Mionix Naos 7000 Mouse Review

The Mionix Naos 7000 mouse is a variation on the same theme as the Avior 8200 we reviewed previously. The main element that sets this mouse apart from the mischief is its ergonomic, full palm design which also means it’s for right handed users only. Hopefully, cutting out 15% of the population doesn’t prove detrimental to the function of this mouse.

Features and Specifications

The Naos 7000 is covered in matte black with the logo and mouse wheel providing the only color, which are fully customizable by the user. This is the same combination which I loved on the Avior 8200, and if you peruse their website you’ll see it’s a theme they carry into almost the entirety of their product line. The braided cable and gold plated USB plug are nice high-end touches to finish off the product. Compared to the Avior line, this mouse mainly differs because of the aforementioned ergonomic design as well as having two fewer buttons. Mionix also has a very straightforward product naming convention in that the DPI is called out plainly for the buyer, so this Naos 7000 has a 7000 DPI sensor while the Avior 8200 had 8200 DPI.

Product Specs

• 32bit ARM processor running at 32Mhz
• Right handed truly ergonomic design, full palm grip
• Soft touch rubber coating
• 7 fully programmable buttons
• 3 step in-game DPI adjustment
• 2 integrated RGB LEDs in 2 color zones
• Up to 16.8 Million LED color options
• Lighting effects: Color shift, Solid, Blinking, Pulsating and Breathing
• 128 kb built-in memory
• Polling rate adjustable up to 1000 Hz
• Large PTFE mouse feet
• Gold Plated, Full speed USB 2.0 connection with Plug and Play
• 2m long braided cable

Sensor Specs

• ADNS – 3310 gaming grade IR-LED optical sensor
• Up to 7000 DPI
• MAX tracking speed of at least 5.45m/sec (215 IPS)
• No positive or negative hardware acceleration
• Adjustable Lift Off Distance

Software

This might seem like I’ve simply copied and pasted all of the software screen shots from the Avior 8200, but that is just because the software suite is virtually identical. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as the software is very easy to use and laid out in an intuitive manner. This includes the questionably useful surface scanning tool. Just like last time, both my gaming surface and my desk scored 100%, so I’m not entirely sure what the benefit of this tool is. Frankly, if you are using a surface that doesn’t score 100%, you probably shouldn’t be using that surface to begin with.

Usage

The Naos 7000 is quite a comfortable mouse. It honestly feels like it was custom made for my hand. It’s at least as comfortable as my all time favorite Logitech MX1000. There are a few features which could make the Naos better than the MX1000 depending on what your preferences are. The Naos is slightly smaller and lighter than the MX1000 which can mostly be attributed to the Naos being wired, so it lacks internal batteries. The downside of that is the actual wire itself, which can get stuck on things and limit the range of movement. That also means there’s no risk of a dead mouse in the middle of a gaming session and the lighter weight means slightly less force to move it around.

I’ve used the mouse for approximately a month at this point and it still looks and feels brand new. The clicks are precise and quiet, the rubber coating hasn’t started peeling off, and the gliding pads have shown very little wear even on my rough mousing surface. Fatigue during long sessions is almost non-existent. I wish I could say with a straight face that I could discern the difference between 8200 DPI and 7000 DPI, but the truth is I think 7000 DPI is more than enough for most gamers. Even then, I spent the majority of my time with the mouse set to 3000 DPI because I think that speed is much more comfortable for general use. But, that’s the great thing about having the quick select buttons and driver software that allows seemingly infinite combinations of settings; every user can pick what is most comfortable for them.

Conclusion

Overall, I’ve enjoyed my time using the Naos 7000. I think Mionix has a winning combination with their minimal styling, solid build quality, and high end features. At $79.99 from Newegg.com, the Naos 7000 comes in at only $10 less than the Avior 8200. Like I mentioned before, I think most people would be fine with 7000 DPI, but the extra $10 isn’t necessarily a price-premium to step up. However, $80 is still a hefty price for a mouse and is tough to justify in itself. That being said, I do think the Naos 7000 is a great mouse and I’ve been very happy using it these past few weeks. It has all the features a gamer could want and a comfortable ergonomic fit. For all those reasons, I’m marking the Mionix Naos 7000 Overclockers Approved.

Click the stamp for an explanation of what it means

Thanks to Mionix for providing the review sample.

– splat