I never thought I would like the new Roccat Kone XP. Especially not this much. With growing concerns about environmental change, pandemics, and rising inflation, the news of another overhyped RGB gaming mouse from Roccat is not what the world really needs right now. [But Roccat has managed to make one of the best gaming mice you can buy.

Let's start with the price: at $75 (£80, A$150), the Kone XP is classified as a mid-range mouse, but I can assure you there is more to this mouse than ridiculously cool 3D RGB lighting. Roccat has created the most ergonomic mouse I've ever used. Of course, that depends on the size of your mitts and your grip, but for me at least, nothing has felt as good in my hand in a long time.

Whether playing Destiny 2 or mindlessly scrolling through Twitter, the Kone XP feels just right in both claw grip and palm grip; at 102g, it's not lightweight, but the overall feel in the hand is light enough for quick flicks, heavy enough for precise non-gaming movements; the back of the Kone XP arches high enough to fill the palm cradle, and the textured thumbwell and flared-out "Easy Shift" paddles provide adequate support.

The Kone Pro has exactly 15 buttons, all of which are programmable. There are four thumb buttons, and you don't have to bend your thumb painfully to use them. The same goes for the two DPI buttons embedded in the left button of the mouse, which are surprisingly easy to use and potentially easier to use than the thumb buttons.

The brightly lit and tactile Crystal 4D wheel is translucent, perfect for RGB, but you can also click left, right, or down for additional functions. Behind the wheel is a profile switch for switching between custom profiles created and saved in the Roccat Swarm software. Finally, and most importantly, above Roccat's Titan Optical switch are the mouse's main left and right buttons. These buttons have a clicky feel, no key wobble, and are very responsive.

According to Roccat, 29 functions can be mapped to the Kone XP, largely thanks to the Easy-Shift feature. When the thumb is pressed against the paddle, it functions as a shift key, doubling all button functions.

How you set this up is up to your imagination, but the Swarm software makes it very easy. I liked the Easy-Shift's ability to use media controls. Scroll to adjust volume, click on skipped tracks, and use the DPI buttons on the front for quick copy and paste. It's not as good as the Logitech MX Master 3, but with patience, you can get the Kone XP almost there.

Complementing the versatile button functionality is the excellent 19K DPI Roccat Owl-Eye optical sensor with 50G acceleration. These are not the best numbers in the world of today's mice, but let's face it. The PTFE feet on the bottom allow the mouse to glide effortlessly on most surfaces, and the lightweight PhantomFlex cable doesn't interfere with flick and swipe speed.

But of course, the biggest draw of the Kone XP is undoubtedly the 3D RGB AIMO lighting. The entire top of the shell is made of translucent plastic, perfect for showing off the capabilities of the 22 LEDs. These are grouped into eight guidelines, four on each side, for a truly mesmerizing RGB light show. I've seen a lot of gaming mice, but none as good as this one.

This lighting may be a bit much for some, but it can be changed at any time in the Swarm software. Nevertheless, no matter what you choose, the lighting is bold and bright, thanks to the constant power supply from your PC or laptop.

All in all, the Roccat Kone XP is a great wired gaming mouse and easily recommended, slightly ahead of the Razer Basilisk V3 (open in new tab) but definitely ahead in the RGB department. It's great for fast-paced shooters, complex MOBAs, and productivity work.

Build quality is excellent and the 3D RGB lighting looks better than you would expect in person. The only reason not to buy it is the new wireless Kone XP Air. But if you don't want the hassle of dongles, battery life, and added weight, it's hard to beat this wired Kone XP.