Designed with the help of Aleksey “White-ra” Krupnyk, a professional gamer known for his Starcraft 2 play, Tt eSports has released yet another gaming device for the serious gamer; this time around it’s the Saphira Gaming Mouse. Thermaltake Tt eSports has put many different gaming mice on the market over recent months, each with their own set of features, looks and feel. We have previously reviewed the Black Element Gaming Mouse and the Azurues Gaming Mouse from Tt eSports; but today “Charge With Force” and “Challenge is the Game” are the words of the day as we have a look at the Saphira and see how it measures up to previously released gaming mice.

About Tt eSports

“Thermaltake is a well known brand for gaming & DIY in Case, Cooler, and PSU for years. Due to the constant requests for keyboards and mice from gamers and end users, Thermaltake decided to create a series of gaming keyboards, mice, and headsets with the Tt eSPORTS brand. By using Tt eSPORTS, we want to extend our product lines into the gaming industry, and provide more “personalized gaming” gears to gamers and enthusiasts worldwide. With years of experience in gaming industry, Tt eSPORTS is committed to bring the most personalized and the highest quality weapons for the most competitive cyber battles. Designed by gamers for gamers.”

Here is the run down on the features and specifications of the Tt eSports Saphira Gaming Mouse as listed on Thermaltake’s web site. I think you will agree it certainly is decked out with all the bells and whistles!

Features

• Industrial grade rubber coating finish, developed by Tt eSports, provides extra comfort and a better hand grip when gaming.
• Pause-Break lighting effect on the Battle Dragon logo stimulates your combat atmosphere.
• Adjustable DPI from 100 to 3500, this agile sensor engine is fully functional on most surfaces
• OMRON Gaming Switches give you a long life of 5 million keystrokes.
• Side bar rubber grip enhances further control, and with the industrial-grade rubber coating on the mouse body, the Saphira becomes an extension of you.
• 4 DPI indicating signals ensures your gaming demand is matched with the appropriate DPI level.
• Function lock key prevents any command behavior from the side buttons while gaming.
• Personalized Weight-In design allows the gamer to experience the mouse handling with greater comfort. Weight choices from 4.5g to 22.5g.
• On-board 32kb memory storage for 5 fully customizable macro keys for RTS/FPS game genres.

Specifications

• Model: SAPHIRA Gaming Mouse (MO-SPH008DT).
• T.P.G. (Tt Pro Grade) Gaming Optical Sensor 3500 DPI Engine. (100 – 3500 DPI Adjustable). Fully Functional on Most Surfaces.
• OMRON Gaming Switch Capable of up to 5 Million Keystrokes.
• 1.8 meters Braided USB Cable with Gold-Plated Connector.
• 5 Fully Customizable Macro Keys for RTS/FPS Game Genres.
• Superb Customizable Graphical UI for Macro Keys, Advanced Performance, and Lighting-Effect Options.
• 5 Individual, Striking Pause-Break Lighting Effect. Colors: Red, Blue, Green, Pink, Light Blue.
• Pause-Break Lighting Effect on the Dragon logo.
• Intelligent Scroll-Design System provides précised and accurate scrolling behavior, auto-detects users’ next movement in FTS game genre.
• Industrial Grade Rubber-Coating Finish for better Hand Grip.
• On-Board 32kb Memory Storage for 5 Macro Keys within 5 Game Profiles.
• Weight-In Design for Perfect Handling Mouse Movement: (5 x 4.5g, up to 22.5g max).
• Body Dimension (LxWxH): 124.67 X 67.2 X 41.59 (mm).
• USB Interface.
• Windows 7, Vista, XP Compatible.
• Internet Connection for Driver Installation (at least 30MB hard-disk space).

In typical Tt eSports fashion, the packaging comes in a red and black theme highlighting some of the main features of the product, front and back. The box front opens much like a book to reveal a more in depth look at the features of the Saphira Gaming Mouse on the left side. The right side is where you find the mouse itself enclosed in a clear plastic casing.

Once everything is removed from the box, we get our first look at the Saphira up close. The USB cable is completely sleeved and the mouse is all black in color. Along with the mouse is a padded nylon pouch to be used for transporting the Saphira from place to place. there are also a couple dragon logo stickers included along with an aiming guide sticker for your monitor.

The rubber sides of the Saphira Gaming Mouse go a long way towards a secure feeling while moving it around, especially in intense situations. The mouse as a whole is rather large, so those of you with big hands will not dwarf this thing and will find it conforms quite well with your grip. Even if you do not have large hands, you will be able to find a nice comfort zone when grasping the Saphira due to its grooved left and right buttons. Because the programmable buttons are located mid-body, even those with smaller hands will have no problem using the functions on the fly.

The bottom of the Saphira is where you will find the “Weight-In Desigh” behind a removable door. There are five 4.5g weights set inside a rubber holder, which allows for a fully customizable weight option to suit any user. Also located at the bottom area is the 100 to 3500 DPI switch, the 125/500/1000 Hz Polling Rate button, and the Function Lock button. The function lock button is just that, it locks down the side buttons to stop inadvertent actions should the button be pressed.

The right side of the Saphira is null of any features except for the rubber grip. The left side has the two programmable buttons which are set to “next page” and “previous page” by default, but obviously can be changed by using the software. Also on the left side is four lights in a row, these indicate which of the four DPI level you are set at.

The drivers and GUI Software are not included in the package and you will need to go to the Tt eSports website to get them. One of the leaflets in the package, and a sticker on the front of the box, provide the web address to download everything you need. I noticed there was a firmware update available as well; we went ahead and applied the firmware update while we were at it.

Once you install the software and open up the GUI, simply click on the help button. After doing so, you will be presented with all the information you need to program the Saphira Gaming Mouse. Below is the operational guide in a pictorial format just as you view it from the help section of the software. Click on the images from left to right, starting at the top to follow along.

As you can see, the software is easy to use and will allow the user to fine tune the mouse to almost any gaming situation or aesthetic preference desired.

The Tt eSports Saphira Gaming Mouse feels great in the palm of your hand; the more I used it the better it felt to me. The mouse glides effortlessly and very smooth feeling across any pad or surface I tried it on. With all the different profile settings, lighting options, and macro keys available, it is difficult to think of any situation this mouse can’t handle.

The Saphira Gaming Mouse can be had for $59.99 or less at many on-line retailers, and in my opinion it would be money well spent. If you are in the market for a superb gaming mouse that is loaded with the latest technologies then the Tt eSports Saphira Gaming mouse needs to be at or near the top of your shopping list.

Overclockers Tech awards the Tt eSports Saphira Gaming mouse a 9.5/10 and the accompanying Gold Award!

Dino DeCesari (Lvcoyote)

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
•