Mionix Avior 8200 Mouse Review

Mionix began making gaming peripherals in Sweden in 2007, and their designs have a simple elegance that is iconic of the region. The Avior 8200 gaming mouse is no exception with it’s minimalist looks while being feature rich for the most discerning gamer.

Features and Specifications

The Avior 8200 has an impressive feature list. It is aimed more at FPS (first person shooter) gamers having on the fly DPI adjustment and only having 9 buttons. While it can certainly be used for RPGs (role playing games), those gamers would benefit from more buttons and the precision of an 8200 DPI sensor wouldn’t be necessary. However, the macro settings should help RPGers get every ounce out of those 9 buttons. The ability to personalize the LED colors is a nice touch, especially for setting yourself apart from the crowd at a LAN gaming event.

Technical Specifications

• 32bit ARM processor 72 MHz
• Ambidextrous design, palm or claw grip
• Grip friendly rubber coating
• 9 fully programmable buttons
• 3 steps in-game DPI adjustment
• 2 integrated LEDs in 2 colour zones
• Up to 16.8 Million LED colour options
• Lighting effects Colour shift, Solid, Blinking, Pulsating and Breathing
• 128 kb built-in memory
• Large PTFE mouse feet
• Gold Plated, Full speed USB 2.0 connection with Plug and Play
• Cable 2m long braided cable

Sensor Specifications

• 8200 DPI gaming laser sensor
• Max tracking speed 3.8 m/sec (150 ips)
• Max acceleration 30g
• Data Format 16-bit both sensor and USB
• Adjustable to 1 ms response time
• Up to 12000 fps
• 10.8 megapixel per second Image processing power

 Software

The included software is very comprehensive. It’s laid out in a logical manner and easy to find even the most minute setting, even though the amount of settings is extensive. The first tab, Mouse Settings, is where all the basic settings like button assignments and double click speeds are. Sensor Performance is where the X and Y axis DPI settings can be independently configured. This tab also has the Surface Quality Analyzer Tool (SQAT), pointer speed setting, and lift distance setting. The Color Settings tab is straightforward, allowing you to modify the LEDs. Macro settings is where you create and manage the recorded macros. The support tab has links to Mionix’s website to answer questions you might have about your hardware and to update the firmware and software.

For many, the default settings are good enough, but there is plenty for the power user to play with and dial things in perfectly. I’m a big fan of having multiple profiles so I can easily change between the settings I’ve saved for various games like Borderlands 2, Counter Strike, and Torchlight 2. Mostly, I just change a couple of the button assignments, the DPI presets, and the color to distinguish which profile I’m on.

I ran the SQAT, which is supposed to tell the mouse about the ‘tracking ability’ of the surface you are using. I have an X-Ray Thunder 9 Rough mousing surface which got a 90% rating, but then again, so did my bare desk. I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between before and after running the tool, and the polling frequency nor DPI settings changed automatically after the analyzer. So, this surface analyzer seems like a gimmick to me. If it’s main point is to make less than optimal surfaces usable, I’d question why you were using a sub-optimal surface with a premium mouse to begin with.

Usage

Right out of the packaging, the mouse oozes quality. Every button press is direct and precise. The pressure needed to press the buttons isn’t too low that accidental presses happen, but it’s not too high that it’s a chore to press. The rubber coating is nice and I never felt like the mouse was slipping in my hand, even if my palm was sweaty. The mouse has good weight to it as it’s not too heavy and not too light. It isn’t weighed down by batteries like a cordless, and it’s more than just a plastic shell like the freebies included with basic computers. It feels light in your fingers, but you can sense just how fast and far you’re moving the mouse. I also really like the wheel. Even the spin seems to have the perfect resistance to it. It locks into the notches tightly but it doesn’t take too much effort to spin it.

One of my favorite features that really distinguishes a gaming mouse versus a regular mouse is the ability to change the sensitivity (DPI) on the fly. It’s one of those features you don’t realize you need until you have it, and I find it’s worth every penny once you do. When you press whichever button you have assigned to change the DPI (the center buttons by the wheel by default), the effect is instant, as would be expected. So while in game, you can change from being able to turn around quickly to having superb accuracy while sniping in a blink. Running at 8200 DPI is so buttery and smooth but, at the same time, running around 2000 DPI doesn’t feel sloppy.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed using the Mionix Avior 8200. I used it daily for several months, and it still looks brand new. Everything about this mouse is amazing, except probably the price. It’s going for $90 on Newegg.com right now, which puts it in the top tier of gaming mice.  The features definitely stack up 1-to-1 against the other mice in that price range and I’d say it nudges itself up to the top of that list because of its looks. I can’t say enough nice things about this mouse, so if it fits in your budget you won’t regret buying it and I’m marking it Overclockers Approved.

Click the stamp for an explanation of what it means

Thanks to Mionix for providing the review sample.

– splat