I’m not sure what it is lately but I’m starting to think that the folks at SteelSeries never really get any sleep. They are constantly manufacturing and distributing brand new products every couple of months. And luckily, every product as of late has been a pretty great success.

They unveiled their newest additions to their mice line-up this past week with the Aerox 5, Aerox 5 Wireless, and Aerox 9 Wireless. Though each one has its different features to offer, they all keep in mind the lightweight practicality that this line is known for, to an extent.

Having now spent a couple of weeks with both wireless variants, I can safely say that either of these would be a great choice if you’re looking for a new competitive gaming mouse but they do come with a hefty price tag.

What’s in the Box

As with all SteelSeries products, the unboxing experience is straightforward and to the point. Inside each one’s orange box you’ll find the mouse itself, its USB Type-C cable, its dongle, its extension piece for the dongle, and its user manual. No frills of course but when it comes to gaming mice there really isn’t much more to expect anyway.

Aesthetics and Build Quality

When these aren’t plugged in and lit up, the first thing you’ll notice is that the RGB lighting location is a bright white that greatly contrasts in comparison to each mouse’s blacked-out design. But when these are plugged in, that white goes to exactly what colors you want. These really are a feast for the eyes because of how much open space there is to see because of the diamond cut-out shells they have.

There’s also a bit of embellishment on each with the subtle gun-metal grey on the Aerox 9’s side buttons and the Aerox 5’s silver thumb button. These add a bit more dimension to the design overall though I really would’ve liked to see a full black-out entirely.

Durability is a plus for these sweet mice as they definitely feel sturdy in hand. Not much creaking and they don’t really feel soft when squeezed either. The size of these is definitely on the larger side which they use to their advantage.

The glide skates on their bottoms feel very slick and luckily seem to stay on pretty well. Not to mention that these are both IP54-rated for water resistance and other environmental hazards with their AquaBarrier technology as well so these are meant to stick around for a while.

Specs and Special Features

Aerox 5 Wireless - $139.99

Engineered with an ultra-lightweight 74g design for speed and precision making it perfect for all Battle Royale, FPS, MOBA, and other fast-paced games.
Ergonomic 9-button programmable layout with 5 quick action side buttons, including our unique up/down flick switch for fast and efficient in-game actions.
AquaBarrier technology is IP54-rated to provide water resistance and protection from dust, dirt, and more.
Quantum 2.0 Wireless transmits data at unreal speeds, giving the flexibility of 2.4 GHz or Bluetooth 5.0, while also allowing for 180 hours of continuous play with fast charging.
TrueMove Air precision optical gaming sensor with true 1-to-1 tracking, 18,000 CPI, 400 IPS, 40G acceleration, and tilt tracking.
Next-gen Golden Micro IP54 Switches with over 80M click durability.

Aerox 9 Wireless - $149.99

Engineered with an ultra-lightweight 89g design for comfort and versatility, making it perfect for MOBA, MMO, and other complex games.
Ergonomic 18-button programmable layout with a 12-button side panel made for quick access to abilities and macros, in an easy-to-learn design.
Quantum 2.0 Wireless transmits data at unreal speeds, giving the flexibility of 2.4 GHz or Bluetooth 5.0, while also allowing for 180 hours of continuous play with fast charging.
AquaBarrier technology is IP54-rated to provide water resistance and protection from dust, dirt, and more.
TrueMove Air precision optical gaming sensor with true 1-to-1 tracking, 18,000 CPI, 400 IPS, 40G acceleration and tilt tracking.
Next-gen Golden Micro IP54 Switches with over 80M click durability.

Keeping in mind the price of these mice, they really do offer a lot of neat features and reasons to consider them for purchase. Personally, I believe these cost a bit more than I would have expected them to. The Aerox 9 at least offers the 12 side buttons to map but the Aerox 5 lacks a reason to be its high $139.99 price-point.

Gameplay

When it came to actually sitting down and putting these mice to work, they certainly show up for the job. They skate briskly across the desk even though they do feel a bit more weighted than I would have liked. Aiming and pin-pointing that precise spot you need to hit is a satisfying flow.

Button clicks are also responsive as ever to make sure you know when your actions are being carried out. Another standout feature of both is the 180-hour battery life and 15-minute quick charge which means you don’t have to worry about missing out on the action.

The Aerox 5 has just the right amount of buttons for someone like myself who doesn’t usually take advantage of the side buttons in all situations. I also just really like how the side buttons are set up. All of them are perfectly centered, especially the thumb button. I actually noticed that this is basically the same structural design as their Rival 5 Gaming Mouse. It’s a fantastic design so I’m happy to see it being put to good use here as well.

As for the Aerox 9, though I typically don’t use 18 buttons when I play, it was really nice to have the option to map so many keys to just this one thing in my hand. The number pad on the side is also pretty comfortable in its own right. It curves in just the right way for my thumb to fit right into its groove and there’s also a notch on the number 5 button so that you know where your finger is oriented.

What It Could Have Done Better

As I said before, these mice can be a bit pricey when compared to others on the market. It’s not like they’re offering too much different from what’s already available so I assumed these would’ve been at least $20 cheaper than they are. Additionally, I found these to be a bit heavier than I typically like. Though I wouldn’t consider them heavy by any means, I did notice a difference between these and some of SteelSeries’ other lightweight offerings.

Verdict

SteelSeries’ Aerox 5 and 9 Wireless Mice are superb pieces of tech overall. They offer a lot of great features and creature comforts as well as a strong use of RGB which shines gorgeously bright. Though their prices could’ve been a bit lower, these are still solid choices for the competitive MOBA or shooter fan that needs a sturdy mouse with a bunch of mappable buttons. I’d also say that these are great choices for gamers with larger hands in general.