At first we would like to thank SteelSeries for offering the Aerox 3 Wireless Ultra Lightweight Wireless Gaming Mouse for testing and reviewing.

 

About SteelSeries:

"From day one, SteelSeries has been focused on making high performance gaming gear used by the most demanding, top professional gamers worldwide and peripherals that provide superior quality and a competitive edge to gamers of all skill levels. We believe, as most gamers do, in winning, not trying!

 

What originally began with two people who recognized the need for superior, high-quality/performance gaming gear that would give gamers a competitive edge, has grown into a global leader in gaming and entertainment gear sought after for their high performance capabilities.

 

Fast-forward to today, and we’ve come a long way since our first glass mousepad. We have global offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, providing an integrated portfolio of products designed specifically for gaming. Fueling our growth is you, the gamer!

 

While we are proud of our technology and product innovation, we are even more excited about how these products are developed to meet the needs of gamers. Many companies may claim to develop superior gaming products but few actually do. Instead, they spend countless hours with lab engineers trying to force fit a new technology with bells and whistles and mediocre functionality for the end-user.

 

At SteelSeries, we develop our products with a small internal team and a vast network of technology partners, channel partners, game publishers, and gaming communities around the globe. We aren’t afraid of being challenged and implementing new ideas. Our main goal is to always to listen to the collective feedback of our professional gaming community.

 

We won’t bore you with cheeky slogans, trying to underline our authenticity as gamers. We fully acknowledge that the best professional gamers in the world know more about what they want and what will make them better, than we do. We are proud to be working with our partners, but we can’t take credit for their invaluable input and feedback. Instead we tell it like it is: they help us. We want to know what works and what doesn’t. For this reason, SteelSeries creates innovative solutions that provide a competitive advantage for all gamers.

 

Critical to our company’s success is also our reinvestment in the gaming communities and the individuals who support them. As a result, our corporate philosophy is to take a substantial portion of our revenue and put it back into the gaming community to help spur industry growth. We support our community in numerous ways, ranging from co-hosting tournaments like Iron Lady and King of the Hill, and supporting gaming competitions of all sizes, to promoting the top and up-and-coming gaming teams/organizations.

 

Put simply, SteelSeries does not claim to invent or reinvent the gaming industry. Nor do we focus on one specific product, copy other companies or follow the crowd.

 

Instead we leave it to you, the gamer, our customer/partner/inspiration, to decide if we are deserving of such declarations and accolades. What we do promise, however, is to remain committed to you. We will continue to work with you and the gaming community to make the best products possible and give you that competitive edge. We will continue to do our best to support the growth of the professional gaming industry and give back to the gaming communities. By doing so, we don’t just talk a good game, we win!"

Lightning Fast

 

Aerox 3 Wireless is optimized to get the fastest swipes in gaming, so you beat the competition to the trigger. When milliseconds count, speed matters.

 

Ultra-Lightweight 66g

 

Uniquely perforated outer casing and slimmed down electronics are precision engineered to be stunningly lightweight with new levels of durability.

 

200 Hour Battery Life

 

Engineered specifically for optimized power consumption, the Aerox 3 Wireless battery delivers up to 200 hours of continuous use without sacrificing performance and weight. 15 minutes of fast charging delivers 40+ hours of gameplay.

 

Quantum 2.0 Wireless

 

All-new Quantum 2.0 Wireless technology transmits wireless data at unreal speeds in a more stable, reliable, and power efficient way than ever before.

 

2.4GHz Wireless

 

Cut the cord with zero compromises using ultra-low latency gaming-grade 2.4 GHz wireless, so your flick shots are flawless and you won't believe you're free of wires.

 

Bluetooth

 

Taking your mouse on the go is as easy as putting it in your pocket, no dongle required. Simply connect to laptops and other devices via Bluetooth.

 

AquaBarrier™ Protection

 

Engineered to safeguard the interior circuitry from virtually all types of environmental damage, Aerox is the first ever gaming mouse to receive an IP54 rating, providing water resistance and protection from dust, dirt, oil, fur, and more.

 

TrueMove Air Sensor

 

Developed exclusively with the world's leading sensor manufacturer, the new TrueMove Air sensor was developed specifically for precision wireless tracking, so you can aim with previously impossible levels of accuracy.

 

Next-gen Golden Micro IP54 Switches

 

Rated for 80M clicks (3X the durability found in other gaming mice), upgraded dust and water-resistant switches provide flawless clicks even under the most demanding conditions, prevent double clicks, and allow to you make rock solid next-level shots.

 

Super Mesh USB-C Cable

 

Flexible lightweight USB-C mesh cable makes charging while playing easy and is detachable, allowing for aftermarket customization.

 

PTFE Glide Skates

 

Designed to provide enhanced control and smoothness for effortless and silky smooth mouse movements.

 

Battle-tested Shape

 

Every component internally and externally was carefully crafted to maximize durability and comfort.

 

Wired or Wireless?

 

Aerox 3 Wireless is also available in a wired version with all the same premium features and even less weight: Aerox 3.

 

Recommended Grip Styles

 

The right-handed shape of the Aerox 3 Wireless is designed for a player's highest demand for lightweight precision and comfort using claw or fingertip grip styles

 

Sensor

 

Sensor: SteelSeries TrueMove Air

Sensor Type: Optical

CPI: 200–18,000 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

 

SteelSeries has recently jumped the mouse with holed chassis bandwagon, by releasing two mice, the Aerox 3 and Aerox 3 Wireless, featuring their latest high-performance TrueMove Air sensor, with Quantum 2.0 Wireless technology (2.4GHz) but also Bluetooth 5.0. The mouse battery can last up to 80 hours on Quantum 2.0 and an impressive 200 hours on Bluetooth; fast charging is available as well, so we can get over 40 hours of use from 15 minutes of wired charging.

 

The product is shipped inside a compact cardboard enclosure, highlighting the RGB features but also the lightweight, holed design of the chassis:

 

 

 

On the side, we will be able to take a look at the mouse chassis from the left as well:

 

 

 

The main technical specifications are available on the opposite side and here we will learn that the mouse does only weight 66 grams! This is quite impressive judging by the fact that here is included the weight of the batteries as well:

 

 

 

On the bottom we will be informed of the mouse serial number, its manufacturing date, the power rating, but also its internal code name:

 

 

 

The back side contains even more information regarding the Aerox 3 Wireless main highlights:

 

 

 

After unsealing the box and removing the top cover, we will reveal the main product, sitting secure inside a plastic custom-molded layer:

 

 

 

Underneath we do also have the documentation, along with the hardware bundle:

 

 

 

In more detail, we will receive the Product Information Guide, the charging cable, the dongle adapter but also the dongle as well:

 

 

 

In the manual we will learn that the mouse can be also used while it charges via the USB cable and this one also helps when performing firmware updates:

 

 

 

The supplied USB cable is fully braided and includes a small tie; it is not as flexible as the one seen with Mountain and Dream Machines mice but gets the job done:

 

 

 

The dongle extension adapter does allow the user to place the dongle much farther than the computer placement, in order to avoid interferences and provide the best range:

 

 

 

 

The dongle extension comes with USB Type-C ports on both sides, a good thing to see!

 

 

 

On the back, we will see a layer of rubber applied to the plastic housing, in order to help keep it steady on the surface:

 

 

 

The WiFi dongle does have a quite unusual shape and may occupy the near USB slot if they are too close together:

 

 

 

On its back, we will note the dongle FCC ID, the internal, factory code name but also the power rating; it sports the modern USB Type C dongle for being connected directly to newer devices:

 

 

 

Here is how you will connect the dongle extender; this process will also allow dongle connectivity on older, USB Type-A devices:

 

 

 

As we have seen before from the latest SteelSeries mice (especially the Rival 3 series), the Aerox 3 Wireless does also come with an ambidextrous shape, ideal for fingertip and claw grips. It is without a doubt comfortable and in order to keep the whole chassis design sturdy, the honeycomb design is only available on the top cover and one third of the left/right button, but not on the side panels. Despite being a model with a holed design, the internal circuitry is engineered to be safeguarded from virtual any types of environmental damage and has also received an IPS4 rating:

 

 

 

On the left button we will get to see a small SteelSeries logo and nearby we do have the rubberized scroll wheel but also the CPI selector button; what is more interesting is underneath and to be more exact the next-gen Golden Micro IP54 switches, which do sport a rating of 80M actuations and are also dust and water resistant:

 

 

 

Two more programmable buttons are available on the left side of the chassis, which are very thin and easy to work with:

 

 

 

A closer look at the chassis finishing does reveal a textured plastic coating, which is a plus from our side since it does not include rubber:

 

 

 

The same chassis curves are observed on the right side, but no programmable buttons this time:

 

 

 

In the front we do have the USB Type-C port:

 

 

 

The bottom area of the mouse sees a comeback of the honeycomb design, but this time it is also reinforced by the internal LED light diffuser; four PTFE circular feet do assist Aerox 3 Wireless to slide smoothly on surfaces, while in the middle we do have the TrueMove Air high-end sensor lens, sensor which can track from 200 CPI to 18000 CPI, in 100 CPI increments, with a maximum Polling Rate of 1000Hz/ 1ms and zero hardware acceleration:

 

 

 

If you do use the switch to cycle in Bluetooth mode, the included LEDs will light up blue and blink in order to signal that the mouse is ready for pairing mode:

 

 

 

Otherwise, when it is moved to 2.4GHz mode, the LEDs will blink white:

 

 

 

The default lighting is subtle and will automatically adjust the brightness in order to save battery life:

 

 

 

 

 

The mouse was detected by the SteelSeries Engine 3 software right away and we were prompted for a firmware update:

 

 

 

After this process has been completed, we can take a look at the main configuration interface, which includes an area for customizing the button functions, CPI levels and more!

 

 

 

The mouse button functions can be chosen from a lot of categories and a different interface will be shown depending on the current option:

 

 

 

Default

Keyboard Buttons

Macros

Media Buttons

Mouse Buttons

 

Deactivate Button

Launch Application

Launch Configuration

Launch Engine Apps

OS Shortcuts

Record On-The-Fly Macro

 

The Macro Editor will open up in a separate window and the actual recording process is quite easy to perform:

 

 

 

In the Mouse Sensitivity Levels area we can add/remove new CPI levels but also adjust the exact value for it:

 

 

 

There are a lot of Battery Saver options to work with such as the Sleep Timer, the Illumination Dim Timer, the High-Efficiency mode or the Illumination Smart Mode:

 

 

 

We will be able to adjust Angle Snapping as well:

 

 

 

Polling Rate value is next:

 

 

 

Acceleration/Deceleration can be also enabled/adjusted as well:

 

 

 

The menu dedicated to Illumination is separate and does allow the user to perform configuration in three separate areas:

 

 

 

Here is the list of the presets we can work with:

 

 

 

Depending on the selected preset, we will have different configuration options:

 

ColorShift

Multi Color Breathe

Disable Illumination

 

After configuring the Aerox 3 Wireless to our liking and using it for a few hours, we were quite amazed to see how light the product is, considering that it also houses a rechargeable battery! The lighting is well spread on a large area by using only 5 LEDs, thanks to the included diffuser and the battery life is maximized via quite a bit of power management features, configurable from the SteelSeries Engine 3 GUI.

 

The mouse comes with the latest TrueMove Air sensor which we have tested before and does track great on different surfaces; as with any other 2.4GHz wireless mouse, in order to avoid signal drops and for minimizing the lag we do recommend using the supplied extender. In case you are having a blast in games on a laptop and not a desktop, the dongle will be very close to the mouse anyway so the extender use will be optional.

 

In terms of battery life, the Aerox 3 Wireless is great and we can expect up to 200 hours out of it while on Bluetooth 5.0; please keep in mind that we can recommend this mode mostly for productivity work, since the Polling Rate will be automatically adjusted to 125 Hz /8ms. The gaming “Quantum 2.0” transmission mode will up the Polling Rate to 1000 Hz/ 1ms but the battery will then last up to 80 hours per a single charge. This is still very good battery life, also considering that the mouse supports fast charging.

 

Other very interesting features are the inclusion of the durable Golden Micro IP54 switches with dust and water resistance, but also the whole PCB has received an IP54 rating; this is quite a breakthrough when we do consider that the chassis does feature a honeycomb design and dust/dirt/oir/fur can get in much easier versus a regular mouse.

 

The Aerox 3 Wireless mouse can be purchased online for about 109.99 Euros, a fair deal considering the high-end specifications and novelty elements!

 SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Ultra Lightweight Wireless Gaming Mouse is Recommended for:

 

We would like to thank again to SteelSeries for making this review possible!