Being a fan of big action video games puts some specific requirements on the gaming mice I use. Most of those games don’t fare well with low DPI or slow polling gaming mice. In fact, the shape of the mouse and button placement affect the experience. If the mouse isn’t tuned right, targets and objectives are missed. But, I also don’t like to spend too much if I can avoid it. With these basic requirements in mind, Mionix sent us their more cost effective NAOS 3200 High Performance Gaming Mouse. Let’s give it a shot and see how it compares to a couple of other mice.
Features and Specifications
Foreshadowed by the name, this mouse features a 3200dpi LED-optical sensor with a typical 1ms response time and tracking speed. It basically reads the surface at 6,469 frames per second. Image processing happens at a rate of 5.8 Megapixels a second using a true 16-bit sampling rate. For a basic mouse, the specs suggest it’ll fly.
Some of the physical attributes are identical to the NAOS 5000 we reviewed back in March. The mouse features a rubber coating covering the entire ergonomic housing. This gives it a very smooth but grippy feel. Even with the 7 programmable button seams in the body. The buttons are very easy to push and in well accessible locations.
Users can switch between 3 on-the-fly settings to get you up to 3200 DPI. As you change the dpi, the mouse LEDs change color as well. This is welcome feature that provides obvious visual indicators help simplify the adjustment process. Useful for keeping the concentration high when dishing out all that pwntatoe soup while in game.
The Mionix software is necessary if you’d like to change the mouse’s default button programming or tap in to that high performance DPI. Many gamers like this option as it can give them an edge. Otherwise, the mouse is completely plug and play as many gamers also like simplicity and maximum system performance without background tasks running.
The price of the NAOS 3200 is in the neighborhood of $59 USD versus it’s $89 USD big brother. This puts the NAOS 3200 in competitive range with many of the 3200 DPI capable gaming mice on the market. Let’s see if it’s worth the money.
A Video Close Up
We could talk about the mouse features all day. But, pictures and video really put the shape and concept of the mouse in perspective.
Again, keep in mind my healthy sized hands tend to use up every bit of mouse surface. If your hands fit longer mice, then you should find the feel and comfort ideal on the NAOS series.
Now let’s move ahead to how we’re going to test the NAOS 3200 to find out just what kind of gaming mouse it really is for roughly $59 USD and if it’s able to hang with it’s big brother, the NAOS 5000.