM Storm Logo. The brightness and color of each zone can be fine tuned, or simply disabled.
- Precise Tracking
Thanks to the best Optical Sensor on the Market (Avago 3090) The CM Storm Recon tracks movements with the highest optical sensitivity on the market. Users can fine tune the sensitivity and define up to 4 DPI Levels for each Profile.
- On-The-Fly Tuning
Quickly switch between different USB polling speeds, LOD levels and sensor DPI settings without leaving the virtual Battlefield or being distracting and catching a bullet.
- Rubberized Grip
To improve the grip and prevent your fingers from sliding and slipping, the entire mouse body is coated in a thin layer of rubber. An added bonus is a super smooth comfy feel and look, guaranteeing approving nods by whoever lays eyes on it
- Avago 3090 optical sensor with 800-4000 dpi
- On-The-Fly Lift-Off-Distance adjustments
- On-The-Fly DPI adjustments
- On-The Fly USB polling rate adjustments
- Up to 1.5m/s or 60”/s tracking speed and 20G of acceleration
- Highest grade Japanese Omron micro switches
- Extra wide 16-bit USB data path
- 1000 Hz polling rate / 1ms response time
- Super Grip coated ambidextrous mousebody
- Ultra swift mouse feet
- Flexible 1.8 meter or 78.6 inch long cable
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 64.4 x 116.4 x 42 mm/ 2.53 x 4.58 x 1.65 inches
- Multicolor Mousewheel light to identify Profiles
Unboxing
The CM Storm Recon ships in a matte black retail packaging. The front of the box is illustrated with a picture of the mouse in white colour with red lighting. Below it is the product name of the mouse and it’s emphasized that this gaming mouse features 800 to 4000 DPI. There’s a Cooler Master logo located on the top left of the box. We can also see some information of the mouse’ key features on the bottom of the box. Across the right side of the box we have a tagline of “High Precision Optical Sensor”.
The rear side of the retail packaging depicts the technical specifications of the CM Storm Recon gaming mouse. On top left we have another Cooler Master logo. You can also see the mailing address of CM Storm, as well as their contact number and email. Below there we can also see product’s bar code and CM Storm’s official website address.
The box’s left side shows us the mouse’s product name in various languages and CM Storm’s official website address of the Recon.
The right side showcases three marketing logos of Storm Tactics which are Strength, Security and Control.
Opening the box’s flap gives us a glimpse at the mouse. There is a transparent layer of blister that allows you to have a quick view on the mouse and you could possibly put your hand on it before deciding to purchase the mouse. On the left side, CM Storm showcases a picture of the mouse and highlights the special features of the mouse.
Unboxing reveals the CM Storm Recon gaming mouse, with the USB connector protected with a translucent plastic cover and the USB cord is tied with a white rubber band. However we didn’t find any accessories in the package. But that’s not a problem as we can always download the software, user’s manual and its product sheet from their official website. We will discuss about this application in a separate topic below. Talking about the mouse itself. My first impression of the CM Storm Recon is that it looks elegant in its design. This mouse is equipped with a white outfit, with the CM Storm logo near the wrist position. The mouse comes in a small size, measuring 155 mm (W) X 65 mm (H) X 220 mm (L) in dimensions and weighs 109 grams without the USB cable. I personally like larger mouse because I can say that I have a big palm. The top surface of the mouse has a rubberized finish to provide an ultimate grip and comfort during heavy gaming. The entire body is actually made out of highly durable plastic.
Coming out from the top of the mouse is the none braided USB cable, with one end concluded with a gold-plated USB 2.0 connector. This cable measures 1.8 meters, which is long enough to route it on your gaming desk. We are looking forward for a braided design which will prevent any mouse cord drag issue on the desk if you are not using any mouse bungee.
The front of the mouse looks very plain. You can see the USB cable coming out from the opening gap between the left and the right body of the mouse. Since it’s an ambidextrous mouse, which is suitable for both left- and right-handed gamers, the body shape of the mouse is symmetrical. The scroll wheel on the middle is rubberized while the exposed plastic area can illuminate to three different colours.
The CM Storm Recon gaming mouse comes with a total of nine programmable buttons. The main left and right buttons feature Omron micro switches. There are two special thumb buttons on each side, which can be configured to act as Macro or Special Function keys, all with the software. Out of the box, these thumb buttons are defaulted for the forward and backward page functions.
There is also a pair of on-the-fly DPI buttons so that you can adjust the DPI right on your fingertips, without needing to minimize your game screen and launch the software. Here, CM Storm allows you to adjust the sensor tracking speeds ranging from 800 to 4000 DPI. Fortunately, you don’t need any extra button to confirm your setting. It’s simply straightforward, unlike the ARMAGGEDDON Alien IV G9X mouse that we’ve reviewed previously.
Moving backward near the wrist position you will find the CM Storm logo that can illuminate. There is a curve on each side of the mouse to rest your thumb to provide extra comfort especially for long hours of gaming.
CM Storm incorporates the advanced AVAGO ADNS-3090 optical tracking sensor to their Recon mouse. This optical tracking sensor technology is capable of tracking mouse movements with the highest optical sensitivity. Furthermore, gamers can fine tune the sensitivity up to 4 DPI levels for each Profile. Under the mouse you can see three ultra-swift mouse feet which provide smoother glide and longer lifespan. It would be nicer if CM Storm included a set of replacement mouse feet in the package, so that you can change them in case if yours are worn out. On the other hand, you can see there’s a label indicating the product name, model number, serial number of the mouse, as well as its country of origin, which is China. Our Recon sample comes with a model number of SGM-4001-WLLW1, which denotes the white case it’s having.
We decided to plug in the CM Storm gaming mouse to our gaming rig. Out of the box our mouse glows to red colour by default. The illuminating sections are the CM Storm logo, the mouse wheel and the DPI buttons. Besides red colour, the lighting also can be configured to blue and green colour with the on-the-fly DPI buttons. Of course with the software you are able to adjust the brightness level of the LED lighting. If case if you feel that the lighting is distracting, you can choose to switch off the lighting. However we noticed that the optical sensor only glow in red colour, no matter whatever DPI button you press.
Software
To make the package as small as possible, CM Storm decided not to include any accessories in the box including the software. So this forces us to download software from their official website. This software is simple and very easy to use. It doesn’t take much time to completely launch the software. Applying settings are also very fast. There are basically six tabs available in this software, which are “Buttons”, “Sensor”, “Glow”, “Macros”, “Profiles” and “Supports”.
The first tab is the “Buttons” screen, where you can freely configure the functionality of each of the nine buttons according to your likings. You can also save the settings up to five different profiles, load and apply the profile, or reset to factory default settings.
The “Sensor” tab allows you to adjust the DPI, Lift Off Distance (LOD) and the polling rate for each of the DPI level. You can also see the classic sensitivity slider, double-click speed slider, and button response time slider. There’s a double-clock test area on the right side of the screen for you to test the double-click setting before applying it.
The “Glow” tab allows you to adjust the LED colour and brightness of lighting of the mouse wheel, DPI buttons and the CM Storm logo, individually. You can also choose to turn the light off if you like. There are three LED modes to choose from, which are Continuous, Flash On Profile Switch and Rapid Fire.
The “Macros” tab offers you to program the macro to suit your needs. To do so, click on the “New” button, name the macro, click on the “Record” button, and lastly click on the “Stop” button. You can also copy and delete the macro that you set.
The “Profile” tab allows you to create, copy and delete the profiles.
Lastly, the “Support” tab will tell you where to go to get support from CM Storm in case if you have any difficulty or inquiry. The “Online Support” button will direct you to CM Storm’s website where you can download the latest software and firmware. By clicking on the “Info” button, it will bring up a window showing the Hardware version, Sensor version, Firmware version, and the Software version of the Recon.
Performance
The CM Storm Recon gaming mouse didn’t disappoint me during our testing. Although I personally have a big palm, the mouse fits comfortably under my palm. All the nine buttons on the mouse can be reached easily by my fingers. The main left- and right-click buttons feel so soft on every click. The programmable buttons allow me to customize my favourite commands during the most tactical moments. I tested the mouse on Battlefield 4 game, the mouse allows me to take every shot very precisely. The mouse also glides smoothly on my mouse pad. Somehow due to non-braided cable, I can feel the mouse cord drag on my desk whenever I do an aggressive movement. To overcome this issue I was forced to use my beloved mouse bungee. Other than that the mouse works just perfectly.
Thoughts & Verdicts
The CM Storm Recon is a good gaming mouse. Starting from appearance the mouse does not fail to impress us. Equipped with an attractive white outfit, this mouse is certainly a good companion for the CM Storm QuickFire TK mechanical gaming keyboard which was reviewed by us last week. Furthermore, it also perfectly matches our Black and White Vector Desk project that we’re building right now.
The Recon is built with an advanced AVAGO ADNS-3090 optical tracking sensor to provide high level of accuracy than conventional optical mice. Thanks to its ambidextrous design the mouse is suitable for both left- and right-handed gamers. The only possible drawback is that the mouse comes with a small size, which might not be suitable for gamers who have big palms. The top surface of the mouse is rubberized to provide ultimate grip during heavy gaming. The ultra-swift mouse feet under the mouse will ensure that the mouse moves smoothly on the surface. The main left- and right-click buttons feel so soft and take every shot so precisely in out testing. The nine programmable buttons can be configured freely and stored into five different profiles. The on-the-fly DPI buttons on top of the mouse allow you to adjust the DPI level according to your likings, at any time you want. The LED light is controllable, which means that you can adjust its colour up to three different colours as well as setting the brightness level based on your preferences.
The software, which is not included in the package but downloadable through their website, is simple and easy to use. You can configure functionalities of the nine programmable buttons according to your likings. You are also able to adjust the DPI, Lift Off Distance (LOD) and the polling rate for each of the DPI level. You can also configure the mouse’s sensitivity, double-click speed, and button response time. Other than that, this software allows you to change the colour of the LED lights individually, adjust its brightness level and you are given three modes of lighting to suit your needs. Macro programming is also doable with this software.
The CM Storm Recon is available in the local market for RM 149, which is not so expensive for a gaming-oriented mouse. Packed with an attractive white appearance, solid build quality, programmable buttons, highly configurable performance settings and advanced optical tracking sensor technology, there’s no doubting that the Recon is a good gaming mouse that’s worth considering.
Performance: 5/5
Materials: 4/5
Specifications: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Performance/Price Value: 5/5
Pros:
+ Accurate and precise traction control
+ Solid build quality
+ Comfortable to use
+ Ambidextrous design, suitable for both left- and right-handed gamers
+ Main left- and right- buttons feel so soft
+ Nine programmable buttons
+ On-the-fly DPI adjustment
+ Macroable
+ Super-grip rubberized top body
+ Adjustable LED colour and brightness level
+ Downloadable software is simple and easy to use
+ Extra-swift mouse feet are highly durable
Cons:
- Not suitable for large hands
- Doesn’t come with braided cord
- No accessories, software and user’s manual must be downloaded through their website
CM Storm Recon Gaming Mouse received Gold Award from OCDrift.com
Disclaimer: OCDrift.com gives out our own award based on the Hardware Performance, OverClocking Ability, Innovation, and Value as determined by the reviewer
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