When comparing Roccat Kone XTD vs Zowie EC2-A, the Slant community recommends Zowie EC2-A for most people. In the question“What is the best gaming mouse?” Zowie EC2-A is ranked 4th while Roccat Kone XTD is ranked 17th. The most important reason people chose Zowie EC2-A is:
The Zowie EC2-A is made of high quality plastic that's lightly coated to help with grip. The buttons click easily and the rubber cable is thin and flexible. All of this combined gives a feeling of quality, while also being functional as a high-end mouse.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Good Linux drivers
Like all Roccat devices there are Linux drivers available, making for a good choice for Linux users who want to retain the control of the setting of their mouse.
Pro Good build quality
The weight and feel, feels solid and not cheap, the scroll wheel is silent when being used and there is zero button rattle. All this makes for a nicely feeling mouse that feels like the price paid.
Pro Good for an ergonomic palm grip
For those that enjoy an ergonomic grip device, the Kone XTD is a good choice since it allows ones whole hand to rest on the device easily and comfortably.
Pro Good weight due to adjustability
Pro Well built
The Zowie EC2-A is made of high quality plastic that's lightly coated to help with grip. The buttons click easily and the rubber cable is thin and flexible. All of this combined gives a feeling of quality, while also being functional as a high-end mouse.
Pro Excellent accuracy
The Zowie EC2-A delivers accurate mouse cursor movement that is essential to any gaming mouse. The Avago 3310 sensor used by this mouse is exceptional. It delivers a true portrayal of mouse movement with no jitter, acceleration or prediction. The available DPI choices of 400/800/1600/3200 are all native and should ensure an equally good performance, regardless of which one is chosen.
Pro Gets all the little nuances that make a mouse comfortable to use just right
The left and right mouse buttons have small grooves to help fingers rest in place. The left side lets the thumb grip the mouse comfortably. The side buttons are in an easily accessible, yet unobtrusive position. The coating is slightly textured to help you control the mouse confidently.
EC2-A weighs just 94 grams, making it light enough for quick mouse movements and won't cause fatigue after extended use. At the same time, the mouse feels solidly built.
Its elegant, ergonomic design is suitable for most hand sizes regardless of the way you hold it.
It's worth noting that Zowie offers the EC1-A version for larger hands.
Pro Button switches click easily
Although the buttons have Huano switches, which are more stiff, the shell of the mouse somehow negates this and makes them click easily, just like typical Omron switches.
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Pro No extra cruft
There's no advanced functionality or accompanying software. There are just 5 buttons and the only settings you can adjust are CPI, polling rate and lift-off distance. And only in preset intervals via specific mouse button combinations. It's a mouse that focuses on the essential factors only - comfort, performance and build quality - all of which it excels at. It doesn't get distracted with anything else. If you think all the bells and whistles that come with gaming mice are unnecessary, this just might be what you're looking for.
Cons
Con No Linux support
Con Button in front of scroll wheel is awkwardly placed
The button in the front of the scroll wheel is difficult to press when holding the mouse normally, while it is always nice to have more options of programmable buttons, the placement makes it difficult to use as ones grip will need ot be changes, which takes time off of other actions that one may need to perform.
Con Sticky light strip plastic
The plastic used for the light strip on the device tends to stick to ones skin, which can make moving ones hand feel odd.
Con Ostentatious logo
While not really visible when using the mouse, the logo on it may be off putting to some who want a sleek looking work desk as well as worthwhile gaming mouse.
Con Limited customizability
None of the buttons can be rebound, there are no macros, profiles, or customizable weights. And while the Zowie EC2-A allows you to customize the most important performance settings - CPI, lift-off distance, and USB polling rate - their customization is limited to preset intervals.
Con DPI switch can't be accessed during use
The DPI switch is a button that can’t be accessed while in use because it's located under the mouse.
Con Extra travel on side buttons
Side buttons have a bit of pre-travel. You have to press in about 1mm more than usual for the mouse to register the side button clicks. Some may find this annoying, but it helps avoid accidentally clicking side buttons in-game.
Con DPI colors annoying and can't be customized
The scroll wheel has an LED that changes color depending on your DPI setting, but the corresponding color cannot be customized.
Con You have to learn button combinations to change settings
The Zowie EC2-A has no accompanying software. Settings have to be changed through various button combinations. As a result the initial setup can be a bit of a hassle.