The ROCCAT Kone XP is a high-end gaming mouse versatile enough for multiple genres. It's a continuation of ROCCAT's popular Kone lineup, and its right-handed, ergonomic shape is nearly identical to the ROCCAT Kone Pro. The two mice also use the same proprietary Owl-Eye sensor based on the PixArt PAW3370. However, this mouse is significantly heavier than the more FPS-oriented Kone Pro. This mouse also has many more buttons, making it well-suited for MOBAs, Battle Royales, and MMO games. Also, it has more elaborate RGB lighting than other entries in the series, with numerous lighting zones that shine through the semi-transparent top shell, each fully configurable using the companion software.
Our Verdict
The ROCCAT Kone XP is decent for office and multimedia work. It feels well-built and has an ergonomic right-handed shape with a thumb rest. It has plenty of buttons, all of which you can remap for productivity commands using the customization software. Unfortunately, there are no wireless connection options. Also, while the scroll wheel has L/R tilt buttons, it doesn't unlock for free-scrolling.
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Comfortable right handed shape.
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Impressive number of buttons.
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Scroll wheel lacks a free-scrolling mode.
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Wired-only.
The ROCCAT Kone XP is very good for FPS gaming. It feels well-built and has a comfortable, right-handed shape with a thumb rest. The feet glide well on mousepads and desks, and the cable is lightweight and flexible. You can adjust your preferred CPI very precisely within a broad range. Performance-wise, the minimum lift-off distance is very low and adjustable, and the click latency is good. However, most FPS-oriented options at a similar price point have somewhat lower latency, and overall this mouse is heavier than most FPS-focused competitors.
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Comfortable right handed shape.
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Solid overall sensor performance.
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Heavy.
The ROCCAT Kone XP is great for MMO gaming. Its construction feels high quality, and it has an ergonomic, right-handed shape comfortable enough for long sessions. It also has an impressive number of buttons, all of which you can program using the customization software. Performance-wise, you can adjust the CPI very precisely within a very broad range. The click latency is good, though somewhat disappointing compared to some of its similarly-priced competitors.
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Comfortable right handed shape.
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Solid overall sensor performance.
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Impressive number of buttons.
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All buttons are programmable.
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Doesn't have quite as many buttons as a dedicated MMO gaming mouse.
The ROCCAT Kone XP is significantly heavier than a dedicated ultra-light gaming mouse, and there are plenty of lighter options at this price point. That said, it garners a good score overall as it performs well despite the overall weight being a weakness for this use. It has good click latency and feels well-built. It also has an ergonomic, right-handed shape with a thumb rest, a lightweight and flexible cable, and mouse feet that glide smoothly on mousepads and desks.
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Comfortable right handed shape.
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Solid overall sensor performance.
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Heavy.
The ROCCAT Kone XP is inadequate for travel as it's bulky and won't fit in most laptop cases. It's also a wired mouse, making it cumbersome to use in small spaces like buses, trains, or planes. That said, it does feel sturdily made and has a comfortable shape.
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Comfortable right handed shape.
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Bulky, won't fit in most laptop cases.
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Wired-only.
- Office/Multimedia
- Video Games (FPS)
- Video Games (MMO)
- Ultra-Light Gaming
- Travel
- Updated Dec 09, 2022: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update simplifies our Weight test and expands on our CPI test from Test Bench 1.1, resulting in changes to test results in both sections. For more details, you can see our complete changelog here.
- Updated Nov 17, 2022: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.1. This update revamps our Click Latency test and results in changes to test results. For more details, you can see our full changelog here.
- Updated May 04, 2022: Review published.
- Updated Apr 28, 2022: Early access published.
- Updated Apr 08, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Apr 05, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Mar 30, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The ROCCAT Kone XP we tested is the black color variant, but it's also available in white. See the label for our unit here.
Compared To Other Mice
The ROCCAT Kone XP takes ROCCAT's Kone lineup in a new direction. It moves the series closer to well-established, multi-genre gaming mice like the Logitech G502 HERO or the Razer Basilisk V3. This mouse is much heavier than previous versions of the Kone, but it has many more programmable buttons, making it more versatile for a wider range of games than previous versions. Unlike similar multi-genre mice currently available, and contrary to wider industry trends, this mouse also places a greater emphasis on RGB lighting, making this mouse an easy recommendation for RGB enthusiasts.
For other options, see our recommendations for the best mice, the best wired mice, and the best gaming mice.
The ROCCAT Kone Pro and the ROCCAT Kone XP have the same sensors and very similar shapes but are designed for different uses. The Kone Pro is significantly lighter and has somewhat lower click latency. It's designed primarily for FPS gaming. On the other hand, the ROCCAT Kone XP has many more programmable buttons, making it a more suitable choice for a variety of game genres, including MOBA, Battle Royale, and MMO games. It also has much more extensive RGB lighting options.
The Logitech G502 LIGHTSPEED and the ROCCAT Kone XP are gaming mice designed to be versatile enough to handle multiple game genres. The Logitech connects wirelessly and has a somewhat lower click latency. Its software is also available for both Windows and macOS, while the ROCCAT software is only compatible with Windows. On the other hand, the ROCCAT is a wired-only model. It's slightly lighter and has more programmable inputs. It also has much more elaborate RGB lighting. While both mice have scroll wheels with L/R tilt buttons, only the Logitech's wheel has a free-scrolling mode.
The ROCCAT Kone XP Air is a wireless version of the ROCCAT Kone XP. These are multi-genre gaming mice with plenty of programmable inputs, making them good choices for more complex titles like MMOs or MOBAS. The Kone XP Air has a more opaque plastic finish and includes a charging dock that serves as a wireless extender. It also has more RGB lighting zones, and the location of the RGB has largely been moved into the palm rest rather than the left- and right-click buttons where it is on the wired Kone XP.
The ROCCAT Kone Pro Air and the ROCCAT Kone XP use the same sensors and have almost identical shapes, but they're designed for different uses. the Kone Pro Air is a wireless mouse designed for FPS gaming. It's significantly lighter, it feels sturdier, and it has much lower click latency. On the other hand, the Kone XP is designed to be versatile enough for a variety of game genres, including MOBAs, and Battle Royales. It has many more programmable inputs and much more extensive RGB lighting.
The ROCCAT Kone XP and the ROCCAT Kone AIMO Remastered are very similar multi-genre gaming mice from the same lineup, but the Kone XP performs better overall. The Kone XP is lighter and has five additional buttons. It also has better feet, a more flexible cable, and a slightly lower click latency. Both mice have RGB lighting, but the Kone XP has more lighting zones.
The GLORIOUS Model D and ROCCAT Kone XP are both wired gaming mice, but they're intended to be used differently. The GLORIOUS is an ultra-lightweight mouse designed primarily for FPS gaming, while the ROCCAT is designed for multiple gaming genres. The GLORIOUS is much lighter and has lower click latency. On the other hand, the ROCCAT has many more programmable buttons and much more elaborate RGB lighting options.
The Razer Basilisk V3 and the ROCCAT Kone XP are both wired, multi-genre gaming mice with comfortable, right-handed shapes. The Razer has higher quality mouse feet and a wider CPI range. It also has significantly lower click latency and a scroll wheel with L/R tilt buttons, and a free-scrolling mode, while the ROCCAT's scroll wheel only has L/R tilt buttons. On the other hand, the ROCCAT feels somewhat sturdier and has much more elaborate RGB lighting. It also has several additional programmable inputs, including a button on the thumb rest.
Test Results
The ROCCAT Kone XP has an unmistakable gamer aesthetic. The top shell has a frosted, semi-transparent quality that shows the six independent RGB lighting zones inside the mouse. The rest of the shell is matte black plastic with black plastic buttons. The scroll wheel and CPI profile button behind the scroll wheel are also semi-transparent, and each houses its own independent RGB lighting zone.
The ROCCAT Kone XP's shape is nearly identical to the ROCCAT Kone Pro but deviates slightly due to the Kone XP having an additional button on the thumb rest.
The ROCCAT Kone XP feels sturdily built. There are no creaking or unintentional button-presses when you squeeze the mouse, and there are no loose or rattling parts. The scroll wheel is also quiet, and the left and right buttons feel satisfying. Unfortunately, the plastic doesn't feel very high quality.
The ROCCAT Kone XP has a fairly low profile, a rounded back, and shallow thumb rest on the left. It's a very comfortable shape for a right-handed grip for most hand sizes, but some of the button placements mean that small hands will have difficulty reaching all the controls using any grip type.
If you have small hands, you may not be able to comfortably reach the buttons labeled +/- on the left side of the left-click button while using a palm grip.
If you have small hands, you may not be able to comfortably reach the buttons labeled +/- on the left side of the left-click button using a claw grip.
If you have small or medium-sized hands, you may not be able to comfortably reach the buttons labeled +/- on the left side of the left-click button using a claw grip.
The ROCCAT XP has a cable that's very lightweight and glides easily on desks. It only has minimal permanent kinking from its packaging.
This mouse has excellent feet that glide smoothly on mousepads and desks.
- ROCCAT Kone XP
- USB cap
- Extra set of feet
- User documentation
You can program all buttons on the ROCCAT XP. However, you must have a Left- and Right-click programmed somewhere on the mouse at all times. You can also set an EasyShift button, which acts as a shift button so you can program a secondary layer of commands.
This mouse has good click latency and is responsive enough for all gaming genres. It isn't as low as many FPS-oriented options, and if you're a competitive player or play games that require low latency, you should look at other options.
The ROCCAT Kone XP uses ROCCAT's proprietary Owl-Eye sensor based on the PixArt PAW3370. Polling rate options are 125Hz, 250Hz, 500Hz, and 1000Hz. You can also customize five CPI settings per user profile and cycle between them using the dedicated CPI profile button behind the scroll wheel.
The scroll wheel is transparent rubber. It has a clear definition between steps and provides good grip. It's also nearly silent.
ROCCAT's Swarm software has a clean, modern-looking interface. It's well organized and has plenty of options, including options to adjust the debounce time and lift-off distance. You can also independently customize each of the eight RGB lighting zones.
This mouse is fully compatible with Windows, and the default functions for all buttons work in macOS out of the box. However, you can't reprogram any of the buttons on a Mac because the software isn't available.