The ROCCAT Kain 100 AIMO is a wired gaming mouse that feels well-built, and it has two buttons on its left side and a CPI switching button below its scroll wheel. It's well-suited for almost all hand sizes using any grip type. However, those with extra-large hands may find their fingers extend past the front end of the mouse using a palm grip. Performance-wise, it has a somewhat wide CPI range, a CPI that you can adjust in increments of 100, and a very consistent sensor. Its click latency and lift-off distance are low, but they aren't as low as other gaming options. Unfortunately, the mouse is quite heavy, which isn't ideal for fans of lightweight mice.
Our Verdict
The ROCCAT Kain 100 is good for office use. It feels well-built, and it's well-suited for almost all hand sizes using any grip type. However, extra-large hands may find that their fingers extend past the front end of the mouse when using a palm grip. All of its buttons are remappable, and you can even set an Easy-Shift[+] button for a second layer of controls. Unfortunately, you can't use it wirelessly, and it lacks some helpful office features, like free scrolling and L/R tilt buttons on its scroll wheel.
- Feels well-built.
- You can program all buttons using the companion software.
- All default buttons work in Windows and macOS.
- Wired-only design.
- Scroll wheel doesn't have L/R tilt buttons or free scrolling.
The ROCCAT Kain 100 is very good for FPS gaming. It has many programmable buttons, and you can set an Easy-Shift[+] button for a second layer of controls for as long as you hold it. It has a low click latency and lift-off distance, though some gamers may prefer a lower option, and its CPI range should be wide enough for most people. You can adjust the set CPI in increments of 100, and the mouse has a consistent and accurate sensor. Unfortunately, its rubber cable retains kinks from packaging, and its mouse feet don't glide as well as the ones on some other mice.
- Feels well-built.
- Low click latency.
- Low lift-off distance.
- You can program all buttons using the companion software.
- Rubber cable retains kinks.
- Mouse feet don't glide as smoothly as on some other mice.
The ROCCAT Kain 100 is good for MMO gaming, but it doesn't have nearly as many buttons as a dedicated MMO mouse. However, you can reprogram all the buttons it does have, and you can also set an Easy-Shift[+] button that gives you a second layer of controls for as long as you hold it. It has a low click latency and lift-off distance, and its CPI range should be wide enough for most gamers. While you can adjust its set CPI, it's in increments of 100 only, which isn't as precise as other options.
- Feels well-built.
- Low click latency.
- Low lift-off distance.
- You can program all buttons using the companion software.
- Doesn't have as many buttons as dedicated MMO mice.
- Rubber cable retains kinks.
- Mouse feet don't glide as smoothly as on some other mice.
The ROCCAT Kain 100 scores well as an ultra-light gaming mouse, but it's heavier than what we consider lightweight. Also, its mouse feet don't glide as smoothly as the ones on some other mice, and its rubber cable retains packaging kinks. That said, it fees well-built, and it has a low click latency and lift-off distance, although some gamers may prefer them to be lower.
- Feels well-built.
- Low click latency.
- Low lift-off distance.
- You can program all buttons using the companion software.
- Rubber cable retains kinks.
- Mouse feet don't glide as smoothly as on some other mice.
The ROCCAT Kain 100 is inadequate for travel since it's bulky and may not fit most laptop cases. Also, it's a wired-only mouse with a non-removable cable, which may make it annoying to use in small spaces like buses, trains, and planes.
- Feels well-built.
- Wired-only design.
- Bulky; may not fit in most laptop cases.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the ROCCAT Kain 100 AIMO in the black color variant. There's also a white/black color variant available named the ROCCAT Kain 102 AIMO. Although differently named, the differences between the two variants seem to be exclusively the color, so we expect our test results to apply to the ROCCAT Kain 102 AIMO as well. You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Mouse Comparisons
The ROCCAT Kain 100 is similar to other mice in ROCCAT's Kain lineup. It has a nearly identical shape to the ROCCAT Kain 200 AIMO, but the Kain 100 AIMO can't be used wirelessly, and it lacks an RGB zone in its palm area. Performance-wise, it falls a little short. While its lift-off distance and click latency are low, they aren't as low as other gaming options in its price range. However, it's popular with gamers who drag click, which is a technique some people use to increase their clicks-per-second, giving them an advantage in some games. However, we don't currently test this, or and we generally don't recommend it since it may reduce the life span of the switches.
For other options, see our recommendations for the best mice, the best gaming mice, and the best FPS gaming mice.
The ROCCAT Kain 120 AIMO and the ROCCAT Kain 100 AIMO are nearly identical, but the 120 AIMO has a few upgrades, like a grippy soft-touch coating over its entire body, a braided cable, and an RGB zone in its logo at the back of the palm rest. Also, it has a proprietary OWL-EYE sensor, giving it a wider CPI range, a more precisely adjustable CPI, and a lower lift-off distance. The 100 AIMO's click latency is marginally lower than on our 120 AIMO, but the difference won't be noticeable to most people.
The ROCCAT Kone AIMO Remastered performs better for gaming than the ROCCAT Kain 100 AIMO. You can adjust the Kone's CPI more precisely within a wider range, and its lift-off distance is lower. It has more programmable buttons, including a default Easy-Shift[+] button on the bottom of its thumb rest that gives you a second layer of controls for as long as you hold it. On the other hand, the Kain 100 is lighter, and it has lower click latency. Also, its rubber cable feels more flexible than the Kone's braided cable.
The HyperX Pulsefire Haste is an excellent ultra-light gaming mouse, while the ROCCAT Kain 100 AIMO is a very good gaming mouse. The HyperX has a honeycomb cutout design that makes it much lighter than the ROCCAT. Also, it has a more flexible cable, and its mouse feet glide much more smoothly. Performance-wise, it has a wider CPI range, a lower lift-off distance, and slightly lower latency. On the other hand, the ROCCAT has more programmable inputs thanks to its Easy-Shift[+] feature.
The GLORIOUS Model O and the ROCCAT Kain 100 AIMO are both wired gaming mice, but the GLORIOUS performs better overall. The GLORIOUS is much lighter thanks to its honeycomb cutout design, and it has a more flexible cable and smoother-gliding mouse feet. Performance-wise, it has a higher maximum CPI, a lower lift-off distance, and a marginally lower click latency, although the difference won't be noticeable to most people. Comparatively, the ROCCAT has a lower minimum CPI and more programmable buttons thanks to its Easy-Shift[+] feature.
Test Results
The polling rate options are 125Hz, 250Hz, 500Hz, and 1000Hz. ROCCAT calls the sensor the "Pro-Optic Sensor R8," which is a modified PixArt PMW 3331 sensor. For a similar model with a lower minimum lift-off distance, check out the ROCCAT Kain 120 AIMO. Or, for a gaming mouse with a higher maximum polling rate, check out the Mad Catz B.A.T. 6+.
You can program all six buttons, and you can also assign an Easy-Shift[+] button that gives you a second layer of controls for as long as you hold it. You can cycle through five CPI settings using the DPI button below the scroll wheel.
