The CORSAIR SCIMITAR ELITE and the CORSAIR DARKSTAR are both capable, feature-rich, and versatile wireless gaming mice, but which should you get?
Today we’re going to go over the differences between these two mice, what games they’re best suited to, grip styles, and anything else we can think of. We’ll start with a direct specs comparison, so that those of you who already know what you’re looking for can plainly see the technical differences.
CORSAIR SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS
CORSAIR DARKSTAR WIRELESS
| Spec | SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS | DARKSTAR WIRELESS |
| Wireless Connectivity | Hyper-fast, sub-1ms 2.4GHz SLIPSTREAM CORSAIR WIRELESS, Bluetooth® 4.2 + LE | Hyper-fast, sub-1ms 2.4GHz SLIPSTREAM CORSAIR WIRELESS, Bluetooth® 4.2 + LE |
| Sensor | CORSAIR MARKSMAN, 26000 DPI with 1 DPI resolution steps, 650 IPS tracking, up to 50G acceleration | CORSAIR MARKSMAN, 26000 DPI with 1 DPI resolution steps, 650 IPS tracking, up to 50G acceleration |
| Programmable buttons | 16 | 15 |
| Battery life | 2.4GHz SLIPSTREAM: Up to 120hrs w/out backlighting, Bluetooth: Up to 150hrs w/out backlighting | 2.4GHz SLIPSTREAM: Up to 65hrs w/out backlighting, Bluetooth: Up to 80hrs w/out backlighting |
| Dimensions | 119.23(L) x 73.48(W) x 42.17(H) mm | 129.05(L) x 67.9(W) x 43.64(H) mm |
| Weight (w/o cable and accessories) | 114g / 0.25 lbs. | 96g / 0.21 lbs. |
After comparing the spec sheets, we can get into the apple to apples section, so we’re going to take a deeper look at some of the specs, then get into the less-technical aspects delineating these mice from each other. If you’re after a more in depth look at each mouse individually, Check out our dedicated DARKSTAR WIRELESS and CORSAIR SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS pages.
As you might have noticed, the internals of these mice are essentially identical. Given that they are both flagship gaming mice we’ve outfitted them with out latest CORSAIR MARKSMAN sensor. This provides 26,000 DPI, 650IPS, and up to 50G acceleration.
Additionally, both mice utilize our 2.4GHz SLIPSTREAM connectivity and Bluetooth 4.2, so they are equally versatile regardless of the device you’re using them on.
However, there is one metric where one beats the other, and that’s battery life. The SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS lasts up to 120hrs on 2.4GHz, and the DARKSTAR WIRELESS lasts up to 65Hrs. Both are very respectable, but if you’re prone to overlong gaming sessions or just despise cables, the SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS wins here.
So, aside from battery life, the internals have parity, which means we have to take look at the other aspects of these mice to find more obvious differences.
With the CORSAIR DARKSTAR WIRELESS weighing in at 96g (3.4oz) and the SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS weighing 114g (4oz), there’s not a massive difference in heft, but it’s enough for gaming mouse enthusiasts. This is a ~16% difference, however, as these aren’t really FPS mice, this really doesn’t make too much difference. What does make a difference is the number of buttons.
In terms of programmable buttons, the DARKSTAR has 15 vs the SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS’s 16. While this could seem unnecessary, when it comes to MMOs and to a lesser extent, MOBAs, more buttons is preferable. This helps as there are way more keybinds in these games than most others.
So, almost identical here. However, old-school MMO players will probably prefer the SCIMITAR as the extra programmable buttons are in the traditional 3x4 grid on the thumbside, as opposed to the more multipurpose button layout of the DARKSTAR. Additionally, you can move the button grid on the SCIMITAR back and forth by 8mm to make them even more ergonomic. This is worth keeping in mind for the unusually small or inordinately large-handed amongst you.
This one is a bit tricky to quantify, especially as the shape of the SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS is not that different to the DARKSTAR WIRELESS. Both are right-hand ergonomic mice that definitely favor a large-handed individual with a palm grip.
However, as neither mouse weighs all that much, those who like a claw or fingertip grip will be comfortable with both, too. That being said, we’d sooner recommend the DARKSTAR for fingertip and claw grips as is far slimmer down the middle. This makes it more comfortable for the thumb and pink finger to curl around to grip the mouse. You can find specific dimensions in the specs chart at the beginning of this if you want to get really into it.
Here at CORSAIR, we love all our mice equally. We have no favorites. Some are better suited to certain applications than others, though, and while the DARKSTAR WIRELESS and SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS are almost identical internally, there are a few important differences.
If you’re a dedicated MMO gamer who doesn’t spend any significant time in other games, then the SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS is for you. It’s designed specifically for these types of games, and the moveable keypad means that MMO players of all hand sizes will be comfortable here.
The CORSAIR DARKSTAR WIRELESS, by comparison, is more of a multipurpose sidearm. It’s capable in pretty much every type of game, so if you’re after one mouse to rule them all, this is your best bet.
Regardless, find the CORSAIR SCIMITAR ELITE WIRELESS and the CORSAIR DARKSTAR WIRELESS over on our retail site.
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