I just tested the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 — and it bridges the gap between entry-level and competitive gaming mice

SteelSeries is one of the biggest names in the world of gaming peripherals, and it knows how to make a good mouse. The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a refresh of the first-gen Aerox 3, and it introduces some handy upgrades. The rodent boasts 26,000 DPI and a 4,000Hz wireless polling rate, both of which give you a competitive advantage in FPS titles.

In addition to the solid gaming performance, you also get up to 200 hours of battery life and a feature-rich companion app. The mouse itself is mighty comfortable and lightweight, although the honeycomb design might not please everyone. Oh, and there’s no place on the mouse to stash the dongle away.

Could this be the best gaming mouse for you? Read my full SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review to find out.

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: Specs

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A right-handed mouse with 26,000 DPI and 4,000Hz polling
• Who is it for? Competitive players and productivity users seeking a lightweight mouse
• How much does it cost? The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is available for $109 / £99
• What do we like? The lightweight and comfortable design, great gaming performance, feature-rich software, and long battery life
• What don’t we like? The honeycomb design and lack of onboard dongle storage

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: The ups

From its lightweight, comfortable design and feature-rich software, to its fantastic gaming performance, the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is an outstanding rodent.

Lightweight and comfortable

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is, of course, the successor to the first-gen model, and while not much has changed in terms of the shape of the mouse, SteelSeries has introduced three new colors. You can now get the mouse in flashy Magenta Haze (the model I tested). I’m not a massive fan of the Magenta Haze as it’s very loud and draws attention to itself, and looks tacky to me when the RGB is enabled, but that’s just my opinion, and you might like that. For those who prefer more low-key mice, the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 comes in Shadow (black) and Ghost (white) too.

Looks aside, the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is mighty comfortable. It weighs only 2.39oz, just like the previous iteration, and joins the likes of the Glorious Model D2 ($99) and the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159) in the sub-3oz club. Despite being so light, the mouse feels premium and solid to hold. Tapping it with my fingernails revealed no hollow-sounding parts.

Having used the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 for a few full days, I can confirm that it’s extremely comfortable as my hands never felt fatigued… as long as you’re right-handed, of course. The mouse is 4.75 x 2.28 x 0.85 inches so it’s well-suited for small- and medium-sized hands. My medium hand had no problem cradling the mouse.

Great gaming performance

If you’re buying a mouse designed for competitive gaming, comfort means nothing if the rodent has lackluster features. Thankfully, the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 packs bags of performance under the hood. Equipped with the TrueMove 26K sensor, the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 boasts a maximum DPI of 26,000 — up from 18,000 on the Gen 1. The onboard DPI selector, located between the right- and left-click buttons, lets you swap between five different values, and these can be customized via the companion software (more on this soon).

Having 26,000 DPI at your disposal means you can adjust the mouse’s sensitivity to your liking — bump it all the way up for ultra-responsive gameplay in Counter-Strike 2, or drop it to 500 for precise movement when taking headshots in Cyberpunk 2077. Being able to do so on-the-fly is a big advantage too, as you don’t have to dive into the software every time. That’s something that’s missing from the pricier Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2, so this is a win for SteelSeries in my book.

Alongside this, you also get 4,000Hz polling (up from 1,000Hz on the Gen 1) when using the 2.4GHz dongle. 4KHz polling is excellent for competitive, high-refresh-rate gaming, but it will naturally have a detrimental effect on the mouse’s battery life (more on this shortly). The Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 performed formidably across the board, regardless of the game I played.

First of all, I didn’t notice any latency issues or input lag thanks to the 4,000Hz polling rate. The mouse’s buttons and scroll wheel were highly responsive in my testing. In Cyberpunk 2077, I opted for a high DPI of around 15,000 when I was in close-quarter combat and surrounded by enemies. The high DPI enabled me to change directions quickly to punch down and slice NPCs with my knife.

When I needed to fine-tune my movements, I dropped the DPI to 500. In both Counter-Strike 2 and Cyberpunk 2077, this helped me aim better with my sniper rifle. Aiming at one particular target when said target was surrounded by other NPCs was a piece of cake, as slowing down helped me aim more accurately. I could then execute precise headshots. Great success.

Long battery life

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 has received an upgrade in the battery life department too. While the first-gen model could last 80 hours over 2.4GHz, the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 can last 120 hours over 2.4GHz (1,000Hz polling). If you bump the polling up to 4,000Hz, though, the battery drops significantly to 35 hours only. Bluetooth battery numbers remain the same, with both the first-gen and second-gen mice delivering 200 hours.

This is longer battery life than some of the competition. The Glorious Model D2, for instance, has a 110-hour 2.4GHz battery life — although you get 210 hours over Bluetooth — while the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal ($99) is rated for 135 hours over 2.4GHz.

I couldn’t drain the entire battery in my testing, but after around 15 hours of using the mouse with 4,000Hz polling over 2.4GHz, the battery had dropped to 60%. If you want to conserve the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2’s battery life for longer, I’d recommend using the mouse over Bluetooth when you aren’t gaming competitively.

Feature-rich software

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The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 utilizes the SteelSeries GG software, on Windows or macOS, for extensive customization — and it’s a delight. The software is clean and intuitive to use, and everything is well signposted. I love how many customization options the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 offers. You can remap the buttons, assign custom DPI values to the DPI button, choose power saving settings, adjust the lift-off distance, and choose different polling rates.

I also adore the RGB customization, via Prism within SteelSeries GG. There are three different RGB zones on the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 whose effects, colors, hue, saturation, brightness and speed can be adjusted individually. It’s all very easy to do. I have no complaints.

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: The downs

The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 has a few drawbacks, including the divisive honeycomb design and the lack of onboard dongle storage.

Honeycomb… why?

This might be a personal thing but I’ve never been a fan of honeycomb mice. I understand that the honeycomb, holey design reduces weight without sacrificing structural integrity, and can help with heat dissipation, but many modern mice sporting traditional designs do both of those things just as well, if not better.

The Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2’s honeycomb design extends to the left- and right-click buttons too, so when I was using a claw grip, my fingernails were getting caught in the holes, which I didn’t find particularly comfortable. I also personally don’t like that I can see dust and debris getting caught inside. Yuck.

If you’re turned off by the honeycomb design as much as I am, I’d recommend the Lemokey G1 ($64) or the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K ($69). They’re also cheaper than the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 while offering higher DPI and 8,000Hz polling.

No onboard dongle storage

I sound like a broken record anytime I talk about mice not having slots on their bodies to store their accompanying dongles. I’ve been complaining about this for years now, and it’s sad to see that the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 suffers from the same issue. It comes with a USB-C 2.4GHz dongle which can’t be stored on its person. What if you’re a competitive gamer who travels a lot for tournaments? You wouldn’t want to lose the dongle in your backpack or forget it at home, would you?

This problem isn’t limited to the Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2, of course. We’ve seen lack of onboard dongle storage on the Turtle Beach Pure Air ($99), the Glorious Model O 2 ($99), and the Keychron M3 Mini V2 8K. If this is important to you, I’d recommend the Lemokey G1 — it even has faster 8,000Hz polling!

SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 review: Verdict

If you’re on the lookout for a mouse that bridges the gap between entry- and pro-level mice, the SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is an excellent choice. It’s lightweight and comfortable, and is ideal for all-day use with its long battery life. Gaming performance is 10/10 across the board, thanks to the mouse’s 26,000 DPI and 4,000Hz polling rate. The detailed companion software makes customization a walk in the park too.

But is the honeycomb design enough to break the deal? And what about the lack of onboard dongle storage? While both of these, in my opinion, are noteworthy drawbacks, they shouldn’t stop you from buying the mouse altogether. The Aerox 3 Wireless Gen 2 is a great upgrade over the first-gen model, and it gives you very little to complain about otherwise.