Introduction
Gaming mice, is it worth the investment? Why isn’t a mouse worth a few bucks from a bargain box enough to be competitive as a gamer? Currently the market of gaming mice is quite saturated. Logitech, Roccat, Razer stand on top of the hill when it comes to it. Including SteelSeries, and they prove that once again with the Aerox 3.
Specifications
Like an age old tradition, let’s kick it off with the specs.
Sensor
SteelSeries TrueMove Air
Sensor Type
Optical
CPI
100–18,000 in 100 CPI Increments
IPS
400, on SteelSeries QcK surfaces
Acceleration
40G
Polling Rate
1000Hz / 1 ms
Hardware Acceleration
None (Zero Hardware Acceleration)
Design
Back Cover Material
Black Matte Finish
Core Construction
ABS Plastic
Shape
Ergonomic, Right-Handed
Grip Style
Claw or Fingertip
Number of Buttons
6
Switch Type
SteelSeries mechanical switches, rated for 80 million clicks
Illumination
3 RGB Zones
Weight
66g
Length
120.55mm / 4.75 inches
Width
57.91mm / 2.28 inches (front), 67.03mm / 2.64 inches (back)
Height
21.53mm / 0.85 inches (front), 37.98mm / 1.50 inches (back)
Connection
2.4GHz / Bluetooth 5.0
Battery Life
Up to 80 hours 2.4GHz
Up to 200 hours Bluetooth
Compatibility
OS
Windows, Mac, Xbox, and Linux. USB port required.
Software
SteelSeries Engine 3.18.4+, for Windows (7 or newer) and Mac OSX (10.12 or newer)
Package Content
Product Information Guide
Download Aerox 3 Wireless Product Information Guide
Aerox 3 Wireless Gaming Mouse
USB Type-C Dongle
USB Type-C to USB Type-A Super Mesh Data/Charging Cable
Extension Adapter
Unboxing
It’s time to unbox the Steelseries Aerox 3 wireless.
As I’m accustomed to with SteelSeries, the mouse has a nice appearance. Neat looking synthetic materials and finish.
Together with the Aerox 3, Steelseries provides me with the necessary cables, dongle, hub and user manual.
In the hub – bottom left in the image- you can find 2 usb-c connections. That way you can place the dongle close to the mouse itself. And have an easier time taking out the charging cable. The dongle can also be connected to a USB-C port, in a shell casing if you wish.
It’s a unique design. Especially since the mouse is SO light.(66!!!! grams) And that’s something I definitely had to get used to.
The left side of the mouse has 2 thumb buttons, both which can be edited in the software, or entirely disabled.
On the high middle you can find the DPI button, which can be pressed to switch to the 2nd profile. Long story short, there’s a maximum of 5 different DPI profiles, such as 2000 and 12000 DPI or any you desire.
The right side of the mouse contains no buttons.
The mouse utilizes the SteelSeries TrueMove Air sensor. And that’s very accurate. I’ve tested my muscle memory in a few games(há nerd). And I noticed that it was sharp and accurate. To tell you the truth, I couldn’t notice any difference between this, and the Rival 600 I have for daily use.
On the bottom you can find a switch that turns the mouse on, or through bluetooth or the 2.4GHz dongle. Of course you can also hook up the Aerox 3 with the provided cable.
The cool thing about the Aerox 3 is that the design is open, offering you a peek inside of it.
Which results in a cool RGB effect. The RGB can be edited in 3 zones. (Like we’re accustomed to with Steelseries gaming mice)
Software
A massive benefit of SteelSeries products is the option to have uniform software, so you can tinker with anything SteelSeries.
If perchance you can’t figure out how to hook your gear up, there’s always the FAQ! 🙂
Through the SteelSeries Engine software the mouse can be configured to your heart’s desire. On the top right you can find the two DPI switches that can be finetuned in steps of a 100, in between 100 DPI and 18.000 DPI.
Using acceleration and deceleration the mouse can be finetuned as well. This will ensure either acceleration or deceleration with the slightest movement.
The polling rate can be edited too. This makes sure that the mouse checks either every 1 millisecond (1000hz) or 8 milliseconds (125hz) for any movement inputs by you.
The Aerox 3 has another option, in the name of: Sleep Timer. You can for example edit it to go into a ‘sleeping mode’ if you don’t use the mouse for 4 minutes. This makes sure that the mouse doesn’t run out of charge if you do not use it.
And of course you can edit profiles for different games. To always make sure you have the ultimate preset for each game, ready to go!
For the user/gamer that loves to use macros you have the ability to record them. You can also finetune the single use of a button, to input a click once, or multiple times.
Using the menu we can edit different bindings for each individual button and more.
The options for each button are as follows:
– Keyboard buttons
– Macro’s
– Media Buttons (Such as muting etc.)
– Mouse Buttons (Don’t like the DPI switching button? Turn it into a thumb button!).
– Deactivate
– Launch Application
– Launch Configuration (Switch between profiles)
– Launch Engine Apps
– OS Shortcuts
– Record Macro
Because the Aerox 3 contains RGB options, you have the possibility to edit the zones in the illumination tab.
Which can show either 1, or a multitude of colors, also included is a Colorshift option that will portray a rainbow effect, a multicolor breath or the option to disable all of it.
Using the engine apps you can edit all SteelSeries products to display RGB coloring in a coordinated manner. Or even react to music. There’s also integration for Discord, ImageSync (Which allows you to load a GIF and display it on the keyboard) and CS GO and other applications.
In the library, you can manage the presets that work for a specific application. Let’s say we have a preset for Overwatch, starting the game will prompt the engine to use that preset.
In the settings button on the top right, you can edit language or manage if software updates download automatically for instance.
And obviously on the top right you can manage your account. If no account can be found whilst using the software, you are required to login or create an account.
Gaming
One thing that was noticeable during gaming is that the bottom surface isn’t as important with this mouse. Whether you have a desk sized mouse pad, or just stick to the normal surface of your desk, this mouse is just as accurate. And that’s a good thing, especially for someone like me who plays games on his desk. My old Roccat or Razer used to struggle with which way I was moving my hand. Ever since last year I started using the Rival 600 which in my opinion is not only accurate, but also durable. Even so, the Aerox 3 is an incredibly nice mouse to either game or work with. Combining this with a high DPI, you’ll be at your targets in no-time.
This also factors in the light weight of the mouse itself, gamers that move the mouse around a lot will be there faster. And the Aerox 3 Wireless will ensure those vital milliseconds of swifter movements.
Another plus, the DPI switch, ensuring a quick switch between profiles, for instance between 800 and 1600 DPI – up to a maximum of 18000.
The buttons are also direct, which means that you don’t have to punch the button to fire your weapon in games like BF4/BF5/PUBG or other games. A light click is enough to tap your targets. Translating this to other games that require this, it means that you will have a competitive edge over your opponents.
Conclusion
Being a gamer over the years, I’ve put a lot of gaming mice out of comission. Having used Corsair, Roccat and even Razer for a long period of time. And over the last few years I started reviewing SteelSeries. Which made it impossible to stay away from them. Not just because I review them, but because I truly stand behind their products and use them on a daily basis. Including now, I’ve only had positive experiences with products belonging to SteelSeries.
And in my opinion, they belong with the aforementioned giants now. With the Aerox they’ve clearly demonstrated that they can also produce wireless products that are high quality, light AND have RGB. What more could you want?!
The Aerox 3 Wireless had me pleasantly surprised. The very lightweight mouse with a truly long battery life ensures endless fun. (Well, until your battery empties of course!) Stuff the cable in it, and it’s go-time again!!
Which is a huge plus compared to the Steelseries Rival 3, which requires you to change the batteries. And well… That might be a bit clunky in a gaming session and you don’t have them on hand.
The software has loads of possibilities and that’s another fun extra. Neat additions that allow you to sync up the RGB, or completely customize buttons even in Windows. And of course the preset system allows for a lot of diversity.
Absolutely sure that I would have bought it in combination with a mouse mat like the SteelSeries QcK Prism Cloth or other QcK products. These two would’ve been a dynamic duo, and if you or I were to miss a shot, we can only blame our own skills…
The DPI Switch is another great addition. SteelSeries software used to only have the option to have 2 profiles, but they’ve boosted this to a maximum of 5 nowadays.
Looking at the price tag of other brands; Razer, Roccat, Logitech etc. this mouse fits right in quality wise. And actually, the Aerox 3 Wireless seems to be about equal on price tag as well.
The SteelSeries Aerox 3 rightfully earns 5 out of 5 stars.
