Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE Review

When it comes to wireless gaming mouse, the list seems incomplete without the recently released Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE. With its comfortable design, amazing gaming performance and decent battery life, the mouse is totally worth buying. (Check latest deals and discounts of Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE. The mouse easily competes with the most expensive models like Logitech G502 Hero and Lightspeed in every aspect, whether it is price point or performance criteria. In my point of view, this is the most demanding and best gaming mouse you’ll ever need for a perfect gaming experience.

After using the Dark Core RGB Pro SE for more than one week, and passing it through multiple performance, gaming and productivity tests, the mouse proved its worth. I am impressed and satisfied with this peripheral, although a few negligible downsides were there. From the multiple programmable buttons to the swappable finger rest; elegant RGB lighting option, Qi charging and wireless connectivity, every feature is worth considering for a high-end gaming addict.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE

Mathew Bradford

Corsair-Dark-Core-RGB-Pro-SE
The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE is a wireless gaming mouse built for enhanced performance in longer gaming sessions.
Design
Features
Performance
Price

Summary

The Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE is a wireless gaming mouse built for enhanced performance in longer gaming sessions.

4.8

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro Specs 

ManufacturerCorsair
ModelCorsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE
Sensitivity18,000 DPI
Polling Rates2,000 Hz
Sensor TypeOptical
Sensor ModelPixArt PAW3392
Lift-off Distance2mm
Programmable Buttons9
RGB LightingYes (9 Zones)
ConnectivityCorsair Slipstream (USB Type-A dongle), Bluetooth 4.0, USB Type-A cable
ColorBlack
Weight4.96 ounces (133g)
Dimensions5 x 3.5 x 1.7 inches
MSRPCheck Latest Price

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE: Design

The design seems monotonous to the previous version of Dark Core with no such noticeable differences. In terms of size the Dark Core RGB Pro SE is a well-known yet a relatively large mouse, having textured palm, scroll wheel and thumb rest, while the far side is smooth and shiny. For a perfectly even look you can, however, replace the smooth sides to the rough.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE

The buttons area is also interesting as the mouse features default right and left buttons, a clickable scroll wheel, a face button to switch profiles and two thumb buttons on side. The two buttons in upper-left corner let you adjust DPI sensitivity up to 18000 DPI, almost 7,000 points less than Logitech G Pro X Superlight which comes with maximum of 25,000 DPI. The FPS gamers might dislike the mouse because it lacks a sniper button, which is a backbone for FPS players in battlefield. But I think it is OK as the mouse is already crowded with a bundle of buttons from every side. Even on its bottom you’ll see a sliding button for switching between 2.4 GHz wireless connection and the Bluetooth connection.

The best part of the Dark Core RGB Pro SE is its LED strips. In most of the cases the RGB mice boast with simply the RGB lighting around the palm rest logo and scroll wheel which is not the case with this mouse. In this area the Dark Core RGB Pro SE is pretty better than its competitors by illuminating all of its sides by employing the LED strips. This feature makes it really appealing and future-proof, especially if you like programming the RGB lighting pattern.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE mouse

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE: Features

Of the features the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE comes with the wireless connectivity, software compatibility and Qi charging are the ones worth considering. In the first place, the wireless connectivity feature is what makes it amazing and pricey. In fact, usually all the best wireless gaming mice and gaming keyboards are priced above $100. Considering the two swappable connectivity features including Bluetooth and 2.4GHz the price point is acceptable.

In our case, both the wireless features worked impeccably. I didn’t notice any lags in connection on both channels, nor did I face issues in swapping the wireless connections between Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz.

The wireless battery lasted about 50 hours which was very impressive. For recharging the battery two options are available: the first one is USB-C cable that is a latest addition in gaming mice models, the second one is Qi wireless charging. The battery can be charged with any Qi charger you have without any incompatibility issue. The battery takes a few hours for full charge.

The next feature iCUE software is always a handy tool for Corsair users. The solid performance as well as ease of use makes the software to serve as a perfect guide for the next level gaming. The software lets you customize the buttons, gaming profiles, and lighting pattern of Dark Core RGB Pro SE. Besides, recording macros and calibrating for the surface is quite easy. I was even able to check the battery status of the mouse by iCUE.

The only drawback with this software is that you have to explore a lot of submenus to go for the required setting which is a hectic process. Going through a lot of options for just a single option is really boring, which I think the Corsair should need to focus. The program, however, is perfect, stable and bug-free which is the big advantage, when considering other utility softwares built by other manufacturers.

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE image

Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE review: Gaming Performance

In all the gaming sessions I went through for testing the performance of the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE, I didn’t feel uncomfortable in using the mouse. The mouse actually performed beautifully, the same as I was expecting from it. For testing I played Doom Eternal, World of Warcraft, Age of Empires II, CS:Go and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and in every game the mouse performed impressively, precisely and flawlessly. Whether I was in pursuit of demons, finding a shelter, or hunting down the zombies with my favorite sniper, my precision never faltered. Besides, the extra buttons, especially macros, proved really helpful in improving my in-game performance.

The biggest advantage I got with this mouse for gaming performance was the wireless connection that can be swapped via “Corsair’s Slipstream wireless dongle technology”. The technology is fast and powerful enough to make you feel as if you are playing through the wired connection. The reason is that the 2.4 GHz wireless feature sends twice the wireless packets as sent by a normal wireless connection. That’s why Corsair its latency of as low as 1ms.

Practically speaking, the mouse performed similar to the wired models when I moved to the lowest 400 DPI while at 800 DPI setting the performance was so smooth that at some points I forgot that I am using a wireless mouse.

The only problem I probably encountered was the slow movement of the scroll wheel when I needed it to work as fast as I could do. Sadly the wheel is not adjustable as offered by Razer and Logitech in its modern gaming mice. In some productivity tasks such as, moving through Excel sheets or trying to go to the bottom of the page, the wheel becomes boring.

Corsair-Dark-Core-RGB-Pro-SE-mouse

Price and availability

Priced above $100 the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro might not be under the budget when compared to wired models. But considering the features the mouse comes with as compared to its sister model Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless or Corsair M55 RGB Pro, the Dark Core RGB Pro SE is totally worth the money.

However, if the price drains your bank, you may find other options from the list of best gaming mice or you may see reviews of Razer Viper and Razer Viper Mini.

Reasons to Buy

  • Great buttons
  • Comfortable design
  • Excellent Qi wireless charging
  • Reasonably priced

Reasons to Avoid

  • Awkward texture grip
  • Stiff scroll wheel

Testing Results

Overall, the Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE is the great choice for an immersive wireless gaming experience. The variety of useful features it is equipped with are worth considering from the gaming point of view.

If you are looking for a similar premium looking gaming mouse you should look for Logitech G502 Hero, However, if you need a mouse and keyboard combo, you can also see the list of the best gaming keyboards, or some of our favorite picks such as Logitech G915 TKL, Razer Huntsman Elite and HyperX Alloy Elite RGB.

Photo of author

Mathew Bradford

Hey! Mathew Bradford Here, A proud member of GamingExpert Team. I love playing games with new gaming gadgets. Our team is here to help you find the best gaming products, reviews of videos games and to help you decide which one is best for your. You can contact me if you need further assistance.