Gaming mice are scary. They’re all sharp edges, crazy angles, and LED lights that scream “I’m better at games because my mouse doubles as a deadly projectile weapon.” Increases to kill ratios notwithstanding, gaming mice have always represented the pinnacle of right-handed (and left-handed) peripheral hardware, and the flexibility and customization of the products have always been a draw to the gaming crowd. The Fierce 5000 DPI Laser Gaming Mouse v. 2 from Rude Gameware tries to capitalize on these traits, and after using it for a few days, we believe that it lives up the title, albeit with some minor annoyances along the way.
Hardware/Specs
The specifications are a high point for this mouse.
• 5000 DPI Laser Engine
• 1000 Hz polling with 1 ms response time
• Onboard memory to save your modifications
• 7 independently programmable buttons and macro support
• Adjustable Weights
• Zero-Acoustic Ultra-smooth Teflon feet
• Always-On mode
• On-the-Fly Sensitivity DPI adjustment (no driver needed)
• LED DPI Indicator
• Gold plated USB connector for maximum conductivity
• 7 foot, lightweight, non-tangle cord
• Included customization software
The high DPI and low response times are becoming a standard in the gaming mouse segment, and there are even some units that get those speeds wirelessly. While the Fierce is wired, the braided cable is a nice touch. For those unfamiliar with the term, a braided cable feels a lot like a shoelace. It’s more lightweight than the typical rubberized cable, and affects your mouse movement less. It also is more tangle-resistant, in our opinion.
The adjustable weights are a welcome addition. They come in a separate case, and are inserted via a slide-out tray on the back of the mouse. It’s easy to get to, and a useful feature for the heavy-handed amongst us.
There are 5 preset DPI settings (all customizable via the software; more on that later), and they can be changed on the fly with a simple button click. The LED on the mouse changes colors as you cycle through the settings, so you always know what setting you’re currently using. The extra programmable buttons are placed well. You don’t find yourself accidentally hitting them a lot, yet they are placed for easy access.
The unit is very comfortable to handle and use for long periods of time, and this is the second major goal of a gaming mouse. Having a comfortable mouse for an hour CoD session makes a big difference. It’s also very comfortable for day-to-day use, so the cube jockeys can appreciate its value as well.
Software
The first mistake Rude Gameware made was shipping the software on a mini CD-ROM. They don’t fit into many optical drives, and slot-loading users are out of luck loading the software offline. Unfortunately, getting the software from their website is not an option. After looking through their seemingly very slow website for a download link, we submitted a support ticket via their online support system, and two days later I got a response saying that my ticket was closed because it was a duplicate ticket. This being the first ticket we’ve ever submitted to them, we find that a little hard to believe.
Eventually, I used another computer to install the software, and the process was pretty simple. You don’t actually need to install the software to use the mouse; Windows handles that in the OS. The software just gives you access to all the promised customization in the spec sheet. DPI settings can be tweaked via handy slider bars, but we wish there was a more exact way to accomplish this, as the slider bars are hard to control with accuracy. All the mouse buttons can be customized here as well, and you can create and assign button macros for this purpose. It’s a very cool and easy to use feature, and there are many obvious applications for this in any genre of gaming. You can customize five different profiles and switch between them easily.
The only real gripe we had with the software is that every time you apply settings, it has to reset the mouse. However, this probably has to do with the fact that the configuration is saved on the mouse’s onboard memory, and is probably by design.
Performance
We’ll never claim that a better mouse produces a better gamer, but we will say that a better mouse makes for a better overall gaming experience. The adjustable DPI let you make cursor movement smoother depending on what game you’re currently playing, and the weight adjustment will help your hand move the mouse more accurately to line up that perfect headshot. For those that can tell the subtle difference, the response time and polling rate definitely make the mouse snappy and responsive. Understandably, the average user probably won’t notice a huge difference. The included teflon feet work well on any surface, and using it on a bare office-desk-wood surface felt like using a mousepad.
Rating: 4.5/5
The Fierce Gaming Mouse v.2 is a solid mouse. It combines the look and feel of a gaming mouse with a strong spec sheet and performance to boot. The software is easy to use, if you need to use it, and it’s versatile enough to use in a regular day-to-day setting as well as on hours-long raiding parties. If you can live with a slow support website and only modest levels of hardware support, at a modest price point of $49.95, it’s a good purchase for anyone looking for a mouse upgrade.