Page 3 - Subjective Performance Tests
After plugging the mouse in and setting up the software, I ran the mouse through our series of standard tracking performance tests. This includes normal office usage in the Windows environment as well as gaming. Some graphics work and testing were done with Adobe Photoshop. Games used in this test primarily include Aimlabs, Overwatch, and League of Legends. This spans different genres and allows us to get a feel as to how the mouse responds in different situations. All testing was completed on a XTracGear Carbonic XXL. Please note these are subjective tests, but we will attempt to make them as objective as possible with our cross-reference testing methods.
Compared to the usual mice I have been driving daily, the be quiet! Dark Perk Ergo, the Epomaker Nex Lite felt different with its weight. It may not be the lightest or smallest of mice, but it is made for medium-sized hands with a sizable hump in the middle. Personally, I mostly used this in a palm grip, but this was partly due to how much more slippery the mouse was. Even as Epomaker provides grip tape to resolve this issue, I think they should have just made the default surface easier to keep in your hands. Those with larger hands may use a fingertip grip, but I think majority of users will use a palm grip here.
Weight-wise, the Epomaker Nex Lite is 65g, which is neither heavy nor light. It may not be as low as some recent competition, but it at least is very sturdy with no porous surfaces. For sensitivity, I kept the mouse between 1200 and 1600DPI for daily use. As for inputs, the primary switches were good but not great. At times, the extra clicky nature felt a bit cheap and hollow. In a tactile sense, it was still good enough for a budget-conscious mouse, but it was not spectacular.
Testing for the battery life, I charged it several times during my testing period, as it only lasted about eight five-hour days before it started to flash a low battery indication at 20%. Although it was usable at low battery level, I noticed some strange behavior with skipped tracking and disconnections. Epomaker does not provide any estimates for its battery life on their website, but an official Instagram reel advertises it at 55 hours. Still, this is too short of a period, considering modern mice routinely exceeds 100 hours. This was with the lights on so turning them off may extend the longevity. Epomaker has implemented some power savings measures, as the mouse goes to sleep after not being moved in a configurable time. It also wakes up quickly from sleep. Otherwise, recharging the Nex Lite took over three hours to get to a full charge, which is also on the longer side.
The Epomaker Nex Lite is marketed as a gaming mouse despite its budget price tag, so I tested it in gaming situations. While I am not the best gamer, it performed well for its economical nature. Tracking was consistent, smooth, and predictable in optimal situations. In shooting games like Overwatch and Aimlabs, I found the mouse would sometimes spin out when making quick movements like flick shooting. This is a sign that the sensor cannot handle the sudden acceleration in movement, which is unfortunate. The light body did not hold me back, but the lack of grip on the Nex Lite also made me feel not always in control. In MOBAs like League of Legends, tracking and click performance was capable. I may not be a fan of how each click sounds, but the Nex Lite did not fail in this regard. Those who play MMORPGs may want more mice buttons, but that is not too surprising.
In more technical tests, the PixArt PAW3311 was good but showed some flaws. Photoshop tests with free-hand lassoing showed the mouse was able to track minor details and movements without problem. Moving in straight lines showed zero signs of prediction or angle snapping at lower sensitivity levels. At higher sensitivity, prediction is enabled in the software by default, but it can be turned off. The response time felt consistent throughout my use, regardless of wired or wireless operation, and the input lag was not too perceivable. Lift off distance is not configurable and is high, as I could pick up the mouse and still move the cursor. There was no slam clicking at the default response time. At higher sensitivity, there was a notable amount of jitter. Overall, the Nex Lite showed some more deficiencies, but it was still capable at standard DPI settings.
Unsurprisingly, the Epomaker Nex Lite should still be good for most users. The wireless operation of the mouse was good, and the comfortable shape and size made it easy to adjust to. Tracking performance with the PixArt PAW3311 was good in gaming and technical tests, but we were able to reach the limits of its tracking with quick movements. There was no perceivable input latency, and tracking response was consistent until we went to higher sensitivity. Otherwise, I would have liked a slightly easier to hold surface, so I do not need to worry about the mouse slipping away.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. Subjective Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
