The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wi-fi is a light-weight honeycomb gaming mouse. Not like Grasp Chiller MM710, the Aerox 3 Wi-fi is comfy to carry and fairly fairly to take a look at, because of a set of RGB lights. Nevertheless, in an period of ultralight mice that do not depend on unconventional honeycomb designs, I’m wondering if this mouse gives many tangible benefits over, say, a SteelSeries Rival 3 Wi-fi half-price.
Whereas the design is a matter of affection or hate, the Aerox 3 Wi-fi additionally suffers from a sluggish activation time, a excessive worth, and a weight that borders on insubstantial. Esports followers might wish to test it out, as a result of it is the lightest wi-fi mouse you will get from a serious producer. Nevertheless, whether or not it is definitely worth the asking worth relies upon virtually fully on how a lot you just like the pisive honeycomb design and whether or not you’ll be able to dwell with out it.
The Aerox 3 Wi-fi isn’t essentially the finest gaming mouse for each gamer, however if you’d like a wi-fi honeycomb mouse from a serious producer, it may very well be an honest choice for you. Learn our full SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wi-fi evaluation to be taught extra.
SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wi-fi Overview: Design
If the phrase “honeycomb” means something to you by way of gaming mice, you in all probability have a good suggestion of what the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wi-fi seems like. This small, light-weight mouse is roofed from buttons to palm relaxation with diamond-shaped holes that help you see immediately into the internal workings of the gadget. This makes the gadget lighter, in fact, but additionally doubtlessly extra aerodynamic, as there’s much less resistance when transferring it back and forth.
Having used all sorts of mice in each aggressive and single-player conditions, I personally have some doubts about whether or not honeycomb mice confer any type of vital benefit. Positive, a 2.3-ounce mouse is technically simpler to begin and cease than a 4.0-ounce mouse (the Logitech G502 Gentle Pace, for instance), however not essentially quicker, as a result of mechanics of momentum. A distinction of 1.7 ounces can be not a major weight distinction, even for essentially the most spaghetti-armed amongst us.
Personally, I discover honeycomb designs to be flashy and trivial, however your mileage might range. The RGB lighting on the Aerox 3 Wi-fi may be very fairly, no less than, with a backside plate that totally lights as much as create stunning rainbow patterns on the entrance, again, and sides of the mouse. It is way more spectacular than most gaming mice, which tout full RGB lighting after which restrict it to a single brand on the palm relaxation.
As famous above, the mouse weighs solely 2.3 ounces. The one mouse I may discover from a serious producer that weighs much less is the HyperX Pulsefire Haste (which we’re additionally at the moment testing) at 2.1 ounces. The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wi-fi, which is sort of the identical dimension, weighs 3.4 ounces, so Aerox managed to shave greater than 1/3 off its general weight. That is spectacular for such a small gadget.
There are six buttons in whole: a left-click button, a right-click button, a textured clickable scroll wheel, and a dots per inch (DPI) sensitivity dial on the face, with two buttons for thumb on the facet. On the backside of the mouse, there’s additionally an enter selector, the place you’ll be able to set the mouse to 2.4GHz wi-fi or Bluetooth modes, or flip it off utterly. You may additionally discover a USB-C charging port on prime.
SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wi-fi Overview: Options
Whereas essentially the most placing function of the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wi-fi is its honeycomb design, it additionally has different options you’d anticipate from a high-end wi-fi mouse. For one, it really works with SteelSeries Engine 3 software program, which lets you reprogram buttons, create profiles, modify lighting, and so forth. Sadly, this performance was not obtainable after we wrote the evaluation, however assuming the whole lot works appropriately, it’s a strong and easy-to-use software program. A SteelSeries consultant knowledgeable us that Engine 3 help can be prepared by the point the Aerox 3 Wi-fi ships to customers.
There’s additionally the wi-fi performance, which works very properly for essentially the most half. Each the two.4GHz and Bluetooth performance work properly, with no lag or connection drops throughout my few days of testing, each in video games and productiveness software program. SteelSeries estimates the battery can last as long as 80 hours on 2.4GHz and 200 hours on Bluetooth, however since we did not have entry to the software program, we will not measure both of those claims. The battery stayed robust for no less than three working days of testing, for what it is value.
The mouse’s fast and cheerful actions made it particularly simple to kill demons in Doom, the place velocity and precision are paramount.
Then again, the Aerox 3 Wi-fi fails on an essential level of consolation in wi-fi mice. After it goes to sleep (about 10 minutes of inactivity, though you’ll be able to modify this within the software program), it takes a very long time to restart once more: between 5 and 10 seconds, in my expertise. All different wi-fi mice I’ve used are inclined to reboot immediately, returning you to no matter you had been working or enjoying on. It looks as if a minor downside, however it begins to worsen each time you stroll away out of your desk.
SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wi-fi Overview: Efficiency
Like most different SteelSeries mice, the Aerox 3 Wi-fi works nice with virtually any style of gaming. I examined the gadget with Age of Empires III: Definitive Version, Doom Everlasting, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Closing Fantasy XIV, and it carried out properly throughout the board. The mouse’s fast and cheerful actions made it particularly simple to kill demons in Doom, the place velocity and precision are paramount.
As for whether or not I felt quicker or extra in management with the Aerox 3 Wi-fi than with every other high-end gaming mouse, not particularly so. Hardcore esports fans might disagree, however for on a regular basis gaming, I discovered no proof that the Aerox 3 Wi-fi performs higher than every other gaming mouse from a serious firm. In the event you select one, do it since you just like the design, not since you suppose it offers you a serious benefit within the match scene.
SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wi-fi Overview: Verdict
Our evaluation of the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wi-fi seemed on the mouse’s pisive design, in addition to its stable general performance. That is as shut as I get to a honeycomb mouse, with its semi-comfortable grip and fairly lighting. Then again, I do not suppose it is a large step up from extra conventional wi-fi gaming mice, particularly since you will get designs just like the Rival 3 Wi-fi and the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wi-fi for half the worth.
In case you are not married to a wi-fi honeycomb mouse, you too can get the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wired model for $60, however nonetheless fairly costly for such a small mouse. For many customers, the Rival 3, whether or not wired or wi-fi, might be the best way to go.
