NZXT Avatar Gaming Mouse Review

Posted by: Vinh Thai (SirMango) on: 05/23/2009 01:53 AM [ Print | 0 comment(s) ]

Results
Test 1: Counter-Strike is one of those first person shooter games where quick and precise movement is primordial or else death of your character ensues. Here, the NZXT Avatar performed admirably. Movements were smooth and quick. I had neither difficulty rotating 180 degrees to look behind me nor trouble making headshots with the AWP Magnum when it was needed. The DPI switcher was also very useful when switching between a sniper rifle and an assault rifle, seeing as one needed less sensitivity than the other. A thing that surprised me was how the mouse did not make my hands sweaty, and no sweat strains were present on the mouse afterwards.

Test 2: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War’s gameplay is quite different from Counter-Strike, given the fact that it is a real-time strategy game. Nevertheless, the same level of precision is needed from the mouse. Yet again, the Avatar delivered.

Test 3: Cutting an image in Photoshop CS3 by the vector method or the lasso tool method can become quite complicating if a bad mouse is used. The Avatar proved to be very precise, and the DPI switcher made it so that even the small details in the image may be removed without too much hassle. Drawing straight lines with the brush tool in Photoshop was also a breeze.

Overall: The Avatar provided great control and precision that rivalled my Logitech G7. It responded quickly to clicking and did not miss any. It glided across my fairly generic mouse pad without trouble, and it worked well on my wooden table. The mouse was quite light, and some may find it too light. In terms of comfort, the Avatar takes time to get used to because of its low profile. Also, I am more acquainted with right-handed mice, such as the Logitech G7, and I believe such mice are much more comfortable. Initially, the Avatar gave me cramps, but after an hour of gaming, I found it pleasing. Nevertheless, I would only use it for gaming, as I cannot palm grip it properly, which is my more comfortable grip for casual computing.