Tt eSports Black Element: This is not a lump of coal.
Digital Doug (Doug Berner) takes the Black Element mouse from Thermaltake for a test spin.
Thermaltake has been busy of late in their efforts to get their Tt eSports line into the mainstream and as we have seen in previous reviews they have delivered some excellent products. So when they asked us to take a look at the Black Element mouse, I practically begged Ed to let me have it. I’ve the Tt eSports Black Element mouse this month, the second Tt eSports gaming mouse I’ve had the chance to review this year, so I had some idea what to expect. But will it live up to those expectations?
The product as with other items from this lineup comes well boxed and upon opening the boxes I found that the mouse wrapped in plastic. The cable is reinforced and made for serious use is also is of generous length of. As with previous Tt eSports products I have seen there is a soft black carrying case for transport and storage. Remember that this line of products pays special consideration to those that travel to game for events like LAN parties and competitions.
The Black Element has that great mat black finished that I was so fond of in the other original Black mouse that I reviewed a few months ago. A generously sized button area gives the user a wide range of grip possibilities without fear of missing a button and the action is positive
weather clicking on the middle or the extreme edges. The Black Element has the same great heft to it that the original Black did and an aggressively notched scroll wheel also acts as a middle button. On first appearance the big difference here seems to be in styling. Where the original Black Mouse is very large and wide at the back, the Black Element starts wide at the front and narrows considerably toward the back.
The Black Element hooks up via that reinforced heavy cable which also includes a Velcro tab to secure the cable when its being stored in its transport bag. The top surface has a great rubberized feel to it giving positive grip regardless of playing conditions. The wheel, Tt logo, and back flanks are back lit in red matching the other Tt eSports item very well. The left side sports three thumb buttons the stock uses of which are a “forward” “back” and middle macro functions.
The included software allows the user to among other things reassign these three buttons to other functions that fit their needs better. In fact the software allows all the buttons on the mouse to be reconfigured to whatever you may want them to be. This same software allows five different profiles to be saved for the mouse so it can switch in a blink between custom setting for various game or character profiles or work and office applications each with its own custom button settings. This is handy not only for one person to switch between these rolls but if as sometimes happens more than one person uses your PC each can have their own custom profile when they sit down to use this mouse.
The Black Element mouse offers quiet solid performance. As expected the rubberized texture and large button areas allow for a wide range of finger placements and dependable performance regardless of where you click. Top buttons allow on the fly resolution adjustment from 800 to 6500 DPI which is enough to make anyone happy. The weight of the Black Element is adjustable with the addition or removal of several 4.5g weights.
Operation of the Black Element is superb and in over a month of use I’ve had not a single performance complaint. No missed or double clicks, no sticking buttons no problems at all weather used for office applications or heavy gaming.
One very nice surprise when I got into the software was the ability to change the color of the internal lighting to any of five different colors. This means no hesitancy about the color of your mouse matching the color of your keyboard or case lights. I know it sounds picky but I like to keep mine all the same. Colors offered are red, light blue, dark blue, green, and even purple.
Pros:
- Nice heft, rubberized texture and generous button size make this mouse a dream to use.
- Flawless dependability and rugged construction promise years of use.
- Programmable buttons, on the fly resolution adjustments and five lighting options give you a great level of customization.
Cons:
- The only drawback that I found with this mouse is the one that will make me go back to my previous mouse. The back is too narrow and small for my grip.
This is not really a Con so much as a personal preference, I have large hands and use a palm grip for my mouse control. The Black Element seems designed with medium to smaller hands in mind. If you have large hands like I do, you may want to consider the original Black mouse for comfort reasons. For medium sized hands the Black Element is likely to be a great fit. The way you grip the mouse could effect this as well.
In the end I put this mouse down only for its size which was just not comfortable for me in long sessions of more than an hour.
I began this review with high expectations and the Black Element did not disappoint. Its performance and features are right in line with the other excellent products I have seen coming from the Tt esports lineup. If you are looking for a mouse that offers great looks, will stand up to heavy use and offer the customization you want for multiple rolls, I strongly suggest taking a look at the TT esports Black Element, you will be glad you did.
Review as aired live 21 August 2011
