All gaming mice look alike and are a baffling classic. However, they are charming to use sometimes, especially high-performance gaming mice suitable for large hands. On the other hand, they are not all ultra customizable at will as some would like.
MadCatz, a manufacturer of mice, has been back on the market for a few months. This time, a new mid/high-end mouse, the MadCatz RAT DWS, is in the spotlight. This high-performance gaming mouse is always so original by its design.
MadCatz has made you the ultimate mouse, customizable at will and above all, with a design that is unlike any other.
If we can blame other mice for resembling each other, the MadCatz Rat Pro X3 is totally one of a kind. This is what makes all its charm but, above all, its interest.
Pros and Cons
| Mad Catz RAT DWS | Mad Catz Rat Pro X3 |
| DAKOTA switches have a solid, responsive click | Comfortable despite its looks |
| 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth wireless options | Top gaming performance and precision |
| 16,000 DPI sensor is ideal for gaming | Excellent sensor |
| No RGB lighting | Quite atypical shape |
Specification
| Mad Catz RAT DWS | Mad Catz Rat Pro X3 | |
| $ | CHECK PRICE | CHECK PRICE |
| Sensitivity | 16,000 DPI | 16,000 DPI |
| Sensor type | Optical | Optical |
| Sensor | Pixart PAW 3335 DB | Pixart PWM3389 |
| Acceleration | 40G | 50G |
| Polling Rate | 1ms | – |
| Dimension | 113 x 87 x 38 mm | 115 x 87 x 38 mm |
| Lifespan | 60 Million clicks | 50 million clicks |
| Weight | 113 g | 105 g |
| Supported OS | Windows® 7, 8, 10 | Windows® 7, 8, 10 |
Design
The packaging of the MadCatz RAT DWS is simple and efficient, with a photo of the latter on the front, a lot of information on the back of the mouse, such as the response time, the number of DPI the type of switch, etc. You will find all this information in detail in the next chapter.
The mouse approaches a style out of the ordinary that we could call “futuristic” and that we find sympathetic. The mouse is mainly made of two materials: plastic which seems solid and high quality, so perfect to last over time, and metal, which is the frame of the mouse. The plastic is present on the buttons, the clicks, the ear rest, and finally, everything that will directly contact our hand.
Regarding the colors, nothing really crazy because we will find a mouse completely composed of black and silver but nothing surprising when we know the brand, which often offers simple and effective products in their design. Only the RAT DWS does not have a backlight, but only a small red LED, which could disappoint some followers. The location for the AA battery is on the back of the mouse; you just have to unscrew and screw on a cap for it to be functional.
Now let’s talk about the buttons, which are not lacking, because indeed, with 14 programmable buttons in the driver, the RAT DWS offers many possibilities; the only limit will surely be your imagination. By taking a little time, everyone can find their preferred layout to optimize their comfort and performance.
What makes this mouse stand out is its modularity because if in all we have three ear rests and two wrist rests in the box, it is certainly not to look pretty but to customize the mouse as you wish. Seems. The change will be purely aesthetic for the wrist rests, going from a predominantly black with the brand’s logo to a predominantly gray without the logo. It’s different regarding the ear rests because there is certainly an aesthetic change, but the interest is in ergonomics and comfort of use. All this will be more detailed in the Comfort section.
Mad Catz Rat Pro X3 – in terms of design here, there is clearly to be said. We find a Transformers-style mouse, half-open and not made of a single unibody block as we can find on a SteelSeries Rival 3, for example. It’s quite strange, but connoisseurs of the MadCatz brand know it well.Â
Before talking about the aesthetics in detail, let’s see what we find in the box. We obviously have the mouse, some installation instructions, and warranty papers, as well as a small pocket that can store the mouse. Who hasn’t scratched their mouse while walking it around? Either way, every mouse always wears loose in a bag. For it, no risk of damaging it because it can store in its small transport pouch.
Now let’s move on to the design of the mouse itself. It is mostly open, that is to say, that we do not find a shell that contains the elements; everything is almost in the open. Whether it is the scroll wheel, the buttons, or the mouse’s back, we do not notice as much flat and smooth surface as on the classic models. Everything is customizable, and you can change what you want. Skates are not for you. This is not a problem! The gray dial does not suit you? Choose your color and even your material! Do you prefer a plain palm rest?
Performance
The RAT DWS has a PAW3335DB optical sensor that can go up to 16,000 DPI which claims to be excellent, especially in terms of accuracy, but when we use it, it’s not striking. With the PAW3335DB, there is no risk that the mouse will not be able to follow your movements because it can undergo accelerations of 40g; even with large movements, the mouse does not stall. The mouse can display up to 400 images per second, which means that it is not the mouse that will hamper your performance.
The buttons are equipped with the new MadCatz technology with Dakota switches, which will again reduce the latency to two milliseconds! It is advertised 60 million clicks lifetime for Dakota. We return to the autonomy, which is quite low with 300 short hours of use in the best case.
When you are used to a classic mouse, you can not say that using the MadCatz Pro X3 is very easy. In fact, you can’t say that using a MadCatz mouse is easy in general. You have to get used to this new mouse, its original shape, and its different handling. However, with the position of the buttons, we have at the beginning the impression that we are going to click on something a little randomly or worse, that we are going to damage something.
With its Pixart PWM 3389 sensor, it offers really excellent precision. The sensor in question can go up to 16,000 DPI of sensitivity, but I’m clearly not sure who does that. Already, at 8000, it starts to become complicated to use a mouse correctly, then at 16000… It doesn’t matter in the end; the sensor can technically do it.
You can change the sensitivity of the sensor via the top button, just behind the dial. MadCatz has made 4 pre-configurations; they are obviously customizable according to your preferences in the mouse software settings.
We appreciate the weight of only 90 grams and the acceleration of 50g. With its 90 grams and 16,000 DPI, you will have no trouble playing in complete serenity; the mouse largely allows precise and rapid movements to finish off the enemy you find in front of you without anyone being there. Wait. However, if the skates do not suit you, it is always possible to change them!
Conclusion!
First of all, the MadCatz RAT DWS is a good mouse, very responsive, very comfortable, and flexible. But by wanting to innovate, MadCatz gives the impression of a shoddy job with poorly finished functions and strange choices. To conclude, we find the price too high, especially since the mouse is disappointing.
The MadCatz Rat Pro X3 is a perfect high-end gaming mouse. However, it is not suitable for everyone. It is reserved for a clearly targeted audience who is not afraid of ultra-customizable mice and who want to modify their peripherals as much as possible to personalize everything. Its performance is good and sensor efficient, but we would have liked to see it a little higher because this extra flat side is not suitable for everyone.Â
