I owned a R.A.T 9 for a couple of years, but the major problem there was that it was impossible to purchase replacement batteries when the life of the standard pair grew shorter. In that respect, great though it is, I would not recommend the R.A.T 9. When the laser on my 9 died, the obvious replacement was a 7. They are identical, with the exception of this not being wireless. The braided cord is lightweight and slips over your desk, not getting in the way like many rubberised cables.
The main selling point for the R.A.T range, other than it looking like the Batmobile crashed into a Countach, is that they are so adjustable. Personally, I feel that they've almost made it too adjustable, throwing more bits in the box than you really need. Each to their own there, I guess. I was more than happy to stick with the standard build and adjust them, rather than bolting on all of the other replacement parts.
I've had a bit of RSI in the past, from a mixture of working in IT and gaming, so getting a mouse to fit is a major help with that. I have big hands and most mice are too small for me and mean that my tendons are taught when I hold the mouse, rather than being loose when I naturally drop my hand on it. The advantage for me with the R.A.T is that I can extend out the back of the mouse to fit the palm of my hand, angle out the left side where my thumb sits and add weights to the thing to make it heavy. The only thing I wish it could also do is adjust the angle of the whole top of the mouse by 20 degrees, so the left is higher than the right. The hand naturally sits at an angle and having to make it flat tightens the tendons in your forearm. A number of Microsoft mice have addressed this, but sadly not here. Maybe in a future version...
As for the mouse itself, the build quality is just amazing, as you'd expect given the cost. The design is precision made. The plastic is rigid. The base on which everything is mounted is a solid lump of steel(?), as are all the various wheels, weights etc. The micro switches are incredibly precise and can be programmed for certain game functions, used to increase or reduce sensitivity or use custom templates, allowing you to use different capabilities for different games. The wheel moves incredibly smoothly and the aiming button reduces the sensitivity, making it great in an FPS.
All in all, it's a must-buy.
| Brand | Madcatz |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 11.51 x 10.01 x 19 cm; 557.92 Grams |
| Item model number | MCB437080013/04/1 |
| Manufacturer | Madcatz |
| Series | R.A.T. 7 |
| Color | Red |
| Processor Count | 1 |
| Computer Memory Type | DDR3 SDRAM |
| Hardware Platform | Windows 7 |
| Operating System | Windows 7/XP/Vista |
| Are Batteries Included | No |
| Item Weight | 558 g |
