OCZ OCZMSDMXD Dominatrix Laser Gaming Mouse

OCZ OCZMSDMXD Dominatrix Laser Gaming Mouse

This review will be taking a look at a provocatively named new mouse from OCZ Technology that includes features like on-the-fly resolution management, adjustable mouse weights, and an ergonomic design. Just this short list of items makes the Dominatrix laser gaming mouse sound promising; just don't expect this dominatrix to bend you over a table and give you a spanking!

The promotional image above provides an overview of the OCZ Technology Dominatrix laser gaming mouse where we see that it has a unique design highlighted by a variety of extra buttons. Before taking a closer look at the mouse provided for review, let's take a look at the list of features and specifications, as taken from the official product page on the OCZ Technology website.

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Features:

» Set X&Y axes (independently) up to 3200 DPI w/software
» Onboard memory (save profiles)
» Customizable weight cartridges (up to 40g)
» 4-way tilt scroll wheel
» 3 Custom modes
» Click/Keystroke Recording
» Unlimited Script Profiling/Grouping
» Import/Export Profiles
» Loop and Fire Key Recording Capability
» Ability to Record in Intervals/Duration

Specifications:

» DPI Settings: 400/800/1600/2000
» 500Hz Polling/Report Rate
» Max Tracking speed: up to 45 in/second
» Frame Rate: 7080 frames/second
» Software setup included
» Operating System: Windows XP, Vista (32/64 bit)
» 3-Year Warranty

Packaging and Accessories:

The OCZ Technology Dominatrix laser gaming mouse comes packaged in the box shown in the below left image. A hard plastic shell protects the mouse from scratches and other damage.

In addition to the mouse, you receive the accessories shown in the above right image. Tucked in to the box is a container of mouse weights, a manual, and a driver/software CD.

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HP KZ630AA Voodoo Gaming Mouse
Plug and Play Performance - 5 programmable buttons - Full speed USB 2.0 - Includes Voodoo DNA GUI software for even speedier mousing

The Basics:

When I first glanced at the Dominatrix it immediately reminded me of the OCZ Technology Equalizer laser gaming mouse reviewed at BigBruin.com back in June of 2007. The OCZ Technology Dominatrix mouse is like the Equalizer's bigger brother - both are intended for gaming, both use lasers, and both are corded - but the Dominatrix appears to be further refined.

I would like to reiterate that the Dominatrix is indeed a wired mouse with a tail approximately six feet in length. It employs a USB 2.0 plug-and-play interface with a user adjustable resolution of up to 2000 DPI (dots per inch). The maximum tracking speed of this mouse is advertised to be 45 inches/second, and while that may be true, it's more likely to impress your friends than improve your gaming skills. Frame rates for this mouse are rated in excess of 7000fps, so don't expect lag to be an issue, mouse lag anyhow.

Okay, so this mouse is fast - but how does it feel? Answer: Pretty good! The majority of the Dominatrix is made up of a smooth plastic with the blue areas being covered with an even softer rubbery surface. The following two pictures capture the top and bottom profiles of the OCZ Dominatrix, respectively.

The left and right sides of this mouse (as shown below) have indents to accommodate your thumb and ring finger. The programmable buttons (identified as mouse "button 5" and "button 6") are in close proximity to the natural feeling thumb groove. I say "close" because you will need to adjust the placement of your thumb to properly reach these buttons. The mouse layout will work okay for right-handed gamers, but I would like to wish you inconvenienced "lefties" good luck.

HP KZ630AA Voodoo Gaming Mouse
Plug and Play Performance - 5 programmable buttons - Full speed USB 2.0 - Includes Voodoo DNA GUI software for even speedier mousing

Now that we have worked our way around the outside of the mouse, let's consider some of the features that make the OCZ Technology Dominatrix adaptable to different playing styles. As do other gaming mice, the OCZ Technology Dominatrix comes with "customizable weight cartridges". This gives you the ability to adjust the weight of the mouse according to your own preference. Simply twist the plastic cover off of the bottom of the mouse and push the small cylindrical weights into the accommodating foam base. As you can see in the pictures below, I opted to install three of the seven available weights.

Another special feature of the Dominatrix is the 4-way tilt scroll wheel. Most mouse scroll wheels serve two functions - vertical scrolling and as a third mouse button. The OCZ Technology Dominatrix takes us to the next dimension, allowing the scroll wheel to be maneuvered horizontally. I found this feature to be rather uncomfortable because it required me to lift my pointer finger from mouse button 1 to get the necessary leverage to push the wheel side to side. If you often find yourself scrolling horizontally through the desktop this feature will make your life a little easier. Buyers beware: the games I tested did not recognize the side to side motion of the scroll wheel as a usable button, so you cannot, for example, program this button to lean around corners in first person shooters.

The last and arguably most important feature of the OCZ Technology Dominatrix is the ability to record macros. You are not restricted to recording just mouse clicks however - you can record a combination of mouse clicks and keyboard strokes to the computer. Mouse buttons 5 and 6 are then used to activate the recorded sequence.

Thanks to the USB 2.0 interface, installing the OCZ Technology Dominatrix laser gaming mouse was a stress free process. Just insert the USB cord into the computer and the mouse comes to life. To get full functionality out of this device you can then install the provided software and "advanced gaming mouse driver." After a reboot of the computer you will now be able to fire up the Dominatrix mouse software. The software will allow you to record macros that can control keyboard and mouse functions all through one simple interface.

Software:

The OCZ Technology mouse software is required if you wish to take full advantage of your purchase. Oh, and please verify that you have the latest version of the software installed before even proceeding to use this product. As of October 27th, 2008 the latest software version is v2.0.8 and it is available for download at the OCZ website. When I initially started to review this product I was using v2.0.6 (included with the mouse) which had a serious flaw - games did not recognize the thumb buttons. I recommend that OCZ Technology make the software self-updating to avoid problems like this in the future. With that said, lets dive into the software, highlighting the most dominant features.

The below left screenshot is what you will find when you launch the Dominatrix software for the first time. In the top right corner of the program you will see a small button labeled "dpi setting". Clicking this will pop-up a window (shown in the below right screenshot) which will allow you to modify the sensitivity of the mouse in the X and Y axes.

A maximum of four independent DPI settings are available to you. After you program the DPI settings, switching between them requires pushing the "dpi" button located at the top of the mouse. This button is actually located directly behind the scroll wheel. An LED located beneath the scroll wheel will change color to reflect the respective DPI mode you have selected. I have provided a list below that correlates the scroll wheel color to the DPI level. By default a higher numerical level correlates to a higher mouse sensitivity setting.

» Level 1 = no color
» Level 2 = green
» Level 3 = blue
» Level 4 = red

The Dominatrix software allows mouse "button 5" and "button 6" to function in two separate ways. The first method (set as the default) allows users to issue a combination of keyboard and mouse click commands via macros to either of the thumb buttons. However, when the mouse is in this mode games will not detect that these buttons exist. The second method of configuration allows games to recognize these buttons as "mouse 4" and "mouse 5". To enable this feature you must change settings in the "dpi setting" window. Once you hit the "dpi setting" button, look for the second half of the window titled "Button Configuration" and remove the check marks for "Button 4" and "Button 5" of the respective mode. I suggest that OCZ Technology enable this feature by default, as I expect most gamers will desire this configuration.

Just behind the "dpi" button is another mouse button intended for switching the mouse "profile." As you might expect, this button allows you to quickly change from one of three mouse profiles - allowing you to change the macro programmed functions of mouse buttons 5 and 6 on the fly. A small LED is also located under this button and the color varies depending upon the profile you are using. I would suggest setting different profiles for different games.

Software(continued):

The final screenshot below demonstrates the programming of a simple macro. The large white space on the left side of the software is called the "Command Editor." Click the "record" button in the bottom left hand corner of the program and start clicking your mouse or keyboard keys to create a custom macro. Once the macro is recorded you simply save the macro to one of the two side buttons (known as either "Button 5" or "Button 6"). Now save this macro to the mouse using the "right arrow" button located in the upper-right corner of the program.

Overall I found the Dominatrix software was difficult to use. It took me around ten minutes of trying things out before I got the hang of it. I think the OCZ Technology programmers could do a lot better. An automated tutorial for configuring the mouse the first time would help eliminate most of the setup confusion. If I was to rate only the Dominatrix software I would give it a score of 6/10.

Testing and Usage:

The OCZ Technology Dominatrix mouse was tested without a mouse pad on a wooden desk. Before jumping into games I tried the mouse for several days in a standard Windows environment. The mouse functioned properly throughout this test and never exhibited tracking issues or loss of function. I found the mouse to be rather comfortable for periods of several hours, however my hand would tire after using the mouse all day long. It's a matter of personal preference, but I would like the Dominatrix to be a little thinner.

When I decided it was time to test the Dominatrix in its intended environment, my game of choice was Activision's most recent hit, Call of Duty 4 (COD4). The game is a WWII first person shooter, which means accuracy and control are absolutely critical. I ended up finding the 2000 DPI setting on both the X and Y axes best suited for my gaming style. I was able to make quick turns if necessary, but I also had the ability to steady the mouse during sniping maneuvers. Occasionally I would try switching to a lower DPI setting to further steady my shots while I was sniping, but I found it annoying to continuously switch while in game. In fact, a few times it even got me killed!

After gaming for a while I decided to try mapping "button 5" and "button 6" to replace the standard keyboard binds. As I stated earlier, to do this you must go into the "dpi setting" window of the Dominatrix software and remove the checkmarks for the respective mode you will be using when you game. Now I could set "button 5" to "duck" and "button 6" to "zoom." Cool!

As I continued to evaluate the mouse I also realized games would not recognize the 4-way scroll wheel. I was hoping I could bind pushing the scroll wheel to the left to the "Q" key (making my character lean left) and similarly pushing the scroll wheel to the right to the "E" key (to lean right), a common task in first person shooters. It would be great if OCZ Technology could add this functionality with a later software release.

To finish up with my testing, I wrote a macro to quickly press and release the left-mouse button (the primary fire button) forty times to "button 5" of the mouse. Then I launched Call of Duty and proceeded to join a random server. As soon as I got into the game I pushed "button 5" and my character started shooting its pistol so quickly you would have thought it was an automatic weapon. This ended up working with sniper rifles too, however the way the game is programmed accuracy diminishes after the first shot is fired. Also be careful what servers you use macros in. I was kicked for "cheating" when other players started noticing my "competitive advantage."

Conclusion:

While this "Dominatrix" won't exactly play along to your *cough* fantasies, it will do a rather good job of navigating your computer and regurgitating saved macro commands. The Dominatrix software enables you to configure your mouse so that the extra thumb buttons are recognized as "mouse 4" and "mouse 5" - directly mappable to any command in the game, if that is what you desire. On the other hand, you can setup the software so that "mouse 4" and "mouse 5" become macro programmable with endless possibilities.

Pros:

» Comfortable for extended usage
» Includes weights to adjust the feel of the mouse
» Resolution can quickly be changed for varying game play situations
» Dominatrix software allows you to record macros consisting of keystrokes and mouse clicks

Cons:

» By default, thumb buttons 5 and 6 will not be detected by games
» The Dominatrix mouse software is not user friendly
» Included software is outdated, download the latest version from the OCZ Technology website
» Wired mouse - maybe we should cut the cord?

OCZ OCZMSDMXD Dominatrix Laser Gaming Mouse

OCZ OCZMSDMXD Dominatrix Laser Gaming Mouse