Gaming mice seem to be getting more expensive each year with little consolation for those on a tight budget, though with the 500M, could Cougar have the answer?
Product on Review: 500M Gaming Mouse
Manufacturer: COUGAR
Street Price: £30 GBP / $45 USD
Cougar have been responsible for many of the interesting peripherals we have seen at Vortez lately, including the 700K and the 700M. The attention to detail and quality in each product has been a particular aspect to note and we expect nothing less in the 500M.
The 500M comes in at a more reasonable price of just £30 (compared to a market where high end units are now shifting for £60-120), yet we still see a well designed, elegant curves for comfort and innovation in the form of a ‘Trigger Button’ that is easy to access and use. This Trigger can be used to swap between three customisable profiles that are saved onto the mouse with its on-board memory. Kitted out with Omron switches for reliability and a high quality ADNS-3090 optical sensor, on paper there is a lot to look forward to. So let’s move on to get a hands on experience before giving our verdict.
Overview by Cougar
500M is one of the finest gaming tools you can currently purchase. With an excellent sensor, good components and rich functionality, owning a 500M will significantly enhance your gaming experience.
COUGAR 500M becomes one with your hand and allows you to unleash your full power. This gaming mouse’s design is based on sound ergonomics, and goes a step further from mere comfort: it helps you enhance your control of the mouse. COUGAR 500M, a superb gaming mouse that brings you the best ergonomic design.
COUGAR 500M becomes one with your hand and allows you to unleash your full power. This gaming mouse’s design is based on sound ergonomics, and goes a step further from mere comfort: it helps you enhance your control of the mouse. COUGAR 500M, a superb gaming mouse that brings you the best ergonomic design.
Technical Specifications
Sensor: ADNS-3090 Optical gaming sensor
Resolution: 400/800/1200/1600/2000/2400/3200/4000 DPI
Game type: FPS / MMORPG / MOBA / RTS
Polling rate: 1000Hz / 1ms
On-board memory: YES
Software: COUGAR UIX™ SYSTEM
Programmable buttons: 6
Switching: OMRON gaming switches
Profile LED backlight: 16.8 million colors
Frame rate: 6400 FPS
Maximum tracking speed: 60 IPS
Maximum acceleration: 20 G
Interface: USB plug
Cable length: 1.8m Braided
Dimension: 135(L) X 70(W) X 45(H) mm
Weight: 115g
Resolution: 400/800/1200/1600/2000/2400/3200/4000 DPI
Game type: FPS / MMORPG / MOBA / RTS
Polling rate: 1000Hz / 1ms
On-board memory: YES
Software: COUGAR UIX™ SYSTEM
Programmable buttons: 6
Switching: OMRON gaming switches
Profile LED backlight: 16.8 million colors
Frame rate: 6400 FPS
Maximum tracking speed: 60 IPS
Maximum acceleration: 20 G
Interface: USB plug
Cable length: 1.8m Braided
Dimension: 135(L) X 70(W) X 45(H) mm
Weight: 115g
Packaging & First Look
The packaging is small yet sufficient in a cute kinda way, featuring a large image of the product while listing some information at the bottom.
At the back we get a detailed diagram displaying the locations of each feature of the mouse with a detailed specification in various languages.
Inside there is little needed extras for this mouse, so we get a small fold open manual and some fancy Cougar case stickers.
The 500M features a 1.8m long braided cable and connects to your system via USB.
The 500M mouse has some attractive lines and curves, with textured grips on either side. The large mouse wheel is also quite a prominent feature with the ‘Trigger Button’ sitting behind it.
Closer Look
At the front we can see it has a slightly left leaning arch which helps with comfort and grip while its low height looks like it is set to be suitable for various grip styles. From this angle the mouse wheel in its solid housing dominates the front of the mouse, it has grooves cut out to aid with traction when in use.
Large forward and back buttons, 3 lighting stages to indicate which profile is in use and a large helping of honeycomb textured grip to help with control.
From the back we can see more of those curves, while the Cougar logo creates an expected identifier, unfortunately some may have liked to see some lighting here.
More of that anti-slip grip.
The large Trigger Button is used by pulling it back, be default it selects between profiles but it can be programmed for other uses within the UIX software.
The underside reveals the optical sensor, and the large slip pads designed to help with control.
Software & Lighting
The Cougar UIX is a fairly simple to use software driver which will save your settings to the devices on-board memory. The UI is attractive and guides you through each function with handy tips where needed. The UIX allows you to fully customise and program each button to your desire Adjustments in DPI for the 500M are in relatively large steps of 400DPI and can be changed on the fly with 3 different modes for each profile. The software features a macro recorder as well as lighting colour customisation.
By default, the lighting was set to the Cougar orange, though once the UIX was installed it changed to white. The LED lighting is a useful visual indicator to which profile/mode you are using.
Performance Testing
The construction of the 500M feels solid, with well aligned lines and curves in the right places. The general feel and quality is great, giving a sense of value and good design. Setting up without the drivers is as simple as plugging in the USB connector, though to get the most out of is you will need to install the UIX driver.
Ergonomically speaking, the 500M feels very cool and natural in the hand while the textured grip at the sides gives an increased sense of control. The shape lends itself to a claw grip well, but those who use a palm grip won’t feel any discomfort either. The only considerations is that it is quite slender and there is no rest for the ring finger or for those that prefer a larger, wider feeling mouse; there is however, a curve which allows your ring finger to find a comfortable position regardless. Though the side buttons are large, they are placed fairly high up, making them more convenient to hit in a palm grip, where as in a claw grip I would have preferred them to be a little lower.
The left and right mouse clicks are strong, and give a solid click feeling. These properties are shared with the excellent mouse wheel that gives smooth/tactile scrolling with perfect force needed to click, not too light and not too stiff. Finally moving to the Trigger Button, there is a large finger grove which allows you to easily pull back the trigger which by default changes DPI/mode for whichever profile you are using. It does feel like a little effort to use, especially over simple DPI buttons but its an interesting solution that works.
Testing the performance was quite interesting in regards to tracking, on standard black fabric mouse mats, the tracking was flawless, but varied greatly with different surfaces. On plain white paper there was a tendency to drift which was even worse on printed paper, creating visible jumps in the tracking as the sensor moved over writing and images. As a rule, glossy/coloured and textured surfaces tended to be worse over plain, dull surfaces and it is highly recommended that this mouse is used with plain black mouse mats which have no printed design.
In Battlefield 4, the 500M was a reliable weapon of choice, giving great performance for sniping, spraying and fragging away at your enemies. However, in DOTA 2 I felt that the mouse clicks actuation force was too high and after long 30 minute match of frantic clicking, the strain became a little uncomfortable as I could feel the muscles in my fingers and wrist fatiguing. This could be a minor factor as the switches may wear in over time but this was something that directly impacted my game play.
Conclusion
Keeping up their passion for quality, the Cougar 500M proves itself to be a true product from a leading design team. The finish and quality is excellent and the comfort and feel in the hand fills one with confidence. The ‘Trigger Button’ is an interesting approach to on-the-fly DPI adjustments and with the software, you could even use it as a trigger in game, but realistically its position makes that a little unfeasible, but highlights how gamers and enthusiasts will love the programmability provided by Cougars UIX software.
There are few considerations to mention in regards to the 500M but they are minor at best. One of these would be the tracking, though this is a known weakness of this optical sensor, and as long as you use a plain black gaming surface the tracking will be consistent and flawless. The other being the high actuation force of the mouse clicks but this could simply be down to the switches needing a break in period. The 500M is priced highly competitively, and while there are other mice on the market for a similar price which may offer other features, such as customisable weight or a different design of LED lighting, the quality in the construction and design of the 500M makes ‘other features’ become little more than extra fluff.
The Cougar 500M carries the philosophy of high quality construction, design and performance into a lower price bracket and will certainly come recommended.
Pros.
+ Feels good/ Comfortable
+ Solid construction
+ Fully programmable
+ On-board memory
+ Good software support
+ Price
Cons.
– Doesn’t track well on varied surfaces
+ Feels good/ Comfortable
+ Solid construction
+ Fully programmable
+ On-board memory
+ Good software support
+ Price
Cons.
– Doesn’t track well on varied surfaces
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
