NZXT has burst onto the PC modding scene with several innovative products, like their Tempest Gamer Case, Sentry LX Fan controller and other cases and peripherals. NZXT is not only known for providing great design and quality, but also for their great value. Other peripheral manufacturers have dipped their toes into the pool of gaming mice, so why not take a slice of the big Gaming Pie? (or is that Pi)?
With their release of the Avatar gaming mouse, NZXT has staked its claim of the gaming frontier. This optical mouse not only has the looks to compete, but offers seven buttons, adjustable resolution all the way up to 2600dpi, and an ambidextrous design.
Introducing the first gaming mouse from the award winning NZXT design team, as with all of NZXT’s PC accessories, Avatar is designed to provide gamers with the ultimate crafted gaming armor to emerge victorious in the gaming arena of choice. Featuring a ambidextrous and smaller form, the Avatar mouse is versatile and ideal for gamers. A hardware implemented DPI switching allows compatibility with any game, and the Avatar interface allows for all types of customization including macros and 9 customizable buttons. Extruded Teflon mouse feet also allows for better accuracy and smoothness during gameplay.
- Max Speed: 40 Inches/Second
- Max Acceleration: 15g
- Max Frame Rate: 6469 Frames/Second
- Resolution: 650-2600 dpi
- Image Processing: 5.8 Mega Pixels/Second
- USB Reports: Up to 1000 Reports/Second
- Buttons: 7 Buttons, 5 Million Clicks
Features
- Optimal performance — 2600 DPI Optical Sensor provides maximum sensitivity and responsiveness which yields unparalleled gaming accuracy. LED DPI indicator gives the user improved usage and feedback. 5.8 Mega Pixels/second with a max frame rate of 6469 ensures smooth fragging and accurate sniping. 4 Speed DPI switch enables you to go from slow sniper movement to quick attack movement in a matter of seconds
- Maximum Customization — 7 programmable keys allows gamers to customize their configuration specifically for First-Person Shooters, Real-Time Strategy, or Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games all within the macro and profile settings
- Ergonomic Design — Ambidextrous design gives full use to both right and left handed gamers. Rubber grip helps avoid slipping during intense gameplay and the small, light form factor allows for faster and quicker movements, perfect for any gamer on the go or playing on a laptop or notebook. A slim form factor makes it the perfect choice for finger tip gamers.
- Simple Installation — Avatar plugs into any available USB port
- Slim and small dimensions — Measuring at 36.8mm x 69.1mm x 128mm ( H x W x D ), the Avatar’s smaller form factor is the best choice for finger tip gamers and people who game on the go.
Normally I don’t comment on product packages, but this one is unique in that it is so small. The box is long, and opening it up you can see the mouse behind a clear plastic custom-molded window. The lid is particularly thick, but that’s because tucked inside is a small manual and mini driver CD, which is surrounded by high-density protective foam. The main area of the package holds just the mouse itself (and its attached USB cable).
The mouse definately has the look that will fit right in at all the LAN parties. It is completely black, but has a rubberized coating all over. The buttons have a lighter coat, but the sides have additional grip with a darker rubber and texture. The mouse is completely symmetrical, with the only exception being the DPI indicator lights, which are positioned on the lower left side of the mouse… so even this “ambidextrous” mouse has a bias for right-handedness.
Once plugged in, the mouse glows a nice blue underneath the primary left and right buttons. The DPI indicators also light up in blue, but there are no other distinguishable features.
Instead of the traditional Forward and Back buttons on the left thumb, there is only one, which is assigned “Back” by default. The Front button is on the opposite side of the mosue. The scroll wheel has a good amount of click to it, and below that are two programmable buttons.
The underside of the mouse shows us the 2600dpi optical sensor and three super-slick Teflon pads. The one near the bottom is much larger, and two small pads appear near the top. The USB cable is much thinner than we’re used to seeing in mid-range gaming mice, and has no sleeving or other notable features, other than its gold-plated USB connector.
One thing of note is that this mouse is very thin near the back, which feels rather odd at first. Most gaming mice have a normal to fat backside, which supports your palm and ring finger. Placing your hand on this mouse makes me feel like I have to put more pressure on my fingers for movement, and my ring finger touches the mousepad, introducing drag. The thumb feels comfortable in its tucked position, but is not lifted off the mousepad like the World of Warcraft mouse (reviewed here) or SteelSeries Ikari Laser (reviewed here).
As mentioned before, there is only one thumb button, as its twin is mirrored on the side with your ring finger. This placement can be good or bad, depending on your use. For one, the Back button is probably the most used button for desktop and gaming purposes (other than Primary Fire), so you may not want to have to reach for the Forward button. Unfortunately, using your ring finger to click this button is way more effort, so you may want to assign it to some special purpose that you rarely use.
Serious Kung-Fu Grip with single Back button
At first I was unsure how to change the DPI on the mouse, as other gaming mice have dedicated buttons. The Avatar uses the scroll wheel, coupled with the Back button, to adjust DPI on the fly. Just hold down the Back button, and flick the scroll wheel up and down. Unfortunately, adjusting the DPI on the desktop can be annoying. Once you let go of the dual-function Back button, the active window will be issued a “Back” command, which can be disruptive in a web browser (or catastrophic for those who author documents online, such as myself). The 3-position LED shows 4 DPI levels:
# of LEDs to DPI chart
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It takes two clicks of the scroll wheel to register a DPI change. Unfortuantely, the blue LED DPI indicators are under your hand, whether you are left or right-handed. You can kinda see if you are right-handed, but Southpaws cannot see it at all, as they would have to lift their hands off the mouse to see the lights. It would have been better if the indicators were located near the top sides of the mouse, like the Ikari does. Usability would also be improved if a different LED color was used for each DPI level… humans can distinguish color much better than having to count how many blue dots are visible.
I am personally a fan of “high” and “low” modes. In many games, gamers do not need a huge palette of granularity. Most gamers are in “run:loose” mode and “snipe:precision” mode, and are usually reacting to something when switching between these. Being able to click without looking to toggle between these modes is critical. If I have to guess, or take my eyes off the screen to switch between these modes, then I’ll probably be gibbed (which happens often enough anyway). I would have liked to see a mode that lets me assign a particular DPI setting to a button (or toggle between high and low).
Alas, most gaming mice force you through the intermediary dpi settings before you get to the “high” and “low” modes.
There are more functions to the NZXT Avatar, but they are all handled in software. The mouse comes with some basic software that allows you to adjust settings, change profiles, and adjust macros, and all must be done through this control panel.
The Advanced Functions (should be called Basic Functions because there is already and Advanced Settings page) allow you to adjust the Button assignments of all seven buttons. The software allows for 5 different profiles, and I’ve found that one desktop profile and other gaming profiles works great. By default the two buttons below the scroll wheel (buttons #6 and #7) do not have any assignment, which are very useful as Copy and Paste. On this screen you can also change the orientation to Right-Handed or Left-handed, which basically just mirrors the mouse’s functions. You can also adjust the polling rate between 125Hz, 500Hz (default), and 1000Hz. I have found that 1000Hz can act funky depending on the computer’s USB chipset. Also, 1000Hz does not like to play nice with some USB hubs or KVMs, so be aware of that.
Advanced Functions and Sensitivity Screens
The Button Assignment area also lets you build macros or assign keyboard shortcuts. Just click on the button’s dropdown and you’ll be presented with an Custom option. A little popup window appears with two tabs that let you assign a Single Key or a Macro to this button. You can also insert delays between keys, just like other gaming mice. Additionally, you can also select from a dropdown of Additional Functions (where I found Copy and Paste) and Media Functions (such as Pause and Next Track).
Advanced Settings and Macro Screens
The Sensitivity screen allows you to adjust the X and Y axis of the mouse. In the FPS gaming profile, this can be handy to keep your guns pointed along the horizon without too much trouble. Some may consider this cheating, and I believe professional competitions do not allow custom X-Y sensitivity. This screen also allows you to adjust your Windows pointer speed independently.
Additional Functions and Media Functions
The Advaned Settings allow you to change the Scroll Speed, overall sensitivity, and Double-Click Speed. Of course, there is a Test area so you can see how fast you have to double-click to register. Most people will mostly just use the first scree (Advanced Functions) when taming this mouse.
Overall the NZXT Avatar 2600dpi gaming mouse offers a lot of value and performs very well. However, there are a few subtle items that you need to be aware of when considering this mouse. For one, this mouse has a very different feel since it has a small back-end, so you need to make sure this will be comfortable for you. Even though the Avatar is symmetrical, the DPI indicators will benefit Right-handers most.
Also, because of its design, the “secondary thumb” (Forward) button is practically useless, and is impossible to reach. I was a little disappointed that the DPI tiers were not more customizable. This is NZXT’s initial offering, so hopefully they will learn from these issues and totally blow our doors off with their next mouse.
Other than those issues, the mouse has a great solid feel. The scroll wheel is just what you want in a gaming mouse, and the buttons underneath are very satisfying and have a solid touch that isn’t too sensitive. The mouse also has a great look that will surely let you fit in with the “cool kids” at the next LAN party, and perhaps you can finally gain some respect by seperating their virtual heads from their virtual bodies. This mouse has earned its solid 4 out of 5 score.
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