Performance

The Aivia Krypton mouse from Gigabyte was a thoroughly pleasurable mouse to test. It features boatloads of buttons, which makes it good for both RPGs and RTS games. All FPS gamers will like the main button's short travel length and well-performing scroll wheel button. The only slightly annoying design issue present is the hard-braided cable; otherwise, the exterior design is very close to being perfect!
We started out by giving the mouse a whirl on our old and trusty SteelSeries 9HD mat and it performed brilliantly. Over the course of our testing, the rodent visited the following mats: SteelSeries 9HD, Gigabyte Krypton Gaming Mat, ModMyMachine SlamePad, and CM Storm Speed-RX. It performed well on all the mats.


Like most modern gaming mice, the Krypton mouse can store different profiles which can be activated by a dedicated button on the mouse. Apart from that, you have the usual on-the-fly DPI switch and, of course, the ever debatable weight adjustment system. The implementation of weight adjustment on the Krypton is better than on most mice and is definitely on par with the smart system on the Mionix Naos 5000 gaming mouse.

Sensorwise, Gigabyte has made the smart choice and opted for the recently released Avago ADNS-9800 laser sensor which has a maximum DPI of 8200, which is more than enough for even quad screen setups. This sensor is also used in the CM Storm Sentinel Advance II which we had reviewed a while back. Gigabyte has definitely succeeded in getting the ADNS-9800 to perform at its best. The z-axis related issues present on the CM Storm mouse have been effectively minimized on the Krypton gaming mouse to the point where they do not pose an issue. The continued tracking after lift-off is also completely gone, making the Krypton mouse the best tracking Avago ADNS-9800 mouse we have ever tested; it is finally a real improvement over the ADNS-9500-based mice.

The scroll wheel on the Gigabyte Aivia Krypton mouse is also perfect in the sense that the actuation force for the button is adequate and the tactile feedback is well balanced for both gaming and normal desktop use. As an added bonus the scroll wheel is dead quiet!

Button placement is ideal for users using a claw-type grip. The only gripe we have with it is that the profile-selection button is placed right where your thumb goes when using a palm-type grip. The macro button is not reassignable either, which is unfortunate for people who have no need for on-the-fly profile switching.

For FPS games, this mouse is just as good as the slightly older Mionix Naos 5000 and its design and build quality is equally impressive. Compared to the CM Storm Sentinel Advance II, this mouse is definitely ahead on all tracking aspects, and the button layout also seems better. The only thing where the Sentinel has a small advantage is in the comfort area for users with big hands; otherwise, the Krypton wins hands down!

For the hardcore FPS gamer with no need for the profile options or for the über high resolution of the ADNS-9800 sensor, the Zowie AM mouse is still the best choice. The tracking performance of the Krypton mouse is still slightly affected by the positive tracking issues. For users opting for high sensitivity, the Krypton is generally the better mouse compared to the Zowie AM, but only because of its slightly higher DPI rating. That being said, most users with medium screen resolutions can achieve perfect control with a 2300 DPI setting even with an outrageous sensitivity.

Gigabyte has really pushed the envelope with the Krypton's design. The removable back plate design works well, and the two different types of pads that you can use have enough spread to allow you to feel the difference.