Page 2 - A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
In many ways, the Epomaker Nex Lite may look like most wireless mice. Its standard shape is slanted towards right-handed use, which is not too surprising. However, the big difference is the light blue color that stands out for being different than the typical black or white. Better yet, if you do not like this color, you can also get the Nex Lite in pink, white, or black. It is relatively unbranded and you have to flip the mouse over before you see an Epomaker logo. The top has everything in standard placement but there is a small screen in between the two primary buttons to display information including the current polling rate, DPI. The top is solid and does not have any perforations in it. The surface is smooth and can be slippery. It does not have a rubber-like feel and it is understandable why Epomaker included some grip tape to accomplish this. The surface however does not show handling marks, although this is also helped by the lighter color. I never recommend eating while using your computer or handling your peripherals, but the Nex Lite does at least try to keep this fact hidden. Down the backside on the bottom edge, there is a strip of translucent plastic to diffuse the RGB lighting on the mouse.
The Epomaker Nex Lite measures 122mm in length, 65mm in width, and 42mm in maximum height. This is similar to other mice I have tested, such as the be quiet! Dark Perk Ergo and the Epomaker Carbon X. It is slightly longer and taller than the Dark Perk Ergo. From the image above, you can see the tallest part of the mouse is in the middle fo the body. The back curve is consistent to fit the user's hand, while the front slopes down to a lesser degree. In terms of mass, the Epomaker Nex Lite is 65g, which is light but not necessarily comparable to the 55g Dark Perk Ergo or 45g Carbon X. This is likely due to the lack of any perforations on the top or bottom. I did notice the extra weight when comparing between these mice, but it was not as drastic as the number may sound. The weight is balanced towards where the sensor sits, which is understandable. The shape of the Nex Lite is for right-handed users, as it curves out just a bit more on the right side to accommodate your pinky. It still can be used in your left hand, but the button placement of forward and back are also less than ideal. Build quality of the Epomaker Nex Lite is solid with no creaking or rattling noises when squeezing or shaking the body. The ABS plastic shell holds up well and there is very little to no flex in the body.
From the left side, you can see almost all buttons on the Epomaker Nex Lite. The primary left and right buttons are separated from each other and the rest of the body. They are both sloped towards the middle to ensure user's fingers rest in the middle. It is not clear what switches are used underneath the buttons, but they are rated for 20M operations, which is relatively low. The buttons are decent to press but they are a bit louder and more clicky than I would like. They have alright weighting but lean slightly to the lighter side. The scroll wheel in between the two primary buttons is notched. Down the top, there is the OLED screen to provide useful information. Depending on your power savings settings, the screen and the lights may turn off while the mouse is in use. On the side, there are standard forward and back buttons in a place where users will not accidentally press them. It does have a slightly spongy travel and bottoming out and clicks loudly like the rest of the buttons.
The last inputs of the Epomaker Nex Lite are found on the bottom of the mouse near the optical sensor. This includes a small button on the left side to change DPI settings on the fly. When you press it, the LED light on the back will change colors to align with preset levels, and these can be changed in the software. To the right of the sensor, there is a three-position switch to let users choose the operating mode of the 2.4GHz wireless hub, wired, or Bluetooth. At the front of the mouse, there is a USB Type-C input for wired operation while charging the Nex Lite. However, Epomaker also provides a hub for users to place the mouse in for charging. This is why there are two pads placed under the sensor. Otherwise, a white label is also here to provide product information and certification labels.
Other aspects on the bottom include three primary areas of PTFE feet to keep the mouse gliding on any surface. There is also a ring around the sensor to prevent the cutout from catching on your surface. The sensor in the middle is the PixArt PAW3311, a wallet-friendly sensor for wireless mice. We have yet to see another mouse with this sensor. The Epomaker Nex Lite offers a sensitivity range of 100 to 12000DPI in 100DPI increments. The sensor promises 300 inches per second tracking and acceleration of up to 35G. 1000Hz polling rate is standard when operating over wired or with the wireless dock, but this reduces to 125Hz over Bluetooth. There is no sensor or lens rattle with the Epomaker Nex Lite.
The primary accessory you will be using is the wireless dongle and dock combination. This color matching dock connects to your system with the USB Type-A to Type-C cable.
A 500mAh battery is inside to keep the Nex Lite powered. Epomaker does not provide any estimates for its battery life, but when I was using the mouse with the wireless adapter, I could last around eight days before the mouse started to indicate low battery at 20%. This was with the lights set on whenever the mouse was not in use, although turning the lights off will likely extend the battery life.
The Carbon X is quite aggressive in its power savings measures, as the mouse goes to sleep after not using it within eleven seconds of its last movement. I have not seen anything configured to fall asleep so quickly, and I am sure many humans wish they could be like this, haha. It also wakes up quickly from sleep, which is good, as I never had to turn this off manually unless I was switching it to wired operation. The USB dongle has a translucent ring around the body to glow assorted colors based on the battery status. This includes Green, Blue, Yellow, and Red for highest to lowest battery life. When the mouse is plugged in and charging, the slim LED light on the top will indicate charging status.
Internally, there is a 500mAh battery but Epomaker does not provide any estimates for the Nex Lite's battery life.
no lift off distance adjusting, which is pretty high
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. Subjective Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
