ROCCAT have a new gaming mouse on the market with the world’s only 4000DPI optical sensor. Impressed? Find out what we thought…
Product on Review: Roccat Savu
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Roccat
Street Price £49.99
The Roccat Savu is unlike any other mouse on the market at present as it is the only mouse in the world that has a 4000DPI sensor. This sensitivity is of course already available in laser format at resolutions surpassing this but some laser mice suffer from tracking problems on cloth surfaces whereas optical mice tend to have a greater compatibility, suffering only minor issues on shiny surfaces. Despite this, laser mice have proven more popular because of the advances in technology meaning optical mice were always inferior in terms of DPI.
Roccat are of course no strangers to either format being connoisseurs of the mouse market. The Kone and Kova mice haven extremely popular with gamers worldwide and Roccat hope to replicate this success with the Savu.
High optical DPI is not the only trick the Savu has up its proverbial sleeve though, it also has a the full functionality of Easy Shift[+] and a fully customisable light-bar allowing you to set the mouse to any one of 16.9 million colours. It also happens to use the highest quality materials throughout the design so aesthetically at least, the Savu seem to have it all wrapped up. Some might however say the beauty is only skin deep so we will be giving the Savu a thorough evaluation.
Here’s what Roccat had to say about their latest product:
Combining astounding performance and massively-customizable features – packed into an ultra-rugged, perfectly-balanced, medium-size design – the tough ROCCAT™ Savu Mid-Size Hybrid Gaming Mouse easily dominates every device in its class, helping you to easily dominate every opponent you face.
The Savu features the world’s only 4000 dpi optical sensor – for precision optical gaming second to none. It’s also the world’s first mouse to feature a stats and trophy system – called the ROCCAT™ Achievements Display, or R.A.D. – something previously known in similar form only in online gaming. Plus, our ROCCAT™ Scientists built the Savu using only the highest-quality materials, which means it will perform flawlessly and with the highest precision for the longest time possible
The Savu features the world’s only 4000 dpi optical sensor – for precision optical gaming second to none. It’s also the world’s first mouse to feature a stats and trophy system – called the ROCCAT™ Achievements Display, or R.A.D. – something previously known in similar form only in online gaming. Plus, our ROCCAT™ Scientists built the Savu using only the highest-quality materials, which means it will perform flawlessly and with the highest precision for the longest time possible
Specification & Features
Technical Specifications
Sensor – 4000dpi Pro Optic (R3) gaming sensor
Switchgear – Omron®
Speed – 60 inches per second
Acceleration – 20G
Polling Rate – 125, 250, 500, 1000Hz
Angle Snapping – Zero
USB cable – 1.8m braided
Dimensions – Max. width 7.2cm x approx. 12cm max. length
Weight – 90g (excl. cable)
System requirements – Windows® XP/Windows Vista® 32/64-bit/Windows® 7 32/64-bit
Sensor – 4000dpi Pro Optic (R3) gaming sensor
Switchgear – Omron®
Speed – 60 inches per second
Acceleration – 20G
Polling Rate – 125, 250, 500, 1000Hz
Angle Snapping – Zero
USB cable – 1.8m braided
Dimensions – Max. width 7.2cm x approx. 12cm max. length
Weight – 90g (excl. cable)
System requirements – Windows® XP/Windows Vista® 32/64-bit/Windows® 7 32/64-bit
Features
ADJUSTBALE 4000DPI PRO-OPTIC (R3) SENSOR
with true 400, 800, 1600 or 4000dpi
EASY-SHIFT[+]™ BUTTON DUPLICATOR
with Easy-Aim + Easy-Wheel functions
CUSTOMIZABLE MULTI-COLOR LIGHTING
16.8 million colors + effects and game profile illumination
NO-SWEAT SIDE GRIPS
for extended slip-free play
ROCCAT DRIVER + MACRO MANAGER
for advanced customization + presets for games & apps
OPTIMUM MID-SIZE DESIGN
with perfectly-balanced weight
ULTRA-PRECISE 2D WHEEL
with lock-in incremental steps
ERGONOMIC RIGHT-HAND DESIGN
with soft-touch, ultra-comfort surface
BRAIDED CABLE
offering a robust, stylish connection
ZERO ANGLE SNAPPING
for true competition gaming
HIGHEST-QUALITY COMPONENTS
for a solid build and long life
with true 400, 800, 1600 or 4000dpi
EASY-SHIFT[+]™ BUTTON DUPLICATOR
with Easy-Aim + Easy-Wheel functions
CUSTOMIZABLE MULTI-COLOR LIGHTING
16.8 million colors + effects and game profile illumination
NO-SWEAT SIDE GRIPS
for extended slip-free play
ROCCAT DRIVER + MACRO MANAGER
for advanced customization + presets for games & apps
OPTIMUM MID-SIZE DESIGN
with perfectly-balanced weight
ULTRA-PRECISE 2D WHEEL
with lock-in incremental steps
ERGONOMIC RIGHT-HAND DESIGN
with soft-touch, ultra-comfort surface
BRAIDED CABLE
offering a robust, stylish connection
ZERO ANGLE SNAPPING
for true competition gaming
HIGHEST-QUALITY COMPONENTS
for a solid build and long life
Packaging & First Look
The product is presented in a very attractive matt black package with a colourful embossed main image of the mouse coupled with the company title printed in gloss on the sloped edge of a trapezoid box.
The main features of the product are displayed on the front of the box but if you crave a little more detail, the rear of the package will inform you of everything you need to know.
If you wanted to see if the mouse fits your hand like a glove then you are out of luck with the Savu as this can only be achieved by removing the outer packaging and breaking the seals, something that would not be welcomed in your local PC component store. The inner packaging is however very good with a blister pack protecting the product from unwanted scuffs and scratches.
Aside from the mouse, Roccat have included a quick start guide which is relatively easy to floow but difficult to fold back up which will be familiar to anyone who has tried to fold an ordinance survey map back to its original position. Roccat also include a credit card. Sadly this has no credit on it other than allowing you to register your product with Roccat.
Let’s take a look at the mouse…
Closer Look
On initial inspection, the Savu looks to be a very discreet offering from Roccat; certainly not as gaudy as some of the competitor offerings available. Two side buttons are joined by the obligatory mouse wheel but aside from this there is no other switchgear on the mouse.
The mouse is a smart, three piece design which smooth plastics used on the upper section which stretches from front to back along with textured, rough ‘no-sweat’ side panels. While the textured panels may detract from the aesthetically pleasing smooth upper, the course feel of the side panels are very grippy in use.
To the rear of the Savu we get a first glimpse of the light bar, albeit not illuminated in the above product photograph. The mouse is moulded with a slight incline to the right which, along with the twin mouse buttons means this rodent is suited towards right-handed gamers.
The mouse wheel feels very precise with the heavy grooved notches if somewhat a little too stiff to operate. Regardless, the stiffness of the wheel should be enough to prevent accidental weapon changes mid battle which is no bad thing. The mouse wheel does not have left and right controls sadly but can be pressed to act as a third mouse button if required.
Here we see a profile shot of the Savu. This mouse is 12cm in length so cannot be accused of being overweight rather it is aimed at people who have ‘normal’ sized hands, not to big nor to small – just right! Personally I have larger appendages than the average Joe and while this mouse was comfortable to use, I found myself resorting to the unfamiliar claw grip rather than my preferred palm grip style.
Flipping the mouse over we get to see it’s underbelly where the optical sensor sits in the immediate centre of the mouse body. The Pro-Optic R3 sensor is a worlds first being capable of hitting 4000DPI allowing it to compete with the high end laser mice available. Most optical mice have around 800-1000 DPI which deters many pro gamers who crave ultra sensitive, highly accurate mice so for Roccat hope to balance the sensor scales with this laser equalling optical sensor.
Both the mouse buttons sit upon the contour of the thumb grip. Each switch has the very highly specififed Japanese made Omron switchgear so will be highly durable. I do however find it a little odd that Roccat thought it wise to have a grippy textured side but then provide high gloss buttons which is perhaps the one area where you do not want to slip your thumb over when you begin to perspire.
Let’s take a look at the software which powers the Savu…
Software
We have applauded Roccat before on their software and driver implementation and I am happy to report that matters have stayed the same as the Roccat software is as in-depth as you want to make it yet very simple and easy to use.
The main control section of the software allows as you would expect, to setup the main physical attributes of the Savu such as sensitivity, Vertical scroll and pointer speed. It also allows you to adjust the DPI setting albiet only in four stages, 400, 800, 1600 and 4000.
The button assignment tab allows you to change both the default button activation and the Easyshift[+] fuctions. This works by pressing the EasyShift button and anyone of the other mouse functions. Think of the easyshift button as a shift key and you won’t be far off the mark. This in effect doubles the amount of button assignments available.
Also in the button assignment area is the Macro Manager. Here you can assign one of the pre-set macro settings from a large number of popular games or create your own. Simplicity at its finest.
Advanced control allows more customisation of the Savu to suit your personal tastes. Upto 1.8million colours can be used to customise the light bar on the rear of the mouse. You can have the light bar ‘breathe’ or turn of this functionality altogether. Some of the predetermined colours can be seen below:
While the coloured light bar customisation is a nice touch, I am a little confused as to the usefulness of this as once your hand is placed over the top, the colour becomes irrelevant as you can no longer see it. It is however pretty to look at breathing away on your desk if that floats your boat.
The Roccat R.A.D (Roccat Achievement Display) allows you to compete against yourself allowing you to view your stats and earn rewards as you use your mouse. Gimmicky maybe but it is a ‘nice-to-have’ feature when having a quick rest or indeed measuring how far I moved this mouse while writing the review: 10 metres (not including game testing), 544 left clicks and 20 right clicks. I also made 460 scrolls on the mouse wheel. Useless yet intriguing information I guess.
The final screen shows you what driver and firmware you are currently using along with direct links to driver download and online support.
Overall, the software implementation is very good. I didn’t expect a mid range mouse such as the Savu to have such in-depth software so I was surprised to find a very well written and laid out package allowing all manner of configuration. Well done Roccat!
Performance Testing
General Performance
As with all of the mouse reviews I write. I begin testing immediately by writing up a draft review. This allows me to see how the mouse copes with everyday tasks such as general word processing and the finer more accurate test of photo editing. I am happy to report that the Savu was a pleasure to use throughout. Admittedly, it did feel a little odd to hold initially thanks to the rough texture of the side panels but I soon became accustomed to this and welcomed the textured feel after a while. I am not sure I prefer it over the rubbersied feel of some mice but it certainly shouldn’t slip from your grasp while in use which is ergonomically the Savu’s saving grace.
My issue with it is I found myself resorting to a claw grip and while this is useful for gaming accuracy, it is not ideal for hours of general usage. In fairness, the Savu was never touted as an office peripheral – it is certainly over specced for that but other gaming mice at the same level as the Savu feel better for long mundane tasks.
Gaming Performance
I loaded up a session of Medal of Honor to test the games FPS capabilities and I am happy to report that ifor this genre, the Savu is perfectly suited. Despite my rather sweaty palms, the mouse never slipped from my grip and once I gut used to the button positions, using the Savu soon became second nature. It is very comfortable to use thanks to the moulded thumb rest. Roccat also appear to have had a slight afterthought and shaved a little textured area from the mouse and replaced it with a smooth area as the rough contour would potentially give you a blister on the inside of your ring finger. It’s nice little touches such as this that really make you believe Roccat have poured a great deal of thought into the design of the mouse.
It is perfectly weighted, certainly not too light as I have found with some wired mice. The cable rarely got in my mouse area thanks to the braiding which not only protects against damage but also served to make the cable more rigid allowing it to be placed out of the way for the most part. The Omron switchgear felt great as you would expect but I would have proffered the switches to be contoured to my thumb sideways on rather than the switches being face down as this isn’t the best positioning for rapid melee use when the quickest on the draw means the difference between life and death during online play.
Overall then it has to be said that there are much better mice on the market for everyday use. If gaming is what you spend the majority of time at your pc for though, the SAVU is near perfect for your FPS needs.
Let’s move swiftly on to the conclusion where I gather my closing thoughts on the Roccat Savu…
Conclusion
I like Roccat, I make no secret of that fact. Ever since they broke onto the scene I have admired their discreet, yet interesting designs. The Savu is epitomises this thought as it is far from a brash ugly product yet it encompasses a great deal of features that make it a contender worthy of being on anyone’s gaming mouse short list. From the packaging to the performance it is very good throughout and thus there is very little to find fault with.
As a general use mouse I feel you will neither like nor dislike it. It does everything you ask of it and while Maria in accounts may not like the rough textured feel of the Savu, you will soon become accustomed to it, more so if you do not own hands akin to shovels as the Savu is more suited to medium/small hands.
The gaming performance is where the Savu performs at it’s best though and this is what the mouse was built for. While it doesn’t outpace the high end mice available, it certainly gives them a run for their money. Talking of which, the Savu retails at around £50 and at this price point, you will do well to find a better mouse with more features or a better written software suite. It is simply the best optical mouse currently available – period.
The lightbar is a little gimmicky for my tastes and the two extra mouse buttons could be better positioned but other than that I think this is a great product, worth of our Silver award as it does what it set out to do. King of the Hill it isn’t, there are better mice available but they also cost a fair bit more, It is nonetheless a very worthy adversary which will no doubt worry the competition.
Pros
+ Good packaging
+ Omron Switchgear
+ Great Software Suite
+ Non-slip texture
+ Customisable lighting
Cons
– Questionable button placement
– Too small for big hands
+ Good packaging
+ Omron Switchgear
+ Great Software Suite
+ Non-slip texture
+ Customisable lighting
Cons
– Questionable button placement
– Too small for big hands
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
