SteelSeries Aerox 3 Review – Is It Worth the Money in 2022?

Testing Summary

Aerox 3 is designed to let you make the fastest swipes possible in gaming, allowing you to beat the competitors to the trigger. When it comes to milliseconds, time is of the essence. Aerox is the world’s first gaming mouse to be awarded an IP54 rating, indicating that it has been designed to protect the internal circuits from all types of environmental damage. This rating provides water resistance as well as protection from dirt, dust oil, fur, and other contaminants.

Introduction

Aerox 3 is designed by a SteelSeries in a honeycomb shape for those gamers who prefer a wireless gadget for better handling. It is incredibly light in weight and portable. In addition, its ambidextrous shape makes it more pleasant to hold for long periods and is more suitable for gripping with the claw or fingertip. This mouse can be operated wirelessly via its USB adopter or over Bluetooth, and it allows you to pair at the same time with two different devices for multitasking.

This device boasts a high polling rate and low click latency, which allows for a responsive and comfy gaming experience. For first-time users, the SteelSeries Engine 3 can be frightening because it contains a large number of customization possibilities but is not the most user-friendly.

Additionally, in 100 CPI increments, you can only modify the sensitive setting, which may frustrate individuals who desire more control over the sensitivity setting of their computer. Fortunately, all of the inputs used in this mouse are programmable, and it is fully compatible with Windows and Mac OS X.

Specifications

Design

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 is designed for gamers that prefer something that is the lightest in their palms when they are gaming. Even though it is lightweight, the Aerox 3 does not seem cheap or breakable since it has a bunch of holes in it. In fact, the mouse’s is IP54-certified, so this is the indicator that dust should not be entered in a sufficient quantity to cause damage to the mouse, and it should also not be affected by splashes of water or other liquids.

Let’s discuss the appearance of those holes for a moment. I was concerned that the honeycomb pattern of the Aerox 3 might exacerbate my trypophobia. The space between each hole, on the other hand, prevents the Aerox 3 from appearing excessively weird.

The holes were also beneficial to the overall feel. Because of the porous nature of the mouse, it was less sweaty when used for an extended period of time. The holes also allow a glimpse of the Aerox 3’s three RGB elements (Bottom-3rd, Middle-3rd, and Top-3rd) illuminated by the lighting mode.

Although the Aerox 3 gaming mouse design is ambidextrous, the side buttons placement is more favorable to right-handed users. A real ambidextrous mouse includes swappable slide buttons and is available in both black and white.

My heavy hands make it a little more challenging while using the low weight of this mouse. On the other hand, my delicate wrist liked how little effort is required to get this mouse moving.

I found it simple to glide beautifully on any surface, whether I used it on the best mouse pad, a cloth, desk, or on my skin, thanks to the low weight and the four little but efficient PTFE feet that aid to prevent friction. The optical sensor on the mouse is also to be thanked in this instance.

The cable is long enough (6 feet) to connect to a Computer underneath or across the top of a bigger desk. Rather than the rubber cable used on cheaper wired gaming mice, SteelSeries uses Super Mesh. Super Mesh is a more expensive wired gaming mice. The fact that this Wire is detachable, on the other hand, is noteworthy. Aerox 3 mouse is more common among wired mice, and it allows you to exchange in a different cable if the original is broken or if you just want to customize the look of your mouse.

SteelSeries suggests that Aerox 3 is operating with a claw grip or fingertip, and I found that the programmable buttons (right and left click, two side buttons, scroll wheel up and down CPI switch south of the scroll wheel ) were easily accessible.

Performance

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 is a fantastic wireless mouse that is easy to use. It didn’t take long to connecting with a wireless dongle to a USB Type C connector (or using the extension adaptor). Shots were fired with pinpoint accuracy during shootouts in Rogue Company. The same was true for games, such as Call of Duty: Warzone, where pursuing a victim while scoped resulted in a high number of headshots. Regardless matter how quickly I moved the mouse; there were no latency or tracking issues to contend with.

Aerox 3 is ideal for shooters who rely on quick reactions. The CPI button, which is located just below the mouse wheel, allows the user to adjust the mouse pace to match with the pace of the played game. There are five different options in total, ranging from 400 to 3200 CPI. The lowest of these required numerous glances to get the pointer to cover my 27-inch panel fully, and the highest only needed one swipe. It only took three clicks to quickly and effortlessly wipe both my primary and secondary screens with a few simple wrist movements.

Engine 3 allows more customization; with the program, you can reduce the CPI to as low as 100, experiment with different levels of difficulty, or push the CPI to an absurd 18,000 CPI. It was simple to keep up with other people during battles of Apex Legends and Quake Champions, thanks to the optical sensor’s accuracy and the option to adjust its speed.

Because of the tiny battery, the mouse’s frame isn’t overly imposing. Its ergonomic design makes it a pleasure to hold in one’s hand. Despite this, the Aerox 3 appears to be fragile due to its small weight. The mouse, on the other hand, is surprisingly durable. While I wouldn’t hit it with a hammer, I’m confident that it could withstand a few falls from a reasonable height. As well as keeping it safe from dust and other contaminants, the AquaBarrier protection ensures that the Aerox 3 is safe to transport while traveling.

When you consider how wonderfully the Aerox 3 operates, it’s easy to ignore that it’s a wireless mouse at all. The most noticeable reminder occurs when the device’s RGB lights begin blinking yellow in 5-, 2-, and 1-minute intervals to show how much battery capacity is remaining. You may either plug mesh (USB cable) to continue playing or charge the device for 15 minutes to get around 40 hours of additional playtime.

The charging procedure, both in terms of speed and overall process, is so inconsequential that it never actually stands in the way of gaming. In the course of a gaming session, I never grew frustrated by the necessity of connecting to the USB port or switching mice. I didn’t take a break from playing.

It is particularly true when Bluetooth mode was enabled, as that connection provided 200 hours of battery life (compared to the 2.4GHz dongle’s 80+ hours). I wasn’t concerned about the battery life of the Aerox 3, regardless of which mode was selected; I’d been using it a week or more with one charging.

SteelSeries Engine

SteelSeries Engine software allows you to modify the Aerox 3’s programmable buttons and RGB. Many effects and customization options exist for each of the three RGB zones. Incompatible games like CS: GO, League of Legends, Mortal Kombat 11, RGB indicate your game stats and health. The engine also allows you to configure Discord notifications.

SteelSeries Engine is compatible with the Aerox 3 Wireless. In one place, you’ll find everything you need, including button remapping and macro functionality (125-1000 Hz). 100–18000 CPI in 100-CPI increments for up to five levels. It means that the user does not need software to be running or installed all the time.

Testing Results

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless gaming mouse is one of the best gaming mice by the company. There are a plethora of positive aspects to this device, including its ultra-lightweight design, long-lasting battery, and excellent optical sensor, which enables lightning-fast, yet precise swipes.

Although it is a sturdy and durable gaming mouse, if you don’t mind the honeycomb holes, Aerox 3 is outclassed by competitors with more intelligent and advanced sensors.