Corsair Saber RGB Pro | Review
In terms of pure technical specifications, the Corsair Saber RGB Pro is not missing anything. On board we find a Pixart PMW3392 sensor capable of up to 18,000 DPI, Omron mechanical switches for the main buttons and classic spring mechanism for the side buttons, a total of four programmable buttons and two RGB zones that can be customized using the iCUE software. The Corsair Saber RGB Pro is also competitive in price: with a list of 59.99 euros it is cheaper than the Razer Viper 8K Hz, its direct competitor available for purchase at 89.99 euros.
Pixart sensor PMW3392 Sensitivity 100 - 18.000 DPI Polling rate 125/250/500 / 1.000 / 2.000 / 4.000 / 8.000 Hz Programmable buttons 4 RGB 2 zones Price 59.99 euros Together with the mouse Corsair has also sent us the MM700 pad, ideal for those looking for a solution that takes up the entire desk. Measuring 930 × 400 mm, it features RGB lighting on the edges and also a small hub with two USB ports, to which you can directly connect your mouse, headphones or wireless peripheral receivers. During our tests, the MM700 proved to be a good companion to the Saber RGB Pro, allowing us to move the mouse with ease and precision.
Design
The design of the Corsair Saber RGB Pro is quite standard, good for those who want to get a good feeling with a new mouse right away. The dimensions of 129x70x43 mm are average and guarantee a good grip, whatever you are used to. The weight of 74 grams is also not excessive and the mouse will never feel heavy, even after several hours of use.The top has a matte finish and the surface of the main keys is slightly textured, so as to improve grip. The wheel is rubberized and integrates one of the two RGB lighting areas, just below we find a glossy plastic button dedicated to adjusting the DPI. On the left side there are three white backlit notches that indicate the selected DPI and two programmable buttons, which offer good feedback. The right side is instead clean and the side buttons cannot be moved: this means that the mouse is not symmetrical and consequently it is not for left-handers, but can only be used by right-handers. The bottom of the mouse houses the sensor and four PTFE feet.
The cable is fabric-coated, designed to be tangle-free and 2.1 meters long, enough for easy access to the rear USB ports of the mouse. your computer, even if you don't have it on your desk.
Software and features
Corsair a few weeks ago renewed the iCUE software: version 4 is much more stable than the previous ones, as well as more beautiful to see. The program allows you to control various aspects of the Saber RGB Pro such as DPI, button actions, lighting and surface calibration. On the device management page we find the options to update the firmware, control the speed of the pointer and the ability to enable or disable options such as angle snapping and improved pointer precision.Here you can also find the option to adjust the polling rate, which can be set in a range from 125Hz to 8,000Hz. Choosing the highest value weighs heavily on the hardware and iCUE displays a warning window every time you select it; to give you an idea, Corsair recommends a 9th Gen Intel Core i7 or a 2nd Gen or later Ryzen 7 and is not exaggerating at all. Testing the mouse with a frequency of 8.000Hz on a Ryzen 5 3600 we noticed a CPU usage around 14% by simply moving the mouse.
On board the Corsair Saber RGB Pro we also find AXON, a system designed from Corsair to deliver record throughput and ultra-low latency to maximize performance. It is designed to process instructions faster than previous generation mice and uses more threads in order to parallelize the work and make the best use of the SoC present on the Saber RGB Pro. According to the company, AXON detects and processes clicks almost instantly thanks also with the help of a deterministic algorithm, moreover thanks to the polling rate of 8.000Hz it exchanges data with the PC up to 8 times faster. Below we leave you a table, provided to us by Corsair, which explains what are the benefits brought by the technology.
Thanks to AXON, the Corsair Saber RGB Pro is currently the mouse with the best average latency in the Nvidia Reflex tests, technology that for now cannot take advantage of a polling rate higher than 1,000 Hz and therefore does not take advantage of the 8,000Hz offered by Corsair's product. The tests were carried out by Nvidia and at this address you can check the results. The online data is in alphabetical order, below we leave you a screenshot of the first 20 positions, exported to an Excel file and sorted by average latency.
Usage test
We used the Corsair Saber RGB Pro to play different titles, trying to test it in as many scenarios as possible. We tested it with MOBA, FPS, TPS and RTS, always obtaining satisfactory results: the mouse is always fast, precise and reliable, as well as comfortable to use. We really appreciated the rough finish of the main buttons and their feedback, satisfying both from a tactile and aural point of view.In our tests we obviously tried to grasp the difference between 1.000Hz and 8.000Hz, but without success . It must be said that we are not professional players, but even if in our case the gaming experience was practically the same, undoubtedly a higher data transmission frequency offers an advantage. Certainly, professional players will benefit the most from it, able to notice and benefit from even the slightest variation.
Net of the performance offered by the Corsair Saber RGB Pro, it is undeniable that the minimum requirements necessary to make the most of it are limiting: professional gamers are equipped with the latest hardware, but the same cannot be said of all other players. Most enthusiasts do not have a high-end latest generation CPU, so the 8,000Hz of the mouse will weigh heavily on the CPU, which will also have to handle the game running: this could cause a drop in framerate, especially at Full HD resolution. In short, there is a risk that the mouse worsens the gaming experience instead of improving it.
In short, although a polling rate of 8.000Hz is undoubtedly helpful for professional gamers, it is probably not so essential for gamers in an amateur and non-competitive way. Unless you have a latest generation top-of-the-range CPU, we recommend that you keep the frequency at 1,000Hz; the Corsair Saber RGB Pro is still an excellent mouse.
Verdict
Those looking for a mouse with a frequency of 8,000Hz can only choose between two models: the Corsair Saber RGB Pro and the Razer Viper 8K Hz. Our advice, however, is not to opt for one or the other only on the basis of the polling rate, especially if you are not a professional gamer looking for the latest technological innovation, but to also evaluate all the other features offered by the two mice.For example, if you are left-handed, the Razer Viper is a must, as the Corsair Saber RGB Pro has a layout exclusively for right-handers. If you have a "palm" type grip you may prefer the latter, as it offers a more pronounced hump than the Razer and therefore a better grip. The Corsair Saber RGB Pro also has larger and more comfortable side buttons to press.
Another important factor to consider is the price: beyond the features, the Corsair Saber RGB Pro costs 59, 99 euros, 40 euros less than the Razer Viper 8K Hz. Those who consider the value for money very much will be very happy with the product of the Californian house, which guarantees an excellent experience without costing a fortune.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a new gaming mouse and think you can take advantage of a polling rate of 8,000Hz, the Corsair Saber RGB Pro can be an excellent choice that will guarantee you a comfortable and high-level user experience. Just make sure you have a PC with adequate specifications, so as not to incur potential framerate drops caused by the mouse's high CPU usage.
