Thermaltake has made some really cool looking cases and solid power supplies over the years. A couple of years ago they partnered with BMW to create the Level 10 case. This case was completely over the top and offered a crazy design.
Thermaltake is back to partnering with BMW to create peripherals that can be paired with that level 10 case. Today we will be testing the Level 10 M mouse. It sure does not look like any other mouse I have ever used, and lets see if it performs as good as it looks.
Here is just a small bit of information about Thermaltake:
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“We live in a world where most things seem to move at the speed of light. At Thermaltake, we feel the same way and that is exactly how Thermaltake conducts itself to deliver innovative, reliable and customer-centric solutions to the worldwide market. Since the beginning of Thermaltake in 1999, it has been at the forefront of creating new and exciting products at a time where most computer users were provided little to no choices for components that may seem irrelevant, but in reality crucial to the performance of a PC. Thermaltake Server Series solutions, with years of thermal experience and industry leadership, sets its goal on reforming total thermal management in server segment by formulating the perfect mixture of versatility, efficiency and thermal management with each respective server product category: Rackmount Chassis, Server Fixed & Redundant Power Supply and Server CPU Cooling Management Solutions. With its comprehensive line of products available, it enables Thermaltake’s core customers to enjoy a one-stop-shop experience, reduce product design-in evaluation period and most important of all, flawless integration process. Each of Thermaltake’s strengths enables its customer to focus on their core business while taking advantage of the skills and efficiency of a single thermal management solution partner.” |
Lets go ahead and take a look at what Thermaltake has to say about the Level 10 M mouse.
Specifications
Taken from the Thermaltake page
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AIR-THROUGH VENTILATION This ventilation solution strengthens the possibility of a better air and temperature exchange as a means of passive ventilation. Through the perforated surface, issues such as heavy use of the Level 10 M Mouse and the rise of temperatures of the hand are significantly reduced.
3D STEERING Level 10 M Mouse is designed with open structure in between between top and base segments, and the space in between the mouse also serves to adjust the height and angle via steering axis, greatly enhance user comfort and convenience as well.
INTELLIGENT SOFTWARE Level 10 M Mouse is a programmable gaming mouse capable of using the most comprehensive software application to customize settings based on gamer’s needs. Specifically, the Z key can be programed to switch up to 5 gaming profiles. Other features such as the polling rate and the 7 lighting-effect colors are also customizable through software, making Level 10 M Mouse a truly amazing mouse for pro-gaming and creative needs.
DYNAMIC COLOR RANGE Up to 7 colors to choose from, the Level 10 M Mouse allows gamers to build up personal gaming atmosphere. Notably, a breathing Battle Dragon can be found underneath the perforated surface!
ALUMINUM BASE Aluminum base is one of the toughest chemical materials with character of high resistance to corrosion, and commonly used in aerospace industry and architectural purpose. Level 10 M Mouse is designed with solid aluminum material to ensure both durability and tenaciousness are constantly experienced by the users over Level 10 M Mouse’s quality and long-lasting durable experience.
LASER SENSOR Level 10 M Mouse is equipped with 8200 DPI, adjustable from 800, 1600, 3200 to 5000 (default setting), and customizable by software application up to 8200 DPI. With the LED indication on top of the mouse, gamer is constantly and visually informed with the current DPI status, and to make change wherever necessary.
Designing for the best: BMW Group subsidiary DesignworksUSA and the Level 10 M Mouse: For the Level 10 project Thermaltake wanted a design partner which stands for innovative thinking and revolutionary approaches in design. Right from the beginning therefore, DesignworksUSA has been the design partner for the Level 10 project. The global design consultancy has skillfully extended the Level 10 design concept and translated it to a vital gaming accessory: the Level 10 M Mouse. Working in various industries, the design team is able to transfer visions and inspiration between many projects and has successfully demonstrated this ability in the latest Tt eSPORTS product design. With the Level 10 M Mouse Thermaltake presents a product which was inspired by the leading future thinkers. The collaboration between Thermaltake Group and BMW Group subsidiary DesignworksUSA will be continued and with an extended e-Sports product range it will keep its focus on serving the high demands of our customers.
Mouse Specification
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First Impressions
Closer Look
Inside the box you get a few accessories. Namely a screwdriver to adjust the mouse itself, a neoprene bag to store the mouse, and a packet including the manual as well as a few marketing materials.
The mose itself is extremely cool looking. It is very easy to see the BMW styling that is incorporated into this mouse. It gives a very stripped down look much like the inside of a GT-class race car.
There is also a large amount of flexibility in this mouse along the same lines as being able to customize a car. The ability to raise and lower the top of the mouse is extremely cool, as well as the ability to tune the top fo the mouse side to side. Sure it takes a bit of time to tune in the settings that fit your hand best, but once it is done the feel is simply fantastic. I don’t think I’ve ever tried a mouse that felt so good in my hand after use.
Everything on the mouse itself screams quality. The base is made out of solid aluminum, switches feel extremely smooth and everything on this mouse is very thought-out. Although, I have to say I am not a fan of the button on the left side to switch DPI settings on the fly. If Thermaltake put it under the top of the mouse instead (in one of the wide-open areas) I would have preferred it as such, but for people who like to change DPI on the fly in games it can be a lifesaver.
The weight on this mouse is quite considerable due to the solid construction. Most other mice use mostly plastic, however the Level 10 M has lots of metal parts which add to the weights. However, after getting used to the extra weight compared to a normal mouse everything feels fantastic.
Switches used on this mouse for the bottons feel very good. Everything is crisp and smooth. I also happen to like the tactile feedback of the scroll wheel very much so. It gives you feedback to let you know it is being scrolled, yet it is not too hard to press down.
Testing the Level 10 M was quite an adventure. The very first few minutes I didn’t quite know how to hold the mouse until I adjusted it to fit my hand properly. Once that was done this mouse is an extremely solid performer.
If you want to use this laser mouse on a glass surface I would look elsewhere. The Level 10 M struggled to track on black glass. On normal mouse surfaces like a cloth or plastic mouse pad performance was great.
While playing through games I felt like my performance was improved over other mice. This is either due to the heavier weight or the ability to exact-tune the mouse to my grip. But either way after tweaking things everything fell into place with great performance.
One thing I was very disapointed in was the software for the mouse. By default when installing the program it enables the OSD or on screen display. This is extremely annoying since every time you click a button on the mouse it displays the last button clicked. Other issues with the software include some poorly translated words, such as when the software updated the firmware on the mouse it read as “You will be having update to now”
Aside from that the software can be handy allowing things like the ability to customize the lights on the mouse from 7 different colors to setting up macros or assigning different tasks for different buttons.
Verdict and Conclusion
When I heard that Thermaltake was partnering with BMW to create a mouse I pictured something that would be crazy looking like it just came off of the race track. And boy I was right. This Level 10 M mouse sure looks fantastic, but it also performs great as well.
Gaming performance was very good thoughout testing. The mouse is very comfortable once you dial in your personal settings. Otherwise the mouse can feel very weird at first since there is not a whole lot for your hand to grab on the sides.
Tracking is good for pads using plastic or cloth, but glass falls short with this mouse. Adding something as simple as a piece of paper on top of a glass surface greatly improves tracking performance
Looking around the internet it looks like the Level 10 M sells for roughly $90-100. In that price range it is put up against the Steelseries Sensei and other top of the line mice. Is it worth it? Yes I feel like it is. Build quality is very good and the price reflects that.
This mouse might not come with screens or extreme processors but it makes up for that with a very good build quality and the ability to customize the height and width of the mouse.
Pros:
- Ability to adjust height and width
- Adjustable light colors
- Aluminum base
- BMW designed
- Coating does not get very dirty
Cons:
- Expensive
- DPI button on the side can be annoying.
Final words
Thermaltake did itself a favor when it partnered with BMW to make this mouse. It is extremely stylish, yet is also very functional. This mouse is one of the best mice I have used to-date. It certainly ranks up there with other top-notch mice. And because of that it earns our highest rating.
SCORE
9.3/10
