Mad Catz RAT 1 gaming mouse review: Gorgeous, portable and very affordable

Mad Catz RAT 1

Mad Catz is a company best known for creating affordable yet fashionable and unique-looking accessories for PCs and consoles. The visitor makes everything from gamepads and mice to mousepads and audio equipment. Information technology too announced bankruptcy in the past, merely to kick 2022 off with a blast, Mad Catz is returning with new products to show off at CES. The visitor's older products, like the RAT 1 mouse, tin exist plant at securely discounted prices so we picked ane up. Hither are our thoughts.

For the home

Mad Catz RAT 1

Costs around $15

Bottom line: If you need a lightweight, portable mouse that looks stunning, you could do a whole lot worse than the RAT 1.

Pros:

First-class optical sensor.
Stunning, unique pattern.
Portable.
Modular.

Cons:

Takes some getting used to.
Not durable, specially the main manus back up.
Mayhap besides small for those with big easily.

What yous'll like about the Mad Catz RAT 1

The blueprint of the RAT ane (and this series of mice overall) is stunning. It makes yous stop for a moment to have in all the various elements that are all unique. Available in a few colors, the flavor we're reviewing is a mashup of blacks and greens, resulting in a pleasant gamer wait without any LED lighting. All the patterns and other visual effects are subtle but a nice affect.

Mad Catz opted to go along things simple with the RAT 1, and that covers the buttons also. You have just two clickers for left and right click, as well equally a cardinal 3rd switch that can be moved up or down (the default configuration is forward and back functionality). Then there's the scroll cycle. In total, there are five available buttons. There ar none on the side and no software bundle to hands reprogram them.

The PixArt PMW3320 sensor is a skillful lilliputian component that will work well in a diverseness of applications, including some gaming. It may struggle with some titles that crave lightning movements like a first-person shooter, but that'due south not a deal breaker.

What you'll dislike almost the Mad Catz RAT i

This mouse is small-scale. Ridiculously small. Information technology'due south on par with portable laptop mice, and the RAT one is designed with small-to-medium size easily in heed. If yous accept a larger paw, expect elsewhere. In that location'southward likewise not a lot in the form of a chassis. This makes for an interesting and unique design, which I dearest, simply it likewise ways in that location'due south less structural support.

When applying whatsoever sort of pressure to parts of the mouse, information technology'southward easy to twist and bend sections. This is a negative effect of the design and modular capabilities — you tin can hands have the mouse apart, which aids in cleaning and making information technology a more than personalized pointer. And considering of the lack of materials used, in that location'south barely any weight to the RAT 1. It's more than of a portable mouse.

Bottom line on Mad Catz RAT 1

I've never been the biggest fan of Mad Catz hardware and establish it, in general, to be slightly cheap. The RAT line of mice e'er intrigued me thank you to the fashionable design that cannot be found in any other major gaming mouse family unit. At but $fifteen, the RAT 1 is an affordable mouse and is a fraction of what y'all'd need to fork out for a capable mouse from another vendor.

That said, while in that location's conspicuously non a whole lot to the mouse, it doesn't wait cheap. You may encounter issues with the master hand rest not adequately supporting applied weight and force per unit area, and the small size may be uncomfortable for those with larger palms, just it'south a capable unit with a great little sensor. But don't pick ane upward for your desktop. Get with the RAT i if the Razer Orochi isn't quite what you're looking for.

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