Sunday 2 August 2015

Speedlink Kudos Z-9

Speedlink Kudos Z-9

Anthony looks at a mouse that piles on the features

If you take PC gaming seriously, then the Speedlink Kudos Z-9 is aimed firmly at you. Packed with features, this mouse promises precision and the plenty of customisation features. As you can see from the photos, the Kudos has a shape that clearly defines it as a right-handed mouse, with a thumb support on the left that also includes much-appreciated browser navigation buttons.


This shapes makes the mouse comfortable to use for most people, but those of you with larger hands might find the body of the Kudos to be a bit a too small.

Big hands or small, though, as you move the mouse around, you’ll also notice how light it is, and because there’s no weight system, you’re stuck with this. Of course, if you prefer a lightweight mouse, then it’s perfect, but if not, the Kudos’s lack of mass could a deal-breaker.

Assuming you prefer a lighter rodent, though (or just don’t care), the Kudos has a lot going for it.

The maximum sensitivity of the laser is an impressive 8200dpi, but you can switch between four different settings using the dedicated button on the mouse. This is fully adjustable in the included software package, and the dpi indicator lights on the top of the body let you know which setting you currently have activated.

Speaking of the software, this allows you to customise all manner of things about the Kudos Z-9, including what each of the seven programmable buttons do, the sensitivity, the USB polling rate and even the colour of the light-up strip across its middle.

Also, you can switch between different profiles using another dedicated button, and each of these can have its own dpi settings and custom buttons (all set up through the software).

But what if you take your mouse away from your computer? Well, in that case, your settings will still be saved, because the Kudos Z-9 has built-in memory, so all your settings will travel with you, wherever you go.

Add to this a scroll with left and right tilt and a corded cable, and you have a mouse that is fully deserving of a premium price.

However, whether that price should be 50 quid is another matter entirely. Yes, the Kudos is a good gaming mouse, but for this price, an adjustable weight system really should have been included.

Also, when you install the software, there’s an option to also install something called Simplicheck, with no explanation of what this is. This is made by a company called Simplitec, and what it does, apparently, is search your computer for ‘problems’ before then recommending Simplitec products to fix them. We can’t comment on the quality of this software or what kind of deal Speedlink has with this firm, but we can say we don’t appreciate its presence when installing mouse software.

These small problems aside, though, the Kudos Z-9 is a gaming mouse that’s swimming in features and which we wholly recommend. Anthony Enticknap

A high-quality mouse but not cheap.