By Joe Gulczinski
Manufacturer: A4TECH / Bloody Division
Product Name: P85 Light Strike 5K RGB Animation Gaming Mouse
Model Number: P85 (black model)
UPC: 4711421929790
Price As Tested: $49.99 (Amazon | Newegg)Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Bloody.
A4TECH’s Bloody Division over the last few years has been at the forefront with that is called Light Strike technology, replacing mechanical with optical switches utilizing infrared light. Today we examine the most recent iteration of the Bloody mice series, the P85 Light Strike 5K RGB Animation Gaming Mouse; combining a popular eight button layout with some dazzling light effects.
Why is Light Strike technology such a prominent feature? The defining aspect features a 0.2ms activation key response time. This equates to a zero chance possibility of lag and a 30ms faster response time versus a mechanical switch. Additionally it provides no chance of accidental double clicking, a dust and water proof barrier to external elements (no metals to oxidize inside the switch), and minimal click-noise.
- 5000 CPI optical sensor engine suitable for up to 2K monitor resolutions comfortably.
- Infrared micro switch technology for switches including the wheel.
- Metal X Glide armor boots for mouse pads.
- Advanced macro programming available.
- Self-customized RGB lighting effects and 5 predefined ones.
| Sensor | PixArt PMW3325 Gaming Engine |
| Memory | 160K |
| Resolution | 100-5000 CPI, adjustable |
| Buttons | 8 |
| Polling Rate | 125-1000 Hz/sec |
| Key Response Time | 0.2 ms |
| Size | 135 x 178 x 35 mm |
| System Requirements | Windows (all versions) |
The P85 gaming mouse is currently available for $49.99 (Amazon | Newegg). The product comes in a no-frills packaging with the most relevant specs on the outside, the inside showing off highlights of the software interface (touched on in the next section). Included in the packaging is a registration card, two Bloody hand decals, and available driver locations.
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The P85’s design encourages the use of a full palm grip rather than the claw-type. Possessing a slightly taller profile, the advantage is those with longer fingers do not need to be annoyed by having digits drag by accident during precision operations. The surface has been sprayed with a rubber black matte finish that is sweat resistant and cool to the touch. The back and forward buttons on the thumb side are flush with the body for added comfort. Accent lighting on both sides grants a subtle illuminating touch to differentiate this mouse from others, including a variety of lighting options.
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The bottom reveals Bloody’s excellent “Metal X Glide Pro” mouse boots, which are actually smooth metal plates that reduce friction by 20%. The standard length USB cable is well protected by a braided fabric weave, increasing durability and strength at each end. The cord is practically hard wielded into the base of the mouse body, giving serious credit towards longevity of the product.
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Bloody took great care in choosing the materials versus mass to the point that optional weights are not needed. The entire P85 lineup embraces the popular 8 button configuration providing advanced functionality with the drivers while still managing to keep things simple.
The P85 uses the same driver for the majority of A4TECH’s Bloody mice employing the Light Strike Infrared Switch technology. The software configures flawlessly between the various models for an easy to understand setup. If one so desires to make even more powerful and advanced macros, additional software is available at the Bloody store too.
The first driver page is where the user selects one of four mouse “cores,” or configured macro settings for weapons assigned to the 1, N, and 3 buttons (the three buttons under the mouse wheel). The first CORE1 standard preset was used in all testing in this review. Core two offers various shooting modes in using the “1, N, 3″ keys to shift between them instantly. Core three is for FPS head-shot combos. Core four is for optimal MMO macros that are simplified complex actions assigned to one button.
The second driver page appropriately entitled “Buttons” is the main panel for configuring all eight buttons. Drop down menus for keyboard macros, Microsoft Office, all multimedia functions, and even a special screen capture application are assignable here. A small undocumented feature is tucked away by right clicking on the bloody hand icon on the system task bar, displaying launch options plus three onscreen display status states.
The sensitivity panel is where a toggle of up to five DPI settings may be fine tuned (100-5000 CPI) as well as polling rate per global profile. The most interesting aspect is the PixArt sensor calibration for the type of surface being used: The preset one works absolutely great for a standard mouse pad; however, for a colored, textured, wood, or glass surface, the active calibration measures the surface texture at 3.61 megapixels per second and adjusts accordingly (storing the appropriate data sample in on-board memory).
The RGB Animation tab comes loaded with 5 animation effects and may be switched without having a dedicated button: merely lift the mouse and depress “1” button to change. Brightness intensity may also be controlled here.
The P85 gaming mouse was tested over a period of 60+ hours on a cotton-polyester weaved rubber-backed mouse pad. The primary program and game tested consisted of Adobe Photoshop and Doom. These two were specifically chosen to test out the sensitivity of the PixArt optical sensor and the functionality of the keys.
- Processor: Intel Core i7-4790K
- Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UDH5
- System Memory: CORSAIR 16GB 1866Mhz
- Video: Gigabyte GTX 970 G1
- Monitor: LG 27″ IPS 2560×1440
- Operating System: Windows 10 64 bit
Bloody’s P85 series has the ability to change polling rates per five profiles independently to 125, 250, 500, and 1000Hz. The maximum polling rate of 1000Hz was used for all tests. According to two separate polling tools, Direct Input Mouse Rate (for Direct X) and Mouse Rate Checker, the P85 exceeded the peak advertised polling rate. This factor is imperative to check to ensure smooth operations: a mouse that is not able to lock onto a polling rate range can not only crash a game out but in rare cases bring a whole system down.
Desktop Applications: Using a native resolution of (2560 x 1440) the CPI used was 5000 for all basic operations. The ArtPix optical sensor was sufficient to work within Photoshop; however, at higher desktop resolutions such as 3-4K, more sensitivity may be needed. Overall though, even with dust and perhaps miscellaneous pet hair on the mouse pad, the P85 was generally dead steady with zero quivering (which also has to do with the an excellent weight ratio).
Gaming Applications: This is the P85’s strongest asset, attributing the sensor and special metal mouse boots to provide zero over steering (sometimes due to acceleration) with no lag at all. Experiencing a massive frag-fest in Doom proved satisfying in leading fast moving targets dead into the cross-hair sites. Due to the streamlined and ergonomic design of having the palm raised higher than normal (specifically the black model reviewed here), there was no hand fatigue even after extended periods.
Bloody’s P85 Animation Gaming Mouse does a commendable job of full filling its primary objective across the entire field of operations and specifically focuses on the gaming aspects. The new PixArt optical sensor is a worthy predecessor of previous generations for the mere fact that a much lower price point is maintained with no loss in accuracy.
One thing to note is the primary buttons are ultra sensitive and easily depressed. This was more than a likely logical design choice and once grown accustomed to is actually an advantage in gaming. Not getting physical and mashing the buttons furiously in a prolonged fire-fight really does aid in the fatigue factor.
Performance wise the P85 is at the top of its class in response time due to the implementation of Light Strike technology. In addition, the metal glide mouse boots actually do cut down on friction by a noticeable margin and the calibration sensors are highly accurate. At a maximum 5000 CPI paired with monitor resolutions of up to 2K tracking is comfortable; however, for precision applications at 3-4K monitor resolutions, more sensitivity may be needed.
As far as appearance, Bloody took out all the stops on this one creating lighting effects that include: twinkling, rotating colors over the perimeters, breathing effects, as well as the ability to import a custom configuration. The variety of skins displayed in the above picture also provides even greater variety to the series.
The functionality aspect is well thought out and streamlined, with only four panels to work within the driver system. Saving profiles (7 memory profiles are provided) to the 160K makes the P85 portable between computers without installing new drivers. The only criticism is that it would be great if the onscreen display functioned without having the drivers running.
Construction elements have been very well refined over the generations of the A4TECH’S Bloody mice line-up. From the placement of the mouse glider pads, the elevated palm rest, to even the swooping sides with slits that glow, this is a rare example of a gaming mouse done right without complete overkill.
The Bloody P85 Light Strike 5K RGB Animation Gaming Mouse is currently available online for $49.99 (Amazon | Newegg). This is an excellent price point concerning the robust technology provided with the most popular 8 key layout. This product is aimed at the user that demands the best game performance.
+ Light Strike technology perfected for micro switches.
+ Metal glide mouse boots reduces friction.
+ 4 preset “cores” lends functionality to any genre of game.
+ Splash and dust proof.
+ Reinforced solid attachment of cord for increased longevity.
– The activation weight of primary buttons may take an adjustment period.
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Performance: 8.00
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Appearance: 8.75
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Construction: 9.25
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Functionality: 8.75
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Value: 9.00
