SteelSeries Kana CounterStrike: Global Offensive Edition Gaming Mouse

PC gaming has reached the point that there is simply no excuse to still be using generic mice and keyboards for gaming. Competitive gaming or e-Sports has evolved to the point that equipment is just as important as skills and manufacturers are certainly seeing this as an avenue to grow. With much of the e-Sports scene dominated by select titles for each gaming genre, manufacturers have also made it a point to offer c0-branded peripherals for hardcore fans. Today we’ll looking at a set of such peripherals brought to us by SteelSeries in cooperation with Valve; we have the Kana, Siberia V2 and Qck gaming peripherals all of which feature signature CounterStrike: Global Offensive artwork and styling. For this article we’ll be focusing on the Kana gaming mouse. Is this optical-sensor-equipped product enough to handle the fragfest and high-twitch demand of the FPS genre? Read on.

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SteelSeries is a gaming peripheral company with a port-folio filled with gaming mice, keyboards and headsets tailored for specific gaming needs. SteelSeries has a distinct style to their products, favoring basic stylings layered over purebred performance rather than bling and marketing. For this set of reviews, SteelSeries spiced-up their existing line with some bling though for the CounterStrike fan. Let’s check out some specs and images.

Specification:

• Frames per second: 3600
• Inches per second: 130
• Mega pixels per second: 3.7
• Counts per inch: 400 – 3200
• Maximum acceleration: 30 G
• Sensor data path: True 16 bit
• Lift distance: ~2 mm
• Maximum polling: 1000 Hz

Features

• Ambidextrous shape with ergonomic button layout
• Amazingly comfortable size, for all grips
• Tournament Grade Optical Sensor
• Illuminated scroll wheel SteelSeries Engine will allow complete configuration and control of your mouse and gameplay through:
• Drag & drop macros with timing control
• Unlimited number of profiles
• Heat map of button use
• 5 programmable buttons

CLOSER LOOK

[one_half][singlepic id=14032 w=320 h=240 float=center][/one_half][one_half_last][singlepic id=14034 w=320 h=240 float=center][/one_half_last] [singlepic id=14033 w=500 h=350  float=center] The SteelSeries Kana CS:GO Edition mouse comes in a small box featuring CS:GO styling (what else?), with the front having  minimal marketing text other than the bold product name. The back features some text and details about the product but most of the details are provided in the front flap which reveals the mouse protected by a plastic shell giving the potential buyer a preview of the CS:GO and size of the product. [singlepic id=14031 w=500 h=350  float=center] Inside the package is a straight bundle of the mouse and some documentation. [one_fourth][singlepic id=14023 w=150 h=150  float=center][/one_fourth][one_fourth][singlepic id=14024 w=150 h=150  float=center][/one_fourth][one_fourth][singlepic id=14026 w=150 h=150  float=center][/one_fourth][one_fourth_last][singlepic id=14025 w=150 h=150  float=center][/one_fourth_last] The SteelSeries Kana features a sleek, convex body with minimal protrusions. This is classic SteelSeries styling which favors simple yet effective design rather than aggressive and overly-done. The Kana features two side-buttons, one on each side, and is designed for ambidextrous usage. [one_half][singlepic id=14027 w=320 h=240 float=center][/one_half][one_half_last][singlepic id=14028 w=320 h=240 float=center][/one_half_last] The CounterStrike:Global Offensive Edition of the Kana features a signature CS:GO artwork in the upper shell of the mouse. The underside is free from such styling. [one_half][singlepic id=14022 w=320 h=240 float=center][/one_half][one_half_last][singlepic id=14021 w=320 h=240 float=center][/one_half_last] This rendition of the Kana retains the braided cable found on the classic model which some co-branded models do not have. [singlepic id=14029 w=500 h=350  float=center] Here is a shot of the optical sensor.

USER EXPERIENCE & CONCLUSION

It’s quite obvious that this mouse is just a dressed-up version of the classic Kana from SteelSeries and although I have used the Kana a couple of times before, this is actually the longest time I have gamed with the Kana and its quite impressive given the fact that I am very much inclined to heavier and larger mice. For an optical mice, the tracking is excellent and given that I don’t really give a frack about extra buttons means the DPI-switcher and side buttons are already plenty enough for me which should also be reflective of what most FPS gamers prefer for their mice. As mentioned I prefer larger mice but the Kana’s distinct shape makes it a palm-friendly option and the light weight a blessing to twitch situations. Couple that with the textured-outer shell rocking that CS:GO skin and the Kana offers one comfortable experience.

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Let’s break down the scoring for the CS:GO Kana shall we:

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• Build Quality. The Kana is surprisingly well-built for its size. Add to that the excellent CS:GO artwork skin which in itself has a subtle appeal and the feel of it also gives the Kana a certain wow factor.
• Functionality. Doesn’t matter if its a CS:GO branded mice. The Kana offers gaming-grade performance to work wonders in a lot of games and comfort for general day-to-day usage.
• Bundle. Not a lot included in the package compared to the DOTA2 variant. Still, a mouse is a mouse and we don’t expect much to be include in it. Average.
• Value. Retailing for ₱2,850, the SteelSeries KANA CS:GO holds a premium over the standard Kana due to the co-branding. Still, its a high-specification mouse that is priced below mainstream offerings from other brands and puts it a more affordable spot.

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In closing, the CS:GO Kana has impressed us. We’re quite proud of our skills and we want top-end gear to support that in our gaming experience but the SteelSeries Kana proved it can hang with the big boys whilst still keeping a price tag below ₱3,000. The CS:GO branding might have cost it a bit more than the standard Kana but given that its purely cosmetic its up to the gamer on which to choose. We recommend the SteelSeries Kana CounterStrike:Global Offensive for CS:GO fans needing an affordable, high-specification mouse. Otherwise, if you’re still in the market for a gaming mouse and don’t need that CS:GO bling, the classic Kana is a good way to go.

We award the SteelSeries Kana CounterStrike: Global Offensive Edition our Recommended award. The SteelSeries Kana CounterStrike: Global Offensive Edition is backed by a 1-year warranty.

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