Chance Asue / Feb 8th, 2013



Computer peripheral manufacturer Genius launched its GX Gaming Series in 2011 to create keyboards, mice, headsets and the like specifically for professional and enthusiast gamers. Their latest product, the Gila, is aimed at the MMORPG and RTS crowds, with an impressive 12 buttons, six 4.5 gram weights and up to 8200 DPI. Customization options are plentiful and the mouse is truly designed for those who need to tweak and adjust to maximize mouse control, but is the Gila greater than the sum of its parts or a case of diminishing returns?

The Good

In terms of looks, the Gila is the mouse equivalent of a Lamborghini. Its angular cuts and matte finish give the mouse an aggressive demeanor. The lighted accents are not only a nice touch, but can be customized within the 16 million color RGB gamut, along with an option to glow steadily or pulsate. The various backlit sections can be changed individually, allowing further customizing. For those that prefer the mouse to glow red with the blood of their enemies or fragging with a pulsating rainbow, both options are available and easily manipulated.



All 12 buttons on the mouse are programmable and can be swapped through 6 different profile settings, allowing for a maximum of 72 macros. The number is ridiculous, but certainly makes sense when considering a unique macro profile for a given situation or game. Regardless of whether they will be utilized or not, the options are nice to have. Another button toggles the DPI on the fly, which is a welcome feature considering the utility menu to configure other options takes a considerable amount of time to open. Even on a powerful machine, the utility takes a few seconds to appear from the system tray and several seconds to apply any changes made. Changes are not made easily while in a game, so having the toggle button helps.

The Bad

One issue that arose from the lighting was that a true white was never able to be created in the front accents, and a slight pink tint was shown. This is most likely a reflection from the red plastics used on the accents of the mouse itself, but the tint was only noticeable when the front lights were set to white. Another problem comes with the physical design of the mouse itself. While it looks great, the idea is not to look at a mouse. It must be gripped and held. No matter what the style of grip, the mouse becomes uncomfortable during prolonged use and the thumb button placement on the left side of the mouse sits a tad higher than where the thumb comes to rest. The Lamborghini analogy really starts to make sense here. It may look pretty, and it may have all sorts of features, switches or power, but everyday use would destroy the driver’s bones. While Genius may have been more than generous with buttons, settings and appearance, they seem to have forgotten comfort and ergonomics.

Overall

The Gila MMO/RTS Professional Gaming Mouse has all the buttons and tweaks one could want on a gaming mouse, but it does not come without sacrifice. The Gila could be a perfect fit for those who only use a gaming computer for a couple hours at a time, game on a laptop and are looking for a full size mouse for extra precision, or as part of a portable LAN rig. On an everyday computer that moonlights as a game platform, a more comfortable device is required for use between gaming, be it at the sacrifice of buttons or options. Although the Gila comes up a bit short in some fields, it certainly shows promise for the future of the GX Gaming lineup.

GENIUS GILA MMO/RTS PROFESSIONAL GAMING MOUSE REVIEW Gaming Illustrated RATING Overall83% FEATURES 9.5 A plethora of customization and more macros than an economics textbook. COMFORT 7.5 Large and small hands both find it difficult to use for more than a couple hours. VALUE 8 For $100 there are much more comfortable options available with respectable numbers of buttons.

tags: gaming , genius , gila , hardware , mmo , mmorpg , mouse , pc , review , rts