Corsair Raptor M45-5000 DPI Optical Sensor Gaming Mouse (Raptor M45)

What a beautiful mouse. Has everything you will ever need for the average user. This isn't an MMO mouse or anything so don't expect myriad buttons and access to those kinds of features. It does have an extensive macro system though, and the features on the new firmware are pretty decent for this price range. At any rate mouse enthusiasts usually know what their mouses are for.The side pads as many have said have a sweet feeling sandpaper-like compound... BUT this doesn't last as long as one would like for the thumb position IF you use the mouse a lot. MANY mice today use that decrepit shiny and sticky plastic for where your thumb/pinky finger goes...The feeling after this compound wears down is akin to a slightly stickier plastic. The plastic itself is hard enough so the feeling is never too annoying; I must stress how important this is, because a soft and sticky plastic for my thumb and other fingers will have me wanting to throw the mouse away nearly immediately. I wish the normal sandpaper feel had been able to keep itself for at least 6 months. But this is still much better than my last mouse in feel and touch. I love the overall design of it. I'm just grateful they didn't go with that nasty, shiny stuff CM used on my Havoc.Anyway, I updated firmware and installed software in 2 minutes. While not quite the extensive system of options that CM has, this mouse for the time being has topped my old Havoc which had the aforementioned sticky plastic problem requiring tape. Otherwise I think CM's software is better and allows a lot more functionality with LEDs and a couple other things. What is there is pretty decent and you can tune each axis on the pad and have three different slots for DPI, easily reachable below the scroll wheel. A single, small and red LED light is for the first slot and this goes to three lights. They are pretty low key and not too bright. I shut off the Corsair logo as it was too bright and annoying for my tastes.I am not sure what the native specs are on the DPI sensor but I use about 900-1200 on my desktop and it feels about perfect. I certainly don't need much higher. My PC gaming is mostly done with a controller, but scrolling and clicking buttons works great for the games that need it.As with every mouse make sure it fits your hand. I feel I can put my palm into if I want or just basically finger touch it and the control and ease with how this mouse glides makes mousing fun again (I have been using some dimestore version for the past 10 days). They have a nice supplement of weights if you choose to lower what they have at the factory. I don't mind it right out of the box. Others will want to take a weight or two out.The roller is also topnotch here and has a metal and rubber design. Still working great after a year of solid work. The materials have held fairly well over this time and I am completely satisfied with the mouse. All in all a homerun for the M45.

At the time that I bought this mouse it was about $40, and for that price it is a very good mouse that holds its own against other mice that are in the same price range. However my history of mice I have always gone for the most expensive and it turns out for good reason. First let me start by saying what I do like about this mouse because there really is a lot to like, it just doesn't fit my niche taste.Pros: Bargain for what you getSensor - (tracks amazing, you can find many tracking tests online of this sensor)DPI buttons - (a lot of mice in this price range don't always include them)Scroll wheel - (very stiff and clicks with just the right amount of force)Weights - (again a lot of mice in this price range don't always include them so its nice to see)Software - (straightforward, easy to use, no issues at all with it)Now, before I jump into what I dislike, first I need to give some history. I had a logitech g9x for almost seven years before I decided on a new mouse. Now the logitech g9x was a great mouse and it better have been as it was almost $100 for a new one at its time of release. It was extremely good for a laser mouse but being laser it tracked better on hard mouse pads than cloth ones. I now prefer cloth mouse pads that's why I started looking for a mouse with an optical sensor. One other thing that was of utmost importance was that the mouse have a similar shape to the g9x so after much researching enter the corsair m45, similar in pictures and in side by side comparisons, I thought I found a mouse I could love as much as my logitech g9x, but that tracked well on cloth. I admit I had high expectations but and I so wanted to like it but I was disappointed. Here are the problems I have with this mouse.Cons: ErgonomicsButton StiffnessNow that doesn't seem like a whole lot to complain about, but when you have used the same mouse for almost seven years you learn how important ergonomics are. If the mouse isn't comfortable than nothing else really matters in my oh so humble opinion. Now I play first person shooters and I tend to like buttons that are somewhat stiff so I don't accidentally hit a button I didn't intend to, but with this one the buttons are so light that I hit them ALL THE TIME. I would constantly right click when I was just trying to left click, and I would double click when I meant to single click. This is the same reason I use a mechanical keyboard with the furtherest key travel length to actuate. I admit this might be good for MOBAs or games where you have to click a lot, but no not for me. Now going on the ergonomics, it's not bad per se, but it's not good either. My hands are about 19.5 cm or just over 7 inches. I have a hybrid of claw and palm grip. This mouse was unable to fulfill my preferred grip method, and not only did it force me into a palm grip, it was an uncomfortable one as well. I have used palm grip mice before such as the logitech mx5128 and the logitech g500, and this is a much different palm grip style, it seems too low and not raised enough where your fingers lay for a palm grip yet too wide for a claw.So this may seem like I am being picky and I am, but unfortunately this mice wasn't for me. I did however keep it as a backup mouse. Mice I have tried and returned since the purchase of this one, include logitech g303, Steelseries Rival 300, Logitech g100s, and an old Microsoft Optical one. This is still a good mouse, hence why I chose it as a backup, so don't get me wrong it's not bad by any means it just didn't live up to my standards.Currently I am waiting on a Zowie EC-2A after liking the Steelseries Rival but thinking it was just a tad too uncanny.

One of those mouses that feel awkward at first but once you break into it, it's quite nice. Definitely for people who like that rough edge/technical feel to their mouses. For claw grip and finger tippers.

Nice looking, so comfortable, so smooth w/mm200, i liked that added weight, old mouse but still great, I recommend it!

Met my expectations, I really like the mouse. my only problem is the design is a lot different than any other mouse which took some getting used to, not a big deal and still worth every penny.

This mouse has changed my life! Well, no it hasn't, but it does what it's supposed to, and I have that going for me, which is nice.

Only worked for six months before it broke, even though I have never dropped it once. I tried to do the soft reset trick, but still kept turning off on it's own. With the warranty Corsair sent me a M65 as a replacement, but made me pay for shipping.