For today’s review we will be checking
out the Naos 3200, the newest gaming mouse from Mionix. Its design
is based on the highly regarded Naos
5000 which we reviewed earlier in the year. This
ergonomic gaming mouse features a 3200 dpi LED optical sensor thus
the name Naos 3200.
Besides the optical sensor it also
includes built in memory for storing macros and other commands,
customizable LED light system, seven programmable buttons and three
step customizable DPI button for in game adjustments. While the Naos
3200 is not as feature rich as its big brother the Naos 5000, it does
hold its own against similar competitors.
Reviewed by: Tomas Ratas
Sponsor: Mionix
Tech Specs,Features or the
Basic Info:
A STAR HAS BEEN BORN
This
prominent gaming mouse is named after the star Naos, a blue super
giant and one of the brightest stars in our galaxy. Naos means “ship”
and is enough powerful to create comet tails and huge clouds of
auroras visible from Earth. Naos is constantly moving away from its
original position in the constellation of Vela and it spins about 100
times faster than our sun. Since its birth it has covered a distance
of 400 light-years. No one knows exactly why Naos has such a high
rotation speed, but an explanation to this phenomenon lies in the
gravitational interaction between many other stars.
MODEL
OVERVIEW
The unique shape of Mionix Naos 3200
supports the whole hand without compromising ergonomics or a steady
grip. Mionix Naos 3200 is equipped with only carefully selected
high-end components paired up with reliable LED-optical sensor
technology which offers durability, performance and accuracy. Save
your settings and macros in the built-in memory. No additional
software or driver installation is needed. Wherever you go, just plug
in the mouse and get started. Mionix Naos 3200 also features
customizable LED-light system and dpi-step color indicator, allowing
you to customize it to your liking.
FEATURES
• Truly ergonomic design
-Truly
ergonomic design with support for all five fingers
• Plug
n Play
-Completely Plug n Play, software needed
only for configuration
• Maximum grip
-The
rubber coating ensures a maximum grip
• 3200 dpi
LED-optical sensor
-Reliable and accurate
LED-optical sensor technology
• Built-in
memory
-Bring your settings and recorded macros
with you
• Customizable LED light
system
-Personalize your mouse with your favourite
color
• 3 steps customizable dpi in-game
adjustment
-Choose from 3 dpi steps and switch
between them in-game
• 7 programmable
buttons
-The buttons can be assigned to any key
command or macro
• Adjustable polling rate
-Tune
it all the way up to 1000Hz through the software
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
•
Truly ergonomic design
• Grip friendly rubber coating
• 7
buttons (7 programmable)
• 3 steps
in-game dpi adjustment
• Configurable dpi up to 3200 dpi
•
Adjustable polling rate
• Built-in memory
• Large teflon
feet
• Gold-plated USB connection
• Full speed USB 2.0 with
Plug n Play
• Cable length: 2 m (braided for
durability)
• Compatible with all kinds of
surfaces
DIMENSIONS &
WEIGHT
130.84×84.72×38.67 mm / 5.15×3.33×1.52
in
Netto (w/o cable): 99 gr
Netto (cable incl.): 152.2
gr
SENSOR SPECIFICATION
•
3200 dpi gaming LED-optical sensor
• 3.5mm lift distance
•
1 ms response time
• 6469 frames/sec
• Tracking speed: 1
m/sec (40 ips)
• 5.8 megapixels/sec image
processing
• Acceleration: 15 g
• True 16-bit data
path
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Warranty
for Mionix products only covers defects caused by manufacturing. The
warranty does not cover defects caused by any kind of usage that is
not attributable to the manufacturing process.
All of our
products have 2 year warranty. Defect products will be replaced with
a new product. For more information read our FAQ or contact your
local vendor.
A Better Look at Things
:
The Mionix Naos 3200 comes packaged in
a black and neon green box with an image of the mouse of the front
and model overview, technical specifications and sensor performance
listings on the back.
The cover lifts upwards revealing the
Naos 3200 centered in the middle of the box beneath a plastic
protector. The top inner cover of the box gives the origins of the
Naos name, which is actually a star if you were not aware.
Inside the box are the mouse and a
quick start card, which basically instructs you to visit the Mionix
site to download the drivers and instruction manual. Hopefully you
have Internet access to grab the drivers.
At initial glance the Naos 3200 has a
“Razer” like appearance with its all black coloring. The mouse
measures 13.1 x 8.4 x 3.8 cm and weighs 152 grams. The Naos 3200 is
a right-handed mouse so all you lefthanders are out of luck.
Its design appears similar to numerous
other gaming mice. What sets the Naos 3200 apart from other mice is
the flared edge off the right side that was designed as a resting
place for the user’s 4th and 5th fingers.
This is a nice ergonomic addition although it does make the Naos 3200
appear slightly fatter than other gaming mice. The surface of the
mouse has a rubber coating to improve the user’s grip during game
play.
It has a front and back button on the
left hand side. On top are the scroll wheel and two DPI adjustment
buttons. Similar to numerous other mice the scroll wheel also acts
as a button. At the palm rest area is the Naos logo which lights up
when the mouse is plugged in.
To make the mouse stand out from the
crowd Mionix installed three separate colored LEDs that can be
selected via the mouse software. In fact all these buttons are
customizable via the software and can be assigned to perform macros,
mouse commands or even key presses.
Flipping the Naos 3200 over there are
four Teflon feet that provide rapid tracking during game play and the
3200 DPI optical sensor. Unlike the Naos 5000, this version does
not include adjustable weights for customization.
Since this is a corded mouse we find a
two meter length braided cable with a gold plated USB connector at
the end.
{mospagebreak title= Installation, Testing and Comparison}
Installation, Testing and
Comparison:
The Naos 3200 can be used as a plug and
play gaming mouse, but for true customization you’ll need the mouse
driver/software from the Mionix site. Installation takes a few
seconds and does not require a reboot to run the mouse software.
From this control panel you can adjust
Mouse Settings, Custom Settings, Macro Settings and get Support.
The Mouse Settings screen allows Button
Assignments, which includes the ability to store macros and keys
commands. From this screen the user can also adjust Double Click,
Scroll Speed and Pointer Acceleration.
With the Custom Settings the user can
set the three LED colors for each of the three DPI steps. Unlike the
Mionix Naos 5000 the 3200 only has red, green and blue LED choices.
Using the DPI buttons on the top of the mouse the user can choose
800, 1600 or 3200 DPI depending on what sensitivity you desire. If
you wish to change pointer speed, polling rate
or turn the LEDs on or off, you can do that from this screen as well.
The Macro Settings is for self
explanatory; here you can record and save one’s macros. The
Support tab is where you can check for updates or connected to
Mionix’s online support area.
Here is the Naos 3200 in its three
different colored suits.
After using the Mionix Naos 3200 for a
few weeks I was comfortable using it for long periods whether gaming
or just during the course of my day on the PC. The lip on the right
side of the Naos 3200 is nice for resting one’s 4th and 5th
fingers; thus keeping the user’s fingers from bunching up during
mouse operation.
Button presses were quick and
responsive with an audible click. The side buttons are positioned
comfortably allowing easy access in either game play or daily PC use.
The tracking of the Naos 3200 was excellent and the Teflon pads
allow it to glide when matched with a gaming mouse pad.
Changing DPI in the middle of game play
was a breeze with LED colors set for specific DPI speeds it was
simple to determine which rate I was operating at. This is ideal
when setting up for some serious sniping and then having to quickly
fight in close quarters.
I have rather large hands so to me the
Naos 3200 was comfortable as my entire hand was able to cover and
rest on the mouse surface. Users with smaller hands may have some
issue with the Naos 3200’s size. The other complaint some hardcore
gamers may have is the max DPI rate is 3200 not 5000.
Mionix has designed a terrific gaming
mouse and there are really not many things to nitpick about on it.
Since it is the mid-range mouse in the Naos line you do lose some of
the features found on the Naos 5000 such as the weights and numerous
LED color choices. If you wish t get those features then you may
want to consider the more expensive gaming enthusiast designed Naos
5000.
Summary and Comments
Mionix is not the biggest name in
gaming peripherals but they are makers of some of the best mice on
the market. The Mionix Naos 3200 is their mid
range gaming mouse entry which offers plenty of buttons and features
for the price. It is a performance gaming mouse for a budget price.
Will the Naos
3200 make you a better gamer, I don’t know. As my dad used to say
“it’s the farmer, not the plow”, of course having a kick
ass plow doesn’t hurt when you are playing a tense game of Call of
Duty. I know the Naos 3200 will be in my arsenal for quite some
time. See you on the battlefield.
DragonSteelMods gives the Mionix Naos
3200 a 4.5 out of 5 score.
Pros:
+Comfortable rubbery grip
+Adjustable DPI
+Customizable buttons
+Ergonomic shape
Cons:
-May be too big for small hands
-DPI goes to 3200 max
review#678
Disclosure: This
product was given to DragonSteelMods for review by the company for
review purposes only, and is not considered by us as payment for the
review, we do not, never have, and never will, accept payment from
companies to review their products.
To
learn more about our review policy, testing methods and ratings
please see this page.