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Corsair’s wireless Harpoon gaming mouse debuts low-latency tech at a competitive price

Corsair’s wireless Harpoon gaming mouse debuts low-latency tech at a competitive price

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Also, two other gaming mice and a pair of desk mats

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Photo: Corsair

Corsair is known for RAM sticks, power supplies, and a line of rakish, FPS-friendly gaming mice, which have plenty of fans. Now, it’s adding a wireless mouse with a new proprietary frequency-hopping wireless technology, called Slipstream, to keep your gameplay lag-free. In fact, it’s a mouse of many connectivity options, including a 2.4GHz USB wireless receiver housed inside of the unit, Bluetooth support, and a fully functioning (data and charging) wired USB connection, as well as six programmable buttons.

For a $49 wireless mouse, the Harpoon Wireless is unusually well-equipped, with more connectivity options than wireless mice from competitors like Razer and Logitech that cost nearly twice as much. Even so, frequency-hopping isn’t a new idea — Razer introduced a similar feature into its latest gaming mice last year — but there aren’t all that many big names in gaming mice, and wireless is a particularly tough nut to crack. Many PC gamers are still unconvinced that they can safely ditch a cord, so it’s good to see more competition.

In term of battery life, Corsair’s Harpoon gets up to 60 hours of usage... if we’re talking about Bluetooth, with the mouse’s lighting off. You’ll see up to 30 hours with the new Slipstream frequency-hopping tech. Mind you, the Logitech G Pro also has 60-hour battery life with lighting off (48 hours with lighting on), despite housing a more accurate and powerful 16,000DPI sensor, and it’s currently one of my favorites.

And Corsair seems to have cut a few corners to reach that impressive $50 price. It lacks the 18,000DPI sensor that the wired mice have, instead opting for 10,000 DPI. Aesthetically, it appears to be made from a comparatively chintzy, all-plastic shell. But the wireless competition is expensive enough that it might be a worthwhile tradeoff.

In addition to the also a new ergonomic mouse suited for bear claw and palm-gripped users. Then there’s the M65 RGB Elite, a mouse you may have missed. (Tech sites started reviewing it just last month.)

The M65 RGB Elite makes sense for FPS players, thanks to its “sniper button,” which is basically an instant DPI switcher. It allows you to slow down your cursor sensitivity to more precisely line up each shot. It’s been a trademark Corsair feature, but it’s no longer unique in the market; Razer’s Basilisk and the Logitech G502 now share the same function and button placement. The new M65 also features an 18,000DPI sensor, a tunable weight system that allows you to adjust its center of gravity and weight, an aluminum frame, and two-zone dynamic RGB lighting that can be controlled using the Corsair iCUE Windows app.

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Photo: Corsair

If you don’t fit into the FPS gaming mouse group, the wired Ironclaw RGB might be a better fit. It was actually designed for larger hands and palm grip-style users. It weighs 105 grams, and it has an 18,000DPI sensor, customizable in 1 DPI increments for the most particular of users. Other gaming mice that I’ve used — like the Razer Naga and Roccat Kone Pure — are similarly tailored to be ergonomic for larger grip styles, so I’ll have to actually use an Ironclaw to feel the difference.

Pricing and retail availability for Corsair’s new PC gear is pretty evenly distributed. The M65 RGB Elite in black or white currently retails for $69, the Harpoon Wireless will go for $49, and the Ironclaw RGB will cost you $59 once the new mice start shipping later this month.

Last but not least, Corsair has two extra large desk mats with rubber and low-friction textiles. The MM350 Extended XL is an extended pad that measures 930mm x 400mm (36.6 x 15.7 inches), which is more than enough to include a mouse, keyboard, and other accessories. However, if you don’t need a huge desk mat or you have the desk space, Corsair has a smaller-but-still-huge 450mm x 400mm (17.7 x 15.7 inches) MM350 XL pad.

Update, 3:53pm ET: Post updated to provide more details on the wireless mouse.