Cougar Attack X3 RGB - Review 2022

For PC gamers with an middle for desktop bling, zippo's quite like powering on your computer in anticipation of the modest RGB joys that look y'all. That'southward the feeling Cougar invokes with the Set on X3 RGB ($99.99), a visually striking mechanical gaming keyboard that goes head-to-head with boards such as the Corsair Strafe and the Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum on toll and functioning.

In dissimilarity to that Logitech rival, the Cougar Assail X3 RGB uses key switches developed by Cherry, equally opposed to Logitech'due south proprietary Romer-G switches. (Other second-cord mechanical keyboard makers use switches from Red-imitation switch sources such as Kailh, so kudos to the Set on X3 for providing the "real deal.") The X3 comes outfitted with a pick of Cherry MX Red, MX Blue, or MX Silvery switches, each of which offers a distinct feel and feedback sound. In that regard, the Attack X3 RGB draws more parallels to the Cherry MX Cherry- or MX Blue-equipped Corsair Strafe. In other ways, the lighting is closer to that of the G810 Orion Spectrum, with a palette of xvi.8 one thousand thousand colors to choose amidst.

How you select and program those colors is the Assault X3 RGB'south weakness, though. It's a solid midrange gaming keyboard whose software is its Achilles' heel. Dubbed "Cougar UIX Arrangement," the Windows app that steers this keyboard is a challenge to navigate compared with Logitech Gaming Software or the Synapse program used by many Razer keyboards, such as the BlackWidow Tournament Edition Blush.

It'southward the Click That Counts

Measuring 1.57 by nine.05 by 18.39 inches (HWD), the Cougar Attack X3 RGB isn't substantially larger than the Corsair Strafe (i.57 by 6.69 by 17.63 inches) or the Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum (1.4 by 17.five past six inches), and it'due south certainly no heavier. While the Strafe weighs ii.9 pounds and the G810 weighs 2.vi pounds, the Attack X3 RGB is only 1.98 pounds.

The keyboard is available in two different shades, likewise. I was sent a silver version for review, and Cougar also offers an "Iron-Grey" model that looks closer to black.

The layout of the Assault X3 RGB comprises three parts, cleaved up by stylish angles and direct edges. Superlative- and bottom-edge borders sandwich an aluminum front end plate that's held in place by ii screws. Fully animated, the colorful LEDs projection onto it similar a dazzling light evidence at your favorite theme park.

Cherry MX Red key switches tend to be many gamers' elevation pick amidst mechanical-switch types, and that's what was in the Attack X3 RGB gaming keyboard sent to PCMag for review. These are nimble, linear switches with a shallow actuation altitude of just 2mm. As such, MX Reds take but a small corporeality of try to "bottom out," or attain an actuation signal where you hear an audible click. These are platonic for fast-paced competitive online games, such as Fortnite and Overwatch, wherein the goal is to crush your opponents with hair-trigger moves.

Cherry MX Argent switches, i of the other 3 switch flavors you lot can go this keyboard in, require the same amount of strength as MX Reds to actuate, only with a lower 1.2mm actuation distance. Meanwhile, the Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum's Romer-G switches actuate at ane.5mm, though they are louder and harder to press. Cherry MX Blues are a little different. Because you accept to press halfway down their deep 4mm travel distance for a keystroke to register (somewhat reducing the possibility of typos), Cherry MX Blue switches are the ameliorate choice for typists who might do some light gaming on the side.

The fundamental layout itself is par for the course. It's a standard QWERTY lineup, along with a row of function keys that double every bit media keys, with the media functions toggled past the e'er-present Fn cardinal. Like the Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum and many other gaming-focused keyboards, the Cougar Attack X3 RGB bears a Windows-key lockdown function embedded in the hardware, in instance you're prone to pulling up the Showtime carte du jour mid-scrimmage.

Alas, yous get no dedicated media or macro keys, though you can assign the first three office keys (F1 to F3) to any action y'all like (dubbed M1 to M3); you'll trigger these deportment in combination with the Fn key. The keys F5 through F12 work as media keys the aforementioned way; you'll use them for changing the volume, pausing background music, or skipping songs.

A Panel That Needs Some Polish

The command-center software for Cougar's Attack X3 RGB is called Cougar UIX System. You lot'll use it for tweaking operation, central assignments, and lighting profiles. Past default, you can customize three overall profiles, each 1 assigned to M1, M2, and M3—as I mentioned earlier, the secondary functions on the F1, F2, and F3 keys. Past default, their settings are all identical, but you customize them to suit your play manner and cosmetic preferences.

The Performance section is cleaved up into four categories: Polling Charge per unit, N-Key Rollover, Repeat Filibuster, and Repeat Rate Test. The polling-rate setting of the Cougar Attack X3 RGB ranges from 125Hz to 1,000Hz. Setting the rate to the tiptop setting results in the lowest possible latency, while keeping the polling rate at a minimum means putting less strain on your CPU.

Inside the Due north-Key Rollover box, you can switch between half dozen-key and Northward-fundamental rollover settings. With six-central rollover, when y'all press multiple keys at once, merely up to half dozen of them register. For example, when I gave it my key-mashing all-time in the Windows x search bar, merely the string of messages "asdfl;" showed up; zip more than. On the other manus, when N-key rollover is enabled, everything mashed will exist displayed onscreen.

The Repeat Filibuster submenu is where you tin can designate how long or short the wait volition be for a letter or number to repeat itself when its corresponding key is held downwardly. Then, the Repeat Rate Examination lets you give it a whirl past giving you a convenient space in which to beginning typing. Every bit the dialog box suggests, commencing the test is as straightforward as "Click[ing] here and agree[ing] down a key." The results are purely anecdotal.

Under the next tab beneath Performance, Central Assignment, you can customize any central as you like, reallocating it to the function of your choosing. For case, y'all can program the up-pointer primal to act as the Westward primal, handy for those who prefer using the arrow keys to WASD for directional command in games. What's more, this is where you lot tin can configure the three multi-purpose macro keys.

The adjacent tab, Lighting Control, takes some getting used to. At its middle is a triangle featuring iv percentages: 0 percentage, 33 percent, 66 pct, and 100 percent. This is where you lot select the brightness of the RGB backlighting. At each of the polygon's angles is a sphere that you can supplant with i of many variations of familiar lighting-animation furnishings, among them Wheel, Reactive, Arrow, Ripple, Wave, Rainbow, and Rain.

"Reactive" makes it so that each key illuminates a different color as information technology's pressed downwards. "Arrow" reminds me of Dance Dance Revolution, with lighting in the center moving in either horizontal direction as I blazon. Y'all can wheel amidst up to three lighting modes represented by the spheres, hence the triangular shape in the Lighting Control panel. By pressing the Fn and F4 keys at the aforementioned fourth dimension, you can cycle among the lighting profiles.

Alas, the software on the whole is not nearly as intuitive as that particular shortcut. Not merely is it a chore learning how to customize the lighting in Cougar UIX System, but the options are express to frilly animated effects. Anyone who prefers a static monochrome arrangement for their gaming-keyboard backlighting will be disappointed by the Cougar Assail X3 RGB.

Whereas the Corsair Strafe is confined to red LEDs igniting the underside of its keycaps, the Cougar Assault X3 RGB suffers from the contrary problem: You lot tin't make the keyboard low-cal up just 1 hue. It is always rainbows. You might find that good or bad. Of course, y'all likely bought something with "RGB" in the name because that's exactly what you wanted, only sometimes you only desire a mellow glow. One alternative is to merely close off the lighting entirely; that, at to the lowest degree, is an option.

Worse notwithstanding, despite its RGB backlighting, the Cougar UIX System software does not let for the customization of individual LEDs to different colors. Yous use the color programming "across the board." You get a wide variety of patterns to choose from, but all are difficult-coded by the manufacturer; it is impossible to personalize the keyboard in such a way that, say, 100 keys could each be uniquely toned. That kind of RGB programmability, often dubbed "per-cardinal RGB," is a premium feature of higher-end gaming keyboards. It'due south not here.

Killer Performance—With Ane Key Caveat

At starting time blush, the $99.99-MSRP Cougar Attack X3 RGB looks similar a decent value. The RGB backlighting and slick metallic build are gorgeous, and its Cerise MX key switches should deliver exactly the satisfying typing feel they are known for in their various flavors, if the MX Red we tested is any indication. The board is a scrap bulky, and it lacks the defended media keys found on the similarly priced Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum, but nosotros tin can overlook these demerits.

What we can't ignore, though, is the cumbersome Cougar UIX System software. I tin can but hope this application is updated in the future to account for the lighting-control quirks that make me reluctant to return to this software and, by extension, the keyboard as a whole.

If you're on the debate near the Cougar Assault X3 RGB, know that the Logitech G810 Orion Spectrum will evangelize a more polished software experience; the trade-off will be the Romer-G switches versus true Cherry MX Reds. (Attempt both before buying in-store, if y'all can, to go a feel for the Logitech-unique keys.) A different trade-off is in play for the Corsair Strafe, except supplant "Romer-1000 switches" with "only single-color backlighting." Corsair'southward software, likewise, like Logitech's, is much more mature and full-featured.

Either way, in this cost range for a mechanical gaming keyboard, you'll be making some kind of compromise. With the Cougar Attack X3 RGB, it'southward definitely the software.

Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/cougar-attack-x3-rgb/20946/cougar-attack-x3-rgb

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