We previously reviewed CM Storm Spawn gaming mouse, now we will be testing one of their advanced gaming mouse; the Sentinel Advance II, this is the successor to their Sentinel Advance that was released on 2009. Let’s see if this gaming mouse is a must-have for hardcore gamers.

Before we start off with the review, let’s take a look at the features that are on the Sentinel Advance II

• 200 – 8200 DPI tracking resolution
• 128 KB Sentinel-X TM Memory for profiles and macros
• On the fly DPI adjustments (+/- 200 DPI)
• As little as 1.5 mm lift-off distance
• Up to 150 IPS – 3.8 m/s
• 125 Hz – 1000 Hz USB rate fine-tuning
• 5 profiles with 4 DPI setting each
• 8 programmable buttons
• 9 virtual buttons via button combinations
• Right-hand Ergonomic Design
• Customizable OLED logo
• Customizable multi color LED light system
• 5 x 4.5g weight fine-tuning system

Now for the design, we found that the Sentinel Advance II is only suitable for right-handed users, so left-handed users will have a hard time using the gaming mouse. It has that dark grey color to give it that metallic finish, and black color on the front part. You will also noticed that the size is rather big, it won’t be a problem to people with large hands but this could be uncomfortable for some with small hands.

It has eight programmable buttons to give players more options to enhance their gameplay experience. If the button layouts are set on default, the front button lets you select up to five different profiles depending on how you set up your profile settings, aside from the usual two mouse buttons that are also at the front, the upper portion has two buttons for the DPI setting (you can also set the range of the Dpi selection), and also the mouse scroll button. On the left side there are two side buttons which include the TactiX button, where it lets you double the programmable buttons. The placement of the side buttons at the left side is easy to access with your thumb finger, giving you more time to react and make a quick move, you can program it to reload your weapon on FPS games or as a health potion button for RPGs.

The Sentinel Advance II has 200 to 8200 Dots per inch tracking resolution, giving it a wide option that suits your playing style, there is also a non-stick padding on the bottom of the mouse for smoother mouse movement. Below you will find a compartment that stores 5 4.5 gram weights which can be removable depending on how heavy or light your gaming mouse you want it to be. It also has two front LED lights (which by the way makes the gaming mouse look a bit like a futuristic car) and another at the top part (which makes the appearance of a burning furnace), the color can change depending on the selected profile plus it is customizable with up to seven different colors.

There is a driver that you can use on the Sentinel Advance II, unfortunately it wasn’t included in the package, but CM Storm provided the download link of the driver from their package box. As for the driver itself, it features a lot of configuration for your Sentinel Advance II, from adjusting the DPI to adding macro programs. You can even configure the LED colors as well as adding a customized logo at the LCD screen on the top portion of the gaming mouse.

As for the performance, we tried testing the Sentinel Advance II on Battlefield 3 and Torchlight, the mouse performs well for the two games, the sensor of the mouse has really good response, giving that really smooth movement during intense gameplay. The 8 buttons gives you more variety for your gaming experience, this can be a big help for those who need quick access on certain skills or actions, such as on competitive FPS and RTS matches. although I had some minor issues using the mouse due to its design and size, but you’ll get used to the design of the mouse after long periods of usage.

Overall the Sentinel Advance II is a good choice  for gamers  especially those who are competitive that want a much accurate gaming mouse with more buttons plus the adjustable weights. The customizable LED lights  and LCD logo gives gamers  a much personalized customization for their gaming mouse, some people may have difficulty holding the mouse at the start, but with some practice, you will be able to handle the gaming mouse comfortably.