Mad Catz Cyborg R.A.T. 9 Gaming Mouse Review

Gamers represent a dream demographic for computer and computer accessory vendors: they're the market segment that drives the development and sales of things like $400 cases, $500 video cards, and in this case, $150 mice. While they comprise a tiny fraction of the overall computer market, their influence is disproportionate to their numbers. Most computer users would doubtless roll their eyes at the thought of spending more money on a video card than most people spend on their entire systems, but innovations in hardware tend to trickle down, so the features in today's high-end product eventually show up in tomorrow's mass-market offering.

Since the consumer computer mouse was introduced in the early 1980s, we've seen design innovations like the scroll wheel (1995), the wireless mouse and optical mouse sensor (2001), and the laser-based mouse sensor (2005). Various companies have added extra programmable buttons, internal LED lighting, and even built-in fans to cool your sweaty hands. Today's gamers have a plethora of high-performance gaming mice to choose from. Is there anything else left to innovate? Mad Catz thinks so, and Benchmark Reviews checks out their latest mouse, the Mad Catz Cyborg R.A.T. 9 wireless gaming mouse, to see if they're right.

The original green-buttoned Microsoft Mouse of the early 1980s use a metal mouse ball, and metal bearings for support. It plugged into a serial (DB9) port, and made a lot of noise as you rolled it about your desk. The Macintosh mouse was considered much more advanced since it had a rubber-coated ball and Teflon feet, and internally it used optical-chopper encoders instead of the delicate copper feeler encoders of the Microsoft mouse.

Mad Catz' Cyborg R.A.T.-9 mouse is as different from these early mice as the Space Shuttle is from a Model T. Looking as if it were designed to be used by the company's namesake cyborgs, it's the top-end version of Mad Catz' "R.A.T." line, which comprises the R.A.T. 3, R.A.T. 5, R.A.T. 7, and R.A.T. 9. Aimed directly at hard-core gamers, the R.A.T. 9 boasts extremely high resolution, on-the-fly configuration, adjustable weights, and can be configured to fit almost any hand (as long as it's your right hand).

At a suggested retail price of $149.99 (direct from Mad Catz), the R.A.T. 9 is one of the most expensive consumer mice available. Fortunately, NewEgg offers the R.A.T. 9 at a pre-release price of $99.99. In this article, Benchmark Reviews will see if you get your money's worth.

Manufacturer: Mad Catz
Product Name: Cyborg R.A.T. 9
Model Number: CCB437090002/02/1
Price As Tested: $99.99 at NewEgg or Amazon

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Mad Catz.

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