Sharkoon releases the SHARK ZONE H40 Gaming Stereo Headset

The illuminated SHARK ZONE H40 Gaming Stereo Headset is specifically designed to meet the demands of gamers. The yellow LED illumination of the SHARK ZONE logos on the outside of both ear cups underlines the trendy design of the series. It persuades with its padded, adjustable headband; lightweight design of only around 350 grams and generous, soft earpieces: The H40 provides excellent comfort during wear, especially during long gaming sessions. Thanks to the metal reinforcing headband it is very sturdy and can withstand high stress.

Two professional 50 mm premium speakers provide superior sound with penetrating bass and crystal clear highs. The H40 was specifically designed to meet the sound demands of gamers, so no game deciding details were overlooked. Through the ergonomically designed in-line controller, which is even sleeker on the SHARK ZONE designed connection cable for an easier hold, the volume and microphone mute function can be easily controlled.

The side-mounted microphone arm is fully customizable and is smoothly integrated into the design. With the microphone's LED indicator, the selected operating mode is displayed at all times. Is the microphone activated? As soon as it is activated, it is illuminated yellow. It's no longer necessary for gamers to check the status of the microphone by looking at the in-line controller; they can now fully concentrate on what is happening on the game.

The SHARK ZONE H40 Gaming Stereo Headset connects via two gold-plated 3.5 mm stereo jacks, each for the microphone and headphones, as well as a gold-plated USB plug in SHARK ZONE design for the illuminating function. The 2.5 meter long cable also offers a lot of roaming ability for the gamer. Included is a useful transport bag to use for the next LAN party.

End customers will find the Sharkoon SHARK ZONE H40 Gaming Stereo Headset available for the suggested retail price of 44.90 euros from authorized retailers.

Official Website: Link

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Sharkoon presents two new Mini-ITX Cases

Shark Zone C10 Mini-ITX PC Case is aimed at gamers and offers maximum flexibility within the smallest of space. With its compact dimensions of only 37.0 x 22.5 x 18.0 centimeters (L x W x H), it is ideal for mobile and space-saving use at your next LAN party. The case can be used not only horizontally, but vertically as well.
Inside the case dual-slot graphics cards with a maximum length of up to 31.5 cm can be installed, and is available with a 5.25" drive bay for an optical drive and installation options for a 3.5" hard drive or a 2.5" HDD/SDD. Without the 5.25" drive bay, up to two 3.5" hard drives or two 2.5" HDD/SSDs can be installed. An additional 2.5" HDD/SDD can be mounted on the rear panel, instead of an 80 mm fan. CPU coolers with a maximum height of up to 15 cm can be used. The case has a convenient installation opening to easily mount fans. A quiet 120 mm fan is pre-installed at the top and, if needed, an additional 120 mm fan can also be mounted. If no optical drive is installed, the top also has room for a 240 mm radiator. All side panels are equipped with dust filters and offer ventilation openings. An 80 mm fan can be installed to the rear panel.
The front features two USB 3.0 and Audio ports. Practical thumbscrews simplify the opening as well as closing of the case. The SHARK ZONE C10 is compatible with SFX and non-modular ATX power supplies.

The QB ONE Mini-ITX PC Case offers enough space for all the necessary components thanks to its carefully planned layout. Its dimensions are as follows, 36.8 x 22.5 x 18.0 centimeters (L x W x H). The elegant design is recommended for use in the living room as, for example, a powerful gaming PC with use in a vertical or horizontal position.
All side panels offer generous ventilation openings with dust filters and thumbscrews. An optional 80 mm fan can be mounted to the rear panel. A 120 mm fan is pre-installed at the top and, if needed, an additional 120 mm fan can also be mounted. If no drive is installed, the top also has room for a 240 mm radiator.
In the front, two USB 3.0, two USB 2.0 and two Audio ports are provided. Installation of a dual-slot graphics card, up to two 3.5" hard drives or two 2.5" HDD/SSDs as well as a 2.5" HDD/SSD instead of an 80 mm fan is possible in the rear panel. CPU coolers with a maximum height of up to 15 cm can also be mounted.
The QB ONE Mini-ITX PC Case is compatible with SFX and non-modular ATX power supplies.

End customers will find the Sharkoon SHARK ZONE C10 available for the suggested retail price of 39.99 euros from authorized retailers. The Sharkoon QB ONE Mini-ITX PC Case is also available for the suggested retail price of 39.99 euros.

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Sharkoon Skiller PRO Review

There are a ton of gaming keyboards currently on the market, lots of different options and configurations to choose from, finding one that suits both your gaming needs as well as the contents of your wallet can be a challenging task, it's all about achieving a perfect ratio between cost and quality.

With the previously mentioned objective in mind, today we will be taking a look at the Skiller PRO, a membrane keyboard from Sharkoon that promises to deliver a lot of interesting features while at the same time keeping the price tag relatively accessible to most gamers out there (25€-30€).

We have in the past reviewed several other products and peripherals from Sharkoon, so if you don't know them very well I invite you to check those reviews out. Hopefully you will be able to notice a pattern emerging, inexpensive and well built products that deliver all the core features most gamers require.

In terms of packaging Sharkoon did a fine job with the Skiller PRO. For one, the actual color scheme on the package matches the one from the keyboard, aside from that, you will be able to quickly read all the most important features right on the front of the package, this will help consumers who may be looking at several different products in an actual physical retailer. Simple details like this can go a long way, especially at this price point where impulsive purchases are frequent.

Bundled with the Skiller PRO you will find only the most basic accessories such as a couple of rubber feet to stop your keyboard from sliding around and your typical CD with the customization software and drivers. No fancy stuff here sure, but at this price point it's hard to ask for more.

Visually, and while I'm not a big fan of the over-the-top design, I loved the illumination present on the Skiller PRO. It's only available in blue, and maybe because of that, the color feels a lot more consistent and bright when compared to other keyboards from the same price range. While I don't think that each key is individually illuminated, Sharkoon did a fine job simulating that effect because it certainly looks like it.

I gotta say that personally my preferences tend to lean towards minimalist keyboards, because of that, and despite the awesome illumination, the PRO is not really my cup of tea when it comes to appearance. Still, I can acknowledge that for people who prefer more aggressive designs, this will be a good choice.

In terms of functionality, comfort and build quality the Sharkoon Skiller PRO performs admirably well.

While the limitations of a membrane keyboard are present here, for what it is, an inexpensive non-mechanical gaming keyboard, the PRO delivers probably everything that you could possibly want. Macros, multi-key rollover, three profiles and even multimedia keys for your more mundane tasks.

Build quality is also pretty acceptable. It can easily compete with other non-mechanical keyboards that cost quite a bit more.

Finally, I would like to mention the rubberized finish that the PRO has, it feels great to the touch and will certainly improve the user experience in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Sharkoon has done it again. The Skiller PRO is an outstanding keyboard, everything about it feels just right and even though I don't particularly like its visual design, I can see other gamers finding it really attractive.

If you're on the market looking for an inexpensive gaming keyboard then I can't recommend the Sharkoon Skiller PRO enough.

The Good
+Price
+Blue lights
+Comfortable
+Solid
+Gaming features (macros,n-key rollover, etc.)

The Bad
-Visual design
-Too flashy to use around the office
-A bit loud when typing

Thanks to Sharkoon for providing the review sample

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Sharkoon Shark Zone P40 Review

Now that the summer is basically over, this "little" hobby of ours called gaming begins growing once again, companies such as Sharkoon release their new products and hope that the improvements made over older versions will be enough to gather the attention of gamers everywhere.
With this idea in mind, today we will be reviewing one of the products from Sharkoon's new series Shark Zone, particularly the P40 gaming mouse pad.
Sharkoon has been around for 11 years now, they have a good variety of PC products, some of which we had the pleasure of reviewing previously here on No Review Left Behind. From the information we've gathered on those past reviews, Sharkoon tends to focus on developing good quality products at an affordable price, this new P40 mouse pad seems to confirm that theory.

So Sharkoon has a new product series called Shark Zone and with it comes a brand new yellow and black color scheme that will certainly pop out when displayed on store's shelves.
The P40 in particular comes packaged in a letter shaped box, it almost looks like a huge cardboard envelope, since the mouse pad is made mostly out of cloth and rubber this sort of packaging is great to see since it doesn't spoil the natural form of the mouse pad.
Sharkoon kept it simple when it came to designing the package itself, the new Shark Zone logo appears on the front, on the back we get a list of features, a picture of the P40 and a bit of marketing blurb and that's about it really. Simple yet effective at presenting the product I would say.
Tucked inside the letter shaped box we find the mouse pad itself in all its glory and a plastic sheet that protects it, nothing too extraordinary here, the sheet of protection is a nice addition though, especially if you're planning on transporting the mouse pad around.

As you can probably gather from the pictures presented here, the P40 is almost completely black, the only exception being the yellow tag stitched to the right edge of the mouse pad. Aside from the tag, the only other thing that stands out visually is the sort of watermark present on the top right corner of the P40 with the Shark Zone logo.
In terms of functionality, I would say that the first thing that caught my eye was the solid stitching around the edges of the mouse pad, from what I've read in their website, Sharkoon calls it "DurableStitch sewing", only time will tell but the stitching certainly feels strong while at the same time having just the right amount of elasticity to prevent it from tearing anytime soon.
The underside of the P40 is made mostly out of non-slip rubber, no complains here as it does its job pretty well (tested on wood, plastic and plywood).
The only real complaint I have about the P40 is the size, while on the horizontal plane (355mm) you have more than space to move around, vertically (255mm) I would say that it could use at least 50 more millimeters. This is of course a minor complaint, if you have a small desk or something like that, this reduced size might even be a plus.

Final Thoughts
Nothing much to say here really, for the low-low price of around 10€ you can get one extremely well built and effective mouse pad. It's comfortable, simple in terms of visual design and it will probably satisfy the gaming needs of most people out there for a very long time.

The Good
+Solid construction
+Comfortable
+Simple yet attractive visual design
+Well packaged
+Price

The Bad
-Vertical size

Thanks to Sharkoon for providing the review sample.

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Sharkoon Launches WPM Bronze Power Supply Unit Series

Sharkoon expands its range of energy-efficient power supplies with their new WPM BRONZE series. The new series complies, with an efficiency of over 85 percent by 50 percent load as well as over 82 percent by 20 percent and 100 percent load, with the stringent requirements of the "80 PLUS BRONZE" certification.

The WPM BRONZE series also offers, in addition to its high efficiency, the latest ATX V2.3 standard. Like the recently introduced WPM V2 power supply series, the BRONZE version also provides a cable management system, which features two PCIe cables, each with one 6+2-pin connector for graphics cards. In addition, the WPM Bronze provides a cable with three 4-pin peripheral device connectors, a cable with two 4-pin peripheral device connectors and a floppy connector as well as two SATA cables with three 15-pin connectors, respectively. Therefore, the only cables used are the ones needed to install the desired PC components. This not only ensures an orderly case but also improves internal airflow. 

WPM BRONZE power supplies are cooled by a quiet 140 mm fan, which provides a strong airflow at a lower revolution speed, effectively reducing operating noise. The standby power consumption is a maximum 0.3 Watt. 

The WPM BRONZE power supplies are available in 400, 500, 600 and 700 Watt. Packaging includes a power cable, a set of modular cables, an instruction manual, mounting screws and a cable bag. 

End customers will find the Sharkoon WPM BRONZE power supplies available for the suggested retail price starting from 46.99 euros from authorized retailers.

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Sharkoon Introduces the Vaya II Midi ATX PC Case

In 2011, Sharkoon introduced an ATX case at a competitive price with the Vaya model. Now, with the Vaya II Midi ATX PC case, the manufacturer presents the revised successor to the popular case.

 Like its predecessor, the Vaya II offers various features at a fair price-performance ratio. The new version, with the dimensions of 470 x 205 x 437 mm (L x W x H), is available in the colors black and gunmetal (Value Version). The interior has a black finish. Thanks to the provided side panels, the Vaya II offers more room for easy installation of tower coolers with a maximum height of up to 16.5 cm. Graphics cards with a length of up to 26.5 cm also have room. Maximum length for a power supply is 28 cm, which can be installed on the case floor, which includes a pre-installed dust filter. For cooling, a blue 120 mm LED fan with a mesh look is already pre-installed. Optionally, an 80 mm or 120 mm fan can be installed in the back panel. In addition, the Vaya II offers installation openings for CPU coolers, three openings for water cooling as well as a cable management system.

The Vaya II also features four 5.25" drive bays for optical drives and an externally accessible 3.5" drive bay. Internally, four 3.5" hard drives can be mounted. Additionally, a 2.5" SSD/HDD can be installed on the case floor. Both the locking of optical drives and hard drives occur through our quick fasteners.

The Value Version of the Vaya II provides two USB 3.0 (internal 19-pin mainboard connector) as well as two audio ports on the front, an acrylic side panel and available in the colors black and gunmetal for the suggested retail price of 34.99 euros. In contrast to the Value Version, the Standard Version features USB 2.0 ports, a closed side panel with a fan mounting option and is available in black.

End customers will find the Sharkoon Vaya II available for the suggested retail price of 28.99 euros in authorized retailers. The Value Version has a suggested retail price of 34.99 euros.

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Sharkoon expands its range of products with the Shark Blades

Sharkoon expands its range of products for computer enthusiasts and introduces the Shark Blades fan series in four different color variations. The 120 mm silent fan, measuring 120 x 120 x 25 mm (L x W x H), has a fan speed of 1000 revolutions per minute, with a maximum flow rate of 56 m³/h. The Shark Blades are equipped with a quiet 12 volt motor with a durable hydrodynamic bearing, which is designed for an average life span of up to 50,000 hours.

Special fan blades in the shark fin design not only provide an interesting 3D effect during fan use, but also stable airflow with reduced air resistance, thus preventing turbulence. Also, the fan blades are arranged precisely on the wheel, in order to prevent the slightest bit of vibration. 

Delivery includes a set of rubber bolts for decoupled and screwless installation. The fan is connected via the 50 cm long, textile-coated cable, with 3-pin plug for a temperature-sensitive control of the mainboard. Also included is a power supply adapter (3-pin to 4-pin power connector) and screws. The Shark Blades are available in the colors black/yellow, black/red, black/blue and black/green. 

End customers will find the Sharkoon Shark Blades fan series for the suggested retail price of 12.99 euros in authorized retailers.

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Sharkoon Gsone Review

In the last few months I have been lucky enough to get the chance to review several peripherals from Sharkoon, this time around I will be taking a look at their professional stereo gaming headset, the Gsone.
For those of you who may not know Sharkoon very well they have been around since 2003, producing a considerable number of different types of computer products.

The Sharkoon Gsone comes neatly packed in a very discreet and sturdy black box, both the front and the back of the package have listed on them several of the most important characteristics and features of the Gsone. Thanks to a nice picture of the actual headset the front in particular does a nice job when it comes to showing off how big the ear-cups of the headset really are.
Tucked inside the box you will only find a small paper showing how easily you can mute the microphone, much like previous products made by Sharkoon the Gsone main focus seems to be functionality at an affordable price rather than flashy "extras", because of this we can excuse the lack of accessories included.

Luckily for us Sharkoon did not disappoint when the time to deliver a high quality audio solution for the average gamer came, the Gsone has a very well thought out design, totally skipping the in-line volume controller usually imbued in the headset cable and replacing it with a much more practical, simpler and easy to access slider on the right ear-cup.
The microphone also has an ingenious mechanism, in order to mute it you simply tilt the mic up, to unmute it you simply tilt it back down and there you go, you can talk once again to your heart's content.

Much like the other products from Sharkoon we previously reviewed, the built construction of the Gsone is top notch, made from a mix of durable plastic and light-weight metal this audio solution is one that will most definitely stay with you for a very long time if you treat it right.
The cushions on the ear-cups are nice and "fluffy", preventing any sort of ear fatigue during long gaming sessions, the actual size of the ear-cups (75mm x 50mm) also contributes to how comfortable they feel. Much like the ear-cups the headband is made out of a sturdy plastic and has a gigantic "pillow" for your head.
The long and thick braided cable not only looks good but also ensures that your headset will not have any sort of cable problems in the near future.

In terms of sound quality and especially when you take the price into consideration (suggested retail price 39.99€), the Gsone does not fall short, the 53mm drivers are great for gaming, allowing players to go crazy with the bass if they so desire.
Much like other audio products at this price range the Gsone microphone does a competent job, it's certainly not studio quality but for the purpose of communicating with your gaming partners it works pretty well.

Final Thoughts
When I first heard about the Gsone I expected Sharkoon to present gamers with yet another affordable, good looking and tough as nails product, thankfully that is exactly what they did, if you're looking for a high-quality and discreet headset for your long gaming sessions then the Gsone might be the solution for you.

The Good
-Durable
-Affordable
-Ear-cup volume controller
-Discreet
-Comfortable
-53mm drivers

The Bad
-No accessories included
-Lots of competition

Thanks to Sharkoon for providing the review sample

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Sharkoon releases the GSone Professional PC Gaming Stereo Headset

Sharkoon expands its range for computer gamers and introduces the GSone Professional PC Gaming Stereo Headset. The headset provides rich sound due to its high quality workmanship and thanks to the 53 millimeter premium speakers.

The lightweight, 325 gram GSone was specifically designed to meet the requirements of PC gamers. The ergonomic design, sturdy yet lightweight material characteristics and the padded, individually adjustable headband of the GSone ensures a good fit on a variety of different head shapes. The ear pads are circumaural in design and feature extra-large cushions. This results in less outside noise being perceived, while enhancing the overall wearing comfort. The gamer can thus concentrate on their game or communicating with their team. The volume can be easily adjusted by use of a dial on the right ear cup.

The flexible and robust microphone is especially designed for voice applications such as, for example, TeamSpeak. The microphone self-mutes by simply folding up the microphone arm (Tilt-up Mute). The Sharkoon GSone connects through a 250 cm long, textile-sheathed cable with two 3.5 millimeter stereo jack, for the headphones and microphone, respectively.

End customers will find the Sharkoon GSone Professional PC Gaming Stereo Headset available for the suggested retail price 39.99 euros from authorized retailers.

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New Micro ATX Case Series from Sharkoon

Sharkoon expands its range of low-priced PC cases and introduces four new mini towers with the MA-A1000, MA-I1000, MA-M1000 and MA-W1000. The cases are nearly identical and differ mainly in just the optics. 

True to the motto "Save on space - not on possibilities!" the cases in the series provide, despite their compact size of 415 x 185 x 360 millimeters, space for up to eight hard drives/SSDs, which can be decoupled installed. In addition, graphics cards up to 340 millimeters in length as well as CPU coolers with a maximum height of 165 millimeters can be installed. The cases contain two 5.25" drive bays and a 3.5" drive bay. Pre-installed is also a Sharkoon BayExtension. Through this special installation frame up to four additional Solid State Disks can be attached. Two pre-installed fans, a 140 mm fan in the front and a 120 mm in the rear of the case ensure continuous air flow. Removable dust filters are located on the front and lower ventilation openings. In the versions without a window, an optional fan on the side panel can be installed. 

On all the cases the front I/O offers two USB 3.0, two USB 2.0 and two audio ports. The two USB 3.0 ports are connected via a 19-pin mainboard connector and also provide an alternative USB 2.0 connector, ensuring backward compatibility with older mainboards. The front panel design of the series is completely cable-free. The panels can be removed at any time, without having to detach any cables. This simplifies the installation of external 5.25" or 3.5" drives. Optical drives are mounted with quick-release fasteners, or optionally screwed in. 

The biggest difference between the four mini towers is their various designs. The MA-A1000 with its closed front comes in pure Alu-optic. The MA-I1000 is equipped with vents, behind which a blue 140 mm LED fan is installed. For lovers of classic mesh design, the MA-M1000 with its blue LED fan is recommended. Also with a mesh front and blue illumination is the MA-W1000, which has an Alu-optic finish in the front and fitted with an acrylic side panel. 

End customers will find the Sharkoon MA-A1000, MA-I1000, MA-M1000 and MA-W1000 cases available for the suggested retail price starting at 29.99 euros from authorized retailers.

Sharkoon Website: Link

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Sharkoon Releases Low-Priced Gaming Headset for Price-Conscious Gamers

Sharkoon expands its entry level PC headset series. The new Sharkoon Rush Core stereo gaming headset comes in a black/white design and is aimed at price-conscious gamers. 

Due to the enclosed ear cup design ambient noise is reduced. The built-in speakers have a diameter of 40 mm and a maximum power of 150 milliwatts. The headband and earpieces are padded to ensure a comfortable fit during wear. In addition, it also features a swiveling, flexible microphone, which can be pivoted into the desired speaking position. The volume control is integrated into the 250 centimeter long cable and offers the possibility to completely mute the microphone. It is connected by means of two 3.5 mm stereo jacks, for the headset and microphone, respectively. The headset is ideal for games as well as other voice and multimedia applications. A transport bag is also included with the headset. 

End customers will find the Sharkoon Rush Core Stereo Gaming Headset available for the suggested retail price of 16.99 euros from authorized retailers.

Sharkoon Website: Link

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Sharkoon FireGlider Optical Review

A few weeks ago and after some contacts with Sharkoon I had the chance to test out one of their products, the Drakonia Black (Link), it definitely performed well actually winning our Best Value recommendation in the process.

This time around though, we will be taking a look at the FireGlider Optical, a mouse that is more affordable than the Drakonia Black.

For those of you who don't know Sharkoon, they've been around since 2003, producing various types of computer products including gaming solutions like the Drakonia Black and now this FireGlider Optical.

The product under the microscope today is the latest in a long family of gaming mice, all of the FireGliders share pretty similar shapes and features, including the number of buttons, weight and so on. The FireGlider Optical though, has one big difference when compared to its predecessors, an optical sensor.

While the replacement of the laser sensor for the optical one might sound like a downgrade, the truth is that the change is barely noticeable while gaming, even when using the mouse for other daily tasks it performs flawlessly.

There are obviously some compromises while using an optical sensor, for example, the number of DPI's achieved with it is lower, but unless you require extreme precision when gaming, the 3000 DPI/CPI are more than enough. The maximum FPS and the acceleration also take a hit, but like I mentioned before, it's nothing that I personally noticed while gaming.

The FireGlider Optical comes well packed, a nicely designed and attractive box will certainly draw the attention of any possible buyers, most importantly it displays a lot of information regarding the mouse capabilities, what is packed inside and it even has a little door on the front that when opened allows the consumer to take a better look at the actual product.

Open the package and you will find several "extras" besides the mouse itself, Sharkoon crammed into the box a sleek looking transport bag, two additional sets of mouse-feet, a CD with some software and seven weights that allow you to fine-tune the overall feel of the FireGlider. It's all pretty standard stuff, when you take the low price point into consideration though, the contents of the package are more than enough to get your gaming adventures started and going for a long period of time.

Taking a closer look at the actual mouse now, we quickly discover that the 5 programmable buttons return once again. While the Drakonia Black has a ton more, I find the FireGlider a lot more "streamlined", keeping the more useful buttons and dropping the other ones.

While I'm not exactly a professional gamer, I would consider the Drakonia Black more adequate for MMO's and the FireGlider Optical more competent at First Person Shooters. This idea is bolstered by the extremely easy to reach double-click button, placed right next to the left-click button.

The forward and back buttons placed on the side of the mouse have different textures, this is a great feature as it allows the user to quickly feel which button is currently being pressed.

Sharkoon also keeps the tradition of including in their gaming solutions some on-board memory for saving macros, this is useful when you want the mouse to be used on several computers without having to install any sort of software.

After using the Sharkoon FireGlider Optical for about a week now, I can safely say that it's extremely comfortable thanks to a very smooth rubberized finish and well designed shape. The weight tuning system also helps when you want a bit more customization.

The mouse also feels very well built, the mix of plastic, rubber and fabric(cable) never feels cheap. The buttons are also extremely responsive and feel great when they "click".

Final Thoughts

All in all the Sharkoon FireGlider Optical is a great gaming solution for users on a tight budget, the construction quality is great and the amount of attention to detail is something that Sharkoon didn't neglect.

The optical sensor performed great and while it might be a drawback for some users who are looking for something a bit more precise, for general gamers and day to day users the 3000 DPI are more than enough.

The Good

-Extremely comfortable

-Great price-quality ratio

-Weight tuning system

-On-Board memory

The Bad

-Less precise than laser predecessors

Thanks to Sharkoon for providing the review sample

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Sharkoon Drakonia Black Review

I have known Sharkoon for a few years now, apparently they've been around since 2003, producing various types of computer products including gaming solutions like this Drakonia Black, a successor to the original Drakonia that achieved a nice level of popularity among the gaming community thanks to a solid design and a precise laser sensor (Avago 9500).

This new entry from Sharkoon into the gaming market plays it relatively safe by introducing a few improvements and keeping most of the original design intact.
The first change is obviously in terms of color scheme, gone are the green dragon scales, replaced by darker tones of black and gray, the scales are still there though and give this mouse a unique look, something that is always useful particularly in a very crowded market such as this.
There was also a change in terms of LED colors, the DPI indicators next to your left-mouse button are now constantly blue, while the LED located under the Drakonia logo in the middle can be altered depending on the user preference.
The eleven programmable buttons also make a return  (including the DPI selector), giving players a lot of solutions when it comes to assigning the most important functions in their favorite games, particularly for MMORPG's this is super helpful as it drastically reduces the amount of macros and skills allocated in the keyboard, your left hand will thank you later.

The biggest improvement made though is definitely the laser sensor, gone is the Avago 9500 from the original Drakonia, replaced by a much more powerful Avago 9800 that allows the mouse to go up to 8200 DPI instead of the 5000 from the original, this means that particularly for snipers the Drakonia Black is more precise than ever, pulling off those impossible shots has never been easier.
Sharkoon also added some Teflon feet (4+4 replacements) to the Drakonia Black, this definitely is a way better solution when compared to the plastic ones from the original, during our testing period we used several surfaces, including soft and hard ones and the mouse performed great on all, both in terms of movements and laser precision.

In terms of comfort it does not disappoint, the weight tuning system (6x5g) for starters is well done and gives the user a much bigger control over the weight and feel of their mouse, super easy to adjust through a small "door" under the Drakonia itself, removing or adding weights is done in a swift manner.
On the top and sides of the Drakonia Black you will find three rubberized surfaces, they can be helpful especially in prolonged gaming sessions where sweat can become a problem.
Fortunately they're not there just for the extra grip, these surfaces are also very comfortable to hold and according to Sharkoon the "softskin" material that they are made of prevents the accumulation of perspiration, also important when it comes to keeping your mouse clean.

Final Thoughts
At the time of this review we found the Drakonia Black priced somewhere around $30 (Amazon), within that price range there's a lot of competition, still, and with the improvements made on this Black edition, the Drakonia is easily one of the best options out there.
It's very good to see that Sharkoon didn't forget to include a few small features that always add a bit more value and overall quality to a gaming product, the high-quality braided cable with a gold connector at the end, the very intuitive software and the internal memory, they all contribute to give the Drakonia Black Gaming Laser Mouse a distinct advantage over its rivals.

The Good
-Original visual design
-Very comfortable
-Amazing quality/price ratio
-High-quality braided cable
-Easy to use software and internal memory

The Bad
-Very similar to the original Drakonia
-Can't change the color of the DPI indicators

Thanks to Sharkoon for providing the review sample

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Sharkoon Drakonia Black gaming mouse released

Sharkoon is expanding their range of gaming peripherals and presents an alternative version of the green Drakonia Gaming Laser Mouse. The new "Drakonia Black" comes in a gray-black design, rubberized surface and an Avago ADNS-9800 Laser Sensor with a sampling rate of 8200 DPI.

The Drakonia Black features the same ergonomic design with eleven buttons, 4-way scroll wheel and internal memory for user profiles. Through the corresponding configuration software, the functions of the buttons as well as the scroll wheel are freely programmable. However, the color of the Drakonia is new. The design of the dragon scales is now gray and black. In addition, a ADNS-9800 laser sensor from Avago is added, supporting up to 8,200 DPI and a maximum 12,000 FPS. The LED display on the mouse constantly indicates the DPI setting. Also new: the rubberized SoftSkin surface provides a soft feel with a maximum grip.

On the bottom of the Drakonia Black is the Weight Tuning System, consisting of six interchangeable metal weights. Thus, the weight of the mouse can be adjusted to the personal preferences of the player. Connection of the Drakonia Black occurs through a fabric coated cable with gold-plated USB connector. Included is a CD containing the configuration software and instructions, an additional set of plastic mouse feet and a carrying bag. 

End customers can expect to find the Sharkoon Drakonia Black Gaming Laser Mouse available for the suggested retail price of 37.99€.

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