Genius Gila Gaming Mouse Hands-On
We've heard about Genius' new Gila gaming mouse before, but here at CES, Genius is showing it off. The Gila is part of the company's GX gaming series, and it certainly looks like a mouse for the gamer who takes their hardware seriously. FPS players will have no problem finding value in this mouse, as Genius has implement at least one feature aimed at giving competitive FPS players an edge.
To start off, the Gila certainly looks like a gaming mouse. The whole package isn't as big as some other gaming mice on the market, but with plenty of lights and a total of 12 buttons, the Gila definitely fits the bill. There are three sets of lights in all, and each set can be programmed separately from the others, meaning that you're not forced to have all of your lights be the same color.
Every single one of those 12 buttons is customizable – even the left and right mouse buttons. Players can set up to 72 different macros as well, and those are saved to the mouse's onboard memory. This is especially important because, and our demonstrator points out, it means that games won't be able to block your macros (we're looking at you Diablo III).
For its size, the Gila is surprisingly heavy. I figured that there were weights in the bottom, but the mouse has that heft without any additional weight. Of course, if you want a heavier mouse, you'll have the option of opening up a compartment on the underside of the device to add weights that come included with the product. There are a number of different dpi settings too, with the mouse going all the way down to 200 dpi and up to 8200 dpi.
Remember that FPS-centric feature I told you about earlier? Genius has dubbed it "sniper mode." With sniper mode, players will hold down a button to decrease their dpi, which helps when you need to hold steady and aim. Once you've made your shots (or once you've missed and need to run) releasing the button returns the mouse to its original dpi setting, so one button press will adjust your dpi settings on the fly.
All in all, the Gila seems like a pretty solid gaming mouse. It's got a good feel overall, and I really like the look of it. Group those with a bunch of customizable settings and you've got a gaming mouse that's worth a look. The Gila comes in at $99, so it isn't too terribly expensive, but still might cost a bit too much for some. Keep it here at SlashGear for much more from CES 2013!
