Corsair Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF review: Feels like carbon fiber

There aren't many mice that cost $200 (though some flagships are starting to get close), and the ones that do are usually made of something fancy and expensive, like carbon fiber.

And the Corsair Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF is exactly that — the priciest version of Corsair's Sabre v2 Pro Wireless line, with a smooth, carbon fiber shell.

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF is an ultra-lightweight symmetrically-shaped wireless gaming mouse with pretty straightforward specs: Corsair's Marksman S 33K sensor, which has a maximum resolution of 33,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 inches per second (IPS), and can handle up to 50 G's of force; up to an 8,000 Hz polling rate (wired and wireless); 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth connectivity; and up to 120 hours of battery life (over a 2.4GHz wireless connection with a 1,000 Hz polling rate). It weighs just 1.94 ounces (55 grams), which definitely puts it in the ultra-lightweight category — it's about 5 grams lighter than our current pick for the best ultra-lightweight mouse, but it's not the lightest mouse we've tested. Oh, and it costs $199.99, which is a lot to pay for a mouse that only has five programmable buttons.

Design and Comfort of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF is a wireless pseudo-symmetrical ultra-lightweight mouse with a carbon fiber shell. This is the priciest version of Corsair's Sabre v2 Pro — there's also a $150 version that's virtually identical save for the magnesium shell, and both the carbon fiber version and the magnesium version are building off of the original Sabre v2 Pro (which is, of course, plastic).

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF has a solid black carbon fiber shell with a smooth matte finish (pretty much your classic carbon fiber pattern and feel). The top shell and primary buttons are made of carbon fiber; the thumb buttons and the bottom of the mouse are plastic. I suppose it's worth pointing out that this is slightly more carbon fiber than the Asus ROG Harpe Extreme, as the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF's sides are carbon fiber while the ROG Harpe Extreme's are textured plastic. However, the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF is heavier than the ROG Harpe Extreme, weighing 1.94 ounces (55 g) to the Harpe Extreme's 1.66 ounces (47 g). So apparently there's more than just carbon fiber under the shell.

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The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF has a low-profile, symmetrical shape with a modest hump and a slight flare. The primary buttons are large and flat, following the shape of the mouse — there are no channels for your fingers, like you'll find on the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme. The mouse measures approximately 4.81 inches (122.17mm) long by 2.5 inches (63.5mm) wide, and is 1.51 inches (38.86mm) high at its highest point. It's not a tiny mouse, but it's on the smaller side — many premium gaming mice from mainstream companies sit right around 5 inches in length. Still, it shouldn't be too difficult to use regardless of hand size, as it features a pretty universally workable shape.

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The carbon fiber feels like, well, carbon fiber: smooth and slightly slippery, but very rigid and durable. I honestly loved the way this mouse felt: smooth, luxurious, and yet not so slippery that I felt like I would lose my grip in a bout of intense gaming. Corsair also includes pre-cut grip tape in the box, for those who might need something grippier, but I didn't feel the need to use it. And it's not just because it's carbon fiber — the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme is sitting on my desk right next to this mouse, and I still found myself reaching for the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF about 90% of the time.

The mouse has five programmable buttons: left/right primary buttons, two thumb buttons, and the center scroll wheel click. The primary buttons feature Corsair's custom-tuned mechanical switches, which are crisp and tactile and not too loud. The scroll wheel is the only thing on this mouse that's just about average; It's not bad, but not particularly notable.

The bottom of the mouse has two curved, medium-sized UPE strips at either end for glide, as well as a sliver around the sensor. It's a very lightweight mouse, so you shouldn't have too much problem with smooth movement, but if you want less friction Corsair also includes larger replacement mouse skates in the box. The bottom is also where you'll find the mouse's power switch, which lets you power on the mouse into 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth mode, as well as the DPI switch button that you can press to cycle through DPI steps.

In the box, the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF comes with a few accessories, all packed in a rigid, zippered carrying case. In addition to the case, you'll find a 6-foot (1.8 m) USB-C to USB-A cable, a wireless dongle, pre-cut grip tape, and extra, larger mouse skates. The carrying case reminds me of the case that came with the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme — it's very similar and it also fits the mouse and all of its accessories. I don't know how often people carry their ultra-pricey gaming mice around with them, but it's a nice extra regardless.

Specs

Performance of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF features Corsair's Marksman S optical sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 33,000 DPI and a maximum speed of 750 IPS, and can handle up to 50 G's of force. This is the same sensor featured in the Corsair Sabre v2 Pro and the Corsair Scimitar Elite SE Wireless, and it's an excellent sensor. It tracked very well on every surface I tried it on — hard, soft, and hybrid mouse pads, as well as wood, laminate, glass, concrete, and fabric. Gaming with the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless is a flawlessly smooth experience, and I didn't experience any latency or stuttering during my testing.

Switching the mouse's polling rate from its default 1,000 Hz to 8,000 Hz can make a difference in latency, but it's not something most people are probably going to be able to benefit from unless they're competing. While the mouse does move across the screen even smoother with an 8,000 Hz polling rate, the difference is not that big (and it seems like it's more likely to take a toll on your PC's performance — after all, an 8,000 Hz polling rate means the mouse is reporting to your PC eight times as often as it would with a 1,000 Hz polling rate). Still, the option is there if you need or want it.

The carbon fiber shell does impact performance, in my opinion — the smooth finish makes it comfortable to hold, but it's not so slippery that you can't get a good grip on it. Plus, the rigid, durable carbon fiber means you can grip this mouse a little harder without worrying about damage (I didn't hear any creaking at all in my testing).

The mouse's switches are on the quieter side, but they feel very good. They're tactile, with a solid, lightweight click, and Corsair has them rated for 100 million clicks. The side buttons also feel good. They're large and well-placed, making them easy to click and not easy to misclick.

Features and Software of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF

There's not much to configure on the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF, but there's enough that you'll probably need to open up Corsair's Web Hub at least once. Luckily, the mouse is so straight-forward that Web Hub handles it pretty well, with a very simple set of menus for remapping buttons, setting DPI steps, and recording macros.

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You'll also need to use Web Hub to adjust the mouse's settings. This includes changing the polling rate (the mouse ships with a default polling rate of 1,000 Hz) and adjusting some of the more advanced features, such as lift height, angle snapping, and ripple control. You can also check the mouse's remaining battery life and update firmware for both the mouse and the dongle using the Web App.

For those of you who are concerned about being forced to be online just to update your mouse settings, the Web App can also be installed on your PC for offline use. Well, theoretically — I haven't managed to get it to work just yet.

Wireless Experience & Battery Life of the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF

The Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF has three forms of connectivity: low-latency 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired (via USB-C). The Bluetooth is surprising, as most stripped-down ultra-lightweight wireless mice only have 2.4GHz wireless (but if you're wondering, the Bluetooth isn't why the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF weighs more than the ROG Harpe Ace Extreme, as the latter is also one of the rare ultra-lightweight wireless mice to have Bluetooth). I'm not sure Bluetooth is really necessary in a mouse that's clearly designed for high-performance gaming and not much else, but it's still a nice option to have.

Corsair rates the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF at 120 hours over a 2.4 GHz wireless connection with a 1,000 Hz polling rate. This is very good. It's better than most ultra-lightweight wireless mice, which usually top out at around 100 hours (though the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro gets 150 hours). The magnesium version of the mouse has the same rated battery life, but the regular Sabre v2 Pro is significantly less impressive at just 70 hours.

Bottom Line

The Corsair Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF isn't a bad upgrade from the original plastic Sabre v2 Pro: the carbon fiber shell really does make a difference in comfort (and when you're more comfortable, you probably perform better). But it's still $200, while the original Sabre v2 Pro retails for half of that — that's a pretty big price difference. You do get the extra accessories (well, really just the carrying case)... But it's not a $100 carrying case. Of course, the other carbon fiber mouse we tested recently, the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Extreme, is even pricier at $250.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you're looking for — the Sabre v2 Pro Wireless CF does its job very well: it's lightweight, easy to pick up and move, sturdy and able to take a decent amount of enthusiastic gaming, and it's smooth, speedy, and accurate. It's not particularly customizable or feature-rich, but it's not trying to be (though it does have Bluetooth). But you're definitely paying at least somewhat for the cool carbon fibery-ness of it, so keep that in mind, you'll get great performance if you buy this mouse, but you don't need to buy this mouse to get great performance.