Visually appealing, inexpensive, rechargeable, Wireless Optical Mouse.
When selecting the proper gaming mouse, one typically trials several varieties before selecting “the one.” When a split-second, fraction-of-a-second difference means the difference between a “W” or an “L,” it makes sense that a proper mouse is a key piece of needed tech. Interestingly, some have different brands of mouse for different games. Several of the best-in-show have lightweight frames with rubberized coatings/grips, proper/ergonomic button placement, adjustable button mapping features with software interfaces, and side toggles, to name just a few. From DPI, to optical vs. laser vs. manual, palm grip vs. claw grip vs. fingertip grip, interface wireless vs. wired, to weight, one must consider several factors before picking up a mouse. Unfortunately, some of those features are not readily apparent in the packaging or included marketing materials. Thus, trial and error and word-of-mouth reviews can help a gamer out.
When I received the GAmE Gaming Mouse, I was truly excited to test it out, The product arrived in a 3 3/8 inches wide by 5 7/16 inches tall by 1 13/16 inches thick retail package. The main cover provided the “GAME” name along the top left, beautifully using the white background color as a negative space font. The company emphasized the “G A E” letters over the “m” and created a neat Asian-themed flare. The same red colored overlay was found along the bottom section of the cover panel. Within the section, you will find the generic “GAMING MOUSE” name and “ERGONOMIC DESIGN COMFORTABLE FELL.” Unfortunately, the designers did not run a spell check before printing, as the section was supposed to read “COMFORTABLE FEEL” and not “FELL.” Despite the mistake, the cover’s main focal point was the 3 1/2 inches tall by 2 1/2 inches wide black mouse with its hexagonal multi-colored surface. The red-colored top panel displayed the same GAmE icon as the top left of the cover panel. The right side panel listed five mouse features (Ergonomic Design, One-Click Desktop, Optical Tracking, Multiple DPI Adjustable, Comfort Wheel). In contrast, the bottom and left side panels provided the same information as the bottom panel of the cover. Unfortunately, each of the panels propagated the same “FELL” mistake as the cover. I was not able to find company information, addresses, emails, phone numbers, etc. anywhere on the packaging.
The rear panel was broken up into two sections. The upper side view showed a black mouse with multicolored, illuminated hexagons upon a table, while the lower half provided information about the mouse. I had to remove a rather large UPC sticker placed over the lower section to see the information. Besides providing duplicate icons to the right-side panel, the company provided system requirements (Windows 10 or higher, Windows 8, Mac OS 10.10 or higher, Chrome OS. I liked the color, the mouse design/image, and the red on white color scheme. The right panel provided a good degree of background for the mouse, but they did not need to repeat this same information in several places. It was unfortunate that the typographical error was missed in several places, but it did not detract from the overall experience. To summarize the packaging experience, I would give them an 8/10.
To access the product, I lifted the red-colored top panel of the box. I removed the 21 1/2 inches long USB-A to dual micro-USB cable and set it aside. Beneath the cable, I found a plastic-wrapped light grey/dark grey-colored mouse. Interestingly, the grey on grey color scheme was more attractive than the image used on the cover/back panel. The GAmE mouse that I received provided a larger shock-and-awe than an unmemorable black mouse. Beneath the mouse, you will find a small 0.1-ounce, 1 1/4 inches long by 9/16 inches wide USB-A female to USB-C adaptor. I was rather impressed that this was included within the packaging as they could have done okay with the still ubiquitous USB-A charging capabilities. However, it was convenient to use my MacBook Pro or USB-C charging brick to charge my new mouse, without having to bring along a USB-A charger. Lastly, the company included a ten-panel instruction manual within the box. The XB01 User manual was written in Chinese Characters with English sub-descriptors. The title panel showed the mouse and the XBO1 name. The second panel demonstrated the mouse and provided a labeled diagram of the top/bottom of the mouse (left/right-click, wheel, back key/forward key along right thumb, windows/Mac desktop key, a DPI key, a USB-micro charging port between the left/right buttons, light on/off switch, receive slot and LED mouse switch).
The user-manual recommended charging the mouse only via a computer output port. Despite the quality of the device, the English translations proved to be a bit rough. Personally, I wish that they would have used a native English speaker to fix their translations. To summarize, the mouse will take roughly two hours to charge, and the LED lights will show blue during the charging phase and will extinguish when complete. The mouse is equipped with auto-sleep technology, but you should still turn it off to conserve power. Panels 4-6 had no English translations, and I could not determine what information was provided. Panel seven showed the receiver slot, the nano USB input, and how to plug the USB-A receiver into the computer. At that moment, I realized why they had to include the USB-C adaptor. Because modern MacBook Pro devices have no USB-A input ports, the GAmE mouse would not be useful to most people without hubs. Thus, they likely included it for the receiver rather than for charging. Returning to the manual, to use the wireless feature, plug in the receiver, power-on the mouse with the toggle located on the bottom of the mouse, then enjoy the mouse features.
The 3.3-ounce light-grey/dark-grey X801 mouse was listed as a “Wireless Charging Mouse.” As noted above, I wish that a native English speaker would have translated this passage. At first read, I assumed that the mouse was capable of charging wirelessly. However, after testing the mouse and reviewing the instruction manual, the mouse does not require any extra batteries, is USB-micro chargeable, and can communicate wirelessly with the nano receiver without wires. Thus, it is a wireless mouse, but it is not a Wireless Charging Mouse. Although this may be splitting some semantic hairs, the meaning is quite different. To charge the mouse, I plugged the USB-A cable into the USB-C adaptor and then the USB-C adaptor into one of the ports on my MacBook Pro. The USB-C adaptor did not work, did not fit snugly within the Thunderbolt 3 port on my MacBook Pro, and could not get the mouse to charge. I plugged the USB-A cable into a standard USB-A outlet, and the device charged fully in about 1.5 hours. I returned to my MacBook, tried another Thunderbolt port with the Nano receiver plugged into the USB-C adaptor, and the mouse did not work. I navigated to System Preferences, then Mouse, and found that no mouse was detected. I plugged in a Kensington Hub, used the USB-A nano receiver, and used the mouse in that manner. However, I was unable to detect the “mouse” with the MacBook Pro. The computer registered the device as a Bluetooth Keyboard and requested that I use the Keyboard Setup Assistant. Frustrated, I grabbed my wife’s Toshiba laptop to finish the testing process.
I was displeased that the mouse promised Mac OS support but was not MaC friendly. I have used several wireless mouse options that claimed the same but outside of the native Apple products, few have lived up to their promise. When it comes to a PC, one has numerous options for a wireless gaming mouse. This mouse proved to be on the generic end of the spectrum. I loved the look, the grey/grey color scheme, the quality/sensitivity of the rolling wheel, the DPI button, and the LED modes. I loved that you could toggle the power button between power-on and illuminated-on modes. If you desire the LED-illuminated mode, toggle the switch down and press the LED Mode button until you find the one you like. There were several options to choose amongst. Some of these were richer purple/pink, fading in and out, lighter/darker blues, etc. The light grey/dark grey scheme helped the lights/colors to pop visually. The ergonomic hand-shaped molding, the quiet buttons, and the thumb forward/back buttons were some of the mouse’s most useful features.
When I plugged the USB-A Nano Receiver into our laptop’s USB port, the PC recognized it immediately and initialized the driver setup. I was able to press the Windows Key (Win+D) to return to my desktop, and I was able to press the DPI button to increase the rolling/mouse cursor movement speed. The forward/back buttons worked great for webpage tracking. Additionally, they were well placed for easy access with my thumb. The scroll wheel was well placed, sensitive, and had a nice click-feel when rolling and pressing downward. Unfortunately, the scroll wheel lacked a side-to-side button feature that is common in many gaming mice. When I pressed the DPI button, I directly visualized the increased tracking/cursor speed (800/1200/1600). Interestingly, the computer failed to notify me that any changes had occurred. I would have loved a mode select announcement or preset feature. Instead, if your hand presses the button, you will have to press it again several times to return to the setting of choice. When I navigated to settings, I found that I could adjust the preference for left vs. right, the cursor size, and a few other minor features. I could not adjust the button configuration, however. Beyond the inability to adjust the brightness of the RGB LED, the mouse was likely not customizable enough for a true “gamer.”
Starting with the major typographical errors found throughout the packaging and continuing to the failed USB-C adaptor, the device could benefit from an upgrade/redesign. The imagery on the packaging showed a black mouse with colorful LED. The product that I received was not the same color scheme as the one that was advertised. A quick search of the Amazon page showed that there were white/black options but the packaging did not tell the user which version they would get. I do not think that they should claim that this works with Mac. Rather, they should claim it should work with most USB-A-based computer systems. Additionally, the lack of a side-click scrolling wheel, customizable button combinations, adjustable weighting options, or several other perks makes this mouse less of a gaming mouse than a wireless mouse. Aware of the language translational differences, I was not happy with the Wireless Charging Mouse wording. Honestly, I imagine that some users would feel that the inability to charge this mouse wirelessly verged on false advertising practices. Whereas this mouse could be used to play games, I would not call it a gaming mouse because it lacks several features that many gamers want. Despite a similar appearance to the Model O gaming mouse, I still found that I preferred my inexpensive Razer DeathAdder Elite as my preferred go-to-mouse. In fact, the Satechi Edge Wireless Gaming Mouse at $9.99 may also edge out the GAmE mouse.
I would have loved some additional information, a more useful user manual, or a website to evaluate. Alas, none of these were available. If interested in reading more about the product, check out the Amazon Page.