SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless (2022) Review
A swift and playfully designed FPS-friendly mouse
Verdict
The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless is a fantastic gaming mouse that stays cool and comfortable over long play sessions, while also being accurate and slick to use. With great customizability courtesy of its SteelSeries GG software and the addition of a precision shooting practice program, the Aerox 3 is a great option for a wide demographic of general users, most notably FPS fans.
Pros
- Extremely lightweight
- Easy to use and responsive
- The lighting display is aesthetically pleasing
Cons
- The design may be more susceptible to dust and spills
- Narrow side buttons can feel awkward to use
Key Features
- Light as a feather The Aerox 3 has an impressive ultra-lightweight design, coming in at 68 grams, which allows for comfort and speed over long-term use.
- High durabilitySteelSeries’ AquaBarrier Technology offers an IP54 rating which provides extra protection from spills and dust.
- Smooth and speedyHigh-quality Virgin Grade PTFE glide skates allow for effortless mouse manoeuvring, which pairs well with the Aerox 3’s 18,000 CPI.
Introduction
The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless mouse boasts a lightweight design, with its customisable and vibrant neon lights shining through a surprisingly light mesh-like shell.
Setting itself apart with its unique look, the new 2022 edition of the Aerox 3 has kept many of the 2021 edition’s visual quirks, pairing it with some hefty personalisation options and light rigging to boot.
Geared at gamers, this speedy mouse promises to give users a competitive edge and joins the race to become one of the best gaming mice on the market. But, with its intriguing shape and wireless design, how does the Aerox 3 (2022) edition really compete? Here are my thoughts.
Design
- Very light, comfortable body
- Perforated palm design keeps things cool
- Mesh USB-C cable offers a convenient 1.8m length
The SteelSeries Aerox 3 has a classic body shape making it a versatile option for a number of grip styles – depending on hand size, of course. My hands are on the smaller size and I found little to complain about.
Using design tools, heavy gaming sessions and everyday tasks were all comfortable and easy. Those with larger hands may run into trouble, with Aerox’s side buttons slimmer than rivals like the Logitech G Pro X Superlight.
The thin size and firm material of the Aerox 3’s buttons provide them with some additional tension, requiring more force and precision to press. It sounds like a small frustration but, in intense FPS games, it can take some getting used to.
The build of the mouse is strong and durable, even with the wild number of holes in its core shape. No matter how hard I was gripping the mouse, its form was pleasantly solid and didn’t feel like it was at any risk of user damage. Made with ABS plastic, the Aerox is almost unbelievably light to use and carry, which is a nice touch if you’re travelling and looking to take your peripherals on the road.
The coarse matte finish makes the mouse look sophisticated and provides a satisfying grip. Despite its textured exterior, the white casing on the mouse showed no sign of wear or staining, even after some heated gaming sessions and desk lunches. Thankfully, if the white feels too risky, the Aerox also comes in the shade Onyx, a matte black finish which offers the same lightness with less risk of discolouration in the future.
You may worry that the holy design of the mouse will welcome issues with dust and spills, but the Aerox 3 Wireless (2022) has an IP54 rating. That means it has water resistance for splashes of water, but can’t handle being dunked underwater. It also has approved protection for dust, dirt, oil, fur, and more.
Performance
- SteelSeries TrueMove Core sensors deliver accurate tracking
- 18,000 CPI enables speedy manoeuvrability
- Approximately 200 hours of battery means more playtime without wires
The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless uses SteelSeries TrueMove Core sensors, found across the company’s range of mice. It’s an impressive technology, with the optical sensor using light beams to register your inputs rather than physical parts in order to reduce the chance of failure, as wear and tear.
After long days of writing work, followed by even longer sessions of play, the Aerox never faltered in delivering fluid tracking. This was helped by the mouse’s extremely light design and some high-quality skates at its base, allowing for swift movement with no noticeable drag. Thankfully, due to its balanced design, the mouse felt grounded in my mousepad, never too floaty or unwieldy.
Offering both Bluetooth connectivity and a 2.4 Ghz wireless dongle, you have options for how you’d like to connect. Where Bluetooth is extremely reliable and great for travel, it’s hard to argue with the consistency and ease of popping in your dongle and getting to work. For high-pressure gaming situations, I’d recommend sticking with the dongle, as I did run into some Bluetooth pairing problems that left me high and dry.
Unfortunately, for fans of the 2021 version looking to upgrade, the 2022 edition hasn’t solved the side button size problem. In small bouts it’s perfectly comfortable, but intensive games got frustrating as I attempted to manoeuvre my hand to use my side button key binds.
Even so, the Aerox’s impressive battery life is something to celebrate, with up to 200 hours using Bluetooth and 80 via the dongle. In my time with the mouse, I rarely even considered its charge levels – an impressive feat given its near-constant dynamic lighting. This can be toggled in the SteelSeries software, with illumination dimming available to reduce the lighting, benefiting longer periods of use.
Software & Lighting
- Dynamic lighting is extra bright
- SteelSeries Engine software is handy for customisability
- 3D Aim Trainer is great for budding competitive gamers
The SteelSeries GG app is your main hub for controlling how you use the Aerox 3, as well as any other branded peripherals you may have in your collection. This hub provides you with near-complete control of your device configuration, as well as an area for creating and controlling custom lighting options.
The interface is pleasantly set up and functional so, even if you aren’t used to tweaking your mouse, you’ll be able to pick up on the cues and get in the weeds of it in no time.
The GG program has plenty to offer, but its strongest addition by far is the 3D Aim Trainer, allowing you to practice with your mouse across a wide range of real game stages. As someone who hadn’t played a Valve FPS in quite a while, being able to drop into CS:GO-themed situations and practice strafe aiming in trials was a blessing. Within the program, there is also a skill tree that allowed me to train certain skills to become more of an all-around player and set high scores. It’s not specific to just the Aerox 3, but it enabled me to get into the nitty-gritty of my settings and play with sensitivity, acceleration and more.
Those wanting maximum control over their lighting design will relish in the GG submenu Prism which, while in early access, supports the Aerox 3. Here, I spent a good amount of time curating my dreamy neon designs, excellently complimenting my desk setup. The mesh-like look of the body made the glorious RGB lighting shine, especially when I was working late into the night. Some notifications, like low battery or Bluetooth pairing, also utilise the LED, which felt like another thoughtful decision by SteelSeries that makes intuiting any problems simple and straightforward.
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Should you buy it?
Ideal for serious gamers who favour long battery life and hybrid use: The Aerox 3 Wireless offers a very fluid and customisable experience that, courtesy of its nimble frame and long battery life, makes working or gaming from home or on the road a breeze.
It isn’t a great fit for those with larger hand: Even with a good range of tech, for anyone with a larger hand or grip size, the Aerox 3 may not be the most comfortable option, especially considering its fairly high price point.
Final Thoughts
The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless (2022) doesn’t falter in its promise of power in light and nimble packaging. It delivers a simple grab-and-go solution with a plethora of customizability to boot. While the shape and size may not be for everyone, and the side buttons took some time to adjust to, the overall performance was hard to argue with.
There are seriously strong alternatives to consider though, if you’re willing to spend a tad more and don’t mind going wired for an extra boost to performance then Razer’s Viper line offers excellent lightweight gaming prowess. That’s in the form of the Viper 8K and Viper V2 Pro.
Alternatively, if you like the mesh design here but would like to spend a good amount less, the Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air is an excellent, but also wired, option. Then, if you like everything about this mouse but want an extra boost to performance, SteelSeries offers the excellent Aerox 9 Wireless too. Check out our Best Gaming Mouse list for more options.
How we test
We use every mouse we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use and put it through its paces by playing a variety of different genres, including FPS, strategy and MOBAs.
We also check each mouse’s software to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
Used as a main mouse for over a week
Tested performance on a variety of games
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FAQs
The speedy performance and light weight of the Aerox 3 Wireless make it a strong fit for FPS gaming.
The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless is not waterproof. It features SteelSeries’ AquaBarrier technology, offering IP54 water and dust resistance
Full specs
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
