I have had one of these AmazonBasics gaming mice on back order for quite some time along with a matching gaming keyboard. The AmazonBasics B073VRVHBG mouse finally shipped which means we get to finally take a look at it.
What intrigued me was that the specs, while lower end than some Chinese stuff claims to be on Amazon, it was at least an attempt by Amazon to enter the gaming market. And we know how lucrative that can me considering all the gaming peripherals out there at ridiculous prices. I like to find budget options for so that gamers that don’t make a million dollars a year can still game with relatively good performing gear.
Enter the AmazonBasics Mulit-Colour Ergonomic Gaming Mouse. In Canada the mouse sells for $19.99 when it’s in stock and boasts many things like adjustable DPI up to 3200, Omron switches, programmable buttons and easy to program software.
The attractively named B073VRVHBG comes in a plain brown box which is normal for AmazonBasics fare.
Inside you get a manual that is incredibly thick that covers the instructions on how to use the mouse in seven languages. Which is nice considering many companies just let you have at it and don’t bother to explain anything. It even goes over how to use the software that is included, on a mini-CD. In 2022. A mini-CD.
Now I am appreciative of them including the software with the mouse at all. Most companies don’t. But it’s the ONLY way to get the software. After speaking with a support technician at Amazon they informed me that they do not host the software anywhere on Amazon to download. That’s just ridiculous. You mean in a time where most people don’t have optical drives anymore you aren’t making the software available to download anywhere on your website? That’s idiotic, but also what I have come to expect from Amazon.
Oh and of course the mouse is also contained in the box in a clear plastic bag.
Taking the mouse out you immediately notice the weight. This is not a light mouse though not overly heavy. Weight certainly was not a factor in designing the B073VRVHBG. The plastics all feel of good quality and are quite sturdy. There are rubber side grips on both sides as well which add a good bit of traction for your fingers.
Design-wise you can definitely see some inspiration from a couple Logitech mice including the original gaming mouse, the Logitech MX518 as well as the venerable current champion of the masses, the Logitech G502 Hero. Amazon did however decide to add sculpting to the left and right mouse buttons here which is a very nice addition to the mix. Also very helpful as this mouse is not made for small hands and while I can hold on to this mouse, without that sculpting I couldn’t call it anywhere near useable.
Speaking of the left and right buttons the Omron switches here feel quite good with a positive but quiet click that I have come to expect Omron. It’s also nice to see that the actuation is all the way along the buttons so someone with smaller fingers can still use the mouse, if sub-optimally.
In between the right and left mouse buttons you have the RGB illuminated click wheel. It has a rubberized centre but the rubber feels sticky after a little use and not pleasant. The scrolling is okay. The detents are a bit more pronounced than I’d like. The switch here though is good for the middle mouse button not being mushy at all which is more than I can say for a few high end gaming mice on the market.
Behind the click wheel there is the DPI button. It’s is fairly large but with my small fingers I wasn’t hitting it by accident which is good. The button has a colour LED that indicates which DPI setting you are on.
Even further back is AmazonBasics’ subtle logo that is capable of a single full spectrum RGB colour just like the scroll wheel. By default both RGB locations are lit up in blue but can be customized in AmazonBasics’ software.
Above the comfort groove for your thumb are the back and forward navigation buttons. these are a bit mushier but don’t feel bad to use in practice. I do think they may be placed a little too far back for those with large thumbs though. They work well for me and while my fingers are really short my thumbs are still average sized and I can use them effectively.
All of the button functions can be changed in AmazonBasics’ soft that I mentioned comes on a mini-CD in box with the mouse.
The software is pretty easy to use if not exactly flashy. But I’d prefer a piece of software that works and is written in good English than something trying to be too flashy. The software supports multiple profiles too which is a plus.
There’s a page for button assignment that also includes the Macro Manager. I never use macros so I didn’t even bother looking at that. I likely wouldn’t change the assignments either but it is good to see this is something you can do.
The Sensitivity section covers the six levels of custom DPI you can set. You can also set polling rate. The software claims this mouse supports 1000Hz. I’m not positive on that. You can also control double click speed, windows pointer speed and mouse wheel speed here.
Next up you have Lighting Effect which is basic but a nice plus to include in a budget mouse. As mentioned there are two RGB zones, one in the scroll wheel and the AmazonBasics gaming logo. They can be set as static, pulsing or blinking with the ability to change the rate at which they pulse or blink as well as their brightness. The accuracy of the LEDs seem pretty well on target too.
This software will also work with the gaming keyboard that I am still waiting for and will as such allow you to synchronize effects between the mouse and keyboard in the Synchronization section. I haven’t been able to check that out yet but look forward to doing so down the road.
Up to this point I think most of you would agree that this mouse seems like a decent value. And I’d have to agree. But I haven’t mentioned the elephant in the room here. The sensor. Yeah it supports up to 3200DPI which is barely okay today (I run at 3200 to 3600DPI on most mice I use) but it’s an old school optical mouse. You read that right. It has a red light sensor. I haven’t seen one of these since the 2000s. That would also indicate that the sensor is pretty ancient. That is why I question the polling rate here.
That all said, I haven’t really had a problem playing games like World of Warships and Cyberpunk 2077 other than the mouse requiring more effort to use due to it’s size and weight. The skates also are not really good. They work but not fantastic.
I should also mention that while the cable is braided its a very tight braid and the cable is not very flexible here. It also goes without saying that the USB cable is not removeable.
Overall, I like the look of the mouse. It’s not flashy and it’s RGB is tasteful. I think in a bigger hand it would be very comfortable. I do think there are better options out there for a few more bucks if you are wanting to game. I would recommend the Nixeus Revel FIT in this case. At 25 bucks Canadian it has a high quality Pixart PMW 3360 sensor which I think over time will perform much better and likely last longer.
Physical size issues aside I think Amazon needs to really update this with a better sensor to really be taken seriously. Also the fact that there is nowhere to download the software anywhere online for this is just ridiculous. I only managed to install it because I have an external DVD burner. The sad thing is I think the software in this case adds a lot of value to this mouse but Amazon doesn’t seem to care about that.
Would I buy this mouse again? No. With the Nixeus Revel FIT just five dollars more and the Logitech G203 Lightsync found under $40 or the Steelseries Rival 3 around the same price and Amazon’s lack of support for the software I just don’t see the value here.
By the way, if you have happened to buy this mouse, I have archived the software and made it available for you to download. I offer no warranty or guarantee of availability and you may download at your own risk here. I do not own this software or maintain it.
redbluegreen 