First Contact

Enter the Alienware TactX gamer mouse.!
Despite its glowing eyes and braided tail, the TactX unboxing was an understated affair. A plain black mouse in a plain black box it didn't have retail reviews and awards plastered all over it.  But lets face it, by the time you are holding it in your hands you don't need adverts.

Surprisingly small in the hand, the TactX delivers tracking that is Smooth with a capital Smoo. While I'd expected something a little larger, I don't have massive man maulers so its compact size isn't uncomfortable.

In-game config I found a little difficult to master in a hurry, since the motion and acceleration has quite a different feel it'll take a little time to master. However the first impressions are very good indeed. Configured at 3000 dpi the TactX represented a 100% increase in resolution from my previous mouse, which made a difference. Set to 5000 dpi the TactX really came into its own, although my tests were mainly performed on a "mixed ability" public server.

For context, I've always been a "casual sniper" rather than a nerdcore super-camper. At Medium range the TactX provided predictable fluid precision that scored plenty of solid hits.
Short range sniping was a frenzy of scope-and-fire meatshots that I would have lacked either the precision - or confidence - to succeed in before.  Being fair, both the short and mid-range are dominated by timing and reflexes rather than aiming so it was difficult to expect much improvement.
The high precision tracking allowed for a few Long-range and hail-mary headshots that I'm simply not familiar with so at some point I will crack out the marshmallows and learn about those cowardly long range tactics.

Satisfied with results, I tested my mettle against the Gog Clan.  Up against clansmen you see more tactical play, and a strategic cat-and-mouse mechanic with more well defined roles than the casual herpderpery of a public server. Against pros, the TactX helps as well.  I connected with crisp rockets and got some great scattergun meatshots - how much of that was a placebo-driven increase in confidence I'll never know but I had my A-game with me which is what I'm paying the money for.

Back to software to finish, the TactX control panel allows you to set up colour profiles, or roaming colours for the lights. There are about sixteen default colours, providing a whole spectrum but I've left mine at cool blue to match the LEDs on my PC.

A long-term review will have to wait until I've really put it through its paces, but for now fortune favours the bold - but the bold, it seems, favour Alienware.