Genesis. Hearing the name probably makes you think of the first story in the old testament, or Phil Collins’ band before he went solo. But it’s also the name of a Polish-based gaming accessories and peripherals manufacturer looking to break onto the scene in the UK. And we’ve been fortunate to get our hands on their Xenon 770 hybrid gaming mouse for our first review.
Build Quality & Design – 4.7/5
Having never even heard of Genesis before they approached us, we weren’t too sure what to expect. A little bit of research though showed that they have quite a positive reputation both in their native Poland and in the US, where they also retail their products. And those positive vibes are echoed from the moment we opened up the box.
The Xenon 770 feels like a really solid piece. The top is a textured plastic, usually the same kind you see used to help reduce the effect of sweat and increase grip. The sides are also plastic, but with a more smooth matt finish, and they’re the part that impresses most. Why? Because they’re replaceable. The right side adjusts the shape for comfort, but the left panel changes the set-up allowing you to optimise it for both FPS and MMO games.
In addition to the casing, the mouse also comes with a nice braided cable. Which is much better than the rubber alternatives you find on cheaper products. Then, underneath, the Xenon 770 boasts a high-quality optical sensor PAW3327. This is then surrounded by three gel pads placed around the base of the mouse to offer minimal friction and maximum glide. The only thing missing is a compartment where you can adjust the weight.
Ease of Setup – 5/5
So there are two areas to set up. Firstly, the physical mouse itself, followed by software to program buttons and lighting. You’ll obviously want to set it up depending on what games you play and what feels most comfortable for you.
The physical set up is easy. Like taking candy from a baby easy. I know, because I’ve done both. In my defence, they were my chocolate buttons! Anyway, underneath the mouse you’ll see a little groove at the base of the panels. Stick your nail in and they’ll pop right off. And they’re just as easy to pop right back in. After seeing how easy it was though, I was more impressed at how well the panels stay on. I was expecting them to drop off.
Once panels are sorted, it’s time to program your buttons so you know just the right ones to push to wind up, or alternatively, turn on, your enemies. Who are we to judge? To do this, download the Xenon 770 software on the Genesis website. Then, it’s just a case of choosing which button does what and choosing things like DPI settings and lighting. Then you’re good to go. And best of all, you can save different profiles for different games.
Functionality – 4.5/5
It does everything you’d want a mouse to do. It glides across the surface with ease, allowing for pinpoint accuracy. It is easy to program to fit your needs, and with multiple profiles available to set up, you can make it so your mouse is suitable for your favourite games. And it’s built well too so it feels like it could take a fair amount of rage for those times where despite posting record-breaking scores, your team let you down to lose the match.
It also feels nicely weighted as well, although adjustable weights would be a nice addition to the Xenon 770. But that is probably the only major physical improvement that I can think of that would improve it. Except maybe if it could also be made available in a wireless format, or even a hybrid wired/wireless system like the Logitech G700.
From Pheonix Point to CS:GO, and a few other games as well, I’ve really put the Xenon 770 to the test. It worked like a charm. DPI is easily changed at the press of one or two buttons, so it can be changed as you switch game, which is handy. My only concern was I felt buttons seemed sensitive as I was doing things I didn’t want to, but I have an itchy trigger finger and it’s an issue I have always had playing games on PC, so could well explain that.
Value for Money – 5/5
Ok, so this one was a tricky one to score. Mainly because it isn’t actually widely available in the UK yet, so we’ve had to take prices from abroad and convert them to compare. That’s not to say you can’t get Genesis products in the UK yet, they’re readily available on sites like Amazon and Lime Pro Gaming but just in limited choice compared to what you find on the official website. But we’re sure that will change in the new year.
Anyway, the one UK price we did find was on a site called LambdaTek where the Xenon 770 is £36.95 incl. VAT but before any delivery charges. Comparing that to sites abroad it does seems to be consistent with converted rates, working out at £34.73 in the United Arab Emirates, £32.08 in Romania and £33.29 in countries using the Euro (prices correct as of 29/12/2019).
But what does it all mean in terms of what you get? Well, you essentially get two professional-quality gaming mouses in one. The closest thing we’ve seen to this is Razer’s old Ouroboros hybrid mouse which also had switchable panels, but they were purely for a comfort element. That second-hand today still goes for about £60.00 so shows you just how good value this really is. Add into the mix you get a spare set of gel pads for the base and it’s saving you money again alongside the fact you no longer need two mice.
Overall – 4.8/5
What can I say? For our first impression of what is to come from Genesis I’ve genuinely been really impressed. I’ve even borrowed it to a couple of friends as well, and even they were complimentary about the build and functionality of it.
The best part of it has to be the fact it’s so customisable. Where before you may have needed two devices to get the best out of different games, you now just need the one which you can switch around as needed. And it doesn’t cost any more than some people would pay on a single mouse anyway.
That said, I would say improvement can still be made. Nothing is ever really perfect. Even my beloved Liverpool who are in rampant form at the moment in the Premier League. But literally the only real changes I could see improving this is the addition of customisable weighting, and a wired/wireless combi system, if not, just a wireless option being made available would be cool. But even without these, it’s still a fantastic product.
The Xenon 770 hybrid gaming mouse is manufactured by Genesis, a Polish-based gaming accessories and peripherals manufacturer. It is currently available in the UK from LambdaTek but we expect to see more retailers taking up stock in 2020. For more information on this product and others from Genesis, visit their official site HERE. And catch more of our own reviews by clicking HERE.