烈焰小钢炮：R.A.T.M红魔版A Fiery Pocket Rocket: The R.A.T.M Red Devil Edition

I’d had my heart set on a MadCatz mouse for ages, browsing from the R.A.T.5 to the R.A.T.7, then from the M.O.U.S.9 to the R.A.T.M. But even when the M.O.U.9 turned up at a lovely eighty dollars I didn’t pull the trigger; after all, I’d never used a MadCatz, and word online was that the quality is hit-or-miss. So I dragged my feet on and on, until Singles’ Day, when JD put up a 199-minus-40 special. Mainland retail unit, and it’s JD, so if it turned out awful there was still a way back. So I seized the chance and brought home the R.A.T.M.

Truth be told, I didn’t start out set on any particular mouse; the way I see it, their mice come in exactly two kinds: the ones that look like Transformers, and the ones that look a lot like Transformers. Still, as an amateur sufferer of chronic indecision, I dithered a good while between the wired R.A.T.5 and the R.A.T.M before ordering. In the end I waylaid Fiona as she was about to head home, and the verdict came down: buy the R.A.T.M.

========Good~ up next, the thrilling (read: tedious) unboxing~========

Mad Catz packaging has always been like this, no further showcase required~ the mouse itself, sitting in its clear shell, is eye-catching enough. Though to this day I haven’t figured out what the MOJO in the top-left corner is supposed to be… mahjong? Below it, the box even claims support for poor little Android.. but in actual testing it doesn’t! Liar! I HATE YOU! It also claims Mac support.. testing shows 10.9 isn’t supported either.. writing this out, it’s starting to feel like a bit of a swindleThe specs shown on the side: this is a gaming mouse with a max DPI of 6400.Rear-end reveal, with the distributor’s marriage-ad contact info stuck on.bingbing~~~the box is open~ why does writing this feel like grade-school picture narration…Opening the right-hand box: a manual, a warranty card, stickers, mystery slip of paper number one, mystery slip of paper number two, mystery slip of paper number three… nani? There’s even a game promo booklet?! Plus a complimentary pouch~ and about this complimentary pouch.. all I can say is that it.. is a pouch… and nothing more…Stickers~ rather pretty~ a fresh young lad like me, still a child at heart (read: entirely shameless), will of course be sticking these up~ you ask where? Not showing youThat’s right.. this is that deranged little game intro.. booklet.. as if I’d ever blab about already planning to download it and play? Next, opening the box.. and the way this box opens is… quite something! No pull-tab of any kind… you just pick it up and shake shake shake shake… and out tumbles the mouse Below: high-def, uncensored four-angle shots of the mouseThe scroll wheel is some metal-like material; who knows whether it will oxidize with long use. Coming off the M950’s free-spinning wheel, this one with its chunky detents takes a little getting used to~ though the scrolling sound is very very satisfying~ also, the ST software can’t adjust the distance per scroll tick.. a bit of a letdown, alasSide view~ the palm rest at the back can be pulled out, mind you, to fit the length of your palm~ at the second notch it feels a touch short, at the third it digs in a bit.. no setting is quite comfortable.. a bit of a letdown, alasOn the mouse’s left side there’s a five-way wheel~ you ask which five directions? Left, right, up, down~ plus you can press it! (Enough already! Stop padding the word count like this!) But then, for a big-handed user like yours truly.. pressing the button takes a grip different from the normal one.. otherwise you can’t get any force on it.. such a mighty customizable button, so unpleasant to use.. a bit of a letdown, alasAn all-metal rear end that fears no blowout~ ever since one dark and windy night years ago when I used some no-name domestic mouse with a metal base, I’ve carried an obsessive fixation on metal-bottomed mice~ in high school I told myself I’d buy one at university.. at university I told myself I’d buy one once I was working.. and only now have I bought one… a bit of a letdown, alasGrand rear-end exhibition~ this metal base truly is gorgeous! So much so that mid-use I now keep flipping the mouse over just to have a lookA stray shot of the box~ MadCatz does have a conscience, most generously gifting me two dead.. AAA batteries, for my convenient.. use strange, why would a bashful blushing face go here… Luckily yours truly is quick-witted and, on the spot, pulled from the air-conditioner remote the fresh batteries swapped in only last summer. Otherwise, mouse bought but unusable, I’d be annoyed; annoyed, I wouldn’t write the blog post; no post, and you’d never see such a marvelous haul; no marvelous haul to see, and you’d be annoyed; annoyance accumulates, then erupts; eruption turns to riot; the world might slide into World War III; the Earth might be destroyed. To think I’ve saved all humanity, I’m actually a little thrilledRight, next up is accessory timeThe battery compartment, workmanship not exactly refined eitherThe crudely made receiver. On a Windows 8 laptop with Bluetooth 4.0, mind you, this receiver isn’t needed at all. Four-angle shots with the base detached what, you ask why I’ve stopped narrating the pictures? Yours truly just saved the world, and you still expect picture narration! Besides, this is a personal blog, what more do you want, a bicycle! Be glad I’m showing you anything at all! Fine, back to business: after some actual use, a summary. Strengths

1. Killer looks; no further explanation needed, right~ so much so that despite all these letdowns I still resolutely cast it a five-star review (yes, I judge by looks, what of it, come fight me!)
2. Killer looks
3. Killer looks

Weaknesses

1. No support for mac10.9
2. Rather prone to interference from wireless networks, with frequent lag (which is precisely what led me to return it in the end)
3. I can’t think of any other weaknesses..

To close, I offer up my knees. Thanks for watching. This post is also published on SMZDM.