Manufacturer: NZXT

Product Name: NZXT AVATAR

Review Date: 09/23/08

Author: Kristofer Brozio

Mouse, mice, everyone has one or more of these devices to use with their computers, and as with any piece of hardware, not all are created equal. Mice have become very specialized in their purposes, there used to be a time when a mouse was just a mouse, nothing fancy about it, it was just used to help navigate your computer easier and faster. As time went by of course, they were improved upon, and as gaming became more popular specialized mice just for gaming became available to us gamers.

Of course right now there are many companies out there producing  gaming mice, and they all are different in one way or another, which one is the best? I’m not sure really, but today I’ve got one that I consider one of  the best. It comes from a company that’s well known for quality made products, NZXT, it’s their first foray into the mousing arena. Is it worth your money? I think so… read on

For a better overview on the packaging etc, check out our unboxing video, then continue below for the rest of the review, and to see a gallery of still pictures.

Specifications:

NZXT AVATAR

2600 dpi gaming mouse
Introducing the first gaming mouse from the award winning NZXT design team, as with all of NZXT’s PC accessories, Avatar is designed to provide gamers with the ultimate crafted gaming armor to emerge victorious in the gaming arena of choice. Featuring a ambidextrous and smaller form, the Avatar mouse is versatile and ideal for gamers. A hardware implemented DPI switching allows compatibility with any game, and the Avatar interface allows for all types of customization including macros and 9 customizable buttons. Extruded Teflon mouse feet also allows for better accuracy and smoothness during gameplay.

Features:
* Optimal performance — 2600 DPI Optical Sensor provides maximum sensitivity and responsiveness which yields unparalleled gaming accuracy. LED DPI indicator gives the user improved usage and feedback. 5.8 Mega Pixels/second with a max frame rate of 6469 ensures smooth fragging and accurate sniping. 4 Speed DPI switch enables you to go from slow sniper movement to quick attack movement in a matter of seconds

* Maximum Customization — 7 programmable keys allows gamers to customize their configuration specifically for First-Person Shooters, Real-Time Strategy, or Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games all within the macro and profile settings

* Ergonomic Design — Ambidextrous design gives full use to both right and left handed gamers. Rubber grip helps avoid slipping during intense gameplay and the small, light form factor allows for faster and quicker movements, perfect for any gamer on the go or playing on a laptop or notebook. A slim form factor makes it the perfect choice for finger tip gamers.

* Simple Installation — Avatar plugs into any available USB port

Specs:
Max Speed: 40 Inches/Second
Max Acceleration: 15g
Max Frame Rate: 6469 Frames/Second
Resolution: 650-2600 DPI
Image Processing: 5.8 Mega Pixels/Second
USB Reports?: Up to 1000 Reports/Second
Buttons: 7 Buttons, 5 Million Clicks

Installation is easy, just plug it in and you’re ready to go,  but if you want the full features of the Avatar you’ll need to install the included software to be able to customize the settings, and program the macros and be able to have 5 different profiles for various things you want to do with the Avatar.

Using the interface is easy, it’s laid out well, and things are easy to find for the most part. To program the Macros you’ll need to select a button to program then from the drop down menu you’ll select ‘Advanced’ from there another small window will pop open and you can create the macro of your choice.

So, I recently got Crysis Warhead for review, you’ll see that review next week, but the Avatar got a nice workout while playing Warhead, Mass Effect and Gears of War as well over the last week.

I used the Avatar with cloth, plastic and glass mousepads, it worked perfectly with each one and did not skip a beat. Though I did find that it worked best with my SteelSeries S&S plastic pad, only because of the slickness of the pad itself, and no other reason.

The DPI buttons are easily reachable, though the back one is a bit hard to get at as you have to contort your finger to reach it, but after using it for while you’ll realize that once you get your hand positioned just right you can easily reach both buttons with no problems.

Using it for everyday use is fine as well, I ran into no problem there, the ability to switch DPI is useful as well in regular everyday uses. Like lowering it to accurately edit a picture or to select items when copying and pasting.

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Images

Conclusion:

The NZXT Avatar mouse is really a great product, it took a couple days to get accustomed to it, but after that using it was like second nature. The small size threw me off at first, but now I like it very much, it fits perfectly in your hand and it’s as if it becomes a part of your body.

The Avatar does everything perfectly, once you get accustomed to it you’ll find it will become your favorite mouse for everything you do. The programmable buttons are great for gaming, and the adjustable DPI is great for gaming and everyday use as well.

The only complaint I could have is the right side buttons placement, I do understand that the mouse is an ambidextrous one, so there’s not much to do about it really. Though after you use it for a while you get a feel for where the button is an don’t hit it as often accidentally.

I can honestly recommend this mouse to anyone looking for a  great mouse for gaming and/or just everyday use.

For about $60 it costs less than other gaming mice out there today.

I love this mouse! Get one, you won’t regret it!

Pros:

-Excellent tracking on every surface

-Right or left hand usage

-Programmable

-Inexpensive

Cons:

-Small size takes a bit to get accustomed to

-Can accidentally hit side buttons until you get accustomed to it

Grades:

Overall:

Design:

Performance: