be quiet! Dark Perk Ergo Review

Introduction and Technical Specifications of the be quiet! Dark Perk

Herein Review of the be quiet! Dark Perk Ergo We will discover what the company’s first gaming mice are capable of, models that share a base but come in two different forms to cover a greater number of potential users.

Therefore, we have two variants: on the one hand, the be quiet! Dark Perk Ergo, with a somewhat more ergonomic shape for right-handed users; and, on the other hand, the be quiet! Dark Perk Sym With a symmetrical shape for right and left handed users.

Beyond this subtle difference in the design, which we already told you is minimal and even difficult to see with the naked eye, both mice maintain the same specifications, sharing the sensor. PixArt PAW 3950 32,000 DPI, 2.4 GHz low latency wireless connectivity and a very light design under 60 grams.

Technical specifications of the be quiet! Dark Perk Ergo and Dark Perk Sym

• Measurements (length × width × height):

  • Dark Perk Ergo: 120 × 66 × 40mm
  • Dark Perk Sym: 123 × 66 × 39mm

• Color: Black
• Weight:

  • Dark Perk Ergo: 55g (+-2g)
  • Dark Perk Sym: 56g (+-2g)

• Sensor: PixArt PAW3950

  • Maximum DPI: 32,000
  • Take-off distance (LOD): 1–2 mm
  • Tracking speed: 50g

• MCU: Nordic nRF54H20
• Battery life: up to 110 hours (polling at 1000 Hz)
• Materials: ABS, rubber, PTFE
• Maximum polling rate: 8000 Hz / 0.125 ms
• Microswitches (left and right): Omron Optical D2FP-FN2
• Encoder: TTC Yellow
• Connectivity:

  • Wireless: 2.4 GHz
  • USB-C with 1.8m cable

• Software: IO Center, IO Center Web
• Accessories included:

  • 2.4GHz RF Wireless Dongle
  • USB Type A to Type C Adapter
  • Braided USB Type A to Type C Cable
  • Cable tie

• Recommended RRP: €109.99

Design and Connectivity

The design of the be quiet! Dark Perk is very similar between them; Broadly speaking, these are mice with a simple design that prioritize lightness and comfort over adding more functions or buttons.

They are made in black plastic with a simple matte finish (which does not go very well with fingerprints and marks of use) and continuous, rounded and smooth lines, without stridency. Because it doesn’t have, it doesn’t even have ARGB lighting; something that does not affect the operation of the mouse, but will leave out all lovers of this type of aesthetic elements.

The Dark Perk They have a weight of 55 and 56g, depending on the model. Ergo or the Sym, while their measurements are similar, with 120 x 66 x 40 mm for the Ergo and 123 x 66 x 39 mm for the Sim.

The difference between both mice, beyond these small variations in weight or measurements, is the shape of the casing: In the Ergo we have a design adapted to right-handed users, with more ergonomic shapes that adapt to the hand, whether you use it with your palm or fingers. In the Sim, its design is symmetrical and is suitable for both right- and left-handed users, at the cost of losing that shape that adapts to the hand.

However, both have a similar rounded design that is comfortable to use.

In addition to the two main buttons, we have a central wheel with a push button and a rubber coating that is quite comfortable to the touch. It has a marked hardness that prevents unwanted movements.

On the left side, two function buttons complement the main switches. The main buttons use Omron optical switches with excellent feel.

At the bottom is where we find the button to turn on wireless mode, and another button to change the DPI. Placing the DPI change button in this area seems like a mistake to us and, although it is not the first mouse we have seen with this arrangement, it is quite uncomfortable and avoids any possibility of changing DPI “on the fly”. When changing DPI, a small LED shows the selected mode with different colors.

In this lower area we also have three Teflon pads, two large ones at the ends and one in the shape of a ring that surrounds the sensor itself.

The connectivity offered by the Dark Perk is wireless via a 2.4 GHz USB “pin”, or via a USB-C cable. This cable is included with a very striking orange mesh finish. In addition, a USB-C to USB-A adapter is included in which we can also connect the 2.4 GHz USB spike.

In general, most wireless mice also include Bluetooth connectivity, a slower mode but which considerably increases versatility by allowing it to be used casually with a wide number of devices without the need for accessories. Curiously, be quiet! has decided not to integrate Bluetooth among the Dark Perk connection options.

Software and Configuration of the be quiet! Dark Perk

For the configuration and customization of the Dark Perk we have the IO Center software from be quiet!, a centralized platform to manage your devices.

It has a clear and simple interface and integrates with the brand’s color scheme. It offers visual indications to clearly identify the elements that can be configured at any time. Of course, it is not available in Spanish.

Within the software, we have several sections for mouse management; the main one is that of Key Binding where it is possible to adjust the functions of each button between different types of action: from the basic clicks of the mouse itself, keyboard key association, multimedia, shortcuts, profile changes, macros…

I really miss the possibility of assigning the “sniper” or DPI reduction function momentarily to one of the buttons. It is a function that, beyond its usefulness in shooters when a little more precision is required to shoot at long distances, I use a lot on a daily basis for tasks such as editing small areas of images or where, in general, greater precision is needed.

The absence of a dedicated “sniper” button is a constant in practically the majority of current mice, but the vast majority allow that function to be assigned to one of the buttons. In this model, the only thing we can assign within the mouse functions to one of the side buttons are the presses of other buttons or scroll.

We can assign keystrokes, special multimedia or Windows functions, change profiles or macros, but nothing that adjusts the DPI. The only way to change DPI on this mouse is to use the awkward button on the bottom.

Speaking of sensitivity, from the software we can define five different DPI levels to change with this button, from a minimum of 100 to a maximum of 30,000 DPI, a level reserved for very specific users.

Within that range, you can choose any DPI level in steps of 50 DPIs. In addition, it is possible to deactivate some of the 5 levels in case we feel comfortable with less. Each level has its own color which will be displayed on the small status LED on the mouse.

A Macro system is also included with recording options for keystrokes, mouse or both. It is possible to adjust the times between keystrokes (delay), keep the keys recorded or ignore them, as well as define whether the macros are executed once, are held when the assigned button is pressed, or are repeated several times.

Within each macro, it is possible to manually adjust the times between each specific press.

Finally, we have a section where you adjust general mouse values, such as its polling rate, with a maximum of 8,000 Hz, saving modes (and also the time it takes to enter “soft” or “deep” sleep), cursor sensitivity, elevation distance, movement synchronization, angle snapping or ripple control. These last functions allow you to smooth out the mouse’s movements or associate them with straight lines, for example, are functions that may come in handy in specific cases, but that, in general, will remain deactivated.

The optical buttons can also be customized by adjusting click speed or response times.

Everything, or almost everything, that we can do with the IO Center software, can be done without having to install anything through its web version iocenter.bequiet.com. From this website the mouse will be recognized, whether we use it wired or wirelessly, and we can even update the firmware of the mouse itself and the USB adapter.

Key mapping and configuration options are available. The only options that cannot be managed from the web app are the assignment of profiles and the creation and assignment of macros.

Analysis and Conclusion

Be quiet! Dark Perk Ergo and Dark Perk Sym are mice that offer a good user experience. They have a simple but comfortable and light design, and their lightness is appreciated in practically all areas of use.

It is true that, at least if we include it within the “gaming” peripheral market, we have a very sober and discreet design, perhaps too much so considering the target audience with such a high-end sensor. Of course, as it does not have ARGB lighting (beyond the small DPI indicator) The autonomy of this mouse is very high, lasting on a charge for more than a week with 8,000 Hz, about 50 hours.

The operation of the sensor is very fluid, without shocks or unwanted accelerations, and we can customize it as we wish. Personally, the 32,000 DPI it allows is very far from my needs when it comes to working and playing, as is the 8,000 Hz polling rate, but they are figures that can be appreciated in certain environments. Normally we move at 1,000 Hz and with much lower sensitivities.

In any case, the behavior of the PixArt PAW3950 sensor and the movement of the mouse have been a delight, typical of high-end mice. However, with a price of 109.99 euros, there are still some shortcomings that should not be there, such as the lack of Bluetooth for greater versatility when using it with mobile devices, for example. We also miss some customization options, such as being able to assign sensitivity changes to the buttons occasionally (sniper mode) or even permanently, since the location of the DPI change button at the bottom of the mouse is very impractical.

Possibly, the possibility of greater customization of the buttons for these tasks are issues that can be solved at the software level and we will surely see them arrive soon.

In summary, both the Dark Perk Ergo like him Dark Perk Sym They are mice that hide within a simple and discreet, but very light, design a high-performance sensor for those looking for the greatest speed and fluidity in competitive titles, but that also more than satisfy any type of user thanks to a very high level of customization.