If you are looking for a simple, plug and play mouse then this gaming mouse from EC Technology is not for you. Sure, it will work for you just fine but if you are not prepared to get into some of the configuration options of this mouse, you will be missing out on much of what this offers.
In the box you will find the mouse along with a small user guide. There is no software included but you will want to visit the EC Technology website to download the latest Windows software to get the most out of this. Unfortunately, no Mac software is offered which means you lose out on some of the utility and this is no surprise given this is billed as a gaming mouse however there are still some benefits to be had.
The build quality on this mouse is very nice, it feels solid in the hand and is ergonomic so your hand just seems to fit in place. Unfortunately, the ergonomic nature of this mouse means it will only fit the right hand as there is no left handed version available. It is built from plastic with rubber coating across much of the surface to ensure good grip.
On top is the standard left and right buttons as well as the scroll wheel which acts as a third button when pushed. Further down the top of the body is a DPI button with visual indicator for selecting the resolution the mouse is working at along with a mode button for selecting which profile to use. The DPI is a hardware setting ranging from 800 to 8200 DPI which means this will work fine independent of the host OS however the profiles are customised and managed using the Windows software so this feature only applies to Windows users. On the left side there are buttons for browsing forwards and back and beneath these are two buttons for controlling volume. The browser buttons didn't work for me on the Mac but the volume ones did as did the track forward and back buttons on the right hand side. On the underside of the mouse next to the laser sensor is a switch for selecting the polling rate of 125, 500 or 1000Hz which controls the refresh rate of the mouse tracking - the higher value being more accurate at the slight expense of some CPU overhead. At the base of the mouse is a small compartment that can house up to eight 4g weights which allow the user to customise the weight of the mouse to fine tune how it feels in the hand. These weights are held firmly in place so there is no chance of them working loose and rattling.
This package is completed by a 6ft braided USB cable with gold connectors that looks both hard wearing and is a good length to ensure you can use this in a comfortable location, especially with a desktop machine.
The mouse feels great in use, it is comfortable to use and the buttons are very accessible and work in a reassuring manner. Switching between DPI has a real impact on how far you need to move your hand to track your mouse across the screen, the higher the setting, the less hand movement is required. This is especially beneficial for those with larger monitors and can have a real impact depending on the game at hand. It also offers benefits for users other than gamers - if you use a mouse for photo editing on a large screen for example, the ability to tweak the DPI of the mouse on the fly may be of real benefit. Additionally, the polling rate being set to a high value provided it doesn't impact on system performance is a great benefit in ensuring the mouse pointer is tracked accurately, especially with higher speed movements across the screen.
The real benefit of the software is in setting up custom profiles depending on the game/application you are using as well as macros to execute specific tasks at the touch of a button. In the middle of a game, having the track forward and back buttons selecting a weapon instead of controlling your music makes much more sense after all.
While I am not a massive gamer, I can really appreciate the customisation this mouse from EC Technology offers and the benefits are not just for gamers; the ability to weight the mouse to an individual's taste benefits everyone. It's just a shame there is no Mac software available as the ability to create custom button profiles for applications transcends gaming.
I got this from http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00R7NAD46/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img
Video review:
http://youtu.be/S66npiJOl3g
In the box you will find the mouse along with a small user guide. There is no software included but you will want to visit the EC Technology website to download the latest Windows software to get the most out of this. Unfortunately, no Mac software is offered which means you lose out on some of the utility and this is no surprise given this is billed as a gaming mouse however there are still some benefits to be had.
The build quality on this mouse is very nice, it feels solid in the hand and is ergonomic so your hand just seems to fit in place. Unfortunately, the ergonomic nature of this mouse means it will only fit the right hand as there is no left handed version available. It is built from plastic with rubber coating across much of the surface to ensure good grip.
On top is the standard left and right buttons as well as the scroll wheel which acts as a third button when pushed. Further down the top of the body is a DPI button with visual indicator for selecting the resolution the mouse is working at along with a mode button for selecting which profile to use. The DPI is a hardware setting ranging from 800 to 8200 DPI which means this will work fine independent of the host OS however the profiles are customised and managed using the Windows software so this feature only applies to Windows users. On the left side there are buttons for browsing forwards and back and beneath these are two buttons for controlling volume. The browser buttons didn't work for me on the Mac but the volume ones did as did the track forward and back buttons on the right hand side. On the underside of the mouse next to the laser sensor is a switch for selecting the polling rate of 125, 500 or 1000Hz which controls the refresh rate of the mouse tracking - the higher value being more accurate at the slight expense of some CPU overhead. At the base of the mouse is a small compartment that can house up to eight 4g weights which allow the user to customise the weight of the mouse to fine tune how it feels in the hand. These weights are held firmly in place so there is no chance of them working loose and rattling.
This package is completed by a 6ft braided USB cable with gold connectors that looks both hard wearing and is a good length to ensure you can use this in a comfortable location, especially with a desktop machine.
The mouse feels great in use, it is comfortable to use and the buttons are very accessible and work in a reassuring manner. Switching between DPI has a real impact on how far you need to move your hand to track your mouse across the screen, the higher the setting, the less hand movement is required. This is especially beneficial for those with larger monitors and can have a real impact depending on the game at hand. It also offers benefits for users other than gamers - if you use a mouse for photo editing on a large screen for example, the ability to tweak the DPI of the mouse on the fly may be of real benefit. Additionally, the polling rate being set to a high value provided it doesn't impact on system performance is a great benefit in ensuring the mouse pointer is tracked accurately, especially with higher speed movements across the screen.
The real benefit of the software is in setting up custom profiles depending on the game/application you are using as well as macros to execute specific tasks at the touch of a button. In the middle of a game, having the track forward and back buttons selecting a weapon instead of controlling your music makes much more sense after all.
While I am not a massive gamer, I can really appreciate the customisation this mouse from EC Technology offers and the benefits are not just for gamers; the ability to weight the mouse to an individual's taste benefits everyone. It's just a shame there is no Mac software available as the ability to create custom button profiles for applications transcends gaming.
I got this from http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00R7NAD46/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img
Video review:
http://youtu.be/S66npiJOl3g
Attachments
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.