Review cover Corsair Sabre RGB Pro Mouse (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review

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Does the Corsair Sabre RGB Pro cut through the competition?

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Gaming mice tend to be loud, loud or full of holes, these days. Boasting all sorts of features, they proudly claim they’ll be the best possible choice you could ever make, out of all the other mice out there. Innovation and flashy marketing terms are nice to see, but sometimes you just want something that does its job; no frills, just a solid piece of hardware that won’t destroy your wallet. That’s what it feels like Corsair was aiming for with their Sabre Pro RGB gaming mouse. 

Well, there are some interesting features that the Sabre Pro is capable of, but for the most part, this is just a well-rounded mouse. The mouse itself is fairly weightless, but also not cheap in the slightest. It has a nice braided cable, a few accent RGB spots, and some textured matte coating that makes it easier to grip. Designed for claw grip use, the Sabre Pro is alright when you’re tightly gripping the mouse and gaming with it, but a little on the thin side, making it uncomfortable to hold for long periods of time when you’re just simply browsing. 

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What it excels at, though, is for sweeping movements when you’re playing things like shooters or anything requiring precision clicks. This is especially so because of the PTFE feet, which help it glide smoothly across a mousepad. The ratcheted scroll wheel is satisfying to spin, and the switches are clicky and have great feedback; they’re very low-travel, but also click back nicely to let you know you activated it. In fact, I found myself absent-mindedly clicking them every so often, just because they were great to press and fidget with. 

With a weight of .74g and a sensor that ranges from 100 to 18,000 DPI, this is a pretty good mouse, but it also isn’t doing anything that stands out or puts it ahead of other mice on the market. There’s plenty of lighter mice, and there’s even more that have higher DPI ranges, even if a high DPI won’t really affect your gameplay. It simply sits in the middle of the gaming mice wars, content with itself. 

The main selling point for the Sabre Pro is its 8,000Hz polling rate. Using technology called AXON Hyper Processing, it sounds amusingly reminiscent of Blast Processing, but is actually quite interesting beyond its name. This “hyper polling” rate allows the mouse to get down to some of the lowest latency possible, at less than .115ms of input lag. When you’re using a wired gaming mouse, it’s standard to expect it to have low to no input delay, but Corsair decided to take things one step further, splitting hairs to get one of the lowest latency wired mice out there. Their latest keyboards take advantage of this technology, too, but I think it’s more relevant to mouse movement, as you’re moving and clicking your mouse in more precise ways than keystrokes. 

This isn’t something that works right out of the box, though. You’ll need Corsair’s iCue software in order to enable it. There’s also another hidden detail: it takes quite a toll on your computer. iCue will even warn you, when you select the 8,000Hz option that you need a good PC in order to make it work. In testing the impact it had on performance, it wasn’t really that bad, given the warning label, but at the same time, I did see FPS drops of up to 8fps on some games. I’m mixed as to what to think about that, as the low input delay is definitely sweet; I don’t think I could measure it with my own eyes, given how it’s mere fractions of a second, but mouse movement did feel slick. However, if it’s being billed as a competitive mouse, then you’re taking away frames from your gameplay in order to give your mouse more power. It’s conflicting. 

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The 8K polling rate is definitely a standout feature of the Sabre RGB Pro, but if your PC isn't a beast, it's going to take a knock out the performance of your games, which in most cases, isn't worth it. I could see this feature being a game-changer for pro players, and while I can notice movement being the slightest bit smoother, I think its mostly novelty more than breakthrough technology that will impact how you play. Otherwise, Corsair's Sabre RGB does a great job at being an all-around gaming mouse. The only issue with that, is that gamers tend to want a mouse that has a "focus", or specific aspect that it excells at, say Logitech's Lightspeed wireless connections, lots of buttons for MMOs, ergonomic styles, or ultra-lightweight feel. 

For those looking to get the "Mario" of mice--a great all around mouse that won't let you down, but also one that doesn't wow you, I could see this being a good pick, especially at $59.99, and if you're already heavily invested in the Corsair ecosystem. For better or for worse, this is a jack of all trades, but master of none; yet sometimes, that might just be what you're looking for. 

Verdict

What We Liked ...
  • 8K polling rate is neat
  • Glides nice and smooth
  • Good sensor and switches
What We Didn't Like ...
  • 8K polling rate takes a lot of resources to use
  • There's a bit of flex to the plastic if you're gripping it tightly
  • Not the most comfortable of mice
7.8
out of 10

Overall

Not doing anything to amaze, while also being perfectly adequate, the Sabre RGB PRO is solid middle-of-the-road gaming mouse for those looking for a wired and decently lightweight device.
Well, it's a mouse. Thing is, even at that price, for 40 dollars you can get a g502..which..is probably better. Corsair mice has always been that weird thing in the corner of the store I glance at but never actually have used once.
 
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