frontEven as early as the name, SteelSeries knows how to appeal to MMO addicts such as myself. Sure, 'Legendary' sounds desirable, but what attracts me is the color of the font. It's not a phenomena restricted to the massive-multi genre, either; anyone who has scrambled for a green set item in Diablo 2 shares the same rush that raiders do when they roll for legendary loot. SteelSeries has dropped a Legendary Edition MMO Gaming Mouse, let's roll to see if it's a Need, Greed, or Pass. Ether way you will find us testing it out in a game of Battlestar Galactica online.

Product Name: MMO Gaming Mouse Legendary Edition

Review Sample Provided by: SteelSeries

Review by: Adam

Pictures by Wes, Adam

IMG 5388_wowlegendary

 

Weight

115 grams (0.25 lbs)

Height

40 mm (1.6 in)

Width

81 mm (3.2 in)

Length

115 mm (4.5 in)

Optical Sensor

 

Frames Per Second: 3600
Inches Per Second: 130
Counts Per Inch: 3200
Acceleration: 30 G
Lift Distance: 2mm

Operating systems

-Windows 2000

-Windows XP

-Windows Vista

-Windows 7

-Mac OSX

 




Packaging
The front of the package for the Legendary shows of a nice action shot of the mouse, set against a faded map of Azeroth. It is easy to see what sets this mouse apart from others, including the previous two versions SteelSeries has released. The most noticeable is the lightning graphic that originates from a glowing orb containing the logo from WoW, which the retail packaging captures quite nicely. The Legendary title also contains the 'legendary' formatting from in-game items, including color and brackets.

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Appearance isn't the only thing the Legendary MMO mouse has to offer, as the back of the packaging explains. A few screen captures from the software as well as a brief explanation of features occupy a call-out graphic to help consumers understand what the mouse is equipped with. Shoppers can even open the front of the box book-style to see the contained product, get a feel for its grip, and learn what inspired the mouse from a quick introductory paragraph.

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Opening the box, you are greeted first by a few professional gaming teams who have had a hand in the design of the mouse. This association with actual gamers is something we see with just about ever SteelSeries product, and one of my favorite qualities of the company. Inside, the un-braided USB cord is nestled in a cardboard cove of its own, underneath which the actual mouse sits. Behind the Legendary's plastic home you will find a few reference materials as well, and of course that SteelSeries sticker badge.

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Design
The length of the mouse is a bit shorter than what I'm used to, but extremely close to previous versions of SteelSeries' MMO mice. Since I tend to place the bottom edge of my palm on the very back of the mouse, my hand is positioned naturally in a mild form of a claw grip. The scroll wheel is in the direct middle of the mouse, equipped with a single-click. The raised border to the left and right of the wheel also each serve as an additional button, with another larger, single button at their base. This totals four unique, programmable buttons just in the scroll wheel area alone.

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The mouse is guided using the thumb and ring-finger on either side, grasping the mold to control hand movements. We commonly see two customizable buttons placed directly above the thumb as we do with the Legendary, though they can sometimes be hit or miss. In my case, the rear of the two buttons is extremely easy and comfortable to reach with the thumb, while the front button requires a slight shift of the entire hand to reach comfortably.

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In addition to these two horizontal buttons, SteelSeries has also installed two vertical buttons that line up perfectly with the natural rest of my thumb, creating somewhat of a directional pad between all four. Though these are extremely accessible, the fact that they are positioned directly with the thumb rest means they are easy to press on accident.

My favorite button is on the opposite side of the mouse. The Legendary edition is also a bit wider than the common mouse, which allows for a lip on the right-hand side for the ring finger to rest on. This also allows for yet another customizable button directly under the ring finger. Since this button is on a level surface (as opposed to on the side of the mouse), it requires actual effort instead of an accidental nudge to activate. For those of you keeping track, this is our eleventh (and final) programmable button.

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The bottom of the mouse is fairly typical, equipped with two ceramic feet near the bottom and one at the top to ensure a smooth glide on a wide variety of surfaces.

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The remainder of the physical design is more of a homage to World of Warcraft fans. The most notable trait is the glowing WoW logo, which pulsates and can be set to any color on a 16.8 million palette. This lighting does have a practical application of easily indicating which of the ten profiles is currently selected. For instance, my Warrior profile is a red glow while my Mage is a blue. Since one of the customizable face buttons can be set to switch profiles on the fly, it's a handy visual tool to guide you to the desired profile (and if accidently hit, may explain why your DPS rotation isn't working).

The pulsing logo and the splintering lightening graphic around it was inspired by an actual in-game item, the Thunderfury. This sword, according to Warcraft lore, is equipped with a talisman that contains the essence of the Prince of Air, Thunderaan. That talisman is unmistakable in-game, a bright glowing orb just above the hilt of the sword. The pulse-globe on the Legendary Edition MMO mouse has the same effect while sitting on a gamers' mouse surface. The Thunderfury is of course a Legendary sword, denoted by the same orange font that attracted me to SteelSeries' packaging.

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Software
If the glowing World of Warcraft logo and reference to in-game lore wasn't enough to convince you that SteelSeries has developed a mouse 100% committed to the title, the software will. The GUI of the suite features that same color scheme and fonts you would associate with the series, while once again boasting the logo of the MMO behemoth. Everything is accessed from this one window; instead of tabs switching the main screen to adjust different properties, the left, right, and bottom consist of expandable trays in which properties, illumination, and assignment can be customized.

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The main window, however, is equipped with a row of profiles (up to ten) to individually adjust each. If the illumination of the glowing orb is changed, it will reflect underneath the corresponding number as well. So again, if you're associate the color blue with your Mage more than you do the number 7, it is easy to find and make adjustments to. Furthermore, the software allows you to actually tie your World of Warcraft characters to profiles. Simply click on the generic avatar image, and you'll be prompted to enter the realm, character name, and region of the desired toon. The software fetches this information surprisingly quick, and display the character's in-game portrait as well as name, level, and realm. This is a great option for those who don't want to memorize which ten colors go with what.

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In this window, clicking on anyone of the eleven buttons on screen will automatically pulled open the assignment tray to the right. In addition, clicking the desired button the physical mouse will also highlight that button in the software. The assignment tray is occupied with four categories: game commands, CPI settings, profile switching, and macros.

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Game commands consists of seven drop down menus, allowing you to select in-game actions regarding to movement, chat, action bars, targeting, interface panels, camera, and miscellaneous (screen shots, volume, etc.). When a desired action is found, you simply drag and drop it onto the button you would like to assign it to.

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CPI settings allow you to switch between preset counts-per-inch values of 400, 800, 1600, and 3200. In addition, you can choose for a button to increase to the next CPI value up, or decrease to the next CPI down. Though the starting CPI can be set in the Mouse Properties tray on the other side of the software, you are still limited to those four CPI values. The Profiles section of the Button Assignment tray functions just as CPI, switching to any specific profile with the click of a button, or choosing to cycle through them all.

Macros will be displayed on the last drop down option. For any to be listed, you must create them first. The creation and management launches into a smaller window of its own, consisting of a large dialogue box to record the string as well as several check-box options. Essentially, SteelSeries has broken down recording into actions or text strings. By default, the software assumes you are recording some sort of hotkey string, and will begin and end the recipe with an 'Enter' press. This can easily be deleted by click on it, erasing the entry. From there, clicking on the input box will allow you to record key presses. Choosing a text input will automatically create a delay, but will not utilize the 'Enter' strokes by default.

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Mentioned before, the Mouse Properties tray on the left side of the software will allow you select the starting CPI of the profile (400, 800, 1600, or 3200). From this tray you can also adjust the double-click speed, scroll speed, and pointer speed, which are on adjustable slide bars. Two vertical slide bars finish the tray, allowing users to tweak the sensitivity for the X- and Y-axis (between 1 and 10). Polling rate and executable choices are also available via the 'Profiles' and 'Tools' link at the top.

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Finally, the Illumination tray along the bottom of the software expands to reveal a drop-down for color, intensity, and pulsation of the glowing orb on the mouse. Clicking on the color will drop a random-seek palette of 16.8 million colors. Intensity can be set to low, medium, high, or turned off completely. Pulsation frequency (how long it takes for the image to go from dark, to peak brightness, to dark again) can be set from low, medium, high, or off as well.

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Performance
I prefer a wider mouse for almost every application, and the Legendary just the right size to support both the thumb and ring finger. Since the ring-finger has a rest of its own, the pinky finger takes the role of gripping the right side of the mouse, combined with the thumb on the right. As mentioned in the design section of this article, because the thumb is still used to steer the mouse in any direction, the buttons directly underneath are susceptible to accidental triggers. I'm used to a more finger-tip grip with my mice, so the somewhat shorter length took a little getting used to, but was still comfortable in the end.

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I'm not a huge fan of the finish on the top of the mouse, however. The glossy finish, in addition to being difficult to photograph, can be difficult to grip. Granted, the thumb and ring/pinky fingers are used for griping (and therefore have a more slip-resistant coating), but the gloss does extend to the left- and right-click buttons. There were times when I would try to wake myself up in the morning, before a shower, with a little gaming. A simple scratch of the head was catastrophic, enough oil from my hair to make my finger slide back instead of compressing the left click.

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This isn't due entirely to the finish, nor to my luxurious, full scalp. The distance between the shell on the left- and right-click and the mechanism that fires the signal to the computer seems to be more distant than what I'm used to. To put it simply, it requires more effort to left- or right-click. This isn't a review-breaking trait, and indeed there may be those out there that prefer more resistance on clicks. In combination with the slick finish of the mouse, I found myself constantly wiping my hand to feel as though I had the proper hold on the mouse.

If you have read any of my other writings, you may know I already have a bias against glossy finishes because of how they attract finger prints. Rest assured, however, that regardless how much you touch the Legendary MMO mouse, it will still look great, which is a credit to the material that SteelSeries has decided to use.

In-game performance with the Legendary MMO mouse, especially in World of Warcraft (as you may imagine) is great. Though the mouse is an obvious tribute to the monumental online title, the mouse functions very well for any MMO, though the majority of the software will be moot unless you're fighting for or against the Horde. Converting the button assignments to any other title may require a little effort too, but it is possible.

The CPI, or counts-per-inch, is similar to DPI (dots-per-inch) as most are familiar with. CPI, however, is SteelSeries' claim that is more accurate, and given that DPI originated as a printing term, they may be on to something. Regardless, I am lucky in that my typical value is included in the four which can be selected from. In addition, SteelSeries has included a nice range of users here with support from low, 400 CPI settings (we usually see 800 here), and high 3200 CPI settings (again, usually somewhere in the 2000 field). Regardless, if you're one of those picky gamers who NEEDS their setting to be 1785, for instance, you'll have to compromise with the nearest value available through the software.

Typically, I enjoy a software suite that is compact so I can leave it open without it being too obtrusive to other windows. While the Legendary MMO's suite is just about the ideal size, the use of so many drop down menus is as good a reason to have an adjustable window as any, or at least one that can be maximized to full screen. This sort of function is available in SteelSeries' new Engine software, as we have seen with the Shift and Sensei peripherals. However, the Legendary MMO mouse software is locked at one size. Luckily, this sort of thing is software-based and can easily be patched (hint hint).


Overall
So, a boss just dropped the Legendary MMO mouse from SteelSeries. The mouse is a comfortable fit, though the finish does have me a little concerned about extended play situations, or even for playing while doing everyday actions such as eating, or even scratching. Nevertheless, it isn't hard to get over when you consider eleven programmable buttons (including a customizable left- and right-click), software that integrates with your personal characters and is packed with in-game actions, and a design that's attractive enough to gain the same bragging rights the actual Thunderfury brings. Regardless of what class you may be, this is not an item to pass on.

fvrecomended

Author Bio
Lersar
Author: Lersar
Contributing Editor / Event Staff
Adam is a big proponent of LAN parties, esports and speed-running, and helps organize our semi-annual LAN events. He has covered hardware and software reviews of a wide variety, but most content these days come from event coverage, such as other LAN parties.

Log in to comment

garfi3ld's Avatar
garfi3ld replied the topic: #20117 28 Sep 2011 08:09
A big week in reviews!
Wingless92's Avatar
Wingless92 replied the topic: #20118 28 Sep 2011 08:13
This WoW mouse looks a whole lot better than the first one. Great review Adam. Nothing but the best.

Also loving the layout of this one.
Kelf's Avatar
Kelf replied the topic: #20133 29 Sep 2011 05:57
Nicely done adam. Very impressed with the mouse, it looked great, if I still played wow (does anyone?) I would be all over it.

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