In our SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse review, we’ll check out the company’s latest wireless gaming mouse. You’ll get all the necessary details to know everything about it including its design, functions, performance, and more.
The Aerox 5 is a product that’s ideal for both competitive and casual gamers. It’s one of the current superlight mice from SteelSeries. And today, we’re taking it for a spin to see if it’s just as good as claims.
To begin our SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse review, let’s check out its packaging and what’s inside the box.
SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse Packaging
When our package arrived, it came in a typical-looking cardboard container sporting a grey and orange theme.
The front showcases an image of the mouse plus the product and company’s name. Looking at the sides, it features another image of the mouse but is shown in a different angle.
Inside, the Aerox 5 is packed securely to avoid any damage while in transit. SteelSeries included a couple of items with it. These are the USB C dongle, USB-C to A mesh data/charging cable, and an extension adapter.
It’s good that SteelSeries included a product information guide. It’s something we also checked out for this SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse review. The guide is easy to understand and pretty basic, so you can just refer to it for additional information.
SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse Review – Design and Functionality
The mouse that we have for this SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse review is the black wireless version. It sports a right-handed shape and it’s designed for users who love lightweight precision and comfort. It’s also great for people who use claw or palm grips.
This product features dual-connectivity with 2.4GHz via the Quantum 2.0 wireless technology and Bluetooth 5.0. It’s claimed that the battery life of this mouse can reach up to 180 hours. We can’t really measure that, but the Aerox 5 lasted more than a week before it needed a recharge.
Its design has great similarities between the Aerox 9 and one of these is the honeycomb design. The Aerox 5 also sports a full-sized body and a huge middle lump that’s perfect for palm grip users’ comfort.
Buttons and Switches of the SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse
Aerox 5 ditched the Aerox 9’s side buttons, but despite that, it’s still a multi-genre mouse with nine programmable buttons. Its button layout is the same as the company’s Rival 5 which was released last year.
Continuing with the buttons, you’ll find two mouse buttons on the Aerox 5, plus an extra-wide button at the top. Lastly, you’ll see an additional silver-plated button that’s quite far from reach so we didn’t pay much attention to it.
The mouse makes use of the next-generation Golden Micro IP54 switches that are rated for 80M clicks. Its main buttons feel nice, snappy, and sharp even if they’re quite soft compared to other switches around.
Still, it has satisfying and good tactile feedback. Plus, the absence of any post or pre-travel on it means each execution is consistently snappy.
RGB Zones
The RGBs of the Aerox 5 are categorised into three customisable zones. One of these shines through from the base of the top plate while others are relegated to the mouse’s rear.
It isn’t too flashy, which is good, and its adequate light makes a visually pleasing addition to any setup.
We actually find it pretty neat when the mouse flashes a colour. This happens when switching it on or waking it up to indicate its battery life. In all honesty, we greatly appreciate any PC peripheral that makes good and functional use out of RGB lights.
Key Features of the SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse
This part of our SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse review focuses on the different key features of the mouse. Let’s see what makes it unique and better than its competition.
Lightning Fast
The Aerox 5 is designed for quick swipes, allowing you to beat the competition when speed matters the most.
Ultra-Lightweight Mouse for Multiple Genres
The Aerox 5 is made with advanced engineering. As a result, It’s 40% lighter than other multi-genre mice. With its total weight of only 74g, the Aerox 5 can deliver the speed and precision needed for multiple games.
Whether it’s FPS, Battle Royale, MOBA, or any other fast-paced game, victory is yours with this mouse’s excellent build quality.
Honeycomb Shell
The multiple holes of the Aerox 5 reduces its body by up to 20g. But don’t worry about its strength and durability since SteelSeries used high-quality materials for this mouse. It’s sure to withstand the most intense gaming sessions.
Lightweight and Long-lasting Battery
Aside from the honeycomb design, the lightweight battery is another reason for the Aerox 5’s lightweight body. The battery only weighs 6g unlike most mice with 14g batteries. What makes it better is it can last over 180 hours and doesn’t compromise battery life.
Ultra-Thin PCB
The re-engineered electronics of the Aerox 5 gives it a 50% slimmer circuit board while retaining its durability.
Nine Programmable Buttons
With the Aerox 5, macros are at your fingertips for instantly executing actions. It has a five-button side panel and a custom-built flick switch. Feel free to customise the mouse’s buttons based on your needs.
Quantum 2.0 Wireless for the SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse
Quantum 2.0 is a wireless technology that allows for faster data transmission. It offers industry-leading power efficiency and stability, making it faster than other mice.
Specifications
We observed and inspected each specification of the mouse for our SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse review. Here, we learned that SteelSeries used their own TrueMove Air sensor for this optical mouse. Its body is also made from ABS plastic for its core construction.
The mouse’s CPI is 100 to 18,000 in 100 increments, while its IPS is 400 on SteelSeries’ QcK surfaces. It has a 40g acceleration and a polling of 1,000Hz/1ms as well.
For its dimensions, the Aerox 5 weighs 74g and is 128.8mm long. When it comes to its width, it measures 62.8mm in front while the back is 68.2mm.
Since the Aerox 5 we have is the wireless version, its connection is 2.4GHz / Bluetooth 5.0. For battery life, it lasts up to 80 hours for 2.4GHz connection while Bluetooth gives it 180 hours.
It works with your PC, Mac, PlayStation, and Xbox while its operating system compatibility includes Windows, Mac, Linux, and Xbox.
Lastly, it makes use of the SteelSeries GG software. Plus, it also functions with Windows 8.1 or newer, and MacOS 10.13 or newer.
Hands-on with the SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse
This is where we’ll share our hands-on experience with the Aerox 5. Did it work just as great as advertised, or should you look elsewhere for another gaming mouse?
Before discussing its performance in this SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse review, we’ll look into the SteelSeries GG software.
SteelSeries GG is a low-impact software for customising the Aerox 5’s settings including macros, binds, illumination and more. It also features options for polling rate, acceleration & deceleration, adjustment of CPI levels, angle snapping, and RGB.
For this mouse, we saw that SteelSeries GG offers battery-saving features like Illumination Dim Timer and Sleep Timer. Here it’s also a High-efficiency Mode that simply switches off the mouse’s RGB lighting.
We also found Illumination Smart Mode that disables RGB while the device is in motion. It only activates RGB when the mouse is on standby. We think that it’s a smart feature since it lights up on standby when it’s best to display its RGB.
Since the SteelSeries GG had a user-friendly interface, navigating through the software was easy. We were also able to make the necessary adjustments quickly since we immediately found the settings we needed.
We tested the mouse for this SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse review and used it for a week. Here, we realised how extremely lightweight it was and its 100% Virgin-grade PTFE skates made sliding the mouse easy and smooth.
On any flat surface we used it on, it still allowed for accurate and precise movements. This was in both broad strokes and small actions.
We also didn’t feel any strain when using it for prolonged periods. It fit perfectly in our hand, plus it even felt clean and premium to the touch.
Overall, the Aerox 5 was an impressive mouse that’s responsive, comfortable, and extremely lightweight. It served us extremely well across a variety of tasks and games so we were happy about it.
Also, despite having an uncharacteristically average scroll wheel, all the pads and buttons felt tactile, and that was great.
SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless Gaming Mouse Review Summary
The Aerox 5 is a great wireless mouse that works excellently and lasts long enough without charging it weekly. Although it’s quite expensive, it comes with the latest technology for its battery, build, and connectivity.
When we tested the product for this review, we didn’t experience any issues with the connection. It was seamless and was great for gaming. Plus, its ergonomic design makes it comfortable to use.
Overall, the Aerox 5 is a superior wireless gaming mouse that offers durable construction, lightweight body, comfort, and impressive performance. We highly recommend this product if you’re looking to upgrade your mouse and have the budget for it.
You can also visit SteelSeries’ official product page to learn more about the Aerox 5 wireless gaming mouse.
