At first we would like to thank SteelSeries for offering the Aerox 3 2022 Edition Wired 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 is optimized to get the fastest swipes, so you beat the competition to the trigger. When milliseconds count, speed matters.

59g Ultra Lightweight

When quick movements and large swipes matter, Aerox 3’s ultra-lightweight design allows for faster and more accurate reaction times in game.

Holey Shell

Perforated casing shaves off 18g while maintaining strength and durability for the most intense gaming sessions.

Ultra-thin PCB

Re-engineered electronics that boast a 50% slimmer circuit board while maintaining durability.

AquaBarrier™ Protection

Rated IP54 to provided water resistance and protection from dust, dirt, oil, fur, and more. The mouse is engineered to safeguard the interior circuitry from virtually all types of environmental damage, so you never have to worry about accidents.

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.

TrueMove Core Sensor

Introducing the TrueMove Core, a custom true 1-to-1 tracking sensor co-developed with PixArt specially for performance. This 8,500 CPI, 300 IPS, 35G optical sensor delivers the speed and accuracy needed to improve your gameplay.

100% Virgin Grade PTFE Glide Skates

Designed with 100% pure PTFE to provide the smoothest swipes and enhanced control for super light mouse movements. Optimized for speed on our best-selling QcK mousepads.

USB-C Super Mesh Cable

Easy-to-use lightweight flexible mesh cable prevents drag and is detachable, allowing for aftermarket cable customization.

Battle-tested Shape

Every component from the external and internal build was carefully crafted to maximize durability and comfort.

 

Sensor

Sensor: SteelSeries TrueMove Core

Sensor Type: Optical

CPI: 200– 8,500 in 100 CPI Increments

IPS: 300, on SteelSeries QcK surfaces

Acceleration: 35G

Polling Rate: 1000Hz / 1 ms

Hardware Acceleration: None (Zero Hardware Acceleration)

 

Design

Back Cover Material: Black Matte Finish (Onyx) | White Matte Finish (Snow)

Core Construction: ABS Plastic

Shape: Ergonomic, Right-Handed

Grip Style: Claw, Fingertip, or Palm

Number of Buttons: 6

Switch Type: SteelSeries mechanical switches, rated for 80 million clicks

Illumination: 3 RGB Zones

Weight: 59g

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)

Super Mesh Cable Length: 1.8m / 6 feet

 

At the end of last year, we did check out the wireless version of the Aerox 3 holed mouse and we were quite happy to note its low weight, the multiple wireless connectivity modes, the IP54 rating PCB but also the Golden Micro IP54 switches with dust and water resistance. The mouse was incorporating a TrueMove Air sensor, able to track from 200 CPI to 18000 CPI in 100 CPI increments.

 

For 2021, we have received the Aerox 3 2022 wired edition, which mainly brings the same nice features as the wired version in 2020 but with redesigned bottom feet to experience a better glide movement on the pad but also upgraded left/right click switches. Aerox 3 2022 can be had in two colors: Onyx or Snow; our sample is the white, Snow edition, which goes perfectly in line with other white peripherals or white case elements you may have around.

 

The mouse is shipped inside a very compact cardboard enclosure with the signature SteelSeries colors, showing a photo of the mouse in operation but also highlighting its low weight feature:

 

 

 

On the side, we will note the full list of technical specifications; the most important part is that the wired model comes with a downgraded sensor in terms of CPI, the TrueMove Core:

 

 

 

A side view can be spotted as well:

 

 

 

We can note the product serial number on a separate sticker, together with the manufacturing date, the power rating and packaging dimensions:

 

 

 

On the bottom area, we will note that SteelSeries advertises the low weight of the mouse, the sensor, the flexible cable but also the water, dust and dirt IP54 resistance:

 

 

 

The mouse is held secure inside, surrounded by cardboard and a small, circular foam material on top which applies pressure:

 

 

 

Besides the Aerox 3 2022, we will also receive the USB cable, but also a Product Information Guide:

 

 

 

Inside the guide we will get drawings and explanations on how to use the mouse:

 

 

 

The cable is fully braided but very flexible, paracord or shoelace model as it is known with other brands; SteelSeries likes to call it Super Mesh:

 

 

 

As the Aerox 3 Wireless we have tested before, the new model comes with an ambidextrous shape, which can accommodate all types of grips. The honeycomb structure is sturdy and is available most on the top, bottom and in the left/right button area. The internal circuitry is engineered to be safeguarded from virtual any types of environmental damage and has also received an IPS4 rating; since we are dealing with a white housing, the interior PCB is easier to spot:

 

 

 

The left click button includes a small SteelSeries logo, while the scroll wheel is rubberized. We have a CPI selector button on top but what is more interesting are the Golden Micro IP54 switches which sport a rating of 80 million actuations:

 

 

 

The left side has the resting area for the thumb but also two conveniently placed programmable buttons:

 

 

 

The perforated chassis also comes with a textured coating, which is much more preferred to rubber, which wears out quite quickly:

 

 

 

The same design can be found on the right side:

 

 

 

In the front we will find the USB-C port interface, same as on the original Aerox 3 Wireless:

 

 

 

The honeycomb design for reducing the overall weight can be spotted on the bottom as well, but internally we do have a light diffuser for creating a nice effect with just five LEDs. Here we also have the TrueMove Core sensor lens which can track up to 8500 CPI, while the maximum offered polling rate is 1000 Hz. The minimum lift-off distance is set at 3.6mm, while the CPI can be configured in steps of 100 from the application. The 100% virgin-grade PTFE feet are only two but much larger versus the previous version:

 

 

 

Connecting the USB cable to the mouse is a very easy task; having a mouse with a detachable cable is a very good feature, especially when travelling:

 

 

 

The honeycomb design really helps the RGB lighting to show off properly:

 

 

 

 

 

The light can be configured in three separate segments and the semi-transparent PTFE foot also allows the light to shine through:

 

 

 

The Aerox 3 2022 configuration can be done via the dedicated SteelSeries GG application:

 

Snap4

 

The area we are most interested in is SteelSeries Engine:

 

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The dedicated GUI allows easy configuration from a single screen:

 

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We can select a button from the interface and set up a different function:

 

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Default

 

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Keyboard Buttons

 

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Macros

 

Snap11

 

Media Buttons

 

Snap12

 

Mouse Buttons

 

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Deactivate

 

Snap14

 

Launch Application

 

Snap15

 

Launch Configuration

 

Snap16

 

Launch Engine Apps

 

Snap17

 

OS Shortcuts

 

Snap18

 

Record Macros

 

Snap19

 

The Macro Editor is available for configuration in a separate window:

 

Snap20

 

The mouse sensitivity levels can be configured with different CPI values:

 

Snap21

 

Mouse Acceleration / Deceleration can be set as well:

 

Snap22

 

Angle Snapping and Polling Rate menus are next:

 

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The Illumination menu is also easy to work with and we can clearly see the three independent sections; the customization area is placed on the left:

 

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We have some presets available to choose from:

 

Steady

 

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ColorShift

 

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Multi Color Breathe

 

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Disable Illumination

 

Snap28

 

At just 59g, the Aerox 3 2022 edition feels great in hand and if the paracord cabling is placed correctly you won’t feel any difference as when using a wireless variant. It packs a mainstream TrueMove Core sensor with a maximum CPI of 8500 and should be enough for most usage environments. Durability is right at home thanks to the advertised AquaBarrier protection of the PCB, while the incorporated IP54 Golden Micro switches are very durable and feature a pleasant click response.

 

We have tested the mouse in multiple titles such as DOOM Eternal, Archeage: Unchained, WOLCEN, but also HALO: Infinite Multiplayer: the mouse felt very responsive and the low weight really helps maintaining a good experience, even during longer gaming sessions. The RGB LEDs can deliver quite a show thanks to the internal light diffuser and multiple configuration options are available from within SteelSeries GG.

 

The Aerox 3 2022 edition mouse can be found online for about 64 Euros.

SteelSeries Aerox 3 2022 Edition Wired Gaming Mouse is Recommended for:

 

 

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