Competitive gaming gear often isn’t all that exciting. That’s because, like the ill-fated switch to Dvorak or Colemak (if you had to Google that, it proves my point), players get used to a certain standard. You can’t push the boat out too much or overcommit to a single selling point. Most competitive players simply want something that functions as they’re used to, but better.
That’s why I was a little surprised to see competitive players as the target audience for Be Quiet!’s first foray into the gaming peripherals market. Unlike the Be Quiet! Light Mount and its wonderful dampened keys, the Dark Perk Ergo and Dark Perk Sym don’t have noticeable gimmicks—they miss a USP.
I can, however, say that the Dark Perk Ergo is clearly very well built. Despite holes in the bottom to cut down on weight, it’s not flimsy. I can apply a lot of pressure on the side (be it for fun or because I’ve lost a round), and it doesn’t move an inch.
At 55 g, it’s certainly on the lighter side, but Be Quiet!’s material choice is a good one, giving a mouse that could take a drop or jostle without a problem. The Ergo model is clearly a right-handed design, with its side buttons being on the left and a slight curve on the right to hold your palm. It’s a comfortable design, though quite small.
(Image credit: Future)
Buttons: 6 (including one DPI)
Connectivity: USB-C and wireless 2.4 GHz
Sensor: PixArt PAW3950
Switches: Omron switches
Feet: PTFE glide skates
Max DPI: 32,000
Weight: 55 g
Max acceleration: 50 G
Max speed: 750
Polling rate: 8,000 Hz
Battery life: Up to 110 hours
RGB lighting: No
Colours: Black
Price: $110
Due to its diminutive frame, I felt myself committing to ‘the claw’ rather than a more comfortable flat palm holding position. When flat, my fingers hang over the edge of the front, and the weight of the mouse mostly sits in the top of my palm. This took a little getting used to.
One thing I did notice after a little time with the Ergo is that, despite coming with a very smooth material shell, it handles fingerprints very well. Razer’s DeathAdder V4 Pro feels similar to the touch but is far worse for smudges.
A competitive gamer may not mind, but this, plus the fairly minimalistic design, does make it look swish on a desk. It also entirely goes without RGB, and only has lighting in the form of an on/off indicator just behind the left click button.
Speaking of clicks, this mouse takes after the Be Quiet! name with a very muted sound. Out of every mouse I could get ahold of in the PC Gamer office, it is the quietest. It’s not silent, but it certainly won’t annoy your office mates or online friends.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Be Quiet! does have a major boon in its software. Both the downloadable app and the web app are simple, and the presence of the latter means you don’t need to bog down your rig in software you will rarely use. This has the added benefit of being able to easily tweak your mouse even away from your main rig.
This is not the only neat consideration from Be Quiet!. The orange braided cable has a kink at the end, facing the wire upward. This means you can use your mouse in wired mode, without the end of the cable dragging on the desk. It’s a light touch but a welcome one.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
As far as specs are concerned, the Dark Perk Ergo has a max DPI of 32,000, a max polling rate of 8000 Hz, and is fitted with a solid PixArt sensor. Honestly, the DPI and polling rate are far too much for anyone but the most competitive gamer (and anything over 1,000 Hz will significantly lower than 110 hour battery life). Still, even at 1000 Hz, the Dark Perk Ergo is smooth, accurate, and easy to use.
In Counter-Strike 2, I find the Dark Perk Ergo performs admirably, comfortably snapping onto heads and moving across the desk with ease. The 55 g weight and PTFE glide feet contribute to an airy feeling that is only furthered by its little frame. I find it a tad less comfortable than bigger, thicker mice, but that’s a clear matter of preference. Deadzone: Rogue, and its whip-fast gunplay is similar, with it being easy to 180 turn, 90 degree, and even 360 if you fancy a flourish.
In painting simulator Such Art, I decided to paint a bunch of random squiggles, then draw that outline with a fine brush. A test of both the mouse’s fine tracking and my own patience, this went well (or at least as well as it can in my hands). Despite its weight and size, it’s easy to keep it moving slowly and steadily.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
In my time with it, I couldn’t really find anything the Dark Perk Ergo does poorly, but I also struggled to find what makes it unique. Ultimately, it’s the Dark Perk Ergo’s price point that makes it a tough sell to me. Corsair’s Sabre V2 Pro is $10 cheaper at MSRP with a higher DPI, matching max polling rate, lighter weight, and it’s older, which means it’s more prone to price reductions. So, at the Ergo’s $110, there’s a smarter choice out there.
Keychron’s M7 8K offers the exact same sensor, a similar weight (55 g vs 63 g), and comes in a whole $40 cheaper. You are getting a reduced DPI and battery life, but comparable hardware for much less.
Be Quiet! has competitive intent for this mouse, and yet I can’t see why someone looking to place at the top of the scoreboard wouldn’t go for the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro instead. Razer’s little mouse is $60 more, which is a hefty sum, but you’re getting a bump of over 10,000 to the DPI, plus a great feel, HyperSpeed Wireless dongle and an excellent optical sensor. I’ve busted both out on my desk, swapping the two between rounds of Counter-Strike 2, and Razer’s offering feels better and snappier in the hand.
Tested at 1,000 Hz — The closer the dots are together, the more consistent a mouse is reporting movement. More variation or stray dots makes for a less accurate sensor. (Image credit: Mouse Tester)
Tested at 1,000 Hz — Each dot represents an update, which corresponds to the polling rate. Every 1 ms should mark a single update on a 1,000 Hz mouse. (Image credit: Mouse Tester)
Tested at 1,000 Hz — The spikes represent an increase in velocity, with more erratic spikes showing tracking going haywire. (Image credit: Mouse Tester)
For just $10 more, the Logitech G Pro 2 Lightspeed offers higher DPI and (to my hand) a better feel. The Lightspeed only gets up to 8,000 Hz with an optional dongle, but NZXT’s Lift Elite Wireless gets up to 8,000 Hz for $30 less at MSRP.
Even value-oriented offerings like 8BitDo’s Retro R8 come with a PAW sensor (3395), a DPI of 26,000, and an up to 8,000 Hz polling rate (though only while wired). And it’s true that raw specs only tell half the story, but I tried out almost every mouse I could find at the office, and the Dark Perk Ergo sits in the bottom half of the pile for comfort and feel. I suspect those with small hands will like it a tad more than I, though.
✅ You like a small mouse: It’s not ultra small, but certainly tiny enough to feel a little lost in my wide palms.
✅ You don’t like the big mouse brands: The Dark Perk Ergo feels like it’s aping Logitech and Razer’s efforts, which make it a decent replacement.
❌ You don’t like to play in ‘the claw’: Placing your palm and fingers flat on this mouse isn’t nearly as comfortable as its competition
The Be Quiet! Dark Perk Ergo is an enigma in more ways than one. It’s called ergonomic, but it’s not an ergonomic mouse (those ones that hold your hand on the side). It’s for the professional / competitively minded, and yet its specs are handily beaten by other competitive mice.
It’s well built and feels nice in the hands, yet I’m struggling to understand who exactly it’s for, other than perhaps someone who is sick of using Logitech, Razer, or Corsair rodents. Huh, maybe I do kind of get it.
But is spite enough of a reason to shell out $110 to avoid a company you don’t like? My heart (and money) says ‘no, probably not’. I certainly think it’s a solid first outing for Be Quiet! But just being ‘good enough’ isn’t actually good enough to take on the kings of the market.
