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.
Test Notes and Procedures
With the help of NASA engineers, I’ve devised a testing procedure that borders on violating several home land security policies. In other words, we made this up on the fly some time ago. Except, our procedures work. I call it the head shot test.
The NAOS 3200 was tested under regular Windows plug-and-play configuration and with the NAOS driver software installed. Users will find the software easy to configure and ideal for the best NAOS gaming experience. Three different gaming surfaces were used: a Razer Destructor, Steelpad Series, and a cheap freebie mousepad acquired from the local PC store. The goal is to test the optical sensor’s accuracy and versatility of the Mionix NAOS 3200 gaming mouse on different surfaces while playing popular games. We chose Battlefield Bad Company 2 and Crysis.
If the mouse can handle a strict first person shooter, it’ll handle the RTS and MMO genres just fine.
Test Results
The differences in accuracy between the NAOS 5000 and NAOS 3200 are subtle. It’s mostly noticeable at moments of high speed battling. And, it’s noticeable between the gaming surfaces as well. The NAOS 3200 does its best work with both the Destructor surface and the Steelpad where it’s most accurate when switching between the DPI settings. The mouse can support some serious sniping with the two, but not with the cheaper mouse surface.
The NAOS 5000 seems to make any surface work a bit more easily. That’s mostly likely due to the higher end LED-optical eye with increased DPI. The DPI switching works very much the same way in game except when it comes to really serious, fine tuning of said sniper weapon.
Ergonomics are identical between the two mice. However, the 3200 lacks the additional weights that the 5000 offers. So, the 3200 slips across all the surfaces much more easily and at times feels a little too light weight. I personally like to feel the resistance in my hand for a more predictive feel. Similar, “flick shot” gamers might find this a little challenging to work with as well.
Final Thoughts
Good mice are a dime a dozen. But, good performance gaming mice are in fact not as cheap and tend to boast features you’re not going to find on the latter. A good case and point would be the quality and features of the Mionix NAOS 3200. It offers the main features gamers rely on: accuracy and comfort. Things like the 3200 DPI optical eye, programmable buttons, intuitive rubber coating, and comfortable ergonomic design add to its performance.
The only downside to the NAOS 3200 would have to bit its light weight, which can affect some gaming techniques, but should be fine for most users. Those with big hands or who like their hands to lay more on the mouse than gripping it will find this mouse extremely ideal in terms of ergonomics.
If you’re in the market for a $50-$60 performance gaming mouse, the NAOS 3200 would be a good replacement. You really can’t go wrong, especially considering the usefulness of the software, the ergonomic design and the high performance accuracy. Users who rely on weight and extreme DPI options will want to consider the NAOS 5000 High Performance gaming mouse instead. However, for most gamers, this mouse should fit the bill.
Pros
- Very attractive, ergonomic design
- Light weight construction
- 3200 DPI gaming standard
- Rubber housing helps feeling the precision
- Neat little LED color change with DPI settings
- Good price for 3200 DPI
Cons
- Very light weight – doesn’t include weights
- Buttons may press a little too easily for some
Overall Rating: 8.0 / 10.0
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Mionix NAOS 3200 Gaming Mouse – Photo Gallery
