Review: Roccat – Nyth

Roccat
Nyth Modular MMO Gaming Mouse

roccat.org

For the majority of my gaming career, I’ve been playing PC games with my attention divided between two hands—one to control the mouse and one for the keyboard. It worked for me just fine until I was introduced to the wide world of gaming mice, however. The addition of the Roccat Nyth to my PC gaming arsenal has allowed me to focus my attention into a one-handed beam of battle energy, and it’s become a welcome, even comforting presence on my table.

The Nyth’s design and feel was the first thing that impressed me. The modular keyboard fits snugly on the mouse, making it comfortable for everyday use as well as hardcore gaming. Ergonomically, it doesn’t take long for the Nyth to feel like an extension of the player’s hand. The scroll speed is sensitive, but not overly so—the cursor still feels like it’s obeying your commands rather than running off on its own. It’s purely cosmetic, but I love the hell out of the fact that it lights up when it’s plugged in—I just wish it was more visible when my hand was on top of it.

Functionally, the Nyth offers an insane amount of customization. The right side of the mouse has a magnetic, interchangeable component that allows players to make the mouse more comfortable for the pinky and ring fingers—I actually liked this because it offered a little more leverage when accessing the keypad. The side-keypad is fully modular, which means that players can select and combine a wide variety of buttons for their individual gaming needs. I was fine with the initial setup—it’s basically a 13-key numeric keypad that can be easily accessed by the player’s thumb. I liked this configuration for DOTA 2, but I soon realized that it’s possible to remove unused keys and replace them with larger, more accessible keys. In a game like DOTA 2, the extra fraction of a second that these arrangements add to the player’s reflexes is extremely important, and the Nyth is responsive enough to handle the extra demands. Additionally, the Nyth has two Easy Shift buttons that allow players to add secondary functions to their existing keypad layout. According to Roccat’s website, the mouse has the potential for one sextillion different combinations, which will definitely satisfy the more nitpicky/borderline psychotic gamer. All of these different buttons can be safely stored in a foam-lined, portable carrying case that comes included with the Nyth.

I set my wireless mouse aside during my time using the Nyth, and I found that I really wish the Nyth was also wireless. The length of the mouse cord is ample, and I’m sure it’s difficult to make a sophisticated gaming mouse work well with a wireless connection, but I found myself missing the ease and comfort of my wireless mouse. The Nyth’s setup also makes it impossible for left-handed gamers to get any of the keybad benefits, since they can only be accessed by the right hand’s thumb.

These few criticisms aside, the Nyth is a handy tool in any PC gamer’s collection. Its 12,000 DPI laser sensor makes for a fluid scrolling experience; its two different side plates ensure a comfortable gameplay experience; and the customization offered by the keypad is mind-fudgingly sophisticated. As a person who has played PC games via mouse and keyboard, it’s great to have a comfortable little gaming mouse that helps sharpen players’ reflexes by streamlining the mouse/keyboard–control scheme. Plus, it’s intimidating as hell to show up to a Dota 2 tournament with that sexy carrying case and start fine-tuning the Nyth’s keypad.