CORSAIR M65 Pro RGB - FPS Gaming Mouse - 12,000 DPI Optical Sensor - Adjustable DPI Sniper Button - Tunable Weights -  Black

DISCLAIMER: I am writing this review within the first few hours of unboxing the mouse, so everything is based on first impressions. Disclaimer x2: the mouse I am replacing is the 2014 version of this one, so I have a pretty good idea what it will be like owning this long-term.

INTRO: I'll start off by saying that my previous M65 is still going strong 3 years later with no issues. The only slight problem that ever came up was the scroll wheel had an issue where it would scroll back up half the time when I was trying to scroll down, but a couple puffs from an air can and a clorox wipe seemed to solve that. The only reason I'm upgrading now is because I'm also upgrading to a Corsair K95 RGB Keyboard, so I decided to get an updated RGB mouse to go with it. The old mouse only had the static blue light, so I convinced myself that the little scare with the scroll wheel was justification enough. Also I'm putting together a spare parts PC for my brother. The fact I'm buying the same mouse even though my old one is still good says something in itself.

FIRST LOOK: Upon first impressions I love this mouse. I loved the look and feel of my previous M65, and this one is only better. I went with the white shell top because I love the clean contrasting look of glossy white among the normally black sea of computer peripherals. I already know I'll be wiping it off obsessively to keep it clean, but it's worth it. Getting beyond the skin-deep stuff, I noticed right away that the sniper button was moved further toward the back of the mouse, putting it where my thumb rests naturally. I immediately sent Corsair a fist bump for that one because the position of the sniper button was my only real complaint with the old M65. I had to adjust my grip and reach for it, and that made me use it a lot less. Outside of FPS games, it makes a great quick macro button or extra key bind.

TEXTURE/FEEL: Another change I noticed immediately was that the sides of the mouse (black areas) have a texture like an extremely fine sandpaper grit . On the old version it was a basic smooth plastic. I like the new texture, seems to have more grip and generate less sweat. The top is glossy and smooth, where the old one was matte and almost rubbery. It was a nice soft texture, but seemed to generate a lot of sweat. The overall shape and size of the mouse seems to be the same, but upon closer inspection there are some very subtle differences. The end result being ever-so-slightly more compact, so that my palm rests on the new mouse less, which is a good thing because my palm would build up a lot of sweat using the old mouse sometimes. So that's +3 Sweat Resistance from shape and texture.

BUTTONS/ACTION: The feel of the L+R clicks is fairly light but clicky enough to feel responsive. With the old mouse, I did notice myself accidentally clicking quite a bit, but that was probably only after it was well broken in. It has 3 weight adjustment zones if you're into that. I think it feels a little better with the single weight at the heel of the mouse taken out, less overshooting on quick snaps. The position of the forward/back buttons is perfect, I much prefer having them both on the left side, in thumb reach, rather than symmetrically placed on each side of the mouse. The scroll wheel is nice and wide, and the scrolling action has a meaty feel so it's easy to distinguish between individual scrolls. Some people like a smoother, more free rolling action, but those people are crazy and probably smell weird ;). If you are way into MMO's or something you might want a mouse with 18 buttons on the side, but in my opinion the M65 has the perfect balance of complexity and simplicity in a gaming mouse.

SOFTWARE/FEATURES: The dedicated sniper button is probably the most unique feature of this mouse, and it's awesome. The DPI controls behind the scroll wheel are also very useful, and another place where they improved over the old mouse: the new one has 5 DPI preset slots, old one had 3 (not including the sniper button). With the software you can customize the amount of DPI you want from each preset, or remap them entirely with different functions/macros. The new CUE software seems to be significantly improved, making it much easier to remap buttons and create macros. You can of course create and customize lighting/macro profiles, even link a lighting effect across compatible Corsair devices. I don't have the Void headset, but am able to link effects between KB+M.

DURABILITY: Obviously I just got this one, but the old M65 survived a couple dozen drops from desk height onto a concrete floor (if lucky, a thin, hard rug to cushion). My office/gamer cave is in a concrete basement, and I shift things around a lot depending on what I'm doing, so some drops occur. I try to take care of my stuff, but I also put it through a lot of use, and Corsair's products have so far taken everything I can throw at them with a smile. Over the years I've purchased a lot of Logitech and Microsoft periphs because they were decent for budget prices. But budget prices beget budget materials, and budget build quality (alliteration is fun!), and I have the graveyard of old periphs to prove it. I also have a wireless Corsair headset that has seen some drops, and only developed one small crack after about a year and a half. Once I noticed that crack, I reinforced those areas with some electrical tape and now not only do they seem nigh on indestructible, I was able to cover up that lame Corsair gaming Antlers-or-whatever logo without disrupting the black satin-y look. Should be nothing but smooth sails from here (wink wink nudge nudge), but I will update my review if anything changes my first impressions.

VALUE/BOTTOM LINE: Corsair makes quality products and the M65 is no exception. If you've never owned a true gaming mouse before, you will be blown away by the difference and never look back. I can't imagine a better all-purpose gaming mouse, and I think $60 is a small price to pay for such a crucial piece of any setup. It might be double the price of your typical Logitech piece, but it's not overpriced and gimmicky like a Razer, and still looks better than any of them. Don't tell Corsair, but I would probably still buy this mouse at $90. And that's why I give it 5 stars.

P.S. Sorry I write long reviews... I just can't do it any other way. I appreciate your time if you made it all the way through.

Good but not Perfect.

For this review, I'll be comparing this mouse to the Logitech G502. I recently purchased both mice and have had a few weeks to use both. They are two of the most popular gaming mice on the market and direct competitors, so this comparison should prove useful for some.

First off, this is the most beautiful mouse I've ever seen. The build quality is incredible and a huge step above any mouse I've used before. The aluminum chassis, rubberized top and sandpaper-like sides make for an incredibly well crafted device. The switches have what I would consider elegant actuation, with good tactile feel that is smooth with a satisfying, muted click noise. The scroll wheel feels elegant as well, with a really nice rubber material and super smooth scrolling action. The LED implementation is also really nice, with a beautifully lit scroll wheel area and brilliant illumination on the back of the mouse. This mouse illuminates the mouse pad and just looks really great, with the option to cycle through the RGB colors or use static colors. In short, its the best built and best looking mouse I've seen, and possibly the best looking peripheral I've ever used- on par with Corsair's gorgeous keyboards. Compared to the G502, this mouse is a step above in build quality and looks.

The tracking on this mouse is excellent. It contains a pixart 3360 sensor, regarded as the best optical sensor on the market. The tracking is extremely accurate. The G502 contains a 3366 (Logitech's variant of the same sensor), so they are very similar. Having said that, I do feel that the G502 is slightly more accurate and responsive. Its hard to articulate what the difference is, its more of a feel you get using both mice. The G502 just seems to track basically perfectly, whereas I did have slightly more trouble aiming with pinpoint accuracy with this mouse. In reality though, the difference would probably be imperceptible to most users.

The location of the "sniper button" is right where your thumb would normally rest. This would present a problem, but the button does require decent actuation force, so I never found myself accidentally activating it while playing. I was able to lift the mouse just fine as well. I do like the location of the "sniper button" on the G502 a bit more, where its located just at the tip of your thumb. It totally prevents any accidental press of the button, and just felt a little more natural to me.

Now we get to the main issue I have with this mouse, and the reason I deducted one star. The shape and weight of this mouse will not be for everyone. Its shorter than most mice, while also being a bit stocky and wide. I use a fingertip type grip where my palm sort of floats above the top surface of the mouse, so I didn't have much of an issue adapting to the shape. However for those with a true palm grip, I doubt they would find this mouse comfortable. I think its probably made mostly for claw grip, and probably most fingertip users will find it comfortable as well (such as myself). However in comparison to the G502, this M65 is decidedly less comfortable. The G502 fits me like a glove. I especially like the extended thumb rest on the G502, and I prefer the grippy textured sides to the sandpaper-like sides of this M65. Aiming and lifting just feels more natural on the G502 for me.

The weight of this mouse is probably its major issue. It comes with 3 weights installed in the underside of the mouse, and its just plain heavy. With the weights installed, I found difficult in lifting the mouse without my fingers slipping, and quick wrist actions for aiming are a bit more difficult than on lighter mice. I find it interesting that a mouse marketed as an FPS mouse would be so heavy out of the box. I removed all 3 of the weights, and its definitely much better. The G502 is also considered a heavy mouse, but it comes without the weights installed. I think without weights, the M65 still feels slightly heavier than the G502. Its definitely something to keep in mind for people who prefer lighter mice. The mouse is just heavy, no getting around it.

Other than the stock/short size and the weight, this mouse is incredible. It looks so elegant next to my Corsair K70 keyboard, and it just exudes a quality of build that I've never seen in a mouse before. Most mice are full of plastic, as the G502 is. The M65 will instantly impress you with how well its made and how great it looks. However, looks are not enough for me to recommend this mouse over the G502. I think the G502 is probably the best mouse I've ever used, even though it looks overly "gamery" and has a plasticy build quality. It just sports more cool features (free scroll wheel being my favorite) and is supremely comfortable. However for those of you who have owned Corsair mice in the past, or who prioritize looks over slightly better performance, the M65 Pro RGB is a wonderful mouse. I would consider it the second best mouse I've ever used, and this is coming from a loyal MX518 and G400 user.

TL;DR:
Pros: Great build quality, most beautiful mouse ever
Cons: Odd shape and very heavy.

Corsair made a lot of good decisions in their update of the tried-and-true M65 model. I'll state the changes I saw between the M65 Vengeance (last mouse I used) and the M65 Pro.

1. OLEDs in the logo and the mousewheel. They are absolutely gorgeous, easily the best implementation of LEDs I've seen on a mouse.
2. They painted the aluminum metal chassis black to match the color of the plastic body. It is also beautiful, and a great little aesthetic choice by them. Similar look to the M45 Raptor
3. They changed the sensor from a ADNS-9800 laser sensor to a PMW3360 optical sensor. Incase you are unaware, the 3360 is the non-exclusive version of the best optical sensor on the market, the 3366 (of g303 and g502 notable fame). For any serious gamer, this was an incredible change to see.
4. They added a gritty texture to the side panels of the mouse, to allow for better gripping. It works as intended, and I frankly liked it alot. It may not be for everyone, however. I would describe it best as a well-done soft sandpaper texture. (No.. it will not make your fingers raw)
5. They moved the sniper button from just-out-of-thumbs reach to right on top of your thumb. As in, in order to hold the mouse, your thumb WILL be on the button. This is the only change that I disagree with, as I did not want to use that button for my purposes. With that said, others may very well enjoy the ease of access for such a button. It took some getting used-to to be gripping a button like that at all times, but did not feel awkward after a couple hours.

The weight of the mouse is adjustable by a total of 20 g, from ~140 g to ~120 g. IMO, the low-end is still too high by most "serious" gamer standards, but can absolutely be used and adapted to by anyone.

The weight distribution of this mouse is great. No complaints there.

The look is awesome, possibly the best-looking mouse I've ever seen.

Sensor is state-of-the-art, and that's not hyperbole. the 3360 is the best available.

All major clicks feel great. However, Corsair is not well-regarded in their click latency. AFAIK it's about 10 ms longer than a ec2-a control in numerous tests. 1/100 of a second is not a major deal, but it is worth noting.

The shape is best-designed for primarily in the claw grip. It fits my hand well (I'm 19cm long and 11 cm wide)

The length to width ratio is somewhere close to 1.35, which is not what most people are accustomed to in a mouse. It does take getting used to.

The software provided by Corsair is top-notch.

OVERALL, I would give this mouse a solid 9/10, and would recommend it to serious gamers looking to try something different.

With that said, this mouse, in a M45 plastic body, (and at ~90 g instead of 120 g) with the sniper button moved back to its previous position, would warrant a 10/10.

So I loved the Logitech G9. When it died I went with a wireless G602. The 602 was okay but not the greatest for my grip. I guess I'm a claw grip to finger grip type mouse user. So I looked up what was the best, the M65 seemed to be that mouse. I get it and hook it up and instantly hated the shit out of this thing. Why would they put this stupid button on the side. Eh God why. I go into the software which makes very little sense and disable the button, setup my colors and adjusted my DPIs. The first day playing with this thing I was pretty sure I was sending it back, the button screwed up everything. But I kept on, it was 40 bucks...I'll give it a few days. By the second day I got use to putting my thumb between the sniper button and the thumb buttons. Then by the third day I was completely use to the mouse and rarely smacked the sniper button. So now I've had it 2 weeks and turned the sniper button back on. It's really useful to be honest. My big problem with the G602 was I would hit the thumb buttons on accident all the time. This one I rarely do, if ever. And I have the DPI on the sniper button to be just slightly lower anyway, plus it's push to use, not toggle. My only complaint is that the middle mouse button is a bit heavy to hold down. I play Siege and when using someone who requires a constant press for the ability it can get heavy, but I guess I could re-assign it. Besides that I love the mouse.

This mouse is amazing. I recently did a peripheral refresh and upgraded from a G700s to this. This is hands down an amazing upgrade from the G700s. I do miss the wireless but the build quality and feel of this mouse is amazing. The aircraft grade aluminum feels amazing and the palm and side grip textures are excellent. You can tune the mouse to whatever surface you're playing on (do yourself a favor and buy a MM300 corsair mousepad to go with this). Using the sniper button feels like cheating. I'm also a big fan of the screw type weights (I prefer heavier mice and am running with all the weights installed). The software is amazing as well. You can build and design any macro function and assign it to any key. The lighting is fully customizable and beautiful to boot.

Feel free to shoot questions my way.

I love this mouse, not only does it look sick, but it functions amazing! I have never experienced any lag or issues with this mouse. Would definitely recommend to a friend.

First off, this is one sweet looking mouse if you ask me. I really like the textured sides that kinda feels like really fine sand paper. I find it help's me keep a grip of the mouse better. Also the mouse has tunable weights you can alter to your liking which I think is nice. When the weights are install the mouse is on the heavy side but I like it that way.

This mouse is using the pixart 3360 sensor which I find offers extremely accurate tracking. I'm using the mouse on a Reflex Lab mouse pad which is washable and it work's great on it. Also the mouse allows the person to set the DPI on the mouse up to 12,000. But I find this to be more of a marketing strategy then anything. I was messing around with the mouse and set the DPI to 12,000. I barely moved the mouse at all and the mouse pointer flew across the screen. I don't think many people at all will be using the mouse at 12,000 DPI.

I find the side "Sniper Button" is nice touch overall I'm using it as a push to talk button for Discord. The "Sniper Button" does require decent pressure to activate. So you really don't have to worry about accidentally activating it while you are using the mouse.

The scroll wheel on the mouse is rubberized and find it scroll's really smooth. I'm finding it really hard to over scroll while using the scroll wheel. I find the overall design of the mouse to be awesome.

hh

Since I got into the high-end PC market about 2 years ago, I have been using exclusively Corsair peripherals and this mouse conforms to the same high standard that I have come to expect from their products. I purchased this mouse because I needed a second mouse to replace a less-than-perfect cheap wireless mouse that was on its way out. The other Corsair mouse that I use with my main desktop PC is the Corsair Sabre, so this review will be from the perspective of comparing the relative strengths and weaknesses of each offering. In terms of comfort, I think that this mouse is a bit more comfortable to use than the Sabre. Additionally, the buttons on this M65 are of higher quality and feel more responsive. I particularly enjoy the concept of the sniper button, but in practice, I always forget about it and never end up using it in games. It isn't all good for the M65, however. The appearance of this mouse doesn't come close to that of the Sabre. There are less RGB zones and the lighting colors are less accurate. Additionally the red of the sniper button is super noticeable and sticks out in my primarily black/white/green setup. Also to note is the fact that it does not glide very smoothly on my MM800 hard mousepad. Luckily I will be using the M65 with my laptop with which I use a cloth pad instead, so this is not an issue. Perhaps this will improve as the pads wear down over time. Overall, this is a good mouse for what I was intending to use it for, which is mainly a backup or secondary mouse. I would have a hard time recommending this over the Sabre though, especially considering that the Sabre is usually cheaper. If you can find this mouse for $40 on sale like I did, you will not be disappointed.

I used to have a similar mouse but moved over to the RAT7. Honestly this doesn't compare to a RAT in terms of accuracy and feel, but it's definitely a contender for the price. After about a year my RAT died and I couldn't afford a new one, so I went cheap on a Mad Catz MMO TE and it was probably the worst mouse I've ever bought. Decided to buy a new mouse and my buddy recommended the Corsair M65 and honesly it's a great mouse, and it's definitely on the tier of the RAT7 as far as gaming mice go, but it's a fraction of the price.

It's got a nice weight to it and I haven't has issues with accuracy. All the buttons can be mapped, even the DPI buttons. Unfortunately you don't see the colors much while you're using the mouse but it looks pretty when your computer is sitting there (if you care about that stuff). I've had some issues with the software for remapping and it takes a bit of time to figure out how to actually remap stuff. But it's plug and play with all functionality built in so you don't actually need the software if you don't care (the mouse will light up with the colors in the product picture by default though).

The only issue I every have is when I have to make extremely small movements, like pixel for pixel. It could be my mousepad surface or the mouse itself but I can't get the mouse to make very slight adjustments without it jumping too far in either direction. This obviously doesn't matter unless you're doing graphic design or something, but I did notice it on a few occasions trying to snipe over long distances in several shooters (BF4,BF1,PUBG,etc.). Using the "Sniper Button" fixes this issue but it's awkward to hold with your thumb and be accurate, at least for me, so I guess it's a non issue if you're fine with that.

It also shows dirt and grease pretty badly but if you clean your gear regularly that shouldn't be a problem.

I have lots of respect for Corsair, despite their keyboards going down hill lately. But their mice are something completely different. I appreciate how Corsair just goes in a completely different direction with their mice shapes, but also continues to deliver great performance and build quality.

The shape is very unique, not many mice use this general shape. Its short, but wide. However, from my experience this can suite all grip styles if your hand is the right size. The shape does take a while to get use to, but once you get use to it I think you would enjoy it.

The buttons are amazing. The left and right click buttons use Omron switches, and they feel great with this shell. Nice and tactile, while being light and quiet. The scroll wheel is one of the best I've used. It has noticeable steps but remains smooth and quiet. Scroll click is a little tight, but that's more than likely due to the high build quality. Left and right click are very tactile but a little mushy at the same time. The sniper button is tactile and tension-ed well, so no accidental hits to that button. Same goes for the DPI buttons.

The sensor is the Pixart PMW3360. I can confirm Corsair implemented this sensor very well, no angle snapping, skipping, jitter or acceleration. No spin outs or anything unusual.