Page 2 - A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
The Ozone Argon is a nice contrast to the previous mouse I reviewed, the Patriot Viper V560, since the Argon is an ambidextrous mouse. There are two buttons found on both the left and right side to accommodate either a left-hand or right-handed user. My first impressions on how comfortable the mouse felt was good, and it stayed that way. I prefer a claw-like grip, and it felt really comfortable to use the Ozone Argon this way. When I am not gaming, I usually default to a more palm-like grip, and again, I was not disappointed in how comfortable it was. The rounded and slightly higher up back really ensured for a good grip. Whichever grip you prefer, I am sure it will be a good fit.
The Ozone Argon's dimensions are 124.6mm by 66.9mm by 40mm. These dimensions are pretty standard. The top coating is a leading-edge anti-slip rubber material, while where your thumb resides is a textured rubber surface. All of this provides for a great feel, and ensures you will not lose your grip during intense gaming sessions. The weight is relatively light coming in at 125g. An extra 18g of weight can be added to the mouse, all of which I added. I prefer a heavier mouse when I am gaming, or just during normal Windows usage. The adjustable weight is a great added feature, since 125g is light enough for most games, and from there it is totally up to the user. Something I found interesting is it does not mention the adjustable weight on the retail packaging. On the manufacturer's page, there is only one line of text under the specifications to inform you of this feature.
The Ozone Argon comes with its fair share of buttons. Other than the standard left and right click and clickable scroll wheel, there are two buttons on both sides of the mouse, as well as increase and decrease DPI buttons right behind the scroll wheel. There are four DPI settings that can be changed in the software. All settings can be stored onto the mouse's 128K internal memory. The left and right click buttons are Omron switches, but the side buttons are not. The two main buttons really do have a crisp and distinct click, and has a substantial feel to them. The mouse itself is well built, and everything feels solid.
The Ozone Argon also features RGB illumination, all of which can be changed within the software. The area around the scroll has LED lights, as well as the Ozone branding at the back of the mouse. The sides have an elongated LED, which stretches from the back to the two buttons on the side. Once the LEDs are on, it has a good look to it. Since they are RGB LEDs, it can display 16.8 million different colors, making it very easy to match the mouse to whichever color scheme your setup happens to have. There are three lighting modes; off, on, and breathing. How fast the breathing happens can be adjusted in the software. The software also allows you to change the brightness of the lighting.
The laser on the bottom of the mouse is slightly off center, but this not change the characteristics of the Argon to any significant degree. The laser sensor itself is an ADNS 9800, which allows the mouse sensitivity to go up to 8200 DPI. All this can be changed within the software at 100 DPI increments. This sensor should be quite familiar to us here at APH Networks. Previous mice we have reviewed that also used this sensor include the G.Skill Ripjaws MX780 RGB, Turtle Beach Grip 500, and SteelSeries Sensei Wireless. The rest of the bottom just has some more information about the mouse itself and other safety information. At the top and bottom are the two rather large Teflon feet to ensure the Ozone Argon glides nicely over the surface you are using it on. Below the laser, but above the Teflon feet, is where you can change the adjustable weight. It turns anti-clockwise to open; inside are four little spots for the adjustable weights. I like the placement of the weights, because it ensures that the mouse does not weigh lopsided when the extra weights are added. There is a braided cable that leads out the front of the mouse, which is 1.8m long. The USB connector is gold plated. Although it looks nice, it will not change the performance.
As with the software for the Ozone Strike Battle keyboard, the one for the Argon was all very straightforward. Ozone did a great job keeping everything simple and intuitive. The entire download process was very straightforward. The first page of the software are the Light Settings. At the bottom are five different profiles, which unfortunately cannot be changed on-the-fly. At the top are five different tabs. The Light Settings and Sensitivity tabs will appear on the right of the window, while the other three will appear on the left. The Sensitivity tab lets you select four different sensitivity settings, which can then be switched between with the mouse buttons. Next is the System Settings tab, where you can change the double click speed, windows pointer speed, tilt wheel scroll speed, and mouse wheel scroll speed. Under the Advanced Settings tab is the polling rate, which you can select either 125, 250, 500, or 1000Hz. The response time can also be adjusted here. Lastly is the Button Settings tab, where you can change all the key bindings of the mouse. As aforementioned, the Argon has 128K onboard memory to store all your settings. Overall, the software was straightforward, and I found no real issues while using it.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. Subjective Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
