Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro review: My new favorite gaming mouse

Corsair covers the entire gamut of gaming accessories, with its recent K100 RGB keyboard setting a new standard for gaming keyboards. Today, I'm taking a look at another recent entrant that has made a tangible difference to my gaming setup: the Dark Core RGB Pro gaming mouse.

There's no shortage of gaming mice, and the Dark Core RGB Pro holds its own against the best that Razer and Logitech have to offer right now. The mouse has Corsair's Slipstream tech for sub-1ms wireless latency over 2.4GHz, a PixArt sensor that goes up to 18,000 DPI, battery life of over 30 hours, and USB-C connectivity.

In short, the Dark Core RGB Pro has everything you're looking for in a wireless gaming mouse. I've used the mouse for a few months now, and here's what makes it a great option.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro What I like

The Dark Core RGB Pro is one of the best gaming mice around, and the fact that it holds its own against its wired counterparts shows just how effective Corsair's Slipstream tech is in day-to-day use. I've used the mouse for several months now, and I only realize that it is wireless when I have to charge it once a week.

The reliable performance over wireless is what makes it a standout option for my use case. The Slipstream tech delivers a stable sub-1ms connection over 2.4GHz wireless, and while I had some connectivity issues during the first week or so, a firmware update sorted those out.

Of course, if you don't want to use the mouse wirelessly, you can always plug it in; the mouse connects over USB-C, and Corsair includes a 6ft braided USB-C to USB-A cable in the box to hook up the mouse to your machine. There's also Bluetooth connectivity, and there's a toggle on the underside of the mouse that lets you switch between 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth connectivity.

The latency goes up to 7.5ms in Bluetooth, so while this particular mode isn't suited for gaming, it does come in handy if you're looking to use it for regular day-to-day tasks. That's what I ended up doing; I switched to Bluetooth mode when I needed to use the mouse with my MacBook.

The Dark Core RGB Pro has a contoured design that's particularly well-suited for palm grip gamers, and the textured design is great for extended gaming sessions. You'll also find two side-grips in the box, and these attach magnetically to the left side of the mouse. There's a slot on the right for housing the 2.4GHz dongle — ensuring you don't lose it when it's not plugged in.

The mouse has eight programmable buttons, and you can easily customize the buttons via Corsair's iCUE software. The buttons are tactile and have great feedback, and the Omron switches are designed to last 50 million clicks. You'll find a left and right button with the scroll wheel in the middle, DPI up/down buttons, a button for switching the profile, and back/forward buttons that are mounted on the side.

Corsair outfitted the Dark Core RGB Pro with onboard storage for storing three profiles, and you can save macros or hardware lighting effects to the onboard profiles and access them without the need for any additional drivers. A nifty utility in iCUE is the ability to calibrate the mouse for a particular surface; out of the box the mouse works with Corsair's range of surfaces.

You can also power off the mouse to conserve the battery life when not in use, but it automatically switches off after 15 minutes of inactivity. As for battery life, I got 30 hours of use consistently over 2.4GHz wireless. That's with the RGB lighting switched off; with the lighting enabled, that figure goes down to 15 hours.

What I particularly like about the mouse is that it charges over USB-C. I have countless devices that have the USB-C port, so it is great to see more and more accessories feature the standard. The Dark Core RGB Pro has a 1000mAh battery, and it takes two hours to fully charge the battery.

As for gaming performance, the Dark Core RGB Pro holds up just as well as the best gaming mice in the market today. I played countless hours of Valorant as well as Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Valhalla over the last two months, and the mouse's performance has been stellar throughout.

The ability to customizable macros makes it a great options for games like AC Valhalla, and the ability to adjust the DPI from 100 all the way to 18,000 and switch DPI on the fly is particularly handy for FPS titles like Valorant. The PixArt PAW3392 sensor that's used in the Dark Core RGB Pro is one of the best optical modules around, and that's clearly evident when gaming.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro What I don't like

Honestly, there's very little wrong with the Dark Core RGB Pro. I would have liked to see better battery life with RGB backlighting, but I don't usually turn on the lighting when I'm working throughout the day anyway, so it wasn't a major issue.

While the design is aimed at both palm and claw grip gamers, it is ideally suited for the former. So if you have a claw grip, you may not like the contoured design.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro The competition

If money is no object, the Logitech G502 Lightspeed is the obvious alternative to the Dark Core RGB Pro. Logitech's wireless gaming mouse has 11 customizable buttons, a sensor that goes up to 25,000 DPI, adjustable weights, RGB lighting, and 1ms wireless connectivity. It is on sale for $100 right now, but it usually retails for $150.

The Razer DeathAdder V2 is a stalwart in this category, with the first-gen model coming out well over a decade ago. If you want a reliable wired gaming mouse, you will love what Razer has to offer here. You get vibrant RGB backlighting, eight buttons, an ambidextrous design that's aimed at all-day use, onboard storage, and a 20,000 DPI sensor. The mouse retails for $69, and while that's a lot for a wired gaming mouse, you are getting one of the best mice around.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro Should you buy?

You should buy this if ...

You want a reliable wireless gaming mouse

The Dark Core RGB Pro is just as great as a wired mouse for gaming and other day-to-day tasks. You won't notice that you're using a wireless mouse until you need to charge it.

You're looking for a feature-packed gaming mouse

With nine-zone RGB lighting, eight customizable buttons, and the ability to choose between 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, or wired modes, the Dark Mode RGB Pro is packed with features.

You need a gaming mouse that's great for all-day use

I regularly use the Dark Core RGB Pro for 12 or more hours every day, and I've done so for a few months now. The contoured design along with the textured finish make this a great mouse, and the versatility on offer allows it to stand out.

You should not buy this if ...

You want a wired gaming mouse

Although you can use the Dark Core RGB Pro in wired mode, you'll find much more affordable options if you want a wired gaming mouse.

The Dark Core RGB Pro delivers everything you're looking for in a wireless gaming mouse. It has rock-solid connectivity over both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth, and you also have the option to plug it in and use it as a wired mouse. It has 30 hours of battery life without the RGB backlighting, so you'll only need to charge it once a week.

4.5 out of 5

The contoured design makes it a great option for all-day use, and you get eight customizable buttons and vibrant RGB backlighting. The 18,000 DPI sensor is one of the best you'll find on a mouse today, and it makes a real difference in FPS titles. So if you're in the market for a new gaming mouse and are eyeing a wireless option, the Dark Core RGB Pro is a great all-round choice.