With names like Logitech and Microsoft dominating the market for input devices, its easy to overlook that a lot of other companies offer some highly affordable and competitive products. In the case of pointing devices, AOpens new R-25W wireless mouse is one product thats been overlooked by the media, but as we came to find, it should be given consideration as a mouse for gamers and regular users alike.
The R-25W features a 520dpi resolution, which AOpen claims is 30% faster then any other mouse on the market. It offers a maximum range of 5ft from the receiver, and uses a two channel system with 255 individual user ID codes to allow multiple people in the same area to use wireless mice without the fear of radio interference. Those are some pretty compelling specs that compare favourably against mainstream wireless input devices.
Ergonomically mundane
The R-25W mouse makes no pretense to be a pretty or fancy mouse. The design is strictly basic and there arent any extra buttons or grips or anything to differentiate the mouse from the standard run-of-the-mill mouse. The 2 regular mouse buttons have an almost exaggerated tactile response and give a distinctive click when depressed. The center mouse scroll button is smooth, making it a little hard to scroll. It also has a strange hollow characteristic to the way it rolls, compared to the Logitech and Microsoft mice which have a very comfortable and natural rolling scroll button. Still, everything works as needed, and when you get used to the mouse none of these details matter.
Corded Performance, Cordless Freedom?
Having used several other cordless (ball-based) mice, I was surprised to find that the speed and response from the R-25W was quite impressive. When moving the mouse quickly I noticed that the response and lag was even less then on the Logitech Cordless Mouseman that I reviewed last year. Whether attributed to the 520dpi or not, slow movements were smoother and precision was noticeably higher then on previously tested ball-based cordless mice.
I was also pleasantly surprised when I ran PS/2 Rate Plus and found the reporting rate of the mouse to be around 80Hz, which is twice the Windows default rate for a PS/2 mouse. A normal USB based mouse will typically have a reporting rate from 120-125Hz. Most of the other cordless mice will usually have a rate of around 40Hz. In hardcore action games, I usually set my rate to a MINIMUM of 80Hz using PS/2 Rate. Thankfully, a rate of 80Hz is still quite smooth for gaming, and the R-25W was quite a lot better in games then either of Logitech or Microsofts cordless mice. With a cordless mouse its impossible to set a rate higher then their default because thats the rate at which the mouse communicates with the wireless receiver, so the fact that the R-25W has such a high default reporting rate is a very important issue for gamers.
When I did some testing in games it was quite apparent that the R-25W had a far superior smoothness then cordless mice that have a 40Hz refresh (which include offerings we have reviewed in the past from Microsoft and Logitech). There is still lag created by the inability of the mouse to keep up with really fast movements, but at least mouse movements had an increased stability and smoothness that made games a lot more playable.
Software power
AOpen has engineered some pretty nice software for the R-25W. The middle mouse button can be programmed with either NetJump or LuckyJump functionality. Each of the two options will enable the button to bring up a small an menu with several functions related to either surfing or system functions. Users of Logitechs latest MouseWare software will be familiar with some of what NetJump and LuckyJump do (Logitech has similar functionality in their CyberJump, HyperJump, and WebWheel functions). One look at the screenshots from the NetJump and LuckyJump and you can see that AOpen tried to pack quite a few functions into their software. Personally, a large number of the functions in these Jump assignments were not very useful, but I felt that in general a user could make use of the features that the software provides. And of course, if you do not have a use for either of the special functions, you can always program the mouse buttons to do a number of other things that are standard to all mouse button assignments.
A mouse by any other name
AOpens R-25W is a really great mouse. Ive been using it for everyday tasks for over a month and it runs smoothly and works well in any application. I especially appreciate its higher reporting rate so that I can play games a little more easily then other cordless mice have allowed in the past. The dated ergonomics and limited button design are cause for hesitation when looking for a mouse I personally prefer at least one additional button in addition to the standard 2 button + scroll wheel design. I also really place ergonomics and button tactility as high priorities on my list. However, in consideration of its technical specs, this is one of the best performing cordless mice on the market right now as far as Im concerned.
Overall Score: 83%
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