Capsule Review: Thermaltake Level 10 M Gaming Mouse
by Dustin Sklavos on December 21, 2012 5:37 AM EST- Posted in
- Peripherals
- Gaming
- Mouse
- Thermaltake
The Level 10 M Software
Honestly, the software developed by peripheral vendors to support their hardware is generally a horror show. I very seldom use it (although my MechWarrior Online habit has forced my hand with my own Logitech G500), and the software has become even less relevant as more and more mice simply store their configurations in onboard memory. You can install the software once, configure the hardware, then uninstall the software and go about your life.
It pains me to say it because I do like Thermaltake, but this software is really unpleasant to use. It works fine, but you can tell from the screen cap above that Thermaltake's engineers went for style first and usability a very distant second. Clicking "Air Through" or "3D Axis Movement" just opens video files with generic electric guitar music that describe the mouse itself. Yet the other "Key Assignment" buttons are blanked out until you click on the button you want to program on the mouse images. "T Key," by the way, means "macro."
If you mess around with the software long enough, you can begin to figure out how to use it, but the learning curve need not be so steep. The "Normal" and "Battle" LED mode toggles are just silly and needlessly clutter both the mouse's functionality and the software's interface. What's bizarre is that none of the mouse buttons can be configured to handle media playback or switch between profiles. The former is mostly forgivable, but the latter is mystifying for a mouse that supports both configurable lighting and five different profiles. Most of the functionality you're looking for is here, though. You can individually set the DPI settings for the four levels, configure sensitivity on the X and Y axes individually, control scroll speed, click speed, and so on.
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DanNeely - Friday, December 21, 2012 - link
... what I really appreciate are mice actually designed for my hand as opposed to almost-symmetric designs. I have two left handed Razer Death Adder mice (one for home, one for work); and used Logitech's left handed model before that.I've never had a sweaty palm issue with one either; but my grip is fairly loose so there's never a been problem with blocked airflow preventing evaporation.
truprecht - Friday, December 21, 2012 - link
Razer Death Adder left is the only mouse I'll ever buy for myself again.Aside from the physical comfort, it also defaults to the right button as the primary click button, meaning you don't have to reverse the mouse buttons in the control panel. Seems like a small thing, but a lot of games don't register the control panel setting, so you have to re-specify the primary button in the game controls. And even then, the primary button will apply to gameplay, but not to menu selection which cannot be switched using the control panel OR the in-game settings. (I'm talking to YOU Bethesda and 2K).
aguilpa1 - Friday, December 21, 2012 - link
When my Replicator 2 comes in I will make me some real custom mouse bodies just for my hand.WT - Friday, December 21, 2012 - link
You may have it when you pry it from my cold dead hands. It certainly isn't the best at any one thing, but for $30 it cannot be beat (nor bought anymore, either).Good review as usual.Wish we had more reviews of a peripheral nature as well. Over-engineered and under functionalitied .. this Level 10 won't be joining my Level 10 GT case on my desk.
Tuffrabbit - Friday, December 21, 2012 - link
The Logitech MX518 is still my favorite out of current mouse collection...Impulses - Friday, December 21, 2012 - link
Newegg had the G500 for $34 during Black Friday weekend... Hard to beat for that price, nearly bought two myself. :pAVP - Friday, December 21, 2012 - link
"It's difficult to quantify strict performance, an issue ameliorated somewhat by the fact that actual performance (dpi, etc.) can often take a distant backseat to user comfort and the software included."Are you kidding?
No mention of what sensor this mouse uses? Acceleration? Angle snapping?
Weight?
Also your gallery is broken and you have five pictures of the mouse with no images or mention of the bottom or any suggestion of what type of surface it may or may not be best on.
ChronoReverse - Friday, December 21, 2012 - link
A quick Google reveals that it's an Avago ADNS-9800 which still has minor acceleration.BrightCandle - Saturday, December 22, 2012 - link
These basic objective measures are far important to report on than anything else. This isn't a review without actually talking about the flaws with the mouses tracking.SodaAnt - Friday, December 21, 2012 - link
I'm getting page not found errors on the gallery on the "The Thermaltake Level 10 M in Practice" page. When I click through to see bigger pictures it says the gallery isn't found.